Books I'm Still Talking About

I read a lot of books. And I love it! Reading has been a hobby, pursuit, enjoyment for me for years. What I have read has changed over the years but the love of reading and learning has been the same.

While what I enjoy reading varies depending on the day, there are a few books through the years that I still love, still talk about, and still recommend. And I want to keep talking about them here. :)

I should tell you I’m not all into happy endings. It doesn’t bother me if a story/novel ends sad as long as it makes sense. I do not enjoy predictable, everything-ends-in-a-perfect-bow type stories. Real life is sad and hard and difficult. I like realism with a dose of hope. So the books listed below are not guaranteed to be happy. You’ve been warned.

• “Remember” by Lisa Genova (non-fiction)

  I learned so much from this book! It was not only interesting but easy to read and helpful. Genova writes about why we remember, why we forget, and how to remember things better in an almost conversational way. She inserts stories and examples that are relatable and explains the workings of our brain in a way the average reader can understand. Highly recommend.

• “Everyday Faithfulness” by Glenna Marshall (Christian living)

  This book was published in 2020 and I read it twice in that year. It is such an encouraging reminder that a faithful life of serving God starts today. You don’t have to wait for perfect circumstances to be faithful. It comes in small, consistent ways that grow over a lifetime.

• “Humble Roots” by Hannah Anderson (Christian living)

  Humility is a topic I’ve studied at different times and consistently need to be reminded of. Anderson pairs facets of humility and what it looks like with nature examples and it’s a perfect combination.

• “Parenting” by Paul David Tripp (Christian living)

  I was very convicted and encouraged by this read. It was full of practical advice and biblical wisdom. While Tripp did mention how he parented in certain situations, I felt he always brought it back to biblical guidelines and didn’t hold himself as the perfect parent to emulate.

• “Blitzed” by Norman Ohler (non-fiction)

  I’ve read a lot of World War II books but this one blew my mind. The use of drugs in the Nazi regime is staggering and it makes so many things make sense. I was literally cringing as I read parts of this; it’s amazing what a persuasive person can convince others to do or what to inject into their bodies.

• “Salt to the Sea” by Ruta Sepetys (fiction)

  This novel was heartbreaking but so well written and truly gripping. The changing point of views and the unraveling of each person’s story was perfectly paced and climaxed in a way you won’t forget. A forgotten part of history that needs to be remembered.

• “We Were the Lucky Ones” by Georgia Hunter (fiction)

  A World War II novel. This one is based on the author’s family and follows their remarkable journey from Europe to South America, separated then together but in devastating ways. It was a book I wanted to devour because it was so well written and interesting but I wanted to slowly savor to make it last.

• “A Place to Hang the Moon” by Kate Albus (young adult fiction)

  With the feel of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, this book seems like a classic although it’s relatively new. Meet three children, looking for their forever home amidst the uncertainties of London in the early days of World War II. Trundled off to the country, their foster home is less than ideal but the village library and kind librarian keep hopes alive that someday, they’ll find a place to belong. Beautifully written and appropriate for all ages to enjoy.

• “The Swallow’s Flight” by Hilary McKay (young adult fiction)

  The lives and experiences of four young people during World War II from very different perspectives. Each fighting their own demons and discovering their worth and purpose in a changing world. Themes of friendship, courage, kindness, and doing the right thing make this a winning story for boys and girls alike.

• “The Light Between Oceans” by M. L. Stedman

  I have found you either love this book or hate it! Set off the coast of Australia after World War I, a lighthouse keeper, recovering from war, and his wife, desperate for a child, embark on a journey that will test them in unimaginable ways. How far would you go to fulfill your deepest wish? And what would you sacrifice to do the honorable thing?

I could certainly go on. And perhaps I will in a future post. Have you read any of these? I’d love to hear what books you can’t stop recommending.

Photo by Kari Shea on Unsplash

Best Books of 2022

It’s no secret that I love books and I love reading. I participate in the GoodReads Reading Challenge every year. Each year I type in how many books I believe I will read over the next 365 days. Most years I haven’t quite met my goal but this year I was able to get over 50 books completed!

