Joy E. Rancatore's Blog

Welcome to October’s 12 Months of Reading! Each month in 2025, I will host a different reading challenge category. These categories are broad to fit a variety of reading preferences. 

The October 2025 12 Months of Reading Challenge category is: a book with leaves or autumn colors on the cover. 

If you’re anything like me, you love autumn: the smells, the sights, the fresh air, the hopefulness, the colors. *sigh* It’s also the time of year I most long for the mountains that stole my heart when I was a wee lass.

Hmmm … perhaps I should have made this month’s challenge something with mountains—ah! There’s always next year!

Before I share about the recommended reads in the graphic, remember I am super flexible on what fits a category. If you’re uncertain if your book fits, you need only ask. At the end of the day, my top priority is encouraging readers to read more. 

My Recommendations 

These four books are simply my suggestions to fit the category. Readers may choose any book they’d like that the category can mold to.  

The Little Book Caf é by Georgia Hill

This is a brand-new-to-me book that I haven’t read yet, but it caught my eye for several reasons:

It has leaves that are fun colors.It has books.It has a dog.There’s a BOOK CAFE!It’s about a book club!!

This book sounds like a fun chick lit book with quirky characters and an intriguing story line. Read more about it here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37969188-the-little-book-caf.

A Three Letter Name  by Annie Lisenby

Annie Lisenby joined my LAM Summer Reading Challenge a few summers ago, and I enjoyed learning more about her book. Listen in to our chat about it on YouTube.

She and I had the shared experience of being Indie Author Project winners for our respective states and met at the American Library Association Annual Conference in Chicago in 2023.

This book is a refreshing, action-packed, genre-bending fantastical dystopian with a splash of historical culture. Pick up your copy here: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9781956136302.

After the Leaves Fall  by Nicole Baart

Again, my search for recommendations led me to a new author whose words I cannot wait to sink into. Nicole Baart is a best-selling author of Christian fiction, and After the Leaves Fall is one of her earlier books. I’m completely drawn in by the synopsis of a fresh young adult who struggles with that transition from child to grownup.

As always, wield your magical library card (request the book if yours doesn’t have it) or check out After the Leaves Fall and Nicole’s other books on her website: https://nicolebaart.com/books/after-the-leaves-fall.

The Crux Anthology, edited by Rachael Ritchey, written by 16 authors, including Joy E. Rancatore

My fourth recommendation is a special one. This is the book that turned this writer into a published author, but that’s not the reason I love it the most.

I love The Crux because every penny of its profits since 2018 have gone to Compassion International AND it led me to meet one of my dearest friends (and the best cover designer and formatter a girl could ask for), Rachael Ritchey.

Visit this page for all the details, including information about each of the authors and snip-its of the 16 action adventure sci-fi and fantasy short stories it contains: https://rachaelritchey.com/the-crux-anthology/.

To purchase your own copy, head here: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9780997203363.

12 Months of Reading Challenge Reminders 

My heart’s desire for 12 Months of Reading is that it encourages timid readers, stokes the embers of readers’ passions that have grown cold in the busyness of society, brings readers and authors together to share the joy of stories and spreads a splash of fun throughout the year. 

For competitive readers who choose to read a book in each month’s category, they may download and print out a 12 Months of Reading Challenge Tracker PDF. Once they complete their twelfth book in December, they can scan or snap a picture of the filled-in PDF and email it to me for a prize: a stylish calendar with next year’s 12 Months of Reading categories. 

To purchase a current version of the calendar (supplies are limited) and to participate in 12 Months of Reading, download free graphics and the PDF tracker, find links to each month’s book recommendation post and more in one spot, visit www.joyerancatore.com/12-months-of-reading.  

Comment below with what you plan to read and then return to share a review. If the comment section is not working, feel free to email me. Let’s #ShareTheRead!

(If you use the bookshop.org links above to order, I receive a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting me and independent bookstores by using them for your online bookstore purchases!) 

Remember to #ShareTheRead! Tap the graphic below to download each month’s graphic to share on your social media. How many reader friends can you bring to the party?

Tap the image above to download each month’s graphic. Share graphics on social media with #ShareTheRead and #12MonthsOfReading and tag @joyerancatore!

Tap the graphic above to join LAM Book Club for an extra way to #ShareTheRead with fellow readers! No set book. Meet virtually once a month. Share what you’re reading or ask for recommendations.

The post 12 Months of Reading October 2025 first appeared on Joy E. Rancatore.

The post 12 Months of Reading October 2025 appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

Welcome to September’s 12 Months of Reading! Each month in 2025, I will host a different reading challenge category. These categories are broad to fit a variety of reading preferences. 

The September 2025 12 Months of Reading Challenge category is: a book with silver on the cover or “silver” in the title. 

Before I share some thoughts and links for the recommended reads in the graphic, remember I am super flexible on what fits a category. If you’re uncertain if your book fits, you need only ask. At the end of the day, my top priority is encouraging readers to read more. 

My Recommendations 

These four books are simply my suggestions to fit the category. Readers may choose any book they’d like that the category can mold to.  

The Silver Chair  by C.S. Lewis

While this book may rest in the midst of C.S. Lewis’ famous Chronicles of Narnia, I think you would be okay to pick it up without reading the others. Of course, you could up the challenge and take on the whole collection this month! The books aren’t long and contain enough action to keep those pages flipping.

This is a book you may already own, and your library definitely has. Of course, you could always grab a copy here: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9780064405041.

Final 42  by Christy Decker

One of the greatest joys of being an author is meeting and cheering on fellow authors. Christy Decker is a kind and thoughtful person and a great writer. This book—a heartfelt story that brings readers behind the scenes in the lives of police officers and their families—comes with my highest recommendation. As a police officer’s wife, Christy knows the life she writes about.

I first read this book before my husband joined our local sheriff’s department. While it was a great read then, Final 42 holds a deeper meaning for me now. Check out my review here and find buy links through Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2641262720.

Light on Glass  by Michelle Keener

Michelle is another dear author friend. She has written several books, and this one may be my favorite for two reasons: 1. The main character is a stay-at-home mom/author. 2. It’s actually a story within a story. What’s not to love?

As always, wield your magical library card (request the book if yours doesn’t have it) or check out Light on Glass and Michelle’s other books on her website: https://www.michellekeener.com/books.

Finders Keepers: How to Find and Keep Your Writing Critique Partner  by Joy E. Rancatore and Meagan Smith

My fourth recommendation is for my fellow writers. This is the book my critique partner and I wished existed when we started our journey together. Since it didn’t—and since we made plenty of mistakes and learned things the hard way—we decided to write it.

A personal copy can be purchased here: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9781733138734.

12 Months of Reading Challenge Reminders 

My heart’s desire for 12 Months of Reading is that it encourages timid readers, stokes the embers of readers’ passions that have grown cold in the busyness of society, brings readers and authors together to share the joy of stories and spreads a splash of fun throughout the year. 

