Very happy to share my 2026 reading list! If you’re newer here, this is the very lowest-key of book clubs: I consider it a delightful exercise in thoughtfully planning my reading a year at a time (12 fiction, 12 non-fiction), and though I always read more than this, and I’m often at the whim of my library holds, it’s helpful to know where to turn when I’m ready for a new book!
Without further ado…
January: Little Women | A classic I’ve been meaning to read for years! It was on last year’s list and I didn’t get to it, so I’m putting it first this year :) June has already read the abridged version and is eager to watch the movie together once I finish. Meet Me in the Middle | I listened to the mother-daughter author pair on a podcast episode and enjoyed what they had to say. Thinking this might provide some good fodder for our upcoming tenth birthday getaway.
February: Beartown | Backman’s book about a small town and its hockey team has been recommended to me for years and years. February seems like the right (chilly!) month to dive in. The Art of Spending Money | So happy to have a new Morgan Housel book to enjoy! John and I are planning to read this together for a little two-person book club :)
March: Theo of Golden | There are two books that were read by almost everyone in Articles Club last year, and this is one of them. Must hop on the bandwagon! Parenting Ahead | This is a very under-the-radar parenting book, but it’s speaking my language: helping parents of younger children build a foundation for their family — based on Biblical principles — for the teen years to come. I’m also intrigued to read it for professional reasons, as it sounds similar to what I try to do at The Connected Family (just with a tech focus).
April: The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Volume I | I’m curious how much traction this series is getting in the wider world, because in my bubble, seemingly everyone is reading it. The way people describe it reminds me a bit of the Mitford series; I’m looking forward to a cozy, literary read! The Screwtape Letters | A clever and illuminating C.S. Lewis classic, a series of letters to a young devil and back again. I read it several years ago but am ready for a re-read.
May: The Correspondent | Continuing the epistolary theme, this is the second book that has been making the rounds of Articles Club. I absolutely love the story of this book’s rise to prominence – slow and steady word of mouth that just caught fire – and the author’s story, too. (A fellow NC gal!) The Unthinkable | While this might be a depressing read, there’s also the potential for it to be fascinating and practical: “Amanda Ripley, an award-winning journalist who has covered some of the most devastating disasters of our age, set out to discover what lies beyond fear and speculation. In this magnificent work of investigative journalism, Ripley retraces the human response to some of history’s epic disasters” and emerges with practical advice as well as unforgettable stories. Reading along with Janssen’s book club.
June: Isola | A December release that came highly recommended by Whitney. I am so grateful for all her kid book picks and feel sure I’ll love this one, too. “An orphaned heiress is abandoned on a small island. As the weather turns, blanketing the island in ice, she discovers a faith she’d never before needed. Inspired by the real life of a sixteenth-century heroine, Isola is the timeless story of a woman fighting for survival.” I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen | I preordered this one to support Kate but haven’t read it yet!
July: Covenant of Water | This one has been on my TBR list for quite some time but Laura Wifler’s review pushed me over the edge: “On the cover there is an endorsement that says this book is, ‘a pleasure to read,’ and honestly, that about sums it up. It’s incredible. The whole time I keep thinking—I can’t believe this is a real book. Not because it was such. a. page. turner. (though it often was) but because it was so well built and thought out. It’s hard to describe, but if you want a book that moves you in all the best ways, read this.” Will do! Writing Creativity and Soul | I think Sue Monk Kidd is a terrifically talented writer and I am excited to read her new book “on the mysteries, frustrations, and triumphs of being a writer – an instructive guide to awakening the soul.”
August: The Will of the Many| My sister recommended this new fantasy series, comparing it to Red Rising. Say no more! Hunting the Falcon | I gifted my Dad this “exhilarating feat of research and analysis” into the life of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn a few years ago. It’s hefty, but he quickly dispatched it and put it back on my shelf, thinking I would enjoy it, too. This time period has fascinated me since I read Philippa Gregory as a teenager (bet I’m not the only one!); I’m looking forward to finally picking it up and reading it myself.