It’s always difficult for me to choose a favorite…it’s kind of like choosing a favorite child. But there were a few reads that stood out to me for various reasons and I’ve given a brief review below of some of my favorites. I grouped them into categories {children’s/young adult, non-fiction, fiction}.

Just a quick note: I do read some difficult topics. Books that end sad don’t bother me as long as the ending makes sense with the story/plot/character development. I also like reading about lesser-known parts of history and history is rarely flowers and butterflies. I try to avoid books with graphic scenes of sex, violence, or loads of bad language. I don’t finish all the books I start, especially if I get into it and it’s wildly inappropriate. All that to say, I don’t endorse everything in the books listed below or agree with the worldview presented. But I believe it’s important and can be helpful to read things you don’t completely agree with and to work out for yourself what the problem is. It’s helped me to see what a difference a Christian worldview makes in every corner of our lives.

Children’s/Young Adult

“A Place to Hang the Moon” by Kate Albus
Three siblings, who recently lost their grandmother and guardian, are evacuated to the country before the London blitz. They hope to find a “forever” home, the type of belonging they’ve read about it their favorite books. But the families who take them in have other ideas. From bullying children to uncaring adults, the children find refuge at the village library and with the librarian who is an outcast for her own reasons. Together, the children and the librarian learn valuable lessons about family, courage, and the power of reading. My 11 year old and I loved this book. I might have teared up at the end. This would also be a good read aloud.

“The Swallow’s Flight” by Hilary McKay
In a story that spans countries and years, we are introduced to four children and one dog. How their stories weave together is a beautiful picture of not judging based on appearances, the power of showing kindness to all, holding friends tight, and not giving up in the face of evil. This is another book I read with my 11 year old and I think she liked it more than the previous book. She went on to read several other books by the same author that I never got around to. This is another World War 2 story from England and Germany.

“The Adventures of Miss Petitfour” by Anne Michaels, ill. by Emma Block
Miss Petitfour lives in a small fictional village in England with her 16 cats. Her favorite thing is adventuring by grabbing a tablecloth at the corners and letting the wind take her and her cats away! Each of the chapters is a different adventure filled with unexpected characters. Each cat has its own personality and contributes to the stories in different ways. There are also many new vocabulary words {think like Fancy Nancy and her fancy words}. I laughed out loud reading this to my kids. It’s fanciful and fun. The watercolor illustrations are delightful and add to the whimsy of the stories.

Good Dog series by Cam Higgins, ill. by Ariel Landy
My eight year old has recently started doing more independent reading and this series is one of his favorites. It is a beginner chapter book series about a dog on a farm who has adventures with all the different barnyard animals. There are themes of friendship, courage, humility, and thinking of others. So far, my son has read the first five out loud to me and he’s requested we buy the rest of the series.

Non-Fiction

“Remember” by Lisa Genova
Why do we forget things? Why are other things permanently cemented in our minds? Genova is known for her novels about neurological issues but in this non-fiction book, she writes in layman’s terms what our brain is doing, the different types of things we remember, and why there are some things we can’t forget. For being a book about a technical thing {memory}, it’s incredibly easy to read and understand. Genova writes in a novel-type style and slowly explains the ins and outs of her subject in fascinating detail without losing her readers in the bushes. Highly recommend!

“Cultural Counterfeits” by Jen Oshman
I read this because I often feel at a loss with how to talk about current cultural issues that affect women. Oshman breaks down how we got here, why each issue is important to be educated on, and gives loving yet biblically sound advice. She admits from the beginning that she struggled with wanting to write this book because she knew it would have a lot of hard truth; that people she knew would disagree with her. But I’m so glad she pressed on and faithfully studied what the Bible teaches on these issues and presents them with clarity.