For competitive readers who choose to read a book in each month’s category, they may download and print out a 12 Months of Reading Challenge Tracker PDF. Once they complete their twelfth book in December, they can scan or snap a picture of the filled-in PDF and email it to me for a prize: a stylish calendar with next year’s 12 Months of Reading categories. 

To purchase a current version of the calendar (supplies are limited) and to participate in 12 Months of Reading, download free graphics and the PDF tracker, find links to each month’s book recommendation post and more in one spot, visit www.joyerancatore.com/12-months-of-reading.  

Comment below with what you plan to read and then return to share a review. If the comment section is not working, feel free to email me. Let’s #ShareTheRead!

(If you use the bookshop.org links above to order, I receive a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting me and independent bookstores by using them for your online bookstore purchases!) 

Remember to #ShareTheRead! Tap the graphic below to download each month’s graphic to share on your social media. How many reader friends can you bring to the party?

Tap the image above to download each month’s graphic. Share graphics on social media with #ShareTheRead and #12MonthsOfReading and tag @joyerancatore!

Tap the graphic above to join LAM Book Club for an extra way to #ShareTheRead with fellow readers! No set book. Meet virtually once a month. Share what you’re reading or ask for recommendations.

The post 12 Months of Reading September 2025 first appeared on Joy E. Rancatore.

The post 12 Months of Reading September 2025 appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

Welcome to August’s 12 Months of Reading! Each month in 2025, I will host a different reading challenge category. These categories are broad to fit a variety of reading preferences. 

The August 2025 12 Months of Reading Challenge category is: a book set at a transition for the main character. 

For my nonfiction readers, I realize the graphic doesn’t showcase a book for you. I think this theme fits well, though, and I can give you a couple of broad examples.

Back when we began our homeschooling journey—many, many years ago—I read a stack of books about homeschooling and curriculum. If you’re preparing for a new stage of life or a new type of eating or a change in your fitness routine or anything else new, different or outside the ordinary, this theme will fit. And, of course, for my fans of biography and memoir, chances are high your book’s main character is going through some sort of life change.

Before I share some thoughts and links for the recommended reads in the graphic, remember I am super flexible on what fits a category. If you’re uncertain if your book fits, you need only ask. At the end of the day, my top priority is encouraging readers to read more. 

My Recommendations 

Again, these four books are simply my suggestions to fit the category. Readers may choose any book they’d like that the category can mold to.  

The Existence of Bea Pearl  by Candice Marley Conner

Talk about a time of upheaval and uncertainty! Bea Pearl’s brother is missing, and she seems to be the only one at his funeral who doesn’t believe he’s dead. This is book where setting is a character, and it’s as changing as the seasons and a teenage girl’s emotions.

Check it out from your local library, request it there if it’s not already on shelves or grab your own copy here: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9781945654749.

The Ruins of Gorlan  by John Flanagan

My son helped me remember about this one. If you like adventure and mystery and a touch of magic, check out this first book in the Ranger’s Apprentice series. The main character, Will, has been chosen as a Ranger’s apprentice, but he’s uncertain what that means or if he should trust this shadowy league.

As always, wield your magical library card or order a copy for your home bookshelf here: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9780399244544.

A Girl with a Knife  by Alina Rubin

Now is the perfect time to start the Hearts and Sails series by Alina Rubin because the fourth full-length book releases in November 2025. This story, her debut novel, epitomizes the author’s commitment to writing “heroines with strong voices and able hands.” Ella Parker escapes an abusive home and discovers adventures and passion for a vocation on the high seas.

Bring home your copy today: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9798985537826.

Any Good Thing  by Joy E. Rancatore

My fourth recommendation comes from my heart. Any Good Thing‘s main character is Jack Calhoun. Burdened and uncertain, Jack sets out on what he believes is a sacrificial path. In the end, he will either learn to differentiate sacrifice from selfishness or lose everything he thought he didn’t deserve.

A personal copy can be purchased here: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9781733138703. If you prefer an autographed copy, email me for order details.

12 Months of Reading Challenge Reminders 

My heart’s desire for 12 Months of Reading is that it encourages timid readers, stokes the embers of readers’ passions that have grown cold in the busyness of society, brings readers and authors together to share the joy of stories and spreads a splash of fun throughout the year. 

For competitive readers who choose to read a book in each month’s category, they may download and print out a 12 Months of Reading Challenge Tracker PDF. Once they complete their twelfth book in December, they can scan or snap a picture of the filled-in PDF and email it to me for a prize: a stylish calendar with next year’s 12 Months of Reading categories. 

To purchase a current version of the calendar (supplies are limited) and to participate in 12 Months of Reading, download free graphics and the PDF tracker, find links to each month’s book recommendation post and more in one spot, visit www.joyerancatore.com/12-months-of-reading.  

Comment below with what you plan to read and then return to share a review. If the comment section is not working, feel free to email me. Let’s #ShareTheRead!

(If you use the bookshop.org links above to order, I receive a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting me and independent bookstores by using them for your online bookstore purchases!) 

Remember to #ShareTheRead! Tap the graphic below to download each month’s graphic to share on your social media. How many reader friends can you bring to the party?

Tap the image above to download each month’s graphic. Share graphics on social media with #ShareTheRead and #12MonthsOfReading and tag @joyerancatore!

Tap the graphic above to join LAM Book Club for an extra way to #ShareTheRead with fellow readers! No set book. Meet virtually once a month. Share what you’re reading or ask for recommendations.

The post 12 Months of Reading August 2025 first appeared on Joy E. Rancatore.

The post 12 Months of Reading August 2025 appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

Welcome to July’s 12 Months of Reading! Each month in 2025, I will host a different reading challenge category. These categories are broad to fit a variety of reading preferences. 

The July 2025 12 Months of Reading Challenge category is: a LAM Summer Reading Challenge book. 

Introduction 

Summer means READING! 2025 marks the eighth year I’ve hosted my LAM Summer Reading Challenge. My goal has always been to bring authors and readers together to #ShareTheRead! We have virtual events, interactive book-related posts and bookish prizes for eight glorious weeks. All the information about the Challenge, how to participate and which authors will be hanging around can be found on the hub.

Each year’s challenge kicks off with eight primary reading categories. Some of our participants are voracious readers, though, so I have learned eight isn’t always enough. We have a total of 62 categories to choose from. Those will also be available on that hub page.

 

The Categories 

For our purposes, let’s get started with these eight.

Category 1 – Book by a Featured Author: This year’s Featured Authors are Julie Mayerson Brown, Carole Lehr Johnson and Joy E. Rancatore (that’s me!). Any book by any of us will satisfy this category. You can find lists on our websites, and I’ll have a bookshop .org list up soon with direct buy links.

