Non-Fiction Reading for 2026

• Sacred Pathways: Nine Ways to Connect with God by Gary L. Thomas
  • Mentioned in the footnotes in Practicing the Way. My copy is already here awaiting me. 
• Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools by Tyler Staton
  • Another one purchased (on Kindle) and waiting for me. Our church is putting a renewed focus on prayer this year, so it feels like time to finally tackle this one. 
• Holier Than Thou by Jackie Hill Perry
  • A book about trusting in God from a voice that I have come to appreciate. You’ve seen her videos floating around on social media where she puts into words what you couldn’t even really get your finger on. My copy is sitting here awaiting me. 
• Liturgies for Resisting Empire by Kat Armas
  • I heard about this book and immediately ordered a copy (currently on its way). A book about community, the meaning of being human, and not losing our way under the cultural pull from the world around us. I’m exicted to read this one. 
• Don’t Mom Alone by Heather MacFayden
  • I saw Heather speaking on some YouTube video and immediately purchased her book. Then the book came and has sat on my shelf waiting on my reading time to catch up to my purchasing impulses. Again, the focus here is community (I’m sensing a theme) and how you need others. I’m reading you this year!
• We Who Wrestle with God by Jordan Peterson
  • I preordered this months before it came out. Then when it arrived, I was in the middle of something else and still haven’t gotten around to reading it. I’m mostly interested in his perspective into the Bible stories as someone who is seeking, but not yet in the faith. 

Fiction Reading for 2026

• The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clark
  • I’ve preordered this mystery novel which is set to release in April. Six authors come to a secluded island and find their host dead. Hooked already.
• The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer
  • This one has also been preordered to arrive in April. Three days in a strangers house following some very stringent instructions. Listed as a supernatural horror, I anticipate things get weird. 
• Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson
  • We already talked about the Stormlight Archives—this is the fifth in the series. I prefer these books, because of their size, in mass market paperback form, so I am awaiting my preorder of the correct book format, though the book is already out and I could have read it already if I wanted. 
• Very Slowly All at Once by Lauren Schott
  • I’m awaiting my preordered copy at the end of this month. Labeled a mystery thriller, a couple in financial stress begins receiving money that they don’t think to question until it is too late. 
• Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman
  • Dungeon Crawler Carl (also available on Kindle Unlimited) is in my Audiobook library awaiting my listening. But I couldn’t resist preordering Operation Bounce House, which should arrive in February. This one is futuristic, space travel but based around a game where players try to destroy new Earth settlers who just want to farm in peace. 
• The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry by Ransom Riggs
  • I’m already working on this one. I picked it up in a bookstore just based on the cover art. This one is young adult fantasy. I will say, the story is exciting, but it is so slow at unfolding. It almost got set aside because it took over 100 pages to get into the story. 
• The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Mieville
  • China Mieville has written some books that I loved (Kraken), so I bought this book in hopes that this collaboration is worth my time. This is a fantasy science fiction book that also has a horror label, which I’ll see if it deserves that one or not. It came out last summer but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. 
• The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton
  • Another book I bought and haven’t gotten around to reading yet. (Don’t act like you don’t have this problem!) An island is all that is left of the world and there is a murder to be solved! It is available on Kindle Unlimited.
• Home is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose
  • Another book I purchased because of the cover art when I saw it in the bookstore. This is a horror murder mystery about children going through their deceased parents’ things and finding some dark secrets. 
• Hum by Helen Phillips
  • This was on my list last year and I didn’t get to it. (I didn’t get to very many books last year, which is pretty sad.) This is a futuristic dystopia about artificial intelligence and disconnection in humans. 

What About You?

What books are you looking forward to reading this year?

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Non-Fiction Books to Read in 2026

No More Boring Bible Study by Faith Womack

I read this book at the end of 2025. It isn’t going to give you a system to study your Bible. It is more like a friend sharing advice about how to really “get into” Bible reading. If you’re new to Bible reading or you’ve kind of lost interest in it, this will help you get focus and renewed excitement. 

Books by John Mark Comer

These are three of John Mark Comer’s books that I have read. I think which one you need to read now depends on where you are right now. Live No Lies was probably my favorite of the three. But if you’re in a place of stagnation with your spiritual walk, Practicing the Way may be more of what you need. If you’re in a place of needing some direction in work/vocation, Garden City (available on Kindle Unlimited) may be it for you. 

