What I'm Reading - March 20, 2026

Here's a quick update on what I've been reading and watching lately. 

I'm currently reading . . .

When the Cranes Fly South: A Novel by Liza Ridzén (translated by Alice Menzies) - I haven't even got very far in this novel about the experience of aging and it's already tugging at my heart strings. It's a library book, so I hope I can finish before I have to return it - I think it's still very much in demand.

A Tarnished Canvas by Anna Lee Huber - Kiera and Gage attend an estate sale of art, and part of the building collapses, injuring many. And there's reason to believe that the collapse may not have been an accident, so they are called upon to investigate.

Life From Scratch: A memoir of food, family, and forgiveness by Sasha Martin - If you're familiar with Sasha's blog (Global Table Adventure) about cooking a meal from every country in the world, this memoir tells about her childhood and growing up, and the experiences that led to her love of cooking and the decision to embark on that culinary world tour.

Up Next . . . On the TBR stack . . . 

I have an ARC that just arrived for my review, so I will start that one straight away. Other than that, contenders for next up are:

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Being Henry: The Fonz . . . And Beyond by Henry Winkler

 

I finished reading . . . 

The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews - This is a Victorian era romance, inspired by Beauty and the Beast. A notorious war hero and a shy bookish heiress agree to a marriage of convenience, but as Julia discovers more about her mysterious husband she is both intrigued and terrified. (Read my review HERE)

Lady Susan by Jane Austen - A novella told entirely using letters written between Lady Susan and members of her circle. Lady Susan is a society widow known for being manipulative and flirtatious. (Read my review HERE)

An Unsuitable Job by Bonnie Hardy - Josie gets a second chance as a Harvey House employee, this time as a detective. She's tasked with investigating when a guest is found murdered in a Harvey House, and to handle it all discreetly.  (Read my review HERE)

I've been watching . . . We've been watching hockey games, on TV and at the arena. I watched a couple episodes of Jury Duty with my husband but I didn't find it as amusing as he did, possibly because I actually was on the jury of a murder trial at the beginning of the month so everything unrealistic about the show stood out to me. I'm pretty sure we've watched some other shows and maybe even a movie or two recently, but the only one I can think of was the final Kingsmen movie - The Golden Circle or something like that. It was good, and Elton John's cameo bits in it were hilarious, but I think the other two movies in the series were better.

I've been listening to . . . my usual selection of music and podcasts.

On my blogs recently . . . 

Besides the reviews, here on Just A Second you'll find:

February Bookshelf Review

On my main coffee break project, A Fresh Cup of Coffee:

Scripture and a Snapshot posts

Everyday Images posts

Hodgepodge and other Q&A Link-up posts

Five Minute Friday posts

WQ - Perseverance

Currently . . . March 9, 2026

WQ - Libraries

Share Four Somethings - February 2026

Monthly Musings - An Easier Week

WQ - Living Responsibly

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What are you reading?

This post may be linked at What's On Your Bookshelf? #whatsonyourbookshelfchallenge hosted by Deb's World.

©2008-2026 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. This post was written by a human.  http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

What I'm Reading - December 16, 2025

Here's a quick update on what I've been reading and watching lately. 

I'm currently reading . . .

No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister - Touching and thought-provoking novel that explores an aspiring author and her debut novel, and all the different ways it affects her and several very different personalities that read it. 

A Certain Darkness by Anna Lee Huber - finally starting on the next Verity Kent mystery. Verity and her husband Sidney are both called upon to investigate murders, one in France and the other in Belgium, and they begin to see that the cases may be connected after all. This one's been sidelined while I finished a review novel and while I've been more focused on No Two Persons, since it's a library book.

A Holiday By Gaslight by Mimi Matthews - A Christmas novella from an author I really like, so obviously this is what's happening on my Kindle right now. Sophie decides to turn away her suitor because she can't connect with any emotion in him, but little does she know that Ned is only trying to live up to the expectations that a gentleman should be reserved and formal. I have a feeling they'll get together after all, don't you?

Up Next . . . On the TBR stack . . . 

Last month I said I didn't know what would be next, and this month my story is the same. Here we are nearing the end of the year, and I'm nowhere close to finishing the reading challenges, so it's not like if I just read a couple specific titles I'll get it done. There's plenty on my TBR list, and more than a few books on the TBR stack on my bedside table, so I'll see how it goes and not pin myself down.