Category 2 – Book by an Author of the Round Table: Each summer I invite previous Featured Authors to join me for another chat. These lovely authors become my Authors of the Round Table. You can find their information on the hub page.

Category 3 – Book Cover That Is Your Favorite Color: I always try to coordinate my summer reading themes and categories with the library’s summer reading theme. This year is Color Your World, so you’ll notice several color- and art-related categories. This one is pretty self-explanatory.

Category 4 – Book Club Recommendation: I always include this category because I want to encourage you to check out a book club if you don’t already have one. This can come from a club you’re part of or a club near you. You’re also invited to one of my two summer book clubs. We meet the first Thursday of each month at 8:00 p.m. (CDT) on Zoom, so you can join from wherever you are. Find more info about my book club on its hub page.

Category 5 – Book with a Kaleidoscope or Rainbow Cover: This category came from a newsletter subscriber, and I love it! I added the rainbow part, because I thought kaleidoscope might be an extra challenge. Honestly, though, I really hope to see some beautiful covers!

Category 6 – Book that Features a Creative Pursuit: This category (another subscriber recommendation) lend itself perfectly for either fiction or nonfiction. Plus, how many different creative pursuits can we read about!

Category 7 – Book by an Author in Your State: I’ve always thought this is a fun category because it takes a little digging. Who knows? Maybe one of your neighbors is an author!

Category 8 – Book Where the Title Is in Two or More Colors: My final newsletter subscriber category latched on to the color theme, and I’m here for it! This is another one where I’ll really look forward to seeing pictures in our “Book Selfie Saturday” posts in our summer reading Facebook group.

 

Make the Challenge Your Own

As usual, these categories are fairly broad. If a reader prefers nonfiction to fiction, they should still be able to participate. If they prefer short form writing or poetry or anything else, again, they should be able to mold the category to their preferences. 

I am also quite flexible on what fits each category. If a reader is uncertain of a category, they need only ask. At the end of the day, my top priority is encouraging readers to read more.

 

12 Months of Reading Challenge Reminders 

My heart’s desire for 12 Months of Reading is that it encourages timid readers, stokes the embers of readers’ passions that have grown cold in the busyness of society, brings readers and authors together to share the joy of stories and spreads a splash of fun throughout the year. 

For competitive readers who choose to read a book in each month’s category, they may download and print out a 12 Months of Reading Challenge Tracker PDF. Once they complete their twelfth book in December, they can scan or snap a picture of the filled-in PDF and email it to me for a prize: a stylish calendar with next year’s 12 Months of Reading categories. 

To purchase a current version of the calendar (supplies are limited) and to participate in 12 Months of Reading, download free graphics and the PDF tracker, find links to each month’s book recommendation post and more in one spot, visit www.joyerancatore.com/12-months-of-reading.  

Comment below with what you plan to read and then return to share a review. If the comment section is not working, feel free to email me. Let’s #ShareTheRead!

(If you use the bookshop.org links above to order, I receive a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting me and independent bookstores by using them for your online bookstore purchases!) 

Remember to #ShareTheRead! Tap the graphic below to download each month’s graphic to share on your social media. How many reader friends can you bring to the party?

Tap the image above to download each month’s graphic. Share graphics on social media with #ShareTheRead and #12MonthsOfReading and tag @joyerancatore!

Tap the graphic above to join LAM Book Club for an extra way to #ShareTheRead with fellow readers! No set book. Meet virtually once a month. Share what you’re reading or ask for recommendations.

The post 12 Months of Reading July 2025 first appeared on Joy E. Rancatore.

The post 12 Months of Reading July 2025 appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

Welcome to June’s 12 Months of Reading! Each month in 2025, I will host a different reading challenge category. These categories are broad to fit a variety of reading preferences. 

The June 2025 12 Months of Reading Challenge category is: a LAM Summer Reading Challenge book. 

Introduction 

Summer means READING! 2025 marks the eighth year I’ve hosted my LAM Summer Reading Challenge. My goal has always been to bring authors and readers together to #ShareTheRead! We have virtual events, interactive book-related posts and bookish prizes for eight glorious weeks. All the information about the Challenge, how to participate and which authors will be hanging around can be found on the hub.

Each year’s challenge kicks off with eight primary reading categories. Some of our participants are voracious readers, though, so I have learned eight isn’t always enough. After our intro week, I’ll reveal 58 more categories readers can choose from once they complete the primary ones. Those will be available on that hub page, too.

 

The Categories 

For our purposes, let’s get started with these eight.

Category 1 – Book by a Featured Author: This year’s Featured Authors are Julie Mayerson Brown, Carole Lehr Johnson and Joy E. Rancatore (that’s me!). Any book by any of us will satisfy this category. You can find lists on our websites, and I’ll have a bookshop .org list up soon with direct buy links.

Category 2 – Book by an Author of the Round Table: Each summer I invite previous Featured Authors to join me for another chat. These lovely authors become my Authors of the Round Table. You can find their information on the hub page.

Category 3 – Book Cover That Is Your Favorite Color: I always try to coordinate my summer reading themes and categories with the library’s summer reading theme. This year is Color Your World, so you’ll notice several color- and art-related categories. This one is pretty self-explanatory.

Category 4 – Book Club Recommendation: I always include this category because I want to encourage you to check out a book club if you don’t already have one. This can come from a club you’re part of or a club near you. You’re also invited to one of my two summer book clubs. We meet the first Thursday of each month at 8:00 p.m. (CDT) on Zoom, so you can join from wherever you are. Find more info about my book club on its hub page.

Category 5 – Book with a Kaleidoscope or Rainbow Cover: This category came from a newsletter subscriber, and I love it! I added the rainbow part, because I thought kaleidoscope might be an extra challenge. Honestly, though, I really hope to see some beautiful covers!

Category 6 – Book that Features a Creative Pursuit: This category (another subscriber recommendation) lend itself perfectly for either fiction or nonfiction. Plus, how many different creative pursuits can we read about!

Category 7 – Book by an Author in Your State: I’ve always thought this is a fun category because it takes a little digging. Who knows? Maybe one of your neighbors is an author!

Category 8 – Book Where the Title Is in Two or More Colors: My final newsletter subscriber category latched on to the color theme, and I’m here for it! This is another one where I’ll really look forward to seeing pictures in our “Book Selfie Saturday” posts in our summer reading Facebook group.

 

Make the Challenge Your Own

As usual, these categories are fairly broad. If a reader prefers nonfiction to fiction, they should still be able to participate. If they prefer short form writing or poetry or anything else, again, they should be able to mold the category to their preferences. 

I am also quite flexible on what fits each category. If a reader is uncertain of a category, they need only ask. At the end of the day, my top priority is encouraging readers to read more.

