The First Regular Monthly Post of 2026
Wow - the first two weeks of January, it felt like most every book could be the best book of the month. And then the second half arrived, and with it, The Hunchback of Notre Dame - that one definitely didn't feel like a winner, but I tolerated it better than I anticipated.
Shout out to my husband, who had to listen to me sigh and moan as I tried to narrow down the winner for this month. Even though I'm sure it will wreak havoc on my end of year bracket, I decided there needed to be two winners this month.
The Perfect Horse: The Daring U.S. Mission to Rescue the Priceless Stallions Kidnapped by the Nazis, by Elizabeth Letts
An in-depth look at the plight of the Lipizzaner, other purebred European horses, and their caretakers during the upheavals of World War II, as well as the Americans who went above and beyond their duty to save the beautiful creatures.
Why I picked it up: I knew this book was well-liked by my mother, and seeing it on the shelves at my parents' home made me want to give it a try. I started it in October, but had trouble getting into it at the time. I was able to invest more time and attention to it during my Christmas break.
My impressions: This is an impressive work of research and detailed storytelling, and as one review states, "One need not be an equestrian or horse lover in order to appreciate this story." (New York Journal of Books). Besides the occasional chapter where it felt like the author repeated herself a little bit, or maybe spent too much time on the details, pretty much everything else about the book felt right. Letts included plenty of background to the main events she describes, but that background information was necessary to set the stage. Included in this background was much information about the horrific ideas promoted by the eugenics movement, and I skimmed a few of those sections for my own comfort. I felt like I got many facts and not a lot of historical commentary or interpretation. Yes, Letts made clear the evils of eugenics, and I'm very glad she did. I can only imagine how much work it took to sequence events, track down dates, map out location changes, and work with primary sources written in other languages. I was wowed by the meticulous work that must have gone into this work. But, the story itself is compelling and something that I'd enjoy seeing made into a modern movie. There are sad moments in this work - how could there not be in a book about WWII? - but the ending, which seemed at first to ramble a bit, did help tie up loose ends and leave me with a feeling of satisfaction. This is an excellent work of nonfiction, something that could be enjoyed by mature high schoolers and adults, and I recommend it specifically to readers who are fond of horses.
Airborn, by Kenneth Oppel
The first in a trilogy set in an alternate history, in which young adults Matt, the cabin boy, and Kate, daughter of monied folks, experience the thrills and perils of airship travel.
Why I picked it up: One of my book clubs did a book exchange during December and this is the booked I walked away with. I wanted to read it sooner rather than later because...during the white elephant fun, I'd stolen this one from someone else and wanted her to have a chance to read it soon.
My impressions: This book was a grand adventure from start to finish, with me completing all 501 pages of it during the course of about 36 hours. It was so good. It had a slightly steampunk feel, the result of airship travel being the main way of traveling long-distance. It had elements of discovery, hints of survival tales, and lots of interesting interactions between characters. I admit that the beginning was a bit of a slow start, but I didn't really mind that the reader was eased into the story instead of dropped into the middle of the action. There was plenty of action later. There are a few curse words used, about half a page describing some folks kissing for the first time, and some descriptions of violence, blood, and death. Nothing inappropriate, but a book I'd consider YA, not middle grade. I was excited to learn there are two more books in this series, and I'm curious regarding what they could be about (a pleasant surprise, considering how much I did NOT like the first book in this author's bat trilogy). This would be a good book for more mature middle school and high school readers, but adventure-loving adult readers should check it out, too.
Waiting on the Word: A poem a day for Advent, Christmas and Epiphany, by Malcolm Guite
A British chaplain and contemporary poet compiled a collection of poems to read - one a day - from Advent through Epiphany; some of his own compositions are included.
Why I picked it up: I first heard about Malcolm Guite through Sarah Clarkson's Book Girl book, at which time he found a tentative place on my to-read list. The spot became permanent over the summer, when I read a few of his poems and was captivated by one. This book came from my favorite local bookstore.