“Find the Good” by Heather Lende
Lende is a small town obituary writer for the local paper and this short book takes some of the people she’s met, people she’s remembered in print, and the lessons she’s learned from a life of reflecting on the ups and downs of others’ lives. This is not a Christian book and some of the author’s beliefs or observations I was not in agreement with but I did smile and nod a few times, as she recounts the value each life has, the memories tied to a place or time, and how that can continue to shape who we become.

Adult Fiction

“The Last Year of the War” by Susan Meissner
Did you know German immigrants who were “red flagged” in America during World War 2 were sent to detention camps with the Japanese and some of them were deported back to Germany? I had no idea! Again, those little known fascinating historical facts! This book follows a girl whose parents immigrated to America in the 1920s but never became citizens. After a series of events her father wishes he could change, the family is sent to Texas where she meets a Japanese girl, born in America like her, and wondering when life will return to normal. Unfortunately, her family is sent back to Germany — a place she’s never been, surrounded by a language she doesn’t know — during the final year of the war. The course of her life is forever changed as she wonders about her friend, suffers through bombings and loss, and ultimately does whatever she believes will get her home to America. I was so moved by and wrapped into this story. Meissner is a master at first person writing and historical detail. I was invested from the beginning to the end.

“Salt to the Sea” by Ruta Sepetys
Have the tissues handy! This story takes place toward the end of World War 2 as Eastern Europeans are fleeing toward Germany to avoid the Soviets. Several stories weave together and the histories of the characters are gradually revealed through the journey towards the sea. The fact that this historical tragedy was covered up, ignored, forgotten for so many years is heartrending. I don’t want to give away spoilers but honestly, I couldn’t put this book down. It’s technically classified as a young adult historical fiction but it has some dark themes that I would suggest for older more mature readers. If you want something with the same gasp factor that’s not WW2, check out “I Must Betray You” by the same author. This story dives into Romania just before the revolution of 1989, a country that was never part of the Soviet Union but whose people were ruled by terror, surveillance, and control.

I could go on and on but these were my favorites from this year. If you want to see my full list of what I read in 2022 — or all 1,000+ books I’ve read since joining GoodReads, check out my profile. I don’t always give long written reviews unless I really loved it or there was something that bothered me or I need to explain my ranking. Happy reading in 2023!

Photo by Javier Martinez on Unsplash

Reading Time!

If you know me even the slightest bit, you know I love reading. I love books. I love words and how they come together to make people laugh, cry, think, learn, and experience new things.

The power of the written word is something I think some people underestimate. This might just be me — because I’ve been told I remember way too many things — but I remember sitting on my daybed with a stack of Nancy Drew books and not moving all afternoon. I remember carrying Gone with the Wind outside and sitting under the apple tree for hours reading. I got through the first semester of high school by devouring The Count of Monte Cristo on the wooden swing in our backyard. And I stayed up way too late one night to finish Crime and Punishment as a high school senior.

I have very vivid memories tied to when and where I read certain books. I remember the emotions I felt, the parts that confused me, the French and Russian names I stumbled over. Words and the ideas conveyed through those words have changed and shaped me in ways movies haven’t.

My oldest is ten years old and just as avid a reader as I was/am. She’s definitely stretched herself more than I did at her age; she’s already polished off all the Jane Austen novels, A Little Princess, and is currently deep in Anne of Green Gables, plus reading quite of stack of more recently written books. She set a goal of reading 25 books this year…she just finished her 24th so we’re upping the challenge to 50 books this year!!

I love talking about books with her; what she thought of them, her favorite parts and why, words she didn’t understand in context. I love seeing her mind grow through these book interactions and I’m enjoying the journey with her.

People often ask me how I continue, as a homeschooling mom, to read book after book. It’s not because I’m just sitting on the couch all day! But it is a priority for me. While others binge watch a show, I choose to read. Instead of shopping, I read. It’s not a magic formula. It’s an intentional choice to make time for reading when what I need to do is finished. It’s relaxing and enjoyable for me. Here are a few things that help me, maybe they’ll help you also.