You Are Not Your Own by Alan Noble

A reminder that you are not here for yourself and we all need community. We actually did a virtual book club with this one, and you can find those videos here. Definitely worth reading!

Mama Bear Apologetics by Hillary Morgan Ferrer

If you haven’t read this book yet, read it. It is a guide to learning apologetics (defending the Christian faith) on your own so you can teach and guide your children as they encounter opposite views in culture.

The Universe Next Door by James Sire

I read this one aloud to my kids and then it was required reading for my master’s program. This is great for understanding worldviews and taking them to their logical conclusions. It is philosophy, so this isn’t an easy read. But once you’ve read it, you’ll have such a good understanding of worldviews and how they shape people and culture. 

The Courage to be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi

I think this book shines in audio format. It is also available on Kindle Unlimited. You could also read it. Ultimately, this book will shine a light on why you make the decisions you do and who is at fault for the outcomes in your life that disappoint you. Kishimi’s bio says he’s an Adlerian psychologist, but this book seems very aligned with Choice Theory. Whatever the theory behind it, it is helpful in changing patterns and making new, intentional choices in life. 

Death By Living by N.D. Wilson

I consider this a “must read” for my teenagers before they fly the coop. I also strongly recommend it to anyone suffering from anxiety or depression. Change how you experience the world by changing how you frame it in your own head.

Reading People by Anne Bogel

This is a book about personality. I love how it pulls from all the personality models to help you better understand people. This is an easy, approachable read that will help you understand yourself, your kids, your spouse, etc. Available on Kindle Unlimited.

Minimalist Gardening by David the Good

This book was recommended by a friend. This isn’t just a gardening book, it is a way of life. Many of the gardening applications have life applications. Very worthwhile read.

Fiction Books to Read in 2026

Lost in Time by A.G. Riddle

A science-fiction, time travel book that probably escaped your radar. This isn’t the typical, travel back in time and undo X kind of story. This is much more complex and intriguing. A daughter fighting through time to unravel mysteries and save her father. Definitely worth reading.  Available on Kindle Unlimited.

Books by Agatha Christie

If you haven’t read any Agatha Christie, let this be the year for classic murder mysteries! Her books are from the 1920s and 1930s, but you’ll recognize the timeless set ups and twists. Definitely still hold entertainment value, despite being 100 years old! And Then There Were None (available on Kindle Unlimited) is one of the more popular stories. Murder on the Orient Express (available on Kindle Unlimited) has a movie you can watch after. The Murder at the Vicarage (available on Kindle Unlimited) is just classic small English village murder mystery. Really, you can’t go wrong with nay of her works. And they could keep you busy all year, since she wrote about 75 books in total. 

Sidequest: In Realms Ungoogled by Frank Fleming

This is one of my favorite books and you’ve probably never heard of it. It is like The Office meets Onward. It gave me Cabin in the Woods vibes, which is awesome since I love that movie. A good versus evil story where the hero is just some guy who decided to be the someone to do something. Available on Kindle Unlimited.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

I love a good murder mystery. This one is so fun! Who better to play detective than a group of retirees? It has a cozy murder mystery vibe while not being quite so quaint English village. Also, there is a movie (on Netflix) you can watch after you read it. 

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

What would you choose if you could choose a different life? If you could go back and change this decision or that one—would you be happy? That’s what this book is all about. Nora gets the chance to live different versions of her life thanks to The Midnight Library. Will she find happiness in another path?

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

It was really popular, and I read it anyway. I’m glad I did because I loved it. This is a science fiction book set in space with an alien. Felt very Michael Crichton (Jurassic Park) with all the scientific detail thought through and explained. It had so many twists, which usually annoy me as a cheap ploy in storytelling, but these were good! And there will be a movie released based on the book in March 2026.

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

More science fiction, what can I say, I have a type! If you’ve never read Brandon Sanderson, this is the way to start. Now, the books are crazy long and the world building lends to a slow start—but if you stick with it, you’ll be rewarding as multiple story threads weave into this epic tale. The world of this book is similar enough to our own that it doesn’t feel weird or forced. The only problem is that when you like this book, the series is now up to book five and that is a LOT of pages to read. 

