May Reading Recap
May Reading Recap: 8 Books I Read this Month
By: Brittany Shields
I’m very late getting this posted (I’m lying about the published date because I need to keep my posts in order) because the first week of June I did a garage sale and it takes a week to get it ready and then run it. And then the week after that is recovering from all the neglect the rest of your life took because of the garage sale.
But even though I had to put reading and reviewing on a hiatus, the sale was worth it. (If you’re wondering.)
So anyway, here we are in June and full blown summer.
I was able to get a lot of books finished in May before school let out. It was quite a wide range of genres— several that I really enjoyed and a few that fell short.
Two qualified for prompts on the Shelf Reflection’s 2025 Reading Challenge.
One was on my list of Most Anticipated Books of 2025.
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1. The Artist of Blackberry Grange by Paulette Kennedy
Genre: Historical Fiction/ Horror
[Fulfilled ‘A book set in Arkansas’ (the 25th ratified state) Shelf Reflection’s 2025 Reading Challenge]
“‘Sometimes I think I sold my soul for a handful of penny candy— as if some unseen devil heard Florence’s wish and granted it, using my talents as a vehicle for evil.’”
This is not my typical genre— gothic horror—and there were definitely parts that were not my favorite, but it had some redeeming qualities. I liked the second half a lot better than the first half. I would say it’s more gothic than horror.
Sadie is taking care of her ailing great-aunt Marguerite in Arkansas when Marguerite’s paintings open a supernatural portal to the past. But the man Sadie becomes involved with through the painting might have darker intent than she originally thought. And her family has kept some secrets that unless brought to light will keep the house, her aunt, and herself haunted by the memories and the darkness that surrounds them.
This one was hard to give a recommendation on for a few reasons I describe in my full review. Which will also give more plot details, see why the first half was unpleasant, and read about the redemption aspect, get more info from the author’s note, and see my other random comments.
2. Honest Prayers for Mama Bears by Hillary Morgan Ferrer & Julie Loos
Genre: Parenting/ Devotional
“Be steadfast. Even when there appears to be no answers to prayer— persevere. Even if you must pray out of a sense of duty, do it! Soon it will turn to delight as you concentrate on the character of God more than the charity of God.”
I think this book is definitely worth owning, even if you’re not a mom, but especially if you are. It enriches your prayer life and gives words to all the things you want to pray but never knew how to. It also brings up things you didn’t realize you needed to pray for but are glad you can now.
I could tell within the first week of using this book to guide my prayers that I was able to pray longer and more undistracted. There are so many ways to use this book or gift it to others!
I’ve loved all the books Mama Bear Apologetics have put out and this is no different.
Read my full review to get more information about how the book is written, what it contains, and find links to their other books.
3. Be Funny or Die: How Comedy Works and Why It Matters by Joel Morris
Genre: Non-fiction/ Humor
“Unlike drama or ballet or sculpture, you know when you’ve made comedy: it’s when people laugh.”
I guess this book should die because it really wasn’t very funny.
That sounds harsh and I’ll be up front that I don’t think I was the target audience for this book. It wasn’t quite the type of book I was expecting going into it.
The book is divided into 6 parts: Comedy is Human; Comedy is Music; Comedy is Us; Comedy is Character; Comedy is Story; …And the Punchline.
If you are wanting to get into the business of comedy and writing skits or doing stand-up, then this may be a helpful book for you. If you just want to be a better storyteller or something less official, this book will most likely feel too repetitive and unhelpful.
I discuss a lot more of the reasons why this book frustrated me in my full review plus I did provide a decent amount of quotes to give you more of an idea of what you’ll be reading about.
4. The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel
Genre: Historical Fiction
[On my list of Most Anticipated Books of 2025]
“Diamonds have witnessed the past, and they will witness a future we can’t begin to imagine.”
At this point I’ve read five of her books and loved them all. Harmel just has a way of storytelling that is so compelling and touches on all your emotions. She has a knack for finding and creating unique WWII stories around regular people doing heroic things to help others.
In the Stolen Life of Colette Marceau Harmel explores how people stole from the Nazis in order to help the Resistance. In this particular story, Colette Marceau is a jewel thief, taught by her mother. In fact, it’s been a ‘family business’ of sorts as they descend from Robin Hood. They live by the code: steal from the bad, give to the poor.
But when Colette’s mom steals something back from a Nazi, Colette’s world gets turned upside down. In this dual timeline (as is popular for this genre) we see both the past and the future that are connected by a pair of diamond bracelets and the moral dilemma of- is it ever okay to steal?
You can read my full review to see the parts that I liked, read more about the themes Harmel explores in the book and of course get more plot details!