1. Read in the small moments. I’ve said this before, but if I’m just stirring something for dinner in a pot, I will read while I do it! Now if I’m doing something that requires my attention {chopping, measuring, etc.} then I keep my focus on the cooking. But if I’m waiting for rice to finish cooking or the InstantPot to beep, chances are I’ll sneak a few pages in.

2. Read while the kids fall asleep. My younger kids are notorious for not wanting to be alone. They want to know I’m close by, not across the hall, but in their room while they fall asleep. So after I read a bedtime story aloud {I’m currently reading Bear Grylls survival series to my son}, I’ll sit on the floor and get some stretches in while I read. This time is golden. It helps me slow down before bed, the house is quiet, and I can fully focus on what I’m reading.

3. Read during the kids’ activities. When I sit with my children for their piano lesson, I take a book with me. I can still hear what’s going, what we need to work on at home, interact with the teacher as needed, but I’m using the other moments in that hour to read, not scroll my phone.

4. Read, don’t scroll! Which leads us to this point: when you find yourself reaching for your phone when you don’t really need to, pick up a book instead! If you sit in carline, at the sideline of soccer practice, waiting for your curbside grocery delivery, take a book with you. These are moments we have trained ourselves to think of as small, inconsequential blocks of time that aren’t good for anything but catching up on memes and Instagram. I get it. I’ve done it. But honestly, you can read a lot in those moments. If that means you keep one book in your car so you don’t have to remember to grab one, do it!

5. Read what you love. If you struggle to read, start with something that interests you. Whenever I read a historical novel, I will inevitably read a non fiction book about that time period/event after. Even if it’s something I hadn’t been interested in before, experiencing it through the eyes of a novel with characters and a story can make it intriguing enough to make me want more. This happened with the children’s blizzard, the depression, the Spanish flu, immigrants coming through Ellis Island, and the Revolutionary War. I read a novel, my interest was piqued, and I went in search of more.

6. Read a variety. I’m a read-more-than-one-book-at-a-time girl. I usually have a fiction, nonfiction, Christian living, light read, and maybe biography going at the same time. This way, no matter what my mood is, I have something to read!! Some days, if the bad news comes pouring in and the weight of the world is too much, I don’t want to read about the suffering of child laborers in Victorian England, no matter how interesting the story is. On those days, I want a book that encourages me and helps me dig into my Bible study more. If my kids have asked about a certain time period, I may feel like reading about it on my level. If I’ve been curious about how to organize, clean, or decorate my home, if I’m interested in pursuing a new hobby, if I’m studying a certain word or topic in the Bible. There are books and words and answers for all these. And I always have a selection on hand.

I hope this helps you look for the little moments in your day as new possibilities to enjoy a book. I didn’t even cover audiobooks {I really struggle with these because I like to see the words to fully focus on them} but I know people who listen while they drive to work or on errands, while they walk through the neighborhood, or while cleaning the house. If you have a hard time reading but not listening, I highly suggest looking into audiobooks. Most books are available this way now and many libraries offer them for free, either on CD or to download to an audio app.

We never stop learning and books are an excellent way to stretch the mind. If you’re interested in what I’ve read/am reading, check out my GoodReads profile and follow along! You can see all the books {read and want to read} in reverse alphabetical order by author or you can look under certain bookshelves to see what I’ve read/want to read in that category!

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Choosing Books

I mentioned in a previous post about letting your kids read what interests them. However, that doesn’t mean you have your hands off the wheel of what they’re being exposed to. So how can you help your kids make good choices about books?

I think one of the keys is communication. Even once children can read for themselves, parents shouldn’t leave them to their own devices. There are a lot of crazy books out there!! And mature topics are being introduced at earlier ages. So as a parent or caregiver, communicating with the children is so crucial. Ask what they’ve learned, why they love that series, or read some of it for yourself.