 

12 Months of Reading Challenge Reminders 

My heart’s desire for 12 Months of Reading is that it encourages timid readers, stokes the embers of readers’ passions that have grown cold in the busyness of society, brings readers and authors together to share the joy of stories and spreads a splash of fun throughout the year. 

For competitive readers who choose to read a book in each month’s category, they may download and print out a 12 Months of Reading Challenge Tracker PDF. Once they complete their twelfth book in December, they can scan or snap a picture of the filled-in PDF and email it to me for a prize: a stylish calendar with next year’s 12 Months of Reading categories. 

To purchase a current version of the calendar (supplies are limited) and to participate in 12 Months of Reading, download free graphics and the PDF tracker, find links to each month’s book recommendation post and more in one spot, visit www.joyerancatore.com/12-months-of-reading.  

Comment below with what you plan to read and then return to share a review. If the comment section is not working, feel free to email me. Let’s #ShareTheRead!

(If you use the bookshop.org links above to order, I receive a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting me and independent bookstores by using them for your online bookstore purchases!) 

Remember to #ShareTheRead! Tap the graphic below to download each month’s graphic to share on your social media. How many reader friends can you bring to the party?

Tap the image above to download each month’s graphic. Share graphics on social media with #ShareTheRead and #12MonthsOfReading and tag @joyerancatore!

Tap the graphic above to join LAM Book Club for an extra way to #ShareTheRead with fellow readers! No set book. Meet virtually once a month. Share what you’re reading or ask for recommendations.

The post 12 Months of Reading June 2025 first appeared on Joy E. Rancatore.

The post 12 Months of Reading June 2025 appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

Welcome to May’s 12 Months of Reading! Each month in 2025, I will host a different reading challenge category. These categories are broad to fit a variety of reading preferences. 

The May 2025 12 Months of Reading Challenge category is: a book published 25 years ago or 125 years ago. 

For those of you who, like me, have no desire to math at the moment: you’re looking for books published in 2000 or 1900.

This may be a slightly more tricky category, but I hope you have some fun with it. Of course, I’ve got four recommendations for you to quickly pull from. If none of them strike your fancy or you’d rather the challenge, you can always ask your friendly neighborhood librarian to help you find some options.

True to my commitment to broad categories, this one has no specifications aside from the publication year.

I am big on readers reading what they love. For that reason, my book club has no set book! And that is why when I set reading categories for 12 MOR and my other challenges, I make them as broad as possible. 

If a reader prefers nonfiction to fiction, they should still be able to participate. If they prefer short form writing or poetry or anything else, again, they should be able to mold the category to their preferences. 

I am also quite flexible on what fits each category. If a reader is uncertain of a category, they need only ask. At the end of the day, my top priority is encouraging readers to read more. 

My Recommendations 

Again, these four books are simply my suggestions to fit the category. Readers may choose any book they’d like that the category can mold to.  

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire  by J.K. Rowling

Yes, Potterheads, it really has been 25 years!

Since this is the fourth book in the series, this would be best as a reread for someone who adores this book as much as I do. Honestly, this is my favorite of the books. My favorite movie is probably Prisoner of Azkaban, though. I just didn’t think the movie captured the excitement and intrigue of Goblet as well as my imagination did.

If you don’t already have one, get your copy here: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9780439139595.

On Writing  by Stephen King

This must-read for every writer is one I have yet to read. Perhaps this month I will remedy that oversight.

From what I have heard, this book not only gives insight into one of the most successful authors of our time, but it also encourage writers to find their own process.

If you want to join me in getting a behind-the-scenes look at the King, you can order a revised edition of On Writing here: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9781982159375.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz  by Frank L. Baum

Again, I have never read this hundred-year-old classic. I’m curious to see how different it is from the movie and if I’ll prefer it over the movie.

Like J.R.R. Tolkien’s works, this book was birthed from oral stories, told at the bedside of the author’s children.

Check out this gorgeous 100th anniversary edition for readers ready to add The Wizard of Oz to their shelves: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9780060293239.

The Three Sisters  by Anton Chekov

My fourth recommendation is another from my unread shelf and comes based on the suggestion of my home bookstore owner, Andrew Labit, of Andrew’s Book Sack.

Andrew is a connoisseur of Russian literature and a fan of Chekov. I am interested in the fact that this is a play. I really enjoy reading plays, with their stage directions and openness for the reader (and actors) to insert their imaginations.

A personal copy can be purchased here: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9780802132765.

12 Months of Reading Challenge Reminders 

My heart’s desire for 12 Months of Reading is that it encourages timid readers, stokes the embers of readers’ passions that have grown cold in the busyness of society, brings readers and authors together to share the joy of stories and spreads a splash of fun throughout the year. 

For competitive readers who choose to read a book in each month’s category, they may download and print out a 12 Months of Reading Challenge Tracker PDF. Once they complete their twelfth book in December, they can scan or snap a picture of the filled-in PDF and email it to me for a prize: a stylish calendar with next year’s 12 Months of Reading categories. 

To purchase a current version of the calendar (supplies are limited) and to participate in 12 Months of Reading, download free graphics and the PDF tracker, find links to each month’s book recommendation post and more in one spot, visit www.joyerancatore.com/12-months-of-reading.  

Comment below with what you plan to read and then return to share a review. If the comment section is not working, feel free to email me. Let’s #ShareTheRead!

(If you use the bookshop.org links above to order, I receive a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting me and independent bookstores by using them for your online bookstore purchases!) 

Remember to #ShareTheRead! Tap the graphic below to download each month’s graphic to share on your social media. How many reader friends can you bring to the party?

Tap the image above to download each month’s graphic. Share graphics on social media with #ShareTheRead and #12MonthsOfReading and tag @joyerancatore!

Tap the graphic above to join LAM Book Club for an extra way to #ShareTheRead with fellow readers! No set book. Meet virtually once a month. Share what you’re reading or ask for recommendations.

The post 12 Months of Reading May 2025 first appeared on Joy E. Rancatore.

The post 12 Months of Reading May 2025 appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

Regardless of a book’s primary genre—mystery, legal thriller, romance, contemporary, historical, women’s fiction, etc.—if a book is set somewhere in the Southern United States, it will entice me to at least lift it from a shelf and give its cover a read.

I love Southern fiction. I’m simply drawn to stories set in the region I’ve lived in the majority of my life.

As a lifelong student of these books’ common setting, I have read many of them, attended every Southern fiction panel possible, listened to countless Southern authors (and those who can’t help but write about the South, regardless of where they reside) and written my own type of Southern fiction in a tale of my heart that sank into my soul and sprouted an unexpected four-book collection.

The Troubles with the Genre

As much as I adore tales from a region that boasts a heart of storytelling, two details have always bothered me.

First, on nearly every panel I’ve attended where Southern fiction is the focus, in addition to an absence of a consensus on how to define Southern fiction (a topic I tackled in this post), rests an uncomfortableness with the setting.