The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis

If you’ve never read this Lewis classic, do it. It is better than Narnia. There are three books in the series and each of them have been my favorite at some point. Out of the Silent Planet (available on Kindle Unlimited) is where it all begins—and no spoiler when I tell you it is about space travel and aliens. Perelandra is the second, and probably weirdest, book in the trilogy with a look at what creation might be like without The Fall. And then the third book, That Hideous Strength, you think is completely out of place until you realize it isn’t and you realize it is less fiction that more time that passes. (I loved this book so much, one of my sons is named after the main character.)

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We have a huge blessing available to us in modern Bible translations. Not only do we have the Bible translated into our language, but we have multiple translations that are great for various walks of life and situations. We are abundantly blessed.

Don’t get yourself worked into a tizzy choosing which Bible translation is the right translation. They’re all translations. You may prefer one, but our preference does not equal rightness. You may find yourself in a spiritual drought at some point, needing the Word to be fresh for you. A different translation can be all it takes to make the Word come alive again. Or perhaps you find yourself discipling a child and need something on their level, but not a Bible storybook level either. One day you might find yourself reading the minor prophets in a new translation that makes it sound so poetic and beautiful and you experience Scripture in beauty for the first time. Or maybe you’re helping or you are a new Christian and need something readable for someone with no personal Christian history. Read on and find the translation for you now.

How is the Bible Translated?

Translations are made one of two ways. Well, that simplifies it a little too much, but for the sake of this conversation, we’ll go with it. If you’re looking at a foreign language and you’re going to translate it, you can either translate each individual word or you can translate the whole thought.

Translating word for word can lead to some things that just don’t make a lot of sense. English is arranged in a very specific order of words that don’t match the way other languages may arrange their words. (Did you know we even have a specific order for arranging adjectives?) So, in translating word for word, you can see you’ll run into problems.

However, when translating thought for thought, you may not accurately convey the right word or the right emphasis. You find people complaining about the exact accuracy of thought for thought translations.

But all translations will fall somewhere between an exact word for word translation and a thought for thought translation. As you’re choosing a Bible translation that is right for your situation, keep in mind that they’re not trying to leave words out on you– they’re just using different translation methods.

Each translation also comes in at a different grade reading level. Lower grade levels are typically going to have a less expansive vocabulary used. Higher grade levels will likely have more challenging vocabulary and may be a little more difficult to follow. This is not about intelligence or reading capability. Choosing a Bible translation that is more simple may be the right choice, even if it is far below your reading level.

King James Version (KJV)

The King James Version translation is a word for word translation with a very high reading level (12th grade). While many people that grew up in a conservative church find this to be the Bible translation they are most familiar with, new Christians typically struggle to make sense of this translation.

It is similar to reading Shakespeare. It is incredibly beautiful in its language, but can be difficult to understand or get to the point. This translation is often a good one for memorizing Scripture because the poetic language is easier for some people to memorize. The flow just lends itself to getting lodged in the brain. Choosing a Bible Translation for your various needs is an option! You don’t have to choose one single translation across all your needs. We have options!

However, for new Christians, people feeling spiritual draught, and younger Christians, the reading level is just too high and they have trouble making sense of the Word. This translation was published in 1611. This is a very common choice for a family Bible because it feels and reads like an old classic.

Anxiety and depression can also inhibit our ability to focus. Choosing this Bible translation could be helpful in those situations if you grew up in the church. It could feel like a warm hug to the soul. However, if you didn’t grow up with the King James Version and you’re experiencing anxiety and depression– it will likely just be too much to follow. You’ll feel like you’re reading the same sentence over and over without the ability to understand the meaning. That isn’t helpful.

I John 1:9 “ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Psalm 40:2 “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.”

New King James Version (NKJV)

The New King James translation is still a word for word translation. Modernized a little and the reading level brought down to a much more readable 8th grade level. It still has a lot of the poetic feel of the King James, but makes a little more sense and is easier for most people to study.

This is often the choice of pastors for their preaching Bible translation. It feels modern while also seeming ageless at the same time. Again, Scripture memorization may be easier with this version as it is more poetic and sticks in your head like a song.

This translation was published in 1982. It is a classic, conservative feel that is understandable by more people. I have used this translation as our homeschool Bible. This is the translation my kids usually learn their memory verses from.

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Psalm 40:2 “ He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.”

New International Version (NIV)

The New International Version is a mixture of word for word and thought for thought translation. A little of both has made this a pretty standard choice. It is just below an 8th grade reading level, so it is pretty well understood by most people.

This was published in 1978 and is now the most read and the most trusted translation choice.

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Psalm 40:2 “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.”