My impressions: This was a fresh take on a book that walks the reader through Advent on the way to Christmas. There were some great poems in this collection, as well as some poems that didn't hit me like I'd hoped. The commentary by Guite was similar - some commentary and background was really helpful for me, but other times, it didn't help me want to engage more with the poem of the day. There was a good variety of poems, but I found that the older ones typically appealed to me more than modern ones. But not Milton. His poems must not be quite my cup of tea. Guite approached this collection from a Christian perspective, not specific to any particular denomination. This could be a good book for Christian readers who want a different style of book to read in the weeks leading up to Christmas, as well as the twelve days after.
Every Valley: The Desperate Lives and Troubled Times That Made Handel's Messiah, by Charles King, narrated by Juliet Stevenson
This nonfiction work considers the various people who contributed to the creation and original performances of Handel's Messiah, as well as the historical events that shaped the world of that time.
Why I picked it up: I enjoy Handel's Messiah, and was intrigued when I came across this book in Barnes & Noble a year ago. Audible has gotten wise to my strategy of taking advantage of their offers, so it looks like it'll be a long time before I can capitalize on their offers again. This audiobook, it turns out, is available through my state's e-library.
My impressions: There was a lot of interesting history here, but there was also a lot of material that I wish I hadn't heard, even between skips. The book was well-researched, and weaves in many historical-political events with entire biographies, it feels, of key figures related to Messiah. However, there was at least one branch the author spent a lot of time fleshing out that didn't really seem connected to the musical masterpiece. There was way too much information about the romantic affairs of one lady in particular, and I wish I'd skipped the whole chapter that covered the first half of her life. Yes, I learned a lot and found much of this book interesting, but I reached a point somewhere in the middle where I wondered if this book was worth finishing. I did decide in favor of finishing the work, but it's not a book that I'd recommend without some serious reservations and disclaimers stated first.
Mister Max: The Book of Lost Things, by Cynthia Voigt, narrated by Paul Boehmer**
A middle-grade-aged lad in an unspecified old-world European country some time at the beginning of the 20th century finds himself left behind in suspicious circumstances when his parents accept an offer to go to India to start a theater troupe, but finds he has a knack for finding lost things and people.
Why I picked it up: This was one of several books that looked interesting to me when I checked out the website of the Christian-based book fair company that visited the school of some family members. This one was available as an audiobook through my state's e-library.
My impressions: This was a satisfyingly enjoyable listen and better than I imagined it would be. There is certainly a plot, albeit a somewhat slower-moving one - and yet I found it immensely interesting, even with its predictable parts. Perhaps it comes from not knowing what has become of Max's parents, or why he found himself left behind. Maybe it had to do with different threads slowly winding together. Maybe it was just the proper level of details and a cool ability that the main character has that allows him to accomplish things that would otherwise be absolutely unbelievable for a 12-year-old to achieve. Amongst a cast of intriguing characters, and Max's actor parents are especially fun. The books sets up for a sequel, but doesn't end on a painful cliffhanger that made me need to immediately pick up the next book - I appreciated that because I had multiple must-reads stacked up after I finished this one. The only negative points are that one character said they'd kill themselves from boredom at one point, and there's a fake fortune-teller who the main characters run out of town by some fake fortune-telling of their own. I though this book was a lot of fun - not quite your typical adventure, but a little bit of everything mixed together that I think many middle-grade lit readers would enjoy. I've already recommended it to a younger family member.
The Chosen, by Chaim Potok, narrated by Jonathan Davis**
This coming-of-age story follows two orthodox Jewish teenagers - one ultra-orthodox - as they become friends after a baseball accident and navigate the tensions within their families and their society at the end of WWII and the years following.
Why I picked it up: This is an upcoming required read for a book club and I was procrastinating on the one I was supposed to be reading. I noticed this one was available now, and it likely won't be come the month when I'm supposed to read it.
