May Recap 2026
Here’s some of my thoughts on last month’s reads!
Someone Else’s Bucket List by Amy T. Matthews- This book was not as fun as I thought it would be. It was actually a little boring to me. Jodie Boyd is trying to fulfill her sister’s bucket list and she’s not really sure why she wants her to do it completely because her sister is gone. Anyways, Jodie goes through a bunch of bucket list items just to be at peace with her sister’s passing. One of the only quotes I took away from the book said, “You never really have someone… not forever. You just get them for a little while, if you’re lucky. And you never really know how long you have them for.” Overall, I gave this book like 2.5 stars because it had creativity, but it just wasn’t a book that I am going to read again.
The Fringe Hours by Jessica N. Turner- I am currently half way through this book and I’m kind of enjoying it! It talks about using “fringe hours” to make time for yourself. In her words, “fringe hours” are “those little pockets of time throughout the day that often go underused or are wasted altogether. If not intentionally redeemed, fringe hours slip through one’s fingers like sand”. I love the comparison to sand because it’s so true and relatable. I’m in the process of writing a full review of some of my favorite parts of this book so check back soon!
The Vow by Kim & Krickitt Carpenter- This book was a neat story! It talks about the affects that happened post car accident and how Kim and Krickitt found their relationship again by putting their faith in the Lord. I thought this was interesting because I didn’t realize what the affects Krickitt had following the car accident and loosing some of her memory. She really had to persevere in order to get her life back again.
The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey- I listened to this book at the beginning of the month and honestly, I felt like it was pretty short. So if you’re looking for a fast read this might be a good option. The book mostly talked about how it’s up to you to get out of debt so I’m not sure how helpful Ramsey’s advice really was for someone who knows little about financial success. I may read the physical copy of the book to see if I pick up more details on how to change financial habits both long-term and short-term. One thing that did surprise me though was he doesn’t really talk about setting goals which I feel like is a key part of creating a budget. One good quote from this book was “I am not against the enjoyment of money. What I am against is spending money when you do not have money to begin with.” I thought this was important because it goes to show that a lot of people may be spending money they don’t have yet or may never get in the future and we should probably try to live more within your own means based on your individual income.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett- This book was fun to read again! I hadn’t heard the story since I was a little girl and I completely forgot that a key point in the book was the little boy who was sick. They do talk a little differently because it is an older story, but it kind of adds to the characters by doing so. I think there are different versions of this book so maybe not all of them are written that way. I’ll have to check into that in the future because I’m curious to know! Or if anyone knows of another version of The Secret Garden, let me know in the comments! :)
Reverie by Drew Taylor- Unfortunately, I did not get to this book this month. Hopefully soon I will! Instead, I listened to the audiobook Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez. I felt like it was a cute story, however, there was more bad language in it than I would have liked so I didn’t follow along super closely.
It Doesn’t Have to be Crazy at Work by Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson- This book I just barely started so I may have more insights later. However, I have to laugh because I read this book after The Fringe Hours, which teaches productivity and then this book tells you the opposite about productivity. It says in the book, “productivity is for machines, not for people”. Haha I think this is an interesting perspective on how we view work. Are we truly working or are machines doing it for us? Let me know your thoughts on this in the comments below!
Overall, this month had some pretty good books that impacted me life for the better! What have you read recently that impacted your life? It can be a novel or just an article or something simple. What will you be reading next?
Until next month, keep turning pages! Catch you later!