New Living Translation (NLT)

Like the NIV, the New Living Translation is a balance between word for word and thought for thought translation. The reading level is just above a 6th grade level, so this is a very understandable translation for most people.

This was not a translation of a translation, but a brand new translation undertaking by 90 Biblical scholars. The NLT translation flows smoothly and makes a lot of sense. It is less poetic, but much more readable and understandable. This is an excellent translation for new Christians. Published in 1996.

While it may not seem like it, this has become a classic translation choice. People are choosing this Bible translation because it is a good study and daily reading Bible.

1 John 1:9 “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”

Psalm 40:2 “He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.”

English Standard Version (ESV)

The English Standard Version is a word for word translation in a little above a 7th grade reading level. This is the most popular choice for Bible Journaling (perhaps because of the quality, price, and accessibility Crossway offers in their ESV Journaling Bibles). It is very readable. It isn’t unnecessarily wordy and makes a great modern choice for Scripture memorization.

Published in 2001, it is an updated version of the Revised Standard Version. This makes an excellent family Bible. I use this translation in my Bible Journaling and we have a family Bible in this translation. This also makes a great gift Bible. Most of my teens have chosen the English Standard Version as their personal Bible translation.

The English Standard Version is becoming a very popular translation choice. Crossway really makes an effort to publish many study Bibles, journaling Bibles, Scripture Journals, and other unique Bibles that pull people toward making Bible reading a daily habit.

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Psalm 40:2 “He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.”

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The New American Standard Bible is a modern word for word translation at a higher reading level– 11th grade. It has a more formal feel than most of the other modern translations. Published in 1971, updated in 1995.

This is very readable, but also more of a scholarly translation. It makes a great choice for a preaching Bible or a Christian ready for deeper Bible study. Not always the best for Scripture memorization as it does get a little wordy. This also makes an excellent family Bible.

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Psalm 40:2 “He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.”

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible is more of a word for word translation. It has a 7th grade reading level. This version is clear and concise. It is excellent for Bible study. It can also be a great translation for New Christians.

This version is my primary recommendation is for Christians experience spiritual dryness in their life and need the Word to come alive again. This is the translation that you can read the stories you’ve heard your whole life and see something completely new and shocking in it that has always been there, but you are just seeing it. It is a good eye-opening translation for personal study.

I think it would make a great preaching Bible, as well, but I don’t know many pastors who actually use it for that. This is the Bible I use as my church Bible. The She Reads Truth Bible is the Christian Standard Bible translation.

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Psalm 40:2 “He brought me up from a desolate pit, out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on a rock, making my steps secure.”

International Children’s Bible (ICB)

The International Children’s Bible is a thought for thought translation in a third grade reading level. This is a translation meant for children.

If you’re a children’s pastor, this would be a good preaching and teaching Bible for you. It is also helpful in writing Bible lessons for children for Sunday School, VBS, or homeschooling.

This is a good choice for a first Bible for a child. It is very easily understood. Published in 1982. This can be difficult for kids to follow along in service or Bible study if the leader isn’t using this version.

1 John 1:9 “But if we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins. We can trust God. He does what is right. He will make us clean from all the wrongs we have done.”

Psalm 40:2 “ He lifted me out of the pit of destruction, out of the sticky mud. He stood me on a rock. He made my feet steady.“

The Message (MSG)

The Message is a thought for thought, paraphrase version. A lot of hate out there for this version as it isn’t really a translation, but more of someone telling you what the Bible says. But it might have its place.

This translation is excellent for seekers who have no Christian back ground or experience. It was published in 2002, and can sometimes seem too flippant. But a teen who has never read the Bible will find this an invaluable source of God’s Word.

And not just teens. The reading level varies with the passage, but it is about a middle school average. This is a difficult version to follow along with in service or Bible study because of the paraphrasing. I think of this as a Storybook Bible for teens and adults. You’re not really getting the richness of Scripture, but you are getting the story and feel.

1 John 1:9 “ On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing.“

Psalm 40:2 “ He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud. He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I wouldn’t slip.“

New International Reader’s Version (NIrV)

The New International Reader’s Version is a blend of word for word and thought for thought. This has the lowest reading level of any of the translations, just below 3rd grade. This is a translation for very young children.

