Category: reading

Book, Book Club, faith, reading, Review

February Book Club Pick: The Crown Conspiracy Review

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Our February Book Club pick was The Crown Conspiracy by Connie Mann and oh my goodness… I absolutely loved this book.

If you enjoy stories that feel like Mission Impossible meets James Bond, but woven with threads of faith and purpose, this one will grab you from the start. It was action packed, fast paced, and nearly impossible to put down.

In fact, I started by reading just a few chapters at a time… but once I reached about a quarter of the way through, I ended up devouring the entire book in one sitting. It was that good.

What I Loved

One of my favorite elements was the Speranza women’s team. The strength, loyalty, and sisterhood between these women was powerful and inspiring. It makes you reflect on the beauty of strong, faith filled friendships and honestly, it made me want to start a secret sisterhood like that in real life…Anyone else?

I also appreciated how the storylines wove together. There were moments when plot lines crossed in surprising ways, keeping the suspense high and the tension building. The pacing was strong, and the stakes felt real.

And I especially loved how faith was woven throughout the story. It wasn’t heavy handed but it was present. God’s guidance, trust in uncertain moments, and leaning into courage during danger added a deeper layer to the action.

A Few Things I Would Have Loved to See

While I thoroughly enjoyed the book, there were a couple of areas where I found myself wanting a bit more clarity.

I would have loved if the author had circled back more clearly to the first chapter bridging that opening moment with the events that followed in a stronger way.

And when the big reveal came at the end, I personally felt like a few threads weren’t fully tied up. I finished the book thinking:

  • Wait… what happened there?
  • What was the final story with that character?
  • More than one culprit?

Some of those details felt a little unclear to me, and I’m very curious to hear what the rest of our Book Club thinks when we meet to discuss it. It’s always interesting how different readers catch different things.

Final Thoughts

Overall, The Crown Conspiracy was an exciting, faith threaded suspense novel that kept me turning pages late into the night. If you enjoy:

  • Strong female characters
  • International intrigue
  • Fast pace
  • Faith woven into action
  • Sisterhood themes

… this one is definitely worth adding to your reading list

More Book Reviews You Might Enjoy

If you loved this review, you might also enjoy these other books we’ve read in our book club:

These are all books that sparked meaningful conversations and encouraged our faith in different ways.

faith, homeschooling, reading, Review

Growing in Faith Together: Why Between Us Has Been a Sweet Part of Our Homeschool Days

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Between Us: A 52-Week Devotional for Moms and Daughters is one of the devotionals my daughter and I are working through this year, and it has been such a meaningful addition to our homeschool rhythm.

What I love most about this devotional is how interactive it is. Each week includes a short devotional followed by intentional conversation prompts. There are moments where my daughter asks me a question and I respond while she records my answer, and then the roles reverse—I get to ask her a question and hear her heart. Those simple exchanges have opened the door to deeper conversations and sweet connection that I didn’t even realize we were missing.

This devotional has been a gentle, faith-filled way to slow down, reflect, and grow together. It’s not overwhelming or time-consuming, which makes it easy to weave into our homeschool days, and it encourages both spiritual growth and meaningful communication.

Have you ever done a devotional with your daughter? I’d love to hear what has worked well in your home. Share in the comments or send me a message—these conversations encourage so many other moms walking the same journey ❤️

If you haven’t done one or you’re looking for a devotional that strengthens faith while also nurturing your relationship with your daughter, Between Us is one I highly recommend.

Deuteronomy 6:6–7 reminds us:

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

pnw, reading, Review, travel

Powell’s city of Books ~Bookstore

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Powell’s City of Books in downtown Portland has just about any kind of book you are looking for. There are so many floors of books! You could stay there for a whole day and still want to go back the next day to see more.
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Located in downtown Portland ,the store pretty much fills up a city block . That’s kinda cool to think about….a city block of multiple floors of books. Wow! A book lovers dream.
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So grab your list of books you are looking for and go.. you are sure to mark a few off your list .If you have been there , let me know what you love in the comments ⭐️

Book, reading, Review

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah ~ Book Review

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Are you ready to read a book you can’t put down? Kristin Hannah The Nightingale is it!
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This historical fiction follows two very different sisters throughout their lives. Both sisters navigate their worlds very differently as they grapple with WW2 and the Nazi occupation of France and as they soon learn they are stronger than they could have ever imagined.
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There are a few parts of the book that were extremely difficult to read so please be aware of that if you are sensitive. They are short but important to the story. I’m glad my friends encouraged me to finish it and skip over the one section because it was so worth it!
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Kristin did a great job of really developing each sisters story and following them in their journey of healing as a family , fighting for others even when it meant they had to let go and bringing it all together in the end.Such a good book!!

Book, Book Club, faith, reading, Review

Once A Queen ~ Book Review

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Our March Book Club pick was Once a Queen by Sarah Arthur.
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Once a Queen is a fairytale fantasy that weaves real life family dynamics with magic portals , secret gatherings and magic woven tapestries. You meet 14 year Evie as she travels to England to meet a grandmother she has never met before who lives in a beautiful estate that has an intriguing staff. The staff is one we would all want if we were as privileged.
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It starts off slow but then quickly starts to wrap you into the story as it unfolds. As the characters unfold , and the story is weaved ,and you get glimpses of the white stag, you can’t help but to start to step into the magic of the story . Definate Narnia vibes throughout that awakened my childlike faith in reading this.
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Our bookclub enjoyed reading this and several of us are adding the other books to our list!

Book, reading, Review

Currently Reading

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Here’s what I am currently reading so be watching for reviews.. I already posted the Lady Unrivaled..so good!

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What are you reading? I gather most of my must read books from others recommendation so I would love to hear what you are loving right now. Post in comments❤️