I have 18-20 books in my TBR pile right now and I want to read them all. Please remember me in your prayers, that my children would leave me alone so that I can READ!

I have so much respect for Elizabeth Smart after reading My Story, her memoir of captivity and escape. Her faith in the midst of suffering is inspiring to me, and her commentary on the toxicity of purity culture eye-opening and brave.

Leah Remini’s memoir Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology wasn’t as hallelujah as Smart’s book, but it did add something new to the ex-Scientology memoir genre (which I am obsessed with). Remini grew up in Scientology and was deeply involved and even spent some time in Sea Org. I loved her insider’s perspective, especially the dish on Tom Cruise. Bonus–I listened to the audiobook and her accent and comic timing just made it so much fun. Nobody says “LRH” like she does.

Even though I never read anything else by Elizabeth Gilbert, and never will, I do love writers writing about writing so I picked up Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear from the library. It was an easy read, but I’ll take the metaphysics Madeleine L’Engle’s Walking on Water any day.

Finally, I tore through Invasion of the Tearling the second book in Erika Johansen’s Tearling series. I love the way this book combines fantasy and futuristic science fiction in one, and it kept the great momentum of book one going so that I’m now basically dying for book three.