September: The Glassmaker | In putting together this year’s list I tried to get real with my TBR Note. There are books that have literally been on there for a decade and I just haven’t reached for them – maybe time to let them go? I tried to delete with abandon but this one, a Tracy Chevalier historical novel from last year, made the cut. Hold Me Tight | I always try to read a marriage book in the month of our wedding anniversary. This one came highly recommended by Janssen.
October: The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell | I believe this was recommended by one of you on a past post! I revisited it in my TBR purge and am intrigued enough to add it to the list :) Wild Things: The Joy of Reading Children’s Literature as an Adult | “Bruce Handy revisits the classics of American childhood, from fairy tales to The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and explores the backstories of their creators, using context and biography to understand how some of the most insightful, creative, and witty authors and illustrators of their times created their often deeply personal masterpieces.” Here for it.
November: The Postcard | This was one of Claire’s favorite reads from 2025 and her description was intriguing enough to get it on my list: “This novel, like, changed my brain chemistry. It’s actually a fictionalized version of a real event, when Berest received a postcard with nothing written on it but the names of four family members who had died in a concentration camp. As she tries to find out who sent the postcard (real), you’re also taken up with her family’s story of being French Jews in World War 2 (fictionalized). Without a doubt my favorite historical fiction read this year, and that’s a long list as it’s my preferred genre.” Small Things Like These | “A deeply affecting story of hope, quiet heroism, and empathy from one of our most critically lauded and iconic writers.” It is, indeed, a small book, ideal for a busy month.
December: Still Life | I have many friends who love the Inspector Gamache series, and I’m excited to join them in their enthusiasm! The Library Book | “Weaving her lifelong love of books and reading into an investigation of a disastrous LA Public Library fire that consumed more than 400,000 books, award-winning reporter Susan Orlean delivers a mesmerizing and uniquely compelling book that manages to tell the broader story of libraries and librarians in a way that has never been done before.”
I’d love to hear: Have you read any of these books? Would you like to read any alongside me in 2026? Let’s chat! (And our 2026 readaloud plan is up next!)
This, below, is one of my new favorite views. There’s something about our larger, lower kitchen island (peninsula?) that draws the kids in, and I reliably field one, if not two or three, requests for an assignment while cooking dinner each night. On this evening, Annie was trimming green beans while Shep minced garlic and I pulled together the rest of the chicken piccata meatballs. (Shep was so proud of himself for learning a new task and using a “big knife” that he had me take a video to show John later.) More of this in January, please.
On my calendar: — June’s tenth birthday. I love her so. — At least five meals with friends, at our home or theirs. Starting strong with our hospitality goal despite raging illness on the East Coast. — Seeing the Charlotte Hornets play. This was John’s big Christmas gift; we’re both excited to attend our first NBA game and see Duke favorite Kon Knueppel in action.
What I’m loving right now: — We saw David in theatres with friends and loved it! The kids have been asking to listen to the soundtrack ever since. — We bought our first smart plug after realizing it was nearly impossible to plug and unplug our Christmas tree lights in our new set-up and — wow. Saying “Alexa, please turn off the tree lights” feels like magic. My kind of technology :) — John gave me this navy sweater jacket for Christmas and it’s my new favorite thing to wear. Sometimes I’ll layer a white tee underneath, but it can also be worn as-is, buttoned up. Ladylike but also somehow casual enough for weekday mom life?
As a reminder, you can find allll the things I’ve loved over the last few years neatly organized right here!
What you’re loving right now:
This is where I highlight a few items here that have been popular in the last month with fellow readers, based on my analytics. Here’s hoping this will help you find something you’ll love!