NIrV was published in 1994 and updated in 1998. It is a beginner’s Bible. Excellent choice for a first Bible for brand new readers. This is a good resource for homeschooling parents to use to teach young kids to read or write using the Bible. This is the translation I usually buy my kids as they are learning to read.

If using this in a church service, it is difficult to follow along.

1 John 1:9 “But God is faithful and fair. If we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins. He will forgive every wrong thing we have done. He will make us pure.”

Psalm 40:2 “I was sliding down into the pit of death, and he pulled me out. He brought me up out of the mud and dirt. He set my feet on a rock. He gave me a firm place to stand on.”

Which Bible Translation Should You Choose?

This isn’t all the Bible translations available to you. Check out biblegateway.com if you want to compare more translations. These are just a few that I hope might help you in choosing the Bible that is right for your situation.

I didn’t mention the Complete Jewish Bible, which is one of my personal favorites for study! I didn’t mention the Mounce Interlinear New Testament, which I find invaluable for New Testament study by researching key Hebrew words. The Geneva Bible didn’t get mentioned, despite the historical nature of it. My point is– I didn’t mention all the version, even ones I personally use or like. They’re are ore out there!

Choosing the Bible Translation right for you and your situation is very personal. Do you need something simple? Do you want to memorize Scripture? Are you looking for a study Bible? Maybe you want to get into art Bible Journaling. It is personal. And your needs might change. We’re so blessed that we have options!

Just don’t dally on “picking the perfect one”. The best Bible translation is the one you read! So pick one and get to reading His word.

Other Notes From the Parsonage Posts You Might Enjoy

• Word Before World
• ESV Personal Study Bible Review
• ESV Interleaved Journaling Bible Review
• She Reads Truth Review

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I’m finally mostly planned out for this coming school year. I usually don’t do quite so much pre-planning, but I’m having a baby late October/early November, so I figured I should plan out all I could in advance. A couple new things for us this year: First, I planned in terms instead of just all year. 5 terms total. Three 12 weeks terms, an Advent term, and then a summer term. The kids have been begging me for a more traditional summer, so I have taken their request and we made a compromise. (We usually do year round school.) They will still be completing their third term after the local schools get out. But then they get an actual summer term, which will mostly just consist of each of them having a required reading list. The other new to us thing is the Morning Basket. It is a Charlotte Mason homeschooler thing, but I have adapted it a bit for our more classical methods. More about that if you click the Morning Basket link below.

I did look into switching from The Well Trained Mind to Ambelside this year. I love a lot of things about Ambelside, but ultimately felt The Well Trained Mind is still a better fit for our family. I did look over the Ambelside reading lists for the corresponding years of history and picked a few of those suggestions that I thought might be a good fit for my crew. The Well Trained Mind is really adaptable on a child by child, family by family basis. You have a wide variety of ways the method is really done and worked out in families. We’ve used it from the beginning of our homeschool journey. (This is our 8th homeschooling year.) I’m always tempted by other things, but ultimately decide every year to stick with The Well Trained Mind. It just fits us best.

This year, I am homeschooling 5 kids. One of those is an optional one who is currently opting in. (“School” in our house is optional until you are 6 years old.) Grade levels also get a little mixed when you’re talking about homeschool, especially when you’re not just using a box curriculum. Kids tend to move at their own pace and advance quicker in some areas than others. I kind of average out their level and that is what grade the kid says they are in, since “What grade are you in?” Isn’t usually meant to be answered with, “Well, I have the vocabulary of a high school sophomore, but in math, I’m around grade 6. In literature, we read higher level books than our ages would suggest. And in Grammar, I am on grade level.” People usually expect something more like, “I’m a sixth grader.” Believe me, getting testing scores back for homeschoolers learning in non-traditional methods is quite amusing as they may very well likely place in every single grade in something. But on the average, this year I have a preschooler, a first grader, a fourth grader, and two sixth graders.

This year should prove to be a bit of a challenge for each of them as I am realizing they can do some pretty hard things. They are typically limited by the challenges, or lack there of, that I give them. We are not doing Latin this year, though that is a typical classical homeschooler subject. We are incorporating it a little in their vocabulary studies. We are also leaving out handwriting for the time being. They have a lot of writing to do, so I am not too convinced a full handwriting course is really necessary this year. If I change my mind, I can always add it in for Term 2 or 3 or even the Summer Term.

To save us from an infinitely long post, click on the links to the individual parts of our school year below.

Morning Basket

First Grade

Fourth Grade

Sixth Grade

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