Reads | Spring 2026
Five books read during the spring 2026 season.
she followed the moon back to herself | Amanda Lovelace
Amanda has a beautiful way of writing simple poetry that speaks to the feminist soul. This book of poetry is no different.
“she sleeps
better than ever
knowing that
she made
the right decisions
based on
what was
right for her at the time."- she can’t change them, & she’s stopped wanting to.”
- Amanda Lovelace, she followed the moon back to herself, page 29
The Odyssey | Homer / Emily Wilson
Whenever pop culture resurfaces these old classics that I have not read or was not exposed to, I find myself needing to learn what the fuss is all about. Reading the Odyssey was only going to happen through a feminist lens, so Emily Wilson was the only choice. Her lengthy prologue and historical explanations helped me find my place in the Homer world, and although I felt somewhat accosted by how similar it felt to reading the Bible, I appreciated her perspective as I grappled with the text. The film was much the same; I felt whiplash by the story and how closely it overlaps with the Bible’s Jesus, and perhaps by how much Christians like to ignore that the beats of their salvation story echo tales told before.
Story is a State of Mind | Sarah Selecky
I first met Sarah during a writers’ workshop in autumn 2025 and appreciated her grounded yet inspired approach to creativity and the medium of writing. Her book is much the same. Practical action items to push through the creative journey while also leaving room for the unknown.
“Because our writing trains us to observe and take notes, writers often live and write on the fringes of society. When a healthy amount of solitude extends past a point of balance, writers can become anti-social, neurotic, and even seriously depressed or anxious.” - Sarah Selecky, Story is a State of Mind. Page 153.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians - The Lightning Thief | Rick Riordan
A popular book for middle grade students, I read this one aloud to our pre-teen so she was in on what her peers had read or watched in film or television adaptations. Its main character is easy to relate to, and the side characters are all fascinating in their representations of Greek mythology.
Get a Life | Laura Peyton Roberts
Towards the end of my degree and heading towards graduation season I found myself craving the simplicity of high school. Perhaps it was the graduation ceremony approaching, or perhaps it was global politics full of doom and gloom, but revisiting one of my favourite book series as a middle schooler about high schoolers gave me the feeling I craved. I am amazed this series doesn’t have a TV series based on it yet.
she followed the moon back to herself by Amanda Lovelace, Story is a State of Mind by Sarah Selecky, Get a Life by Laura Peyton Roberts
The Odyssey by Homer translated by Emily Wilson, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - The Lightning Thief