Second, repeatedly, the books that top the popularity charts for books set in the South seem to relish the terrible truths of tragic abuse and victimization that do occur instead of pointing to them as scars to teach us a better way without, in many cases, an actual glorification of the acts.

On Love and Hate

On every panel I can recall attending, one or another of the authors of Southern fiction has gravely stated how they both love and hate the South. Their fellow pen-wielders unanimously agree with solemn head bobs and furrowed brows. And then they tend to camp out on the hate side, speaking of their gracious decisions to embrace some of the good while they showcase the atrocities in order to prove their hatred of the bad they seem to think outweighs the good.

Do writers of works set in other regions showcase such vitriol for the area that birthed, captivated, inspired, trained and/or nurtured them and their creativity? I’m genuinely curious to know the answer.

Despite the time discrepancy on the hate side and the prevailing literary themes, the Southern United States has much to celebrate—diversity in its citizens, top-notch creatives and champions of the arts, rich and storied history, a tradition of storytelling, breathtaking beauty in landscapes, deep family roots where family values grow strong, events and traditions infused with a wide variety of rich cultures and some of the best food that will ever hush your mouth.

Truthfully, the history of our region is wrought with sins; and great horrors have occurred, continue to occur and will continue to occur every single day … just like in every other region of the world.

Slavery—a sin to be loathed—didn’t only occur in the Southern United States. Thankfully, what comes to mind with that term has long been abolished from this area; however, we should never wipe it from mind because to do so would make us naïve and unaware of the fact that humans are truly appalling to their fellow man.

And so, our fiction should recall the past while subtly (or not-so-subtly) calling on champions to rise up against the slavery that actively exists today all around the world and to protect the victims, many of whom are trafficked, raced along a corridor that runs a few miles from my house, every single day.

On Romanticizing Evil

To accomplish this calling, a writer need not be graphic. The nonfiction and fiction I’ve read that stuck with me most profoundly and pricked my soul at the horrors of awfulness like slavery, the Holocaust, war, torture and more were not the ones that went into gory and gruesome details. Those, more often, backfired upon what was—I hope—the authors’ intents of calling out the wrongs, by instead glorifying those very same horrors.

The stories—true and based-on-truth—that open my heart and mind to the reality of our fallen world are the ones that, with a simple line that speaks for the victims, rather than for the victimizers, acknowledges the repulsive actions of demonic monsters and simultaneously eradicates their influence.

“… she felt like a stranger in her own skin ever since Father had done the terrible thing he had done to her.” Sean Dietrich, Stars of Alabama

“Corrie, if people can be taught to hate, they can be taught to love! We must find the way, you and I, no matter how long it takes ….” Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place

“Officers had found me in a condemned apartment building in Memphis, passed out with two other girls on a paper-thin mattress stained with decades of atrocities. A needle dangled from my arm. They rushed me to the emergency room and nearly killed me before slowly raising my body—and my unborn daughter—from the grave. It was my soul the doctors had no machines to salvage.” Joy E. Rancatore, Every Good Thing, “The Look”

These are a few examples that do not shy from horrors faced on this earth. They call out the evil and demand justice while showcasing the courage and heart and beautiful soul of survivors and champions. These, and books like them, choose to uplift the beauty of salvation, perseverance, righteousness and compassion in the face of torment.

Graphic Content

Far more often, literature leans toward an over-explanation of abuse and horror, which, honestly, glamorizes the evil and continues its victimization instead of gently scooping those wronged from the ashes and cleansing them to renewed beauty. In the case of most of the popular southern fiction, their stories leave a dirty feeling about the otherwise beautiful, deep and complicated setting that is the South.

It’s easy to write something shocking and scandalous. To write a scene so provocative, it inspires dozens of catchy videos and reels … well, I suppose for some authors, that’s the viral dream. However, the writing that lasts, that lingers, is the writing that allows the reader to wonder, to imagine.

The stories that make an impact are the ones where every scene, every line, every action means something and makes a measured difference in the ultimate conclusion of the story. Anything included for shock and awe with no finesse and no ultimate reason for existing is a product of a desire to get rich quick and is, quite frankly, slothful.

As I wrote in a recent review of Stars of Alabama, “Sean Dietrich proves stories don’t have to be shocking to be spectacular. Thank you, Sean of the South.”

One of his characters is taken in by a houseful of prostitutes. Many authors would consider such characters perfect shock bait and would gleefully type away, producing multiple graphic scenes highlighting the women’s work abilities. Not Sean. We get to know the women’s hearts, motivations, emotions. What he does choose to reveal of those women aids in the furthering of the primary character’s arc, without lauding their choices and also without harshly condemning them.

For Example

I can think of three examples to showcase the opposite of Sean’s carefully crafted fiction.

First, a Southern gothic book comes to mind. This book contained several intense and graphic bedroom scenes between a married couple, culminating in a rape scene. While I recognize that not everyone agrees with my opinion that all the physical details don’t have to be described in order to accomplish the plot-furthering purposes of the scene, I fail to understand why any writer would include graphic rape scenes and then continue their story as if nothing happened.

In this particular book, the woman moves on with her life. Sure, after that scene, she ends up divorcing the man who abused her and finds another man, one more kind and loving. The shocking part to me, though, was that everyone involved—including the ex-wife—continues on with their lives, spending time with the rapist, justifying his actions and even encouraging another woman to pursue a relationship with him.

Part of me wondered if the author was truly cognizant of what she’d written. How could anyone defend a rapist?

The second example comes from a powerhouse in Southern fiction. The man has Southern fiction awards named after him. I finally read one of his most popular works a few years ago and realized that all the prim and proper Southern ladies who have that book sitting on their formal living room shelves have clearly never read it.

His writing was flawless, stunning, sweeping. He is certainly a master of the written word. But … I have never read something as graphic as one particular rape scene. What really floored me, though, was how that main character who faced something so horrendous had absolutely no character arc. He was the same person at the end of the book as he was in the beginning—his recounting of what had happened to him and his family after all those years (in other words, the entire book) served absolutely no purpose.

Beyond the true horrors that exist in our world, literature—including much of Southern fiction—often embraces a glorification of other evils—like premarital sex, drug and alcohol abuse and others—with graphic written details.

A third book that comes to mind is a highly acclaimed novel which graphically recounts the sexual encounters of a very young girl that, while perhaps consensual in the beginning, did not end that way.

My first question is do we need such detailed physical descriptions of a child? The character was somewhere in the age range of 11 to 13.

Second, where is the justice, the outrage?

That characters’ experiences joined those of other children in the story whose lives revolved around drugs and violence. I’ve read multiple books by that author, and in all of them, these stories are presented matter-of-factly with the understood acceptance that sex at young ages, rampant drug use and daily threats of violence are simply the norm.

All of the books are infused with rage at the consequences of the characters’ actions, never at the wrongness of the actions themselves or at the responsibility of the participating parties—or guardians of those parties.