My impressions: This book is thoughtful, interesting, an incredibly detailed window into a lifestyle I know nothing about, and excellent. This is a quality work of literature. I thought some of the language was a little spare or repetitive (for example, I can't tell you how many times the narrator breaks out into a "cold sweat"), but I think that very quality also helps elevate the storytelling in its own way. I learned much about Jewish history, especially about the establishment of the country of Israel; I don't know how accurate all the history was, but it sure had the feel of being accurate. No, there's not a lot of action in this story, but the tension is very much fueled by different relationships, family expectations, and religious beliefs. This would be a good book for adults and maybe mature high schoolers who are firm in their faith.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C. S. Lewis
Four siblings find a world inside a wardrobe, and are drawn into a conflict between the White Witch and the rightful king, Aslan - and not all the children join the same side.
Why I picked it up: I agreed with some cousins to do a series of meetings focused on the Chronicles of Narnia series, one book a month. It feels good to have this book as my first reread of the year, and I remember fondly that I worked through this series at the beginning of the year I initiated this blog.
My impressions: This book is good every time. Though not a terribly long read, I find it so enjoyable that I was content to let myself take time reading it. I did not rush. No, the prose doesn't feel like Lewis' finest, especially in the moments when it's clear he's speaking to child readers, but he still has charming descriptions or turns of phrase now and then. The bittersweetness at the end is so wonderful and kind of a gut punch at the same time. The story is excellent and something every child should read; and if one read it as a child (or didn't), one should read it again as an adult.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame, by Victor Hugo (abridged, but then listened to cut chapters via Librivox**)
A tale set in Medieval Paris about a corrupt priest who lusts after the gypsy La Esmeralda, who longs for the lustful Captain Phoebus, while a poor hunchback, outcast by society, lives only to serve the priest who saved him and the gypsy girl who showed him compassion.
Why I picked it up: I'd read this same version once in high school, but alas, it was the monthly pick for one of my book clubs.
My impressions: This book isn't any better the second time around, other than I knew that it would have a tragic ending. I was impatient with the characters, most of whom seemed rather flat in their composition, and all of whom, for the most part, do very dumb or downright evil things. Way too much talk about lascivious activities. The writing quality didn't strike me as being particularly good, although Hugo can certainly draw a good simile - I think maybe it was that some characters seemed so over-the-top, and some events felt a little too dramatic. I might try to listen to the chapters cut out in the abridgement and see if that changes my perspective about the story, but I remember trying to slog through that first unabridged chapter senior year in high school and I don't know that it will do much. Update: did listen to the cut chapters, as far as I could tell. Listening at 2x speed to those was definitely the way to go; didn't feel like I got a lot out of ridiculously detailed descriptions of Medieval Paris (a poor use of landscape description). I'm probably being too hard on the book and will likely gain some good insights into it when my book club meets, but I definitely don't recommend reading this one.
The Door of No Return, by Kwame Alexander, narrated by Kobna Holdbrooke Smith**
The youth Kofi faces the everyday joys and challenges of life in 1860s Ghana - like cousin rivalry and a crush on a girl - but his caputre after a fatal wrestling match turns into a horrific journey into slavery across the ocean.
Why I picked it up: This book ended up on my to-read list at some point. I found it as a book on tape (disc) at the library.
My impressions: This first half of this book was pretty good, although I didn't like the references to someone's rear end and the main character's infatuation with a classmate (they're maybe 11 years old), which is accompanied by daydreams about holding hands and kissing. Once a beloved character dies, the last third of the book is pretty miserable. There are references to rape of enslaved girls, although there's no detail, and one character kills herself rather than endure rape a second time -yikes. Heavy content, some descriptions of violence and death that are more on the graphic side. It's not a book that I would consider middle grade - I'd definitely put it more in the YA section of the library. There's not really a great resolution to the story, which feels like it ends abruptly. I suspect this book is meant to capture the horror and inhumanity of the slave trade, as well as the wrongs of colonialism, but it doesn't make for enjoyable reading. I wouldn't recommend reading this book.
The Sixth Extinction, by Elizabeth Kolbert, narrated by Anne Twomey**
Part travelogue, part look into history and scientific efforts to save creatures, this book explores the extinctions - past and ongoing - caused by human agency.
Why I picked it up: Ever since I listened to the audiobook Lost Feast, I've embraced the fact that extinct animals fascinate me. This book came up on Audible, I think, but I finally accessed it through my state's e-library.