— Once again the Brick was far and away the bestseller of everything I shared last month! I am so, so grateful that so many of you took the leap and feel confident you won’t regret it. If you need a refresher on what the Brick is, I’ve got you. Get 10% off with this link! — I feel like we all must be wearing matching undergarments at this point?! The Eby Relief bra has been a hit with friends of all shapes and sizes and is what I exclusively wear right now. — This eucalyptus + rosemary counter spray continues to bring all of us joy. — The Amazing Generation. No surprise, it’s a no. 1 NYT bestseller (YAY!!!). — My favorite new Christmas decoration, our beloved window candles! They’re a great weight and the dusk-to-dawn sensor works perfectly. I plan to keep mine up until my birthday, at the end of February!
What I read in December: — Code Name Helene | World War II books can feel a dime a dozen (and rightly so), but I hadn’t read in this genre for a bit and Code Name Helene was a great return. I love that Ariel Lawhon uses her books to elevate the stories of incredible real women from history and Nancy Wake, a daring socialite spy, is no exception. (I do think I preferred The Frozen River just a bit because of its less-common time period!) — Confronting Christianity | Combining research, personal stories, and careful biblical study, Rebecca McLaughlin’s apologetics offering explores 12 of the questions that keep people from considering faith in Christ. As Christians, we are meant to “be prepared to give a defense to explain the hope that we have” and I do think this book helped me to do that. — Real Americans | This novel, an “exhilarating exploration of American identity” that spans three generations, reminded me of one of my favorite novels from last year, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. If you enjoy twisting narratives that expose a bit more with each loop, this one’s for you.
Reading list for 2026 coming very soon!
Revisiting my December goals: Edit Sheptember, Volume 7 (No! Very bummed about this but I am forging on. I have now chosen a song, which is often the hardest part!) Finish the kids’ book ornaments Send care packages to our college gals Finalize plans for June’s tenth birthday Make progress on a big birthday project for June Carry out our gifting plans with joy Prepare well in advance for our post-Christmas travel, so that Christmas Eve and Day can be languorous and peaceful Execute our end-of-year generosity plans Savor the Christmas season
January goals: — Finalize details and selections for our master bathroom and built-in projects — Set up our 2026 budget. We are considering doing something other than the Google Doc set up we’ve used for the last 16 years – will report back if we like it! — Print 2024 + 2025 Instagram photos and photos for our Christmas album — Finalize the itinerary for June’s tenth birthday trip — Brainstorm my affirmations and phrases for each family member — Learn all of the first jump rope routine — Register Annie for kindergarten — Buy new glasses — Attend to the first clutter spot: the piles in our bedroom — Finish going through my phone screenshots. I kept up with this daily practice for most of the year but dropped off in the last quarter; I want to finish strong because it was so helpful!
“To George Bailey, the richest man in the world!” This quote is how I intended to begin my 2025 Year in Review post, a staple of Em for Marvelous for over a decade. I’ve actually never missed recapping a year since I began, in 2012, the year John and I were married. But alas, here we are, and between Christmas magic, traveling to California to be with family, hosting family at our home, and weathering the flu, it simply did not happen.
No matter. The year itself happened, and I am grateful for it. I am rich in every measurement that matters — my faith, my family, my community, my health — and several more besides: my home, my work, my passions. I am so grateful for the opportunity to dream about a new year, to make a few plans for it, and to live them forward day by day. And even more, to hold fast to the Christian faith that promises that the fullest life is found when we lay down our own vision for our life and agree with God’s vision, which may look similar and may look wildly different. In that spirit, here are a few of my goals for 2026.
1. Speak words of affirmation over John and my children. The power of life and death is in the tongue; I have seen how everyone around me can bloom with loving words and wilt in their absence. This is a hard one to measure or track and I don’t really intend to; instead, I want to spend a few minutes brainstorming what messages feel most important to communicate to each of my children and write a little list somewhere I’ll see it every day. I know keeping it in sight will help it flow from desire to action.
2. Pray more often for the ones I love. Specifically, my first step will be to bring a simple notebook to small group each week and to write down prayer requests that are shared. In between, I’ll keep it on my bedside table to prompt me to spend a few minutes with it each evening before diving into my current book. I trust God will tell me where to head from there!