Worldview’s Role

I suppose we could say that author’s works accurately reflect some mindsets in our society. While I’m not sorry I read her books, I have no desire to read more. What those books gave me was an indignation toward people who choose to accept those actions as a norm and who refuse to address the cause.

When citizens simply accept the sins that lead to senseless deaths and our literature promotes such acceptance, all hope in humanity is lost.

Of course, I must interject a theological note: hope never rested in humanity anyway. Thank, God! Only in Christ can change happen, people be saved, addictions be eradicated and the innocence of young girls’ childhoods be embraced.

I suppose the natural conclusion rests on worldview. How can I expect someone who doesn’t understand scripture or believe in God to see this world any other way? Unfortunately, some writers of this type of content profess to believe.

This leads me a step further in my conclusion that such content in literature doesn’t exist solely due to worldviews of the authors.

The Expletive Crutch

Much modern literature—Southern fiction and beyond—relies heavily on the use of expletives to relay a story. Like my reaction to authors’ settling for shocking content over purpose and depth, I find such reliance on the expletive crutch to be a mark of lazy writing.

Perhaps writers think that using curse words like extraneous commas is the best way to be progressive. Such choices keep writers out of danger of conforming to some forced sense of right and wrong, can and shan’t.

Deep down, though, those authors know a stinging truth. Using as many of the couple dozen shocking expletives as possible throughout a manuscript is lazy and simplistic.

We have been gifted a beautiful language to explore, to expand, to enjoy. As wordsmiths, we have an opportunity to promote a love of language and to encourage readers to expand their vocabularies and find inspiration and joy in the words they read.

The English language contains at least (sources vary widely) 215,000 defined words, plus countless slang, jargon and colloquial terms. Add to that the words in other languages that are commonly used in our everyday as well as the ones authors for centuries have been known to cleverly Shakespeare into being, and we have a deep well from which to draw written refreshment for our stories.

Average speakers and writers utilize a small fraction of that amount, though. One source I found mentioned 2,000 to 3,000 for everyday use. As wordsmiths, then, shouldn’t we consider part of our role to be champions of our diverse and vast language? Shouldn’t we challenge ourselves—and thereby our readers—to go deeper with words, to diversify and explore and even, perhaps, to play and create? Shouldn’t our range be far above average?

In Closing

At the very least, I hope these questions and challenges inspire rumination amongst my fellow authors. Perhaps a writer or two will take the challenge to boldly claim their love for and appreciation of a region—with all its flaws and tragedies, written alongside all its greatness—and to do so by embracing our majestic language and diligently divining the depths of characters’ stories and motivations, rather than settling for slothful shock tactics or glorifying the torturous monsters that walk our earth.

May more authors commit to writing truth and what matters and doing so with purpose and passion. Perhaps they, too, will adopt the tagline, “writing the soul with heart.” I’ll happily share.

Do you read Southern Fiction? Do any of my concerns resonate with you or do you have a different take on the topic? What are some examples of Southern Fiction you think I would enjoy?

The post Southern Fiction & Slothful Writing first appeared on Joy E. Rancatore.

The post Southern Fiction & Slothful Writing appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

Welcome to April’s 12 Months of Reading! Each month in 2025, I will host a different reading challenge category. These categories are broad to fit a variety of reading preferences. 

The April 2025 12 Months of Reading Challenge category is: A Book of Poetry or a Poetic Book. 

Did you know April is National Poetry Month? I love celebrating poetry, hearing poetry read, reading poetry and—occasionally—writing poetry.

While I realize poetry isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, I encourage everyone to at least sample a little poetry this month. Poems are typically short, so a sample wouldn’t require a large commitment. You can find many poems on poets.org, which is also where you can find more information on celebrating National Poetry Month.

True to my commitment to broad categories, I worded this month’s with intentionality. While “a poetry book” may be fairly specific, “a poetic book” widens the reading field significantly.

Seriously … I’ve said it before; I’ll say it again: 

The Category Is a Guide, Not a Rule 

I am big on readers reading what they love. For that reason, my book club has no set book! And that is why when I set reading categories for 12 MOR and my other challenges, I make them as broad as possible. 

If a reader prefers nonfiction to fiction, they should still be able to participate. If they prefer short form writing or poetry or anything else, again, they should be able to mold the category to their preferences. 

I am also quite flexible on what fits each category. If a reader is uncertain of a category, they need only ask. At the end of the day, my top priority is encouraging readers to read more. 

My Recommendations 

Again, these four books are simply my suggestions to fit the category. Readers may choose any book they’d like that the category can mold to.  

And Back Again  by K. Gartman

This is the book I intend to read as we begin our April challenge, and this young poet is quite special. She is the daughter of a dear author friend of mine, and this is her second published book of poetry.

I read and enjoyed her first book, Coram Deo, a few years ago, so I look forward to enjoying this one as well. Here’s a link to my Goodreads review of her first poetry book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3242679009.

To join me in reading And Back Again this month, get your copy here: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9780997203387.

Grief Like a River  by Mea Smith

Whenever I encounter someone who is grieving, I immediately think about giving them this book. I believe it is one of the best books on grief and the grieving process.

Mea has a way with poetry that is subtle and straightforward, approachable and relatable. Her words are music and her heart shines through with each beat and line. And, I’m not just saying all that because she’s my critique partner, co-author and overall writing partner-in-crime.

I highly recommend this book for anyone willing to open their hearts to poetry as well as to seasoned lovers of the genre.

Visit Mea’s website for an inside look at her poetry and illustrations, as well as buy links: https://storyswell.net/grief-like-a-river.

A Grief Observed  by C.S. Lewis

For whatever reason, my mind takes me to grief when I consider a nonfiction option for “a poetic book.” Yours may take you to an exploration of the migration of butterflies. Wherever you drift, this example will hopefully give you a nudge.

C.S. Lewis is one of the most beloved authors, perhaps best known for his Chronicles of Narnia series. He was also a later-in-life Christian, and an honest and frank writer about the Christian life.

He wrote this book from the heartbreak of the loss of his wife, Joy. As I said in my Goodreads review, this book “reveals grief, unedited.” 

Here is a link for readers ready to add A Grief Observed to their shelves: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9780060652388.

One Good Thing  by Joy E. Rancatore

I humbly offer the final piece of my four-book collection as an example of “a poetic book.”

One Good Thing is an epistolary novel which is told through the journal entries of one character and the letters of another. The reason I consider this book to be poetic at its heart is poetry is personal, intimate. What’s more personal and intimate than journal entries and letters to a loved one?

Check out this page for more details on the book and to watch me read the first lines of each characters’ entries.

A personal copy can be purchased here: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9781733138796. Reviews and further details may be found on the Goodreads page.