My impressions: I was highly interested in a few parts of this book, but found it overall to be less fascinating than I had hoped for. I learned much about current theories about extinction, and the end of the great auks hit me, but there was some material that seemed to drag a little bit. Yes, learning about how specialized plants in a rainforest are can be pretty interesting, but I don't know that I needed that visit to the Amazon given with quite as much detail. There were a few chapters towards the end that went into more detail about the reproduction of a few animals than I would have liked and I definitely panic-skipped a minute or two about something in that area I knew I didn't want to hear. The book makes a good case for why human action - including activities like tourism - can be so devastating to animal populations. It was disheartening to hear about how bad things might get for many species, especially tropical frogs and North American bats, who are currently dying off in droves due to the spread of disease. However, Kolbert does leave the reader with a sort of call to action, and includes the names of many organizations that fight to keep species off the extinction list. This book might be interesting to readers who want to learn more about extinct animals and current dangers to the flora and fauna of the world, but I don't think all of it will be highly interesting to general readers.
King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian, by Marguerite Henry
This fictionalized account of one of the founding horses of the thoroughbred horse breed follows the dedicated boy, Agba, who wordlessly tends to the fleet Arabian horse throughout the ups and downs of their lives.
Why I picked it up: This one has been sitting on my shelf for a long time. I remember reading it maybe in fifth grade...or at least starting it. I'm not sure if I even finished it or not. It just seemed like a good time to (re)read it.
My impressions: Though not as impressed by this story as I was by Henry's Justin Morgan Had a Horse, this still ended up being a great horse story. It reminded me throughout of Black Beauty, but with a much more hopeful air throughout. As an adult, and an SLP, this book had extra interest for me since the main character was incapable of speech, and a character later on in the book is a person who stutters. It was interesting to reflect on the ways Agba was at a disadvantage because he couldn't speak, and yet, throughout the story, he shows great agency and faces the consequences of poor decisions, including his own. It was nice to read a story in which the main character shares a special connection with an animal - it's been a long time since I read a story like that. I will say that the story isn't jam-packed with action, so I can understand why fifth-grade me may or may not have read it all the way through. All the same, I was pretty invested in the ending by the time I reached it. This would be a great book for horse-loving upper elementary and middle school readers.
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 1, by Beth Brower, narrated by Genevieve Gaunt**
An orphaned Emma, mourning the loss of a beloved Maxwell and on the cusp of coming into her modest inheritance, moves into the beloved house in London that is soon to be hers, and discovers that her guardians have not been above-board about their use of her accounts.
Why I picked it up: A dear friend of mine recommended this book strongly to me about half a year ago, and I only just now checked it our from my local library system's e-library.
My impressions: I'm so glad I finally followed through on this recommendation and it's such a bummer that the next audiobook isn't available for up to another 23 weeks! Yikes! Emma is a fun narrator and has a delightful way of referring to events in her life - such as "The Great Burning of '82", or what have you. A fantastic voice, and she has many acquaintances and irritating relatives who are most interesting to get to know. I expected it to be a little light and fluffy, as it was a short listen, but I was enraged by the injustice of Emma's circumstances - it's been a while since a specific character has infuriated me so. I like that there's hints at stories the reader doesn't know yet, leaving lots of room for the story to grow - which I'm sure it will, over the next seven volumes, which all seem to be quite a bit longer than this first one. This book would be best enjoyed by fans of Jane Austen and period dramas, good for maybe eighth grade readers and older. I recommend this one to those looking for a pretty fun and light read - it may be on my shortlist for potential Secret Santa book exchange this year with my book club.
Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling, by John Taylor Gatto, narrated by Michael Puttonen**
An award-winning educator in New York reflects on the harm caused by compulsory schooling as it is enacted in the United States.
Why I picked it up: This book was read (and recommended, I believe) by the same friend who urged me to meet Emma M. Lion. Maybe I just ignore my reading list until I've read everything she's ever recommended or even hinted she halfway enjoyed, because this one rocked. Also available through my state's e-library.