5. Another Gospel?: A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity by Alisa Childers
Genre: Apologetics/ Cultural
“In Progressive Christianity there is general unity surrounding three topics: The Bible, the Cross, and the gospel— everything else is built on this foundation… It’s an entirely different religion—with another Jesus—and another gospel.”
I read Alisa Childer’s book Live Your Truth (and Other Lies) and I’ve listened to her podcast quite a bit. Another Gospel? is her first book and tells the story of her crisis of faith.
Alisa Childers grew up in a Christian home and was part of the Christian music group ZOEGirl (2006-2010). But later in life she encountered a pastor that made her question everything she thought she knew about God and the Bible.
As the subtitle of the book notes, this pastor adhered to what is identified as ‘Progressive Christianity.’ Childers shows throughout her book the subtle changes that churches have made to their theology that are sometimes hard to detect but actually really change the gospel.
“Many Christians sit in pews every Sunday completely unaware that their church has adopted progressive theology.”
Since reading this book I’ve noticed more and more how progressive theology has seeped into people’s theology without resistance. The Bible tells us that false teachers are going to be in the church, twisting God’s Word and masquerading as light. I believe progressive Christianity to be an example of this. This is an important book that I think everyone should read and consider.
Read my full review to see how Progressive Christianity is defined and what their key values/beliefs are, see what some of the negative reviewers are saying, and get links to some other resources for further reading. Even if you think you’re going to disagree with what she says in this book, I would still read it and think critically about what she’s saying.
6. Falls to Pieces by Douglas Corleone
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
“The police will presume one of two things: tragic accident or foul play. And if they discover I am not who I say I am, they’ll certainly lean toward the latter. Should they learn my true identity, they’ll know doubt charge me based solely on the circumstantial evidence already in hand.”
This book had a nostalgic aspect for me because the plot surrounds a trail on Maui that I’ve hiked a couple times.
The story surrounds a mother and daughter (Kati & Zoe) who have moved to the off-grid town of Hana, Maui to get away from something or someone. But when Kati’s new fiance goes missing on a trail she can’t escape the spotlight or the suspicion.
Unfortunately, though the setting was unique and special, the plot of the book felt too convoluted at times.
Check out my full review to see more about why this book fell short for me, see a content advisory, read more plot details, and get my ultimate recommendation.
7. Keep in Step with the Spirit by J.I. Packer
Genre: Memoir
[Fulfilled ‘An athlete’s memoir’ prompt as part of Shelf Reflection’s 2025 Reading Challenge]
“All of us want to know who we are, why we are here, and what’s going to make us happy and fulfilled. We want to have a purpose, a strong sense of identity, and clarity about how we are supposed to spend our days.”
“When I left Rio, I thought I was leaving behind the biggest challenge of my life. I had no idea that the next two years would be even harder. And to reach joy, I had to go through trials too big for me to face on my own.”
Even though I hate running, I enjoyed this book! Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke her own World Record at the 2024 Olympics in the 400m Hurdles. This book was written before Paris, but she shares her Olympic experiences in both Rio and Tokyo.
The subtitle says it all: running from fear to faith. She is transparent about the fear and anxiety she constantly battled being in the spotlight and expected to perform at such a young age. Until she found freedom in Christ and discovered an identity that was not dependent on her success and hope that went beyond the track.
Read my full book review to see what the negative reviewers are saying about this book and how I respond to them as well as get more details and quotes from the book.
8. Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys by Stephen James & David Thomas
Genre: Parenting
[Fulfilled ‘Two books by different authors who have the same last name’ prompt as part of Shelf Reflection’s 2025 Reading Challenge]
“They need to see that there are many ways to be brave; many ways to be caring and compassionate; many ways to be adventurous and creative; many ways to be strong.”
I always thought I’d be a boy-mom because girls were too complex and hard to share a bathroom with. And of course, because I can control that, I had two girls. After having girls, the thought of raising boys felt foreign and hard and gross to share a bathroom with. So of course, because I can control that, I had twin boys. Because if boys are difficult, we might as well do two at once.
Needless to say, having two girls and two boys, I see the differences between boys and girls every day— the way they play, the way the interact with others, the way they handle conflict or injury, the connections they make, the things they observe.
This book acknowledges those differences and seeks to help parents love their boys best by recognizing their biology and helping nurture them into the men they will be.
It’s not an exhaustive parenting book and isn’t trying to be, but is definitely a good launching point for thinking through some of the ways we can guide the young boys and men in our lives.
Check out my full review to see how the book is broken down, read some of the things that stuck out to me, look at some of the things negative reviewers are saying, and get some other book recommendations.
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