How To Say Goodbye:

https://www.wendymacnaughton.com/illustration/how-to-say-goodbye

This Hospice poetry book was a major surprise. The illustrations were truly heart grabbing. I felt my mom throughout the entire reading. I wasn't looking for this book, but the cover captured my attention while walking through the local library a few months ago. I don't think anyone is ever completely ready to say goodbye but this book makes it a little easier

My favorite book in 2025: None of This is True by Lisa Jewell. Second in line is The Wedding People by Alison Espach. Third is Giver of the Stars by Jojo Moyes.

I have read Twice - an excellent book. West with Giraffes sounds extremely interesting. I will check out what is posted for best books for January.

Thanks so much for sharing. I Googled all the books mentioned and read excerpts. The Hospice book brought tears to my eyes as my good friend's husband is battling Stage 4 cancer and is nearing the end.

I've added None of This and Wedding to my list. I really enjoyed Giver of Stars, too, as well as other Moyes books.

I probably read a book a week, or 3 per month. So let me think of one that especially touched me.

I really enjoyed this old book and long ago author. "Follow the River" by James Alexander Thom. It is about people who lived in the Virginia settlement in 1755. It is more factual than emotional but this woman was kidnapped by the Native Americans angry at the white settlers taking their land and she eventually escaped, her baby being given to a member of the tribe, taken away from her. She spent months walking home, no food, animals trying to eat her, having to hide from tribal hunters. A true story about a woman who really lived back then. I realized what I go through in my life is nothing like what this woman went through. Several of her kids died in the Native American attack on her settlement.

I also really like "The Birth of Venus" by Sarah Dunant. She has written other books and is a New York Times Bestseller but my library has no books by her. Copywriter is 2003 and my public library only keeps new stuff. I had to buy it on Thrift Books dot com as used and cheap.

Wow, that’s a lot of books. I wish I had your concentration skills.

Both of those books sound very interesting. Unique settings and plots. Thanks for sharing.