3. Deepen my knowledge of and love for God’s Word. No surprise — I’m a woman who loves a plan. Therefore, I plan to do the Bible Recap again alongside John, as well as listen to the weekly sermons, lectures, and messages Tim Mackie is rereleasing on his Exploring My Strange Bible podcast. I’ve listened to the first two so far and they have been as illuminating and encouraging as everything else he creates.
4. Celebrate June’s tenth birthday in a meaningful way. Our precious girl turns ten this month. This feels like a big milestone, and we want to mark it in a meaningful way. The current plan is for the three of us to spend 36-ish hours in Charlotte (the littles can stay with my sister, who lives nearby) having fun and lavishing her with love and encouragement. I am actively trying to quell my desires to go overboard and make this more complicated than it needs to be and praying we can strike the right balance of meaningful, celebratory, and doable.
5. Create our next five-year photo book. I’ve chosen to make five-year albums for our family photo memories, and we’re now ready for the next installment (2020-2024). Annie, especially, loves looking at these; she will be so excited to finally be in one! :)
6. Improve my bloodwork results. I’m sure you all are tired of hearing about last year’s less-than-ideal bloodwork results, but I’m trying to keep them top of mind :) This is an umbrella goal that will lump in several objectives, all pointed as seeing better results in June:
— Make brisk, 30-minute daily walks a habit year-round. I’ll tackle this in two ways: committing to when I’ll walk each day the night before, and posting up a yearlong tracker to see my adherence at a glance. I’d also like to take a 10-minute walk after each meal, whenever feasible.
— Add jumping rope to my thrice-weekly strength training sessions — starting with just 30 seconds to one minute!
— Add a protein drink to my afternoon snack.
And likely more to come!
7. Invite others into our home. Our new home, with its bigger backyard, flat cul-de-sac, generous island, and third-floor playroom, is much better suited to welcoming in families. Plus, in just the few months we’ve been here, some of the happiest moments have been when we’ve had other people in it. Sunday nights seem to work well for us and others (it’s easier to match-up schedules since there don’t tend to be as many commitments), but I don’t feel the need to commit to a certain metric here. The five of us brainstormed a list of invitees, and we’ll just work our way through the list over the year. The kids also really want to host a backyard movie night at some point :)
8. Make our home our own — with a long-term mindset. I’m thankful to have shaken off my initial compulsion to make a million changes right away in our new home, but there are still plenty of things I’d like to do! While the list is long, I want to move through it slowly and thoughtfully, with the mindset of someone who plans to be here for many years: making choices that will serve our family well now and hopefully into the future.
We have already paid the deposit to refresh our master bathroom and add built-ins around our fireplace. We have also purchased a few light fixtures that need to be installed, and we have art that needs to be hung. I’m not sure what else will be on the docket this year — possibly some kitchen tweaks (backsplash??), hopefully stools that are the right height for our kitchen island — but I feel relaxed and excited to stay attuned to what we need as we go.
9. Tend to clutter spots. Though we are now pretty well unpacked and settled in, there are a few spots where we just dumped items after the move and never returned to consider where they should go or what function the space should serve. I’ll make a list and address them one at a time, month by month.
10. Celebrate milestones. Annie starts kindergarten and June begins her last year of elementary school in the fall. I want to honor both in thoughtful ways.
Also adding here for posterity: buying new Warby Parker glasses and beginning the tradition of Jólabókaflóðið in December, once Annie can hopefully read :)
Finally, earlier this week, I shared five tech-related goals on The Connected Family:
1. FaceTime parents each Sunday.
2. Post on Instagram each Sunday.
3. Install a protective router.
4. Continue my in-school book club with June’s classmates and start one with Shep’s.
Thank you, friends. Sharing my goals here, year after year and month after month, is quite possibly the most potent factor in any progress I’ve made, so thank you, as always, for being kind, listening ears! :)
On that note, I’ll be back with my January goals post and my 2026 book list over the next few weeks. Please feel free to join in on anything I’ve written here, or let me know if there’s one of my goals that you’d love to hear more about as the year goes on! OR, tell me what YOU have planned for 2026! Have you set goals yet? I’d love to cheer you on.