I finished reading . . . 

Monet For Nothing by PJ Fitzsimmons - The unflappable flapper Teddy Quillfeather starts off agreeing to smuggle a piece of art from France to England for her friends, but as usually happens in her world, things escalate quickly. She winds up sorting out forgeries and fraud, missing paintings and copies, and a very unlikely heist. Very entertaining cozy!  (Read my review HERE)

I've been watching . . . 

We've been watching hockey and some Christmas-themed movies. I haven't watched that many yet, but we've check The Polar Express off the list. We watched one from the mid-80s called Santa Claus: The Movie which wasn't too bad. We've had some of the Hallmark variety playing though I don't pay much attention to them, since the storylines do tend to fall into a couple of very predictable categories! I'm sorry to say I don't remember the ending (though I could guess) because I did doze off partway through it. I was super excited to find a version of A Christmas Carol I remember from the early 80s (I checked - it came out in 1979) that I haven't seen in ages - An American Christmas Carol, starring Henry Winkler in the "Scrooge" character role. It was one I fell in love with when I first saw it, and back when I wanted it on DVD I couldn't find it, so when I spotted it on the Amazon Prime playlist I was thrilled! But also a little worried that it wouldn't live up to my possibly idealized memory. Well, no worries. It did. I loved it again and highly recommend.

I've been listening to . . .

Holiday music! Haven't quit on the podcasts, but the balance has been tipped in favor of tunes both festive and nostalgic. I love a mix of true classics (like Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra), more recent "classics" (Michael W Smith, Amy Grant, etc), and modern takes on the classics by rock and pop artists. There's not many holiday songs I truly dislike, and I'm not going to say what they are since it's sure to hurt someone's feelings. 

On my blogs recently . . . 

Besides the reviews, here on Just A Second you'll find:

November Bookshelf Review

On my main coffee break project, A Fresh Cup of Coffee:

Scripture and a Snapshot posts

Five Minute Friday posts

Everyday Images posts

Hodgepodge and other Q&A Link-up posts

WQ - Walking In a Winter Wonderland

WOTY and Goals - Notes From November

Currently . . . December 5, 2025

Share Four Somethings - November 2025

WQ - Celebrating the Holiday Season

***************

What are you reading?

This post may be linked at What's On Your Bookshelf? #whatsonyourbookshelfchallenge hosted by Deb's World, and/or at the weekly reading list meme hosted at Book Date.

 

©2008-2025 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. This post was written by a human.  http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Review: Route 60 - The Biblical Highway #Route60MIN

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee.

I had the privilege of seeing the advance release of this fascinating documentary and want to encourage you to see it in theaters if you can. It will be in theaters September 18th and 19th only, so grab your tickets today! If you're interested in Biblical or ancient history, I think you'll really enjoy it. It would be a great addition to history, geography, world religions, or Bible studies for homeschooling families; and for anyone looking for background to understanding the geography where the Bible stories took place and the foundations of the nation of Israel, and how it's all intertwined.

Route 60 is a documentary about Israel's famous highway, one that passes through sites of great historical significance, places where the patriarchs, kings and prophets, disciples, and Jesus himself walked.

Synopsis: 

Carving through the heart of the Promised Land is the biblical spine of Israel, sometimes referred to as the Path of the Patriarchs and officially designated as Route 60. A highway of deep historical significance while often the scene of unrest and violence, this 146-mile road of asphalt and concrete begins in Nazareth, Israel's largest Arab city, and ends in Beersheba, one of Israel's high-tech centers. Running north to south, Route 60 connects ancient Israel with modern Israel, Jews and Christians with Muslims, and Israelis with Palestinians.

This trek is far more than a two-lane highway; it is a historic, sacred link to the roots of Judaism and Christianity and the stories of the Old and New Testaments. Follow world-changing diplomats David Friedman and Mike Pompeo as they venture down this sacred road, treading the very ground Abraham, Jacob, King David, and Jesus once walked. Discover the history, witness the healing, and realize the hope along Route 60, the Biblical Highway.