12 Months of Reading Challenge Reminders 

My heart’s desire for 12 Months of Reading is that it encourages timid readers, stokes the embers of readers’ passions that have grown cold in the busyness of society, brings readers and authors together to share the joy of stories and spreads a splash of fun throughout the year. 

For competitive readers who choose to read a book in each month’s category, they may download and print out a 12 Months of Reading Challenge Tracker PDF. Once they complete their twelfth book in December, they can scan or snap a picture of the filled-in PDF and email it to me for a prize: a stylish calendar with next year’s 12 Months of Reading categories. 

To purchase a current version of the calendar (supplies are limited) and to participate in 12 Months of Reading, download free graphics and the PDF tracker, find links to each month’s book recommendation post and more in one spot, visit www.joyerancatore.com/12-months-of-reading.  

Comment below with what you plan to read and then return to share a review. If the comment section is not working, feel free to email me. Let’s #ShareTheRead!

(If you use the bookshop.org links above to order, I receive a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting me and independent bookstores by using them for your online bookstore purchases!) 

Remember to #ShareTheRead! Tap the graphic below to download each month’s graphic to share on your social media. How many reader friends can you bring to the party?

Tap the image above to download each month’s graphic. Share graphics on social media with #ShareTheRead and #12MonthsOfReading and tag @joyerancatore!

Tap the graphic above to join LAM Book Club for an extra way to #ShareTheRead with fellow readers! No set book. Meet virtually once a month. Share what you’re reading or ask for recommendations.

The post 12 Months of Reading April 2025 first appeared on Joy E. Rancatore.

The post 12 Months of Reading April 2025 appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

Welcome to March’s 12 Months of Reading! Each month in 2025, I will host a different reading challenge category. These categories are broad to fit a variety of reading preferences. 

The March 2025 12 Months of Reading Challenge category is: A Book With More Than One Main Character. 

In recent years, books that alternate main characters from chapter to chapter have become popular. For this month’s category, you may choose a book like that. Or, you may think outside the book.

Perhaps you consider a “smaller” character more of a main character. Maybe you’re reading a nonfiction book about relationships, and the “main characters” you’re reading into the topic include you, a significant other and a child or in-law.

Seriously … I’ve said it before; I’ll say it again: 

The Category Is a Guide, Not a Rule 

I am big on readers reading what they love. For that reason, my book club has no set book! And that is why when I set reading categories for 12 MOR and my other challenges, I make them as broad as possible. 

If a reader prefers nonfiction to fiction, they should still be able to participate. If they prefer short form writing or poetry or anything else, again, they should be able to mold the category to their preferences. 

I am also quite flexible on what fits each category. If a reader is uncertain of a category, they need only ask. At the end of the day, my top priority is encouraging readers to read more. 

My Recommendations 

Again, these four books are simply my suggestions to fit the category. Readers may choose any book they’d like that the category can mold to. 

Stars of Alabama  by Sean Dietrich (AKA “Sean of the South”) 

I have run in adjacent literary circles to Sean Dietrich since I began this author journey, and I’ve been a subscriber to his daily column almost as long. If you love or are intrigued by the Southern United States, I encourage you to check out his column as well as his nonfiction. You can find the daily posts on his website, where you can learn more about him, his books and more.

If you prefer fiction, he’s got that, too. Stars of Alabama is my first glimpse into his fictional side, and I can tell you I had to set the book aside for a while toward the end … because I didn’t want it to end! I truly miss spending time with the characters he developed so well.

I have had a complicated relationship with Southern fiction for a while. You can read my earlier thoughts on the genre in this post. Of course, I clearly have a love for the genre since I wrote a four-book collection set primarily in the South!

While I have read a great deal of Southern fiction over the years, some of what I have read has left me less than thrilled. This book, though, revived my fondness for Southern fiction. As I wrote in my review, “Sean Dietrich proves stories don’t have to be shocking to be spectacular.” Check out the full review to find out more of what I loved about this book and its cast of characters as well as how I feel Sean’s book stands out as an ideal in the genre.

My reaction to Stars of Alabama inspired me to write a blog post that I hope to share soon.

Use this link to get your copy from Bookshop .org and support independent bookstores: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9780785231325.

The Escape Game  by Marilyn Turk 

This is the book I’m currently reading as we begin our March challenge. Marilyn Turk is another author I had the privilege of meeting at the Louisiana Book Festival last fall. She was one of a lovely group of kind and lively women who love to write and travel and who, most importantly, love Jesus. 

While I haven’t read far yet, I can already tell you I am enjoying this book. Set during WWII, the story follows a young woman on the homefront of England and a young man from Louisiana who joined the Royal Air Force to fight the Germans before the U.S. had officially entered.

To join me in reading The Escape Game this month, get your copy here: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9781636095080.

Mission Hollywood  by Michelle Keener 

I’m thrilled to suggest another book by a dear friend of mine. I have read almost everything Michelle Keener has written—she just released a new nonfiction book I haven’t gotten my hands on yet—and have enjoyed them all.

Check out my chat with Michelle during the 2021 LAM Summer Reading Challenge for more about her and her books.

I love imperfect characters, and Michelle writes them well! You can see more about this in my Goodreads review: “Mission Hollywood by Michelle Keener is a must-read. This love story comes with real-life complications and no simple answers. Each main character faces a variety of struggles and neither handles them perfectly.” 

Here is a link for readers ready to add Mission Hollywood to their shelves: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9781620209301.

Every Good Thing  by Joy E. Rancatore

This was an incredibly challenging book to write, but I had a great deal of fun in the process. Every Good Thing is a collection of twelve short stories. Each story follows a different character from the Carolina’s Legacy Collection world.

The characters take us on journeys from WWII to post-9/11, from the Pacific Theater to POW camps to several Southern states to the Big Apple.

You’ll meet lonely outcasts. Found wanderers. Recovering addicts. War-weary heroes. Homeless families. Grieving loved ones. Good men—gone too soon.

Check out this page for more details on the book and to watch me read the first lines of each story. Let me know in the comments below which story you’re most excited to read? 

A personal copy can be purchased here: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9781733138772. Reviews and further details may be found on the Goodreads page.

12 Months of Reading Challenge Reminders 

My heart’s desire for 12 Months of Reading is that it encourages timid readers, stokes the embers of readers’ passions that have grown cold in the busyness of society, brings readers and authors together to share the joy of stories and spreads a splash of fun throughout the year. 

For competitive readers who choose to read a book in each month’s category, they may download and print out a 12 Months of Reading Challenge Tracker PDF. Once they complete their twelfth book in December, they can scan or snap a picture of the filled-in PDF and email it to me for a prize: a stylish calendar with next year’s 12 Months of Reading categories. 

To purchase a current version of the calendar (supplies are limited) and to participate in 12 Months of Reading, download free graphics and the PDF tracker, find links to each month’s book recommendation post and more in one spot, visit www.joyerancatore.com/12-months-of-reading.  