Another key is to be the gatekeeper. My kids know when we go to the library, I can veto any book they want to put in the bag. They are welcome to browse and bring me books that look interesting to them, but if I look through it and decide it wouldn’t be best, they know I will put it back. End of story. This hasn’t happened often but I have reshelved books and said it’s not something I want them reading.

In order to be a gatekeeper, you have to know what you want in and what you want to keep out. Reading preferences vary from house to house and depend on your children’s ages, how sensitive they are to scary/frightening things, etc. We have made a rule to not read things {at this time} with witches, zombies, or other scary type creatures. Even in picture books, we have decided to not go there. If we get books about dinosaurs from the library, my kids know I won’t read the evolution stuff. We read about archaeologists digging up bones and how large the dinosaurs were but not the millions of years parts. Knowing what you want your kids learning from books and dwelling on is crucial to picking out good literary choices!

Since I love reading, researching children’s books and series is fun for me. I also have so many fond memories of books I loved as a child that I want to share with my kids. But if you weren’t/aren’t a bookworm, I suggest looking up “Laura’s List” by Beverly Darnall. It is a wonderful resource to get ideas of books for children of all ages. There is also “Books Children Love.” These books give the title, author, age range, and basic description of the story.

If you would like a Christian mom’s perspective, I recommend the “Read Aloud Revival” website. Sarah Mackenzie is a homeschool mom who is passionate about getting kids to read…and families to read together. She offers recommends and reading lists on her website and talks books on her podcast of the same name.

Choosing books can be daunting if you just step into a library or bookstore with no idea what you’re looking for. But with these guidelines and a little prep work, you — as a parent or caregiver — can help your kids make great choices about what they’ll read and introduce them to the wonderful world of books.

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Kids Loving Books

Summer is almost here! Outdoor activities are calling!

I love summer. Flowers blooming, kids laughing, sitting outside, fresh breezes blowing. As a homeschool mom, summer gives me a chance to do things in the morning besides school. And those things are usually reading and researching for our next school year!

It’s no secret that I love books. Reading is one of my favorite ways to unwind and relax and spend a day. I don’t go in for audiobooks much — I need to see the words to really follow along. But going to the library is one of my favorite past times and it’s something I love sharing with my kids.

I get a lot of questions from people about choosing books for their kids or getting their kids to love reading. And summer is a great time to start a reading habit! Even though I love having my kids play outside during the summer months, it’s also important to keep learning. We make time everyday for books. Sometimes it’s sitting on the couch before dinner, sometimes it’s sitting in the shade outside taking a break with a snack and Kool-Aid. And sometimes it’s right before bed to help calm down.

For the next few blogs, I’m going to be sharing all things about kids and books. This first post is to hopefully help you get your kids reading! Let’s start with some tips for getting your kids interested in reading and for making time everyday for it.

1) Let them find what interests them. When my oldest was really little, I read the books that I loved as a child or simple board books. As she got older and started reading by herself, her preferences started showing. So I asked her what things interested her about the books she chose. A certain time period? A certain animal? Country? With her input, I searched Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the library for books that might appeal {you can do this from home!}. On one of our library trips {before COVID}, I showed her some of the books I had found. She picked what she wanted to try. I’ll be honest, there were some books I really wanted her to read that she declined. But I knew I couldn’t force her to love the same things I do. And I can always try to introduce it again when she’s older.

2) Introduce fiction and non fiction. I’ve been amazed at how much my six year old gravitates to non fiction. He wants books about animals and different countries and science more than anything else. With the exception of a few super hero books, he always wants to check out non fiction books first. Even non fiction kids books are usually harder to read than fiction because they use words kids aren’t used to seeing or hearing. But I don’t mind reading the books aloud if it catches his interest and teaches him something.