What others are saying:

"Visually stunning and compelling storytelling." ~Mike Huckabee

"ROUTE 60 combines the truth of the Bible with undeniable archaeological proof, and like our tour guides, Pompeo and Friedman, that's a powerful combination!" ~Erick Stakelbeck

My thoughts: The scenery and the views of historical sites was enough to draw me immediately, and the added graphics to help visualize the passages of Scripture referenced and the historical Biblical events were so appealing as well. But what I most enjoyed was the simple but compelling way Friedman and Pompeo related how the sites they visited were significant throughout the story of the Bible. Some of these sites, like Shechem and Bethel, are places where more than one greatly important event took place. I've watched many documentaries and video studies of sites in the Holy Land, yet some of the sites in ROUTE 60 were new to me, or I learned new context and significance to these places. Friedman is an Orthodox Jew and Pompeo is a Christian, and both have long and significant experience as American diplomats, so it was also fascinating to hear them talk about more recent history involving the nation of Israel such as the Abraham Accords and the relocation of the American Embassy to Jerusalem in light of Biblical history. Both men also told stories of the impact the truth of the Bible has had on how they view the world and the roles they've played, and about their personal faith as well.

Visit the movie's website Route 60 Movie to find out more.

Buy tickets at: Route 60 Movie

Hashtags: #Route60MIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

Disclosure: Many thanks to TBN for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

 ©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Route 60 - The Biblical Highway #Route60MIN

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

I'm always interested in movies and documentaries like this! Seeing the real sites where historical events took place, and where historical figures walked is fascinating to me. Even more so when it's Biblical history! I recently got the news about this movie and have been asked to pass along the news, and since I really want to see it, I'm happy to share it here too.

Route 60 is a documentary about Israel's famous highway, one that passes through sites of great historical significance, places where the patriarchs, kings and prophets, disciples, and Jesus himself walked.

Synopsis: 

Carving through the heart of the Promised Land is the biblical spine of Israel, sometimes referred to as the Path of the Patriarchs and officially designated as Route 60. A highway of deep historical significance while often the scene of unrest and violence, this 146-mile road of asphalt and concrete begins in Nazareth, Israel's largest Arab city, and ends in Beersheba, one of Israel's high-tech centers. Running north to south, Route 60 connects ancient Israel with modern Israel, Jews and Christians with Muslims, and Israelis with Palestinians.

This trek is far more than a two-lane highway; it is a historic, sacred link to the roots of Judaism and Christianity and the stories of the Old and New Testaments. Follow world-changing diplomats David Friedman and Mike Pompeo as they venture down this sacred road, treading the very ground Abraham, Jacob, King David, and Jesus once walked. Discover the history, witness the healing, and realize the hope along Route 60, the Biblical Highway.

Visit the movie's website Route 60 Movie to find out more.

Hashtags: #Route60MIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - Women Talking

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

Women Talking by Miriam Toews - The character August Epp is the narrator of this unique story. He is one of the few men at home in an isolated Mennonite colony at the time, as the others have all gone into town to post bail for the group of eight men that have been accused of raping and molesting women and girls in the colony. August has returned to the colony recently, and is the schoolteacher. The other men treat him with disdain, but he is recruited by one of the women, Ona, to keep minutes of the women's meetings, as none of the women can read or write. August keeps meticulous notes about what the women discuss and do during these meetings, and adds his own interpretations and thoughts from time to time.

Eight women from two of the families have decided to hold meetings while the men are out of town to decide what they will do. They have all been violated repeatedly, but only recently has it been acknowledged in any way that it was men from their own colony that had abused them in this way. The women know that they will be expected to say they forgive the men when they return from the city, and if they do not, they forfeit their place in heaven. This does not sit well with the women, who understand that it's more than likely they will be abused again without recourse, and that their children will be victims as well. So over the course of two days, they meet in a hayloft, with August writing notes, to discuss what options they have and the pros and cons of each.

Should the women stay and fight? Or should they leave the colony? Both options are full of uncertainty and danger. They know nothing of the world outside their little community, and they cannot read or write. They cannot even speak the language of the country.

As the discussions continue, the women comfort and confront each other by turns, and their personalities both clash and harmonize. They decide on what is most important to them - they want their children to be safe; they want to be steadfast in their faith; and they want to think. How will they do this? 

August's pensive and gentle document outlining the discussions and some details of what happens in between meeting times is sympathetic. The story winds up being as much about August's journey as the women's journey towards self-determination. 