Comment below with what you plan to read and then return to share a review. If the comment section is not working, feel free to email me. Let’s #ShareTheRead!

(If you use the bookshop.org links above to order, I receive a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting me and independent bookstores by using them for your online bookstore purchases!) 

Remember to #ShareTheRead! Tap the graphic below to download each month’s graphic to share on your social media. How many reader friends can you bring to the party?

Tap the image above to download each month’s graphic. Share graphics on social media with #ShareTheRead and #12MonthsOfReading and tag @joyerancatore!

Tap the graphic above to join LAM Book Club for an extra way to #ShareTheRead with fellow readers! No set book. Meet virtually once a month. Share what you’re reading or ask for recommendations.

The post 12 Months of Reading March 2025 first appeared on Joy E. Rancatore.

The post 12 Months of Reading March 2025 appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

Welcome to February’s 12 Months of Reading! Each month in 2025, I will host a different reading challenge category. These categories are broad to fit a variety of reading preferences. 

The February 2025 12 Months of Reading Challenge category is: A Book About Love. 

I encourage you think outside the cover with this category. You are not limited to stories about romantic love. How about sibling love? Love for animals? Love for self by reading a self-help book to ease your anxiety?

Seriously … I’ve said it before; I’ll say it again: 

The Category Is a Guide, Not a Rule 

 I am big on readers reading what they love. For that reason, my book club has no set book! And that is why when I set reading categories for 12 MOR and my other challenges, I make them as broad as possible. 

If a reader prefers nonfiction to fiction, they should still be able to participate. If they prefer short form writing or poetry or anything else, again, they should be able to mold the category to their preferences. 

I am also quite flexible on what fits each category. If a reader is uncertain of a category, they need only ask. At the end of the day, my top priority is encouraging readers to read more. 

My Recommendations 

Again, these four books are simply my suggestions to fit the category. Readers may choose any book they’d like that the category can mold to. 

The Burning Sands by Carole Lehr Johnson 

Last fall, I had the great privilege of meeting Carole Lehr Johnson at the Louisiana Book Festival. She attended the panel I was on with her friends Morgan Tarpley Smith and Lenora Worth.

I learned that she wrote historical fiction set in England and Scotland and knew I would be adding her books to my wish list. The Burning Sands is one of five full-length books Carole has published, and its description snagged my attention.

While I decided to read this book for my February 12 MOR choice, I started it in January and simply couldn’t put it down, so you get to read my review now!

The characters definitely came alive for me, which is the mark of great writing and development on the author’s part. I look forward to learning from her about writing dual timeline/split time historical fiction—another aspect she did really well.

I also appreciated the “second-chance-at-romance” focus because I think it’s been an under-written one. Finding love later in life is another one that resonates more with me as I’ve gotten older.

The Burning Sands is a book I would recommend to anglophiles, fans of dual timeline or split time and historical fiction, readers fascinated with genealogy and returning to ancestral roots and anyone who appreciates a love story—or ten.

To read along with me, get a copy from Bookshop .org and support independent bookstores and my author friend: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9781952928277.

Winter Garden by Kristen Hannah 

This is one of those books that had a profound impact on my life when I was a young mother. I think it’s a fantastic example of a book about love that’s outside of the romantic type.

Here’s a snip-it from my Goodreads review:

“The depth and historical detail in this … novel cut me to the heart. I won’t reveal any spoilers, but I will say that any mother, daughter or sister should read this book. Winter Garden presents a touching look at two sisters and the mother who never radiated love toward them.”

For more on the book, read my full review on Goodreads and get a copy here: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9780312663155. 

The Beauty Thief by Rachael Ritchey 

I’m thrilled to suggest another book by a dear friend of mine. Rachael is as beautiful a person as she is a storyteller. I’ve read The Beauty Thief a couple of times now, plus once in its gorgeous picture book version, and it’s one I would definitely include on my re-read list.

The characters, the world, the underlying magic and the biblical foundations of this sweeping tale captivated me the first time I read it and linger in my heart.

Here is a one-sentence summary of the book’s style from my Goodreads review: “The Beauty Thief seamlessly merges elements of allegory with adventure and fantasy to produce a story worth rereading many times over.” 

Here is a link for readers ready to add The Beauty Thief to their shelves: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9780692374986. While the book is perfect for adults and older teens, younger readers can be included with the reading through the stunningly illustrated story book: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9780997203349.

This Good Thing  by Joy E. Rancatore

This is my smallest book, but possibly the most emotionally packed one. It is definitely a book about love: between a husband and wife, a parent and child, best friends and God and His children. 

Every emotional word was felt multiple times by me as I wrote, and I continue to feel them each time I return to the pages as a reader.  

I have probably marketed this book the least of all my books and feel it often gets passed over. I released it right before the world shut down in 2020, and for a long time I would almost apologize any time I recommended it to readers. Why? Because I know how gut-wrenching some parts are.

The truth, though, is that this book is equally packed with hope and light and beauty. And so, I have learned not to apologize when recommending This Good Thing to readers who love stories of love and heart and soul, written with truth and bolstered with hope. 

A personal copy can be purchased here: https://bookshop.org/a/95576/9781733138758. Reviews and further details may be found on the Goodreads page.

12 Months of Reading Challenge Reminders 

My heart’s desire for 12 Months of Reading is that it encourages timid readers, stokes the embers of readers’ passions that have grown cold in the busyness of society, brings readers and authors together to share the joy of stories and spreads a splash of fun throughout the year. 

For competitive readers who choose to read a book in each month’s category, they may download and print out a 12 Months of Reading Challenge Tracker PDF. Once they complete their twelfth book in December, they can scan or snap a picture of the filled-in PDF and email it to me for a prize: a stylish calendar with next year’s 12 Months of Reading categories. 

To purchase a current version of the calendar (supplies are limited) and to participate in 12 Months of Reading, download free graphics and the PDF tracker, find links to each month’s book recommendation post and more in one spot, visit www.joyerancatore.com/12-months-of-reading.  

Comment below with what you plan to read and then return to share a review. If the comment section is not working, feel free to email me. Let’s #ShareTheRead!

(If you use the bookshop.org links above to order, I receive a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting me and independent bookstores by using them for your online bookstore purchases!) 

Remember to #ShareTheRead! Tap the graphic below to download each month’s graphic to share on your social media. How many reader friends can you bring to the party?

Tap the image above to download each month’s graphic. Share graphics on social media with #ShareTheRead and #12MonthsOfReading and tag @joyerancatore!

Tap the graphic above to join LAM Book Club for an extra way to #ShareTheRead with fellow readers! No set book. Meet virtually once a month. Share what you’re reading or ask for recommendations.

The post 12 Months of Reading February 2025 first appeared on Joy E. Rancatore.

The post 12 Months of Reading February 2025 appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.