February 2026 Book Reviews

A short month, but I still tried to get a good amount of reading done! I have some books from Christmas that I really want to get to, but I also have review obligations that I'm very happy to have. I'm resisting buying any new books until I get through some of those...

Without further ado, here are some reviews!

Homeschooled: A Memoir by Stefan Merrill Block

This is a hard one to review. I'm currently a homeschooling mom, but I didn't want let that bias keep me from having an open mind. This book was featured in a celebrity book club, so I felt it important to know what people "outside" the homeschooling community are saying about the practice. This memoir is exactly that--one person's perspective on the events of his life. Here, it is particularly about a part of his childhood. While I do not discount the years of abusive treatment at the hands of his mother, the title is a bit misleading. It is not so much about being homeschooled as it is about being homeschooled by a mentally-ill mother. He speaks with compassion but honesty about the woman who pulled him from school towards the end of elementary, claiming he was a genius that was just being held back by the public school system. (Interestingly, his older brother remained in public school throughout the years that Stefan spent at home.) When re-entering the conventional classroom a few years later, Stefan had some adjustments, but it seems like he managed to catch up quickly. His mother had some strange ideas about schooling & rearing children, but the bigger problem was some underlying mental conditions that were probably exacerbated by stressors in her life. I am glad the author was able to write this. I'm sure it was cathartic for him. I just wish his publisher would've steered him toward a different title. But, homeschooling is a hot-button issue. They will probably sell more copies because of it. Anything to sell more books...

A Woman's Work: Reclaiming the Radical History of Mothering by Elinor Cleghorn

I requested this book on NetGalley when I saw the subtitle. I knew that the author would most likely be coming from a very different viewpoint than myself, but I was interested to read about the mothering through the centuries. As a historian, the author walks through human history, but centers women in the narrative she tells. Far from ignoring the pivotal moments of the past, the author points to the all-important role women played as they carried, gave birth to, and reared each generation of humanity. We get to hear how different cultures approached pregnancy, labor, childbirth, & mothering those children. From the early Minoan childbirth rituals to the modern era, we see the variety of philosophies that have influenced the occupation of mothering. One part that I found particularly interesting was the contrasts even within a movement. History is full of nuances, and Cleghorn does her best to allow for those. It is hard to completely strip away our biases, and this book is no different. However, the author does draw from a wide range of history's mothers--from Mary to Anne Bradstreet to Mary Wollstonecraft to Sojourner Truth. I definitely came away with a broader understanding of what mothering has meant to the women who have gone before me. And it's reminded me that not every mother's journey will look the same, but we have so many threads that connect us.

Eleanore of Avignon by Elizabeth DeLozier

I wish there were more historical fiction like this one. Not only does it incorporate some interesting but underrated historical characters, it also gives some humanity to the terrible plague of the Black Death. The main character has been trained in the art of healing with natural remedies by her late mother. When the opportunity arises to serve as apprentice to a trained physician, she makes the most of it. Guy de Chaulic, who served as Pope Clement's person doctor, treats her with respect & kindness. They battle plague, anti-Semitism, & accusations of witchcraft. The only content warning is that they get a bit *descriptive* in the medical procedures! Other than that, the book is fairly clean. If you enjoy historical fiction, you will want to add this one to your TBR list!

Habits of Resistance: 7 Ways You're Being Formed by Culture and Gospel Practices to Help You Push Back by Elizabeth Woodson

Am I being formed by the culture around me or by the Word of God? What lies am I allowing to replace the truths that I know about God? Elizabeth Woodson is our wise older sister who pulls her reader aside to speak truth. We are inundated with the world's messages. Are we counteracting that with time in God's Word or fellowshipping with godly friends? This book would be great to study with a group of ladies. It's filled with Scriptural truth that will encourage your soul to resist the lies that the world feeds you everyday.

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

I really didn't know much about this book when I borrowed it on Libby. What a pleasant surprise to find that the main character, Sybil Van Antwerp, lives just across the Severn River from Annapolis, Maryland--a place near & dear to my heart. Sybil writes letters; she is "the correspondent" of the title. As you read these letters (& a handful of emails), you start to string together the events of her life. You start to learn about her family & friends, her successes & failures. If the letter writing wasn't a giveaway, Sybil is not a young woman. She has lived & learned much throughout her life. The cast of characters with whom she corresponds each have their own stories as well. (I listened to the audiobook & the production with a variety of voice actors was also quite enjoyable.) Other than a few curse words toward the end, I can't remember much else that would warrant a content warning--a rarity in contemporary fiction!

Seven Sisters: Captives and Rebels in Revolutionary Europe's First Family by Veronica Buckley

I have to keep up with my 13-year-old in history readings, so I was excited to see this come along on NetGalley. Maria Theresa's place in history was already cemented as she ascended the Hapsburg throne of Austria & her husband was voted as the successor to her father as Holy Roman Emperor. To further grow her importance, she gave birth to 16 children--13 of whom made it through the perilous childhood diseases & 10 of those reached adulthood. This book follows her 7 adult daughters through their unique relationships with their mother, father, siblings, husbands, & the political machinations of 18th century Europe. They were all archduchesses by birth, making them desirable on the royal marriage market. While one daughter chose a life of solitude & study as an abbess, the rest were married off to the eligible bachelors who also happened to be in line to inherit a throne. Family dynamics, including an overbearing mother & older brother, unfaithful spouses, favoritism, & a sister that no one wants to invite to family gatherings--all help things get interesting! And that's not including the disastrous ending for the youngest sister, Marie Antoinette. Let's just say that being a princess was far more treacherous than it seemed on the surface. An overall enjoyable read, the author manages to juggle this very large (and somewhat confusing) family with skill & depth. Serious students of history or hobby historians like myself will both find educational value in this book.

History, historical fiction, contemporary fiction, Christian non-fiction, memoir--quite the variety this month! Do you enjoy getting out of your regular genres sometimes?

Cheering you on!

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