Along with my year-in-review post (coming next week!), this annual superlatives round-up is such a fun way to remember each year. The things we wear, eat, read, listen to, and do repeatedly mark us, don’t they? Especially because several of these favorites were gleaned from a savvy and/or wise acquaintance, I’m happy to pass them on to you. I hope they can serve as an opportunity for a little reflection on your own 2025, if you haven’t had a chance for it yet! Drop a few of your best memories, finds, and favorites in the comments, if you’d like. As always, I can’t wait to hear!
Best adventure, travel, or trip: Easy – Acadia! After a lifetime of adventuring in Maine, it was a treat to visit her national park for the first time (and to do it with dear friends!). We also spent a rainy long weekend in Wilmington, and though a recap didn’t make it on the blog we loved staying in this downtown mansion (yes), trying Britt’s for the first time, and eating dinner in the lush garden of Indochine.
Favorite outfit: If your kids joined mine on swim team this year, you already know the answer: the Lululemon mesh tennis skirt and light-as-air lavender tank I wore to literally every meet, and plenty of days in between — my only hope of looking cute and staying cool(ish) in the dog days of summer.
Milestone celebrated: Our beloved long-term babysitter graduated high school, and to celebrate, John and I took her and her older sister (already in college, also a long-term babysitter of ours) out to dinner. Sitting around the table with them for 3+ hours, asking questions and offering encouragement as they work their way into adulthood, was just the tenderest opportunity.
Best trend you tried: Watercoloring? Is that a trend? I loved trying my hand at a new-to-me craft, and especially employing it in two projects that mattered a lot to me: creating a pack of mini landscapes inspired by my favorite place in the world for a fundraiser auction and painting daily postcards to send to June at sleepaway camp.
Best new podcast listen, newsletter subscribe, or blog follow: It is rare for me to follow people on Instagram I don’t know in real life; when I make an exception, I want it to be worth my time and attention. That being said, I have so enjoyed following both Shelby from Pretty in the Pines and Stef Turner. Everything they create feels like stepping into a Nancy Meyers movie – cozy, calming, and beautiful without feeling pressure-filled or overly consumption-based. (Both are big thrifters and DIY-ers!)
Best movie or TV show:Andor! John and I watched both seasons this year and I’m still thinking about it months later. You do not have to be a Star Wars fan to enjoy it, though it helps if you love a political thriller. The world-building (Chandrila!) is particularly incredible.
Best memory: Our 20th high school reunion with dear friends. More on the philosophical side here and the logistics here.
Best album, song, or artist: It was a Jess Ray year for me! “Day for Singing” became Annie’s and my drive-to-school song, and “Lilies and Sparrows” was another favorite. I am not an anxious person, but when AI gives me the heebie-jeebies, the line “don’t waste today being scared of tomorrow” reliably reminds me of the hope we have as Christians. (So much so that I bought the shirt.)
Best beauty purchase: It’s unnerving when a reliable product goes MIA, isn’t it? I was happy to find a replacement concealer from Kosas when Beauty Counter went dark, and to switch to this (refillable!) deodorant when my previous one was discontinued.
Best meal:Acadia for the win again. Our final dinner at Sweet Pea lives on as the glowiest memory, in no small part because we only ended up there due to a last-minute pivot. Beautiful setting, great company, delicious food – the perfect capstone to a memorable vacation. Otherwise, these chicken piccata meatballs were my favorite new addition to our meal rotation.
Best life or mom hack: They say if you want to change a habit you should make it as easy as possible. That’s what I did with converting from Amazon to Bookshop.org for all book purchases, and it has been a delight: I ship all orders (for free!) to the cutest little bookstore, and because it’s on the way to Annie’s preschool, it feels no more difficult than Prime.
