If you’ve ever picked up a Dan Brown novel and thought I wish he’d just get to the point, Steve Berry might be your guy. 📚 The Columbus Affair by Steve Berry This is my first Steve Berry read, my book club selected it, and I'd like to read at least one more before I decide to scroll by his name. And I will say the other book club members did not like it...at all. The premise alone is enough to keep me turning pages: a disgraced Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, moments from ending his life, gets pulled into a 500-year-old mystery tied to Christopher Columbus. Was Columbus Jewish? Did he hide something in Jamaica that still matters today? Berry makes you want to know. Fair warning … the first half is setup. You’re meeting characters, getting your bearings across Florida, Vienna, Prague, and eventually the mountains of Jamaica. It’s not slow exactly, but the payoff is definitely back-loaded. Somewhere around the halfway point, the quest feeling kicks in and you stop putting it down. Berry does something I genuinely appreciate: he includes a Writer’s Note at the end that separates fact from fiction. I almost read it first. Several reviewers said they do exactly that, and honestly, I get it. The history of Columbus … all we realize we don’t know about the man .. is fascinating on its own. Less wordy than Brown, better researched than most, and a solid ride once it opens up about halfway through.

Can I tell you about the cheapest, easiest mini-vacation that's available to literally everyone? A book. Fifteen minutes. That's it. 📖 I know, I know — "Jennifer, I don't have time to read." But hear me out, because I think you actually do. Those little pockets of time scattered throughout your day? They add up more than you think. Think about it — 15 minutes in the morning, 15 minutes at lunch, 15 minutes on a break, 15 minutes before bed. That's a full hour. And in an hour, the average adult can read somewhere between 12,000 and 24,000 words. That's a short story, a novella, or a solid chunk of whatever book has been sitting on your nightstand for six months. 😄 And here's what that hour is actually doing for you on the inside: - Reduces stress and helps your nervous system settle - Improves focus and mental clarity - Supports better sleep (especially that before-bed window) - Gives your brain a real break from screens and noise It's not just entertainment. It's maintenance. As for when to read ... morning works great for setting a calm, intentional tone for the day. A lunch break read is a wonderful way to truly decompress instead of just scrolling. And before bed, swapping your phone for a few pages can genuinely transform your sleep quality. What should you read? Honestly, whatever you enjoy. Fiction, memoirs, personal development, poetry, a magazine about something you love — it all counts. The best reading material is the kind you'll actually look forward to picking up. No passport required. No budget needed. Just you, a few quiet minutes, and somewhere good to go. 💛 What are you reading right now? I've just started The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. Drop your current read in the comments — I'm always looking for recommendations! 👇 PS - feel free to post a review or your thoughts on what you're reading in our Book Club.

Flight of the Sparrow by Ann Belding Brown This one surprised me in the best way. First of all, if you’re into early American history, Puritan life, or just big-picture stories about faith, culture, and identity, buckle up. This book takes you deep into a world where traditional Puritan beliefs were as rigid as the winter frost… until those beliefs got lovingly, messily, beautifully challenged. The story follows Mary Rowlandson, a Puritan woman living in 1676 Massachusetts. One day her world literally explodes — village attacked, family torn apart — and she’s taken captive by Native Americans. What I liked was how the author didn’t paint her new life as all sunshine and rainbows, nor did she make her captors caricatures of kindness. Instead, we get the realness of both cultures — the hard edges of Puritan life and the surprisingly generous spirit of the Native people she lives among. Mary was raised to fear the wilderness, submit to her husband, and see Indians as the enemy. Then she’s thrust into a world where those boundaries blur, where kindness doesn’t come with a sermon, and where freedom has a different flavor than the one she was taught. It was such an interesting shift to read her inner grappling. Not dramatic “villainization” of Puritans, just honest recognition that maybe her worldview wasn’t the only way. Now… full disclosure: the writing is a touch formal. It took me a chapter or two to find the rhythm. Once I did? I was pulled in. The way the author captures the cadence of 17th-century life makes you feel like you’re trudging through snow alongside Mary, listening to birds overhead, and wondering how she’ll ever see her “old life” the same way again. One of the best parts? Mary doesn’t reject her roots out of rebellion — she grows through experience. She sees kindness where she least expects it, learns lessons from people she was taught to dismiss, and manages to carve out a better life for herself and her children through a blend of hard-earned wisdom and newfound empathy. That subtle evolution was so satisfying to read.

by Tori Dunlap. This author is extremely intelligent and so, so, funny. I love her book, bad words and all!

I hate to say I am going through this right now. Do you guys no any books to help me along this major hurdle?