It was surprising to find the story was tempered with gentle humor and lightheartedness, and that it never seemed out of place with the darkness of the reason the women are meeting. To be sure, there are a few places that are harder to read because of the horrible indignities the women and girls have suffered, and the knowledge that this novel is based in part on a real and very similar situation is sobering indeed. But as much as I felt angry and indignant that women should be treated so horribly, overall I felt more admiration for the courage and strength of the women to face such an uncertain future with resolve and unity and purpose. 

The basis of the Oscar-winning film from writer/director Sarah Polley, starring Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, with Ben Whishaw and Frances McDormand.

One evening, eight Mennonite women climb into a hay loft to conduct a secret meeting. For the past two years, each of these women, and more than a hundred other girls in their colony, has been repeatedly violated in the night by demons coming to punish them for their sins. Now that the women have learned they were in fact drugged and attacked by a group of men from their own community, they are determined to protect themselves and their daughters from future harm.

While the men of the colony are off in the city, attempting to raise enough money to bail out the rapists and bring them home, these women―all illiterate, without any knowledge of the world outside their community and unable even to speak the language of the country they live in―have very little time to make a choice: Should they stay in the only world they've ever known or should they dare to escape?

Based on real events and told through the "minutes" of the women's all-female symposium, Toews's masterful novel uses wry, politically engaged humor to relate this tale of women claiming their own power to decide.

This is a survival story (#14) for The 52 Book Club's 2023 Reading Challenge

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2023

©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

The Journey: A Music Special From Andrea Bocelli (Review and Giveaway) #TheJourneyTBNMIN

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

The Journey: A Music Special from Andrea Bocelli - Coming to theaters April 2-9, 2023 (Dates extended!)

See THE JOURNEY in theaters starting April 2nd! Buy tickets at: TheJourney.movie

"We journeyed by horse for over 300 kilometers along a path that was not always easy to travel, but absolutely beautiful, made of meadows and forests; sacred places filled with lasting testimonies of faith, full of art of incredible beauty, and views in front of which one can't but ponder about creation and the miraculous work of our Heavenly Father." ~Andrea Bocelli, talking about his movie, THE JOURNEY, in theaters beginning Palm Sunday, April 2.

What is Andrea Bocelli's hope for you when you see THE JOURNEY? "My wish is that the movie can offer an invitation to fully live and recognize our daily miracles."

Synopsis: Combining world-class musical performances with intimate conversations across the awe-inspiring Italian countryside, THE JOURNEY: A Music Special from Andrea Bocelli is an exploration of moments that define us, songs that inspire us, and relationships that connect us to what matters most in life.

From TBN comes THE JOURNEY, a sacred pilgrimage of hope, beauty, and song featuring Andrea Bocelli and other great artists. In addition to Bocelli, THE JOURNEY features Michael W. Smith, Tori Kelly, Tauren Wells, TAYA, and many others in amazing musical performances across majestic locations. You'll be swept away by the beauty of THE JOURNEY. Experience the awe of the music, the Italian landscape, meaningful conversations, and the reality of hope, faith, and love. Get your tickets at TheJourney.movie.  

This special theatrical event opens on Palm Sunday and continues through Holy Week: April 2nd through April 9th.

My thoughts:  I love Andrea Bocelli's voice and couldn't pass up the opportunity to hear him along with other wonderful musicians like Tori Kelly and Michael W. Smith. To also get a glimpse of some of the beautiful buildings and landscapes along Italy's Via Francigena and be introduced to musical artists I wasn't familiar with made it even more special. 

Andrea and his wife Veronica begin their journey along this ancient road of pilgrimage in Rome, and as they travel, they talk with each other and with some of the guest artists about their own personal journeys of faith. Childhood memories and experiences that shaped them, and how God worked to give them hope and purpose, and what they want to share with the world through their music. Bocelli's children, Matteo and Virginia, make appearances as well, and both of those segments are very moving. Bocelli singing his own "Ave Maria" while joined by his daughter is breathtaking.

There are mini-concerts throughout the movie's journey, with Tori Kelly, Tauren Wells, TAYA, Michael W. Smith, and Clara Barbier Serrano performing on their own and with Bocelli. Two instrumental groups that I hadn't heard before joined in as accompanists and performers. 2CELLOS is a Croatian cello duo, and 40 Fingers is an Italian guitar quartet. It was intriguing to see a young lady conducting the orchestra. Her name is Beatrice Venezi, and she is one of the few female conductors on the international stage. British soloist Katherine Jenkins joined Bocelli at the end of the journey performing a couple of beautiful songs. 