3) Ask them about what they read. This is huge and, I think, under appreciated. When my daughter started reading American Girl books, it opened a whole new dialogue of conversation between us. I read many of those books when I was her age and remembered the characters and stories enough to comment. So when Kirsten’s friend died of cholera, my daughter wanted to know what the disease was, how she could have gotten sick, etc. When Molly met a friend from England, we talked about children having to leave their families because it wasn’t safe to stay in their homes. When she started reading Horse Diaries and Dog Diaries, series that weren’t around when I was younger, I deliberately asked about the horses and dogs, the breeds, what they did, why they had a book written about them. She never ran out of things to tell me. Kids are people {duh, right?!} and they enjoy knowing others are interested in hearing from them. I’ve found sometimes kids have questions they are dying to ask but they don’t know exactly how to open the conversation. If we ask, look out!

4) Make the time. We can’t force our kids to love reading but we can give them opportunities without them feeling like they are missing out on something more fun:

When you start making lunch or dinner, call kids to the couch for a ‘wind down’ time before the meal. Have a stack of books for them to look at. If your kids can’t read yet, encourage them to look at the pictures and guess what the story is about and promise to read it together after dinner.

During the hottest part of the day, call the kids to the shade with a snack and a book to read aloud. Even my eight year old still enjoys listening to me read. Sometimes she asks me to read aloud to her while she colors or draws.

Find a book or series you can read as a family at a specific time of day. Choose what works for your schedule. I know some families who read together after breakfast or dinner. We usually do it before bed. We’ve read two Chronicles of Narnia, Pilgrim’s Progress, several Bible story books, and Bible devotional books.

A big reality is that it won’t be picture perfect, especially when you’re first starting. Little kids will roam off to play, big kids will roll their eyes. Don’t give up! It takes consistency and time. We have a basket where we keep all our library books, fully accessible to everyone. They know they can look at them anytime.

In my next post, I’ll talk more about choosing books and and building your own library.

One of the things I tell my kids is that when you know how to read, you can learn anything. It truly is a beautiful and wonderful gift.

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Five Novels You Have Time to Read

We're all busy. I get it. And often sitting down to read just feels like too much of a luxury. Or maybe you're one of those people who doesn't enjoy reading (I don't understand you but please keep reading! This post is for you too!). I consider reading relaxing and a great way to learn about new things. But with three young kids, housework, cooking, ministry to keep up with my reading time is significantly less than it used to be.

That hasn’t stopped me from stacking books to read on my nightstand and filling up my library account with holds. However, because my time is more limited now, I’m becoming more choosy about what I’ll spend time reading. Every book that looks interesting doesn’t get a pass like it used to. I measure how interested I am in the subject, how well I like the author, what benefit the book will have on me. I hate starting a book and not being able to finish it. There is a very short list of books I have started and not completed - most of them because of objectionable material that I just couldn’t put up with. So when I pick up a book, I want to know it’s something I will want to read and complete without feeling like I’ve wasted my time.

I know others are in the same situation. They may not take it as far as I do - I’ve been seen stirring spaghetti sauce while reading a book because I just couldn’t stop reading but my family still wanted to eat - but many busy women out there are trying to tackle their TBR lists and still keep life running smooth.

So here is my current list of novels that I think are worth your short, precious time to read.

The Butterfly and the Violin and A Sparrow in Terezin by Kristy Cambron

These dual time historical novels are beautiful and tragic. The present day stories follow the same woman as she learns about two different heroines during World War II. What they endured will haunt you.

The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman

A lighthouse keeper in 1920s Australia is torn between helping his distraught wife and following the law when a boat containing a baby washes ashore. The anguish he goes through and the resolution to the twisted lies they lead will bring you to tears. The movie was good but the book was much better.

As Bright as Heaven and Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Messiner

The first one is about a family newly in the funeral business when the flu epidemic of 1918 hits Philadelphia. One decision leads to events that trickle through the next decade. The second novel finds two sisters in London before the Blitz during World War II. Guilt drives one of them the rest of her life as she tries to undo one fateful morning.

While I have many other books that I’ve enjoyed, these are the ones that I kept thinking about long after closing the back cover. I’m working on a post of non fiction reads that I’ve enjoyed so keep your eyes open for that in the coming weeks.

What’s a book that has influenced you?

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