My impressions: These are some of the spiciest hot-takes on education I've ever come across, and I'm all about the hottest takes on education. This one is fire - it's so incendiary that it almost literally started a spontaneous fire in an education textbook somewhere, I'm sure of it. My flavor of considering how to improve the education system focuses on reading more, more time in nature, and less time in a formal school setting. Gatto just says the system is so refined in it's brokenness we should just ditch it. It's not humane, he goes so far to say. It's what you get when you have a system that benefits a select elite, helps control the populace, and isn't really set up to do what's right for kids. Compulsory schooling is a relatively recent innovation in the history of the world, and it hasn't created better-educated students - Gatto's experience, as well as the stats, reveal that the opposite is true. I was thinking of how it's only as an adult that I feel I've understood my own interests and pursue them myself; whereas, in school, I received instruction at a lower level than I now wish I had - at least in writing (apologies to readers who bravely trudge their way through these posts). In short, it's now that I have time and space and encouragement to pursue my passions that I feel I've truly become a lifelong learner. Much of what Gatto had to say resonated with me, but it's a work that would certainly bear listening to or reading again, perhaps at a slower pace. This is a good book, and a thought-provoking one, and I think I have some coworkers who will be hearing about it soon. I've already checked out another audiobook by the same author and look forward to hearing more of what he has to say.
Bracket Play
This may have been one of the worst brackets to decide ever - because I read so many EXCELLENT books this month! I don't know if or when I've had such a strong showing. There were so many good backs that several solidly good ones didn't even make it past the first round!
After rearranging the first round several times, I settled on one in which I was comfortable with all the losers except The Perfect Horse and Waiting on the Word; both of these deserved to make it further, but it was too excellent a month of reading.
Once the weaklings (and a few solid ones) were weeded out, I reached a wall. It looked like this:
All of these could easily have been the winner of most any other month - I am so grateful for this January. However, I forced myself to continue. I have picked two titles to be co-victors in the past, but I couldn't just say that there would be six works that shared first place. Therefore, I decided The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe should win over Dumbing Us Down in large part because it's one of those books that I don't feel like I could have lose in good conscience. Maybe I should have just removed Lewis' work from competition from the get-go, like Tolkien's The Lord of the Ring trilogy when I listened to the audiobooks a few years ago. Maybe I'll do that for the final bracket - after all, I'm slated to read the other six "Chronicles of Narnia" books later this year. However, LWW has enough depth to merit it winning for it's own sake; the prose is delightful, the story powerful, the wonder palpable, the ending touching and painful and beautiful all at once.
Mister Max lost to The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion and I'm not sure that there were strong reasons one way or another - but the journals were just delightful and fresh and had a character that really upset me. It's been a long time since a book character got under my skin so badly, but I think that's a sign of how good the book was. No wonder there's a minimum of seven people in line for the next seven audiobooks in my local e-library system.
The Chosen certainly is a strong work of Literature (yes, that's literature that is upper-cased as well as italicized for emphasis - nod to Emma M. Lion's aunt) and certainly deserved to go further in the bracket as well, but I inhaled Airborn and didn't need to take more than a second to decide that Oppel's work was the one that would continue. Maybe it's because I'm such a sucker for adventure stories.
Lewis' classic won over Emma M. Lion's Victorian journaling for the reasons mentioned above...but I enjoyed Airborn so much that I decided, after a year of picking just one winner, that I needed to have two representing this month. Well done, Lewis and Oppel! I'm looking forward to [re]reading the next books in your series!
Books Attempted and Put Down
Educated, by Tara Westover, narrated by Julia Whelan**
A woman raised in a survivalist family eventually breaks ties with them to pursue higher education after a childhood without formal schooling.
Why I picked it up: A friend said she'd read it within the last year or so...I'd heard about it and though, yeah, sure, I'll give it a try.
Why I put it down: It was interesting, but it didn't seem like it would be a book I'd enjoy having listened to all the way through. I had a sense of where it was going, and it seemed like there would be a lot of potential for negativity, and I wasn't sure I wanted to listen to twelve hours of this memoir. It wasn't for me, but it could be for other people.