The music ranges from Schubert's "Ave Maria" to a version of Bernstein's "Hallelujah", and each artist brings their own style and composition to share as well. I especially loved the set with Katherine Jenkins near the end, and the very moving closing song that featured all of the artists singing "Amazing Grace".

See The Journey in theaters April 2nd through April 9th!

Purchase tickets at: TheJourney.movie

As part of this promotion, Momentum is generously allowing me to host this giveaway of a $10 Amazon gift card. Please note: This giveaway is open to US only, opens on April 2nd and closes on April 9th. The same giveaway form appears here and on A Fresh Cup of Coffee and Homeschool Coffee Break.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hashtags: #TheJourneyTBNMIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

Disclosure: Many thanks to TBN for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

His Only Son - Movie Review and Giveaway #HisOnlySonMIN

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee.

His Only Son, a new movie from  Angel Studios (makers of The Chosen) is coming to theaters starting March 31, 2023. This powerful movie explores the Biblical story of Abraham and his son Isaac. The story in Genesis tells about God speaking to Abraham and promising to make him the father of nations and bless him, and after many years of waiting, Abraham and his wife Sarah finally have a son of their own. But God then calls on Abraham to sacrifice this promised and beloved son. 

Make plans today to see HIS ONLY SON in theaters March 31st! Buy tickets at: HisOnlySonMovie.com.

"After being called on by the Lord, Abraham's faith is tested on his three day journey to sacrifice his son."

Synopsis:  His Only Son recounts one of the most controversial moments in the Old Testament―when Abraham was commanded by God to sacrifice his son Isaac on the mountain of Moriah. While traveling to the place of the sacrifice, alongside Isaac and two servants, Abraham is flooded with vivid memories from the years he and Sarah spent longing for the son they were promised―the son he must now lay upon the altar.

My thoughts:  Although the movie essentially begins at the point where God calls Abraham and tells him to give Isaac as a sacrifice, it also lays all the background in a series of memories and flashbacks, so viewers are introduced to Abraham and Sarah in their younger years when God first spoke to Abraham about moving to a new land that God would show him. More memories add to the story of their years of longing for a child and Sarah wondering how God would keep his promises to her husband when she still couldn't get pregnant. Sarah's struggle to understand Abraham's faith in a God that she didn't know and her growing bitterness when she is well past her childbearing years and the promised child still hasn't come is portrayed poignantly.

Isaac's birth to a couple so old brings new life to Sarah and Abraham, and Sarah finds great joy in her son. So how do you think she reacted when Abraham insisted that Isaac was to go along on this journey through the wilderness to sacrifice to God? Don't you think she'd be worried about her elderly husband on this trip as well? What did the servants who accompanied Abraham and Isaac think about the whole situation? What about Isaac himself? I thought the movie did an excellent job of portraying some of the likely actions and reactions, and invited viewers along on the emotional journey as well.

I loved how Isaac's personality was shown, as a kind and generous young man, willing to go out of his way to rescue lost sheep and ready to give up his freedom to save a captive. But what would he do when told that he was to be the sacrifice?

The imagery and language also drew all the appropriate parallels between Abraham's call to give up his only son, and God's plan to sacrifice his only son two thousand years later. The connection to the death and resurrection of Jesus is clear and compelling, so it's just perfect that this movie will be in theaters just before the Easter season. 

After my husband and I watched the movie, he remarked that he had expected it to be an Easter movie, a movie about Jesus Christ dying in our place. And in a sense, it is. It points the way to Jesus the Messiah, to his death and resurrection, and helps us understand the greatness of that sacrifice and that gift to us. I hope you'll go see the movie, and I pray you'll be blessed by it.

Find out more at the previously livestreamed announcement video on YouTube.

Follow His Only Son on Instagram and on Facebook.

See His Only Son in theaters starting March 31st!

Purchase tickets at: HisOnlySonMovie.com.  

As part of this promotion, Momentum is generously allowing me to host this giveaway of a $10 Amazon gift card. Please note: This giveaway is open to US only, opens on March 24th and closes on March 31st. The same giveaway form appears here and on A Fresh Cup of Coffee.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hashtags: #HisOnlySonMIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

Disclosure: Many thanks to Angel Studios for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.