What's On My Shelf (July 2025)
- Amber Thiessen
- Jul 2
- 4 min read
It’s been a little while since I’ve shared what’s been on my shelf—life has been full lately! But I’ve gathered a handful of favourites from the past few months to share with you. Whether you’ve just finished your beach reads or you’re getting ready for some vacation downtime, I hope you’ll find something new to enjoy.
Insights from a Martyr's Journal
I read this early in the year, after a visit to Carthage. These are notes from Perpetua, an early Christian martyr. It's a short read and really inspired me to face the world bravely and courageously. (5 stars)
Growing in Knowledge and Awareness of God's Love
This book is a wonderful deep dive into the love of God. I found it really encouraging. If you're feeling weary, uncertain, or simply longing to know the heart of God more deeply, this book is a timely and tender guide.I wrote a full review HERE.
Learning How to Connect with People
Here's a New York Times Bestseller teaching us about both getting to know others and also hearing them—a pretty crucial part of relationships. He writes, “There is one skill that lies at the heart of any healthy person, family, school, community organization, or society: the ability to see someone else deeply and make them feel seen—to accurately know another person, to let them feel valued, heard, and understood.” (5 stars)
Walking Through Psalm 119
I've been reading a cluster of books on the topic of lament and found it really enriching to read from different authors on the same topic.(HERE and HERE). So this commentary style devotional on Psalm 119 caught my eye. Drawing out theological insights throughout the psalm, the concept of what it means to be blessed is pieced out, because it's not what we often think it is! (4 stars)
Stories for Your Summer Reading
I haven't found a lot of historical fiction that takes place in Canada (feel free to drop me suggestions!) So this was a sweet trip into 1800s Toronto. A woman in hiding as a laundress becomes close to a young girl, whose father has connections to her previous life. The community is on the verge of rebellion and she's trying to remain hidden.
Loved this quote "You figure God abandoned you, but you know deep down that's not true. He was there all along, holding you up until you were ready to stand again."
This is the author's debut novel, highly recommend! (5 stars)
This is the 3rd book in the series about Jesslyn, the fire marshal whose family died in a fire when she was only 7. Now she's investigating a pattern of intentional fires alongside the FBI and her past comes to the forefront. If you've enjoyed the others. inthis series, you'll like this one too! (4 stars)
I LOVED Isadora! If you have a quirky friend—or maybe you are that quirky friend—you will love this story!! She faces a lot of struggle with her identity, being accepted by others for who she is, but learns so much about what it means to love and be loved. It's a 31 Days to be Happy experiment and you're going to enjoy the journey!! (5 stars)
Stories set around bookstores are always a fun treat. This story is set in North Carolina, the main characters both have Christian faith. This is a story about friendship, second chances and forgiveness. They've got a tough past to work though and misunderstandings to clarify, so it's perfect for your beach chair with sand between your toes! (5 stars)
A long haul trucker wakes up after a crash, not knowing what happened, on a mountain threatening to erupt. A local comes to the rescue, but there's gunshots in the window and a baby strapped in a carseat, and she can't give answers to what's happened. Solving the mystery and getting off the mountain make for an action filled story. (3 stars)
How About Reflections on the Local Church?
I've had the privilege to be a contributor for this collection of articles on the blessing of our local churches. If you're looking for a summer read on this, these are short chapters to inspire you to love your local church.
I hope some of these books are of interest to you! And, as always, I'd appreciate your recommendations!
What's on your shelf this summer?
(*Denotes books I've received from Netgalley or as part of a publisher's review program)
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