Best new tradition: Working from the library on TCF days. I love my little routine, which involves checking my email at home (while standing up, to keep me from dallying!); driving to the library in silence while ruminating on my topic for the day; and then spending 2-3 hours in undistracted deep work, surrounded by my fellow patrons. It has been both productive and soul-filling.
Best kiddo milestone: Annie learned to ride a big-kid bike! After three such transitions, I can say it feels like magic every time. (Though I think much of the magic is due to training for a few years on a balance bike and John’s calm and encouraging coaching!) Also, June got her ears pierced!
Best faith grower: Spending time with our friend Jason at our high school reunion. Sadly, it is rare for John and I to encounter someone we knew in childhood whose faith is still as vibrant as it once was, but that is Jason. It was so encouraging to talk to him about life, faith, ministry, and what God is doing.
Didn’t have that on my 2025 BINGO card: Being interviewed on a local news segment in support of a county bell-to-bell phone ban. I am so gratified that our state legislators actually enacted tighter regulations than our county, though there is still work to be done!
Most surprising goal progress: I don’t exactly know if this counts as progress, but the most surprising aspect of a goal this year was finally going to a PCP and getting less-than-ideal bloodwork results. I suppose I expected to pass with flying colors, and that was not the case. Though disappointing and a bit frustrating, I was and am grateful for the insight.
Best home improvement: Well, we got an entirely new home this year, so there’s plenty that could go in this category. Our larger backyard and flat cul-de-sac feel like the biggest improvements in terms of lifestyle, but I also want to give a shout out to our new salad plates (we finally replaced the ones we got for our wedding, which we loved but had worn into the ground over 12+ years of daily use) and the cleaning spray that makes swiping counters a joy.
Best habit you created: This is an easy answer but also a bit of a frustrating one. After receiving my bloodwork results in June, I immediately began a habit of a daily 30-minute walk: brisk, hilly, first thing in the morning. It worked perfectly while the kids were out of school – I kept up an unbroken streak despite sweat-drenched summer temps – but the timing just didn’t work once school was back in session. I LOVED this habit, though, and am contemplating how to best incorporate it year-round. Stay tuned to my 2026 goals 👀
While we’re on the subject of fitness and wellness, a few other small and large upgrades worth mentioning:
1) With the move to the new house, we were able to move our “gym” out of our bedroom and into the garage. Incredible.
2) On the recommendation of a doctor friend, John and I both started taking magnesium and a multivitamin with Vitamin D and fish oil. It might be coincidence, but neither of us have had a cold since and my restless leg syndrome has abated almost entirely. (The latter is definitely not coincidence – magnesium is known to help with RLS!)
3) I stopped bringing a folding chair to kid soccer games and instead stand or walk for the hour. I’ve also been known to do calf raises to strengthen my knees :)
4) Two things have helped me be more consistent than ever with my strength workouts: I chose Wednesday and Friday, the days I don’t work, as my CANNOT MISS strength days and do my workouts as soon as I get home from dropping the kids at school, before anything else. (I also try to do strength on Saturdays and Sundays, but am less consistent.) Also, John used the new Peloton Strength+ app (included with a Peloton membership) to program eight workouts for me. I rotate between them and never have to waste time thinking about what I’m doing each day.
Favorite blog post written: I’m grateful that so many of you stick around for what I have to offer in this season! Each Disc a Day was easily my favorite post of 2025.
Best little luxury you’ve enjoyed: The Eby Relief bra! I have completely abandoned every other option in my drawer in favor of this one. It’s comfy, it lays smoothly under shirts, and it’s shaping even without an underwire. I’m so happy I gave it a try!
As always, I’m ending the year so grateful for the delights, big and small, that filled it. I’ll be sharing more in my year-in-review post soon, but in the meantime, please do share: what are some of your “bests” from 2025? Can’t wait to hear!
