Happy Tuesday! It’s almost the end of the month, so I am sharing the books I read this month and what I am currently reading. I am linking up with Joanne for Share Your Shelf so be sure to check it out on the first Thursday of next month for other great bookish posts.

 Yours for the Season by Emily Stone ☀️☀️☀️☀️
**2025 Sunshine & Books Christmas Book**

I was so happy that I held this book until after Christmas. Emily Stone has gotten me a few times with her books that look like Christmas books but aren’t. This one was pretty Christmasy but it was ok to read after the holiday. Melanine and Finn dated for a few years, but broke up about six months ago. Melanie was blindsided by Finn’s decision to dump her in a very public way. When Finn’s mom wants to get the whole family together for a weeklong Christmas vacation, he asks Melanie to come and pretend to be dating. Melanie is miserable and agrees to go. They set up very specific rules but end up discovering their feelings. There are family secrets, holiday adventures, and a beautiful national park to enjoy. I enjoyed it and will read Emily Stone’s next book for sure!
*Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.*

Bear Bottom by Stuart Gibbs (kids audio)

This next installment in the FunJungle series took us to Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding areas. Teddy is faced with two mysteries to solve, like always, and he has Summer by his side to figure this out. Summer’s mother’s priceless necklace is stolen and no one is sure if a bear ate it or someone snuck in and stole it. There are also a few missing buffalo that Teddy is very curious about. It is a fun adventure and made me want to head out west and explore Yellowstone!

The Phone Swap by Lia Louis ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
(Published 8/25/26)

I loved this book! Allie Lake is a very private bird scientist. Milo Ford is a famous actor. They are asked to switch seats on an airplane and accidentally switch phones. When they realize what has happened, Milo is on a secluded set for a few weeks and Allie needs her research notes that are stuck on her phone. They decide to trust each other and share notifications or important screenshots. They also facetime and find that they might be falling in love with each other. When a big event happens it shocks them both and they have to figure out their friendship/relationship from there. I don’t want to give too much away but I was hooked from teh beginning and did not figure it out before Lia Louis revealed how everything happened. Highly recommend, especially if you think puffins are adorable!
*Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.*

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️+

Wow! This book was beautifully written and I could not put it down! I read it in less than two days and I was sad to see it end! Everyone I talked to about it said “that’s not your typical book, Sarah” and they are right, but there are so many things about it that I loved. I loved the letter writing and how you didn’t get to read every letter Sybil writes. I love seeing the day to day nitty gritty of people’s lives (real or fictional) and it is in here. I love family stories and this is a story of one woman, Sybil, her family, and friends that feel like family. I loved that Sybil lives right outside Annapolis in Maryland so I recognized a lot of the places she mentioned. I love that Sybil is a reader. I am not making it a project to read all the books mentioned in this novel, but I may read a few. Ok, so here is the premise. Sybil is 78 and corresponds with many people through letters. She will write the occasional email, but she prefers handwritten letters. We learn so much about Sybil’s life, mistakes and regrets, hopes and wishes, opinions in abundance, and daily life. And we learn it entirely through letters written to and by Sybil. I highly recommend this to all who consider themselves readers! Bonus: The author is a JMU grad! Go Dukes!

In Your Dreams by Sarah Adams ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️

Heading back to Rome, Kentucky for the fourth and final time was wonderful. I was happy to finally hear Madison’s story. We’ve gotten to know Madison’s siblings Noah, Emily, and Annie, so it was finally Madison’s turn. Throughout the four stories, Sarah Adams introduces us to the lovely small town and all of its characters. As we get to know Madison, she’s moving home from NYC and getting ready to run a restaurant on James’ farm. James is Noah’s best friend and his parents were so wonderful to Madison as she was growing up. Unfortunately, Madison had a rough time in NYC and is trying to work through everything to finally be a success instead of the girl who always messes up. She’s funny, lovable, and the underdog. I am so grateful that Sarah Adams created Rome and the Walker family for us to enjoy.
*Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.*

My Southern Kitchen by Ivy Odom ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️

I enjoyed every single video/reel by Ivy that I saw on Southern Living’s instagram account. I decided to find her account and the same is true. When I saw that she had a cookbook coming out, I knew I wanted to read it. I got it from the library to make sure the recipes were ones that I would use. They are! I haven’t made anything YET, but I did read it cover to cover. I loved hearing the stories behind her recipes and how she became such a wonderful entertainer. I will be purchasing this to add to my cookbook collection!

Currently Reading: We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman

Currently Reading: The Star Society by Gabriella Saab

Currently Reading: Whale Done by Stuart Gibbs (kids audio)

You can always checkout what I’ve been reading on my Books 2026 page. I have all of my yearly reading pages linked here if you want to see what I’ve been reading for the last 8 years.

Six books in one month is a good start to 2026. My reading goal for January was to read a nonfiction book (Thanks Ivy!), a book on my kindle from NetGalley (Thanks Emily, Lia, and Sarah!), and a book from my bookshelf (almost finished Catherine’s). I have another nonfiction book I was hoping to read (Best Laid Plans) and I am going to start it when I finish one of the two books I am currently reading. I am going to keep this goal for February, too. I liked reading from a few different places.

Have you read any of these books? Did you have a favorite? I’d love to hear! Have a great day full of sunshine and books!

This post contains Amazon Affiliate links.
Thank you for reading and supporting Sunshine & Books.