Books I Read
April & May 2014
In the last few months I’ve read some great books. If you’re a reader, or part of a book club, you might want to check some of these out. You may see that I read a number of cozy mysteries in April and May. Why? Well, because I’ll be writing one soon! (More details to come after I can make the announcement!)
Cozy Mysteries
The Christie Curse: Book Collector’s Mystery by Victoria Abbott
The Sayers Swindle: Book Collector’s Mystery by Victoria Abbott
Victoria Abbott is a pseudonym for the always funny and creative artist, photographer, and short story author Victoria Maffini and her mother, Mary Jane Maffini, award-winning author of three mystery series and two dozen short stories. The stories are fresh and seamless. I had to stay on my toes to catch all the clues and I could tell that a young woman had a hand in writing these books since they weren’t old stuffy mysteries but were fun and had a “young” feel to them. It’s not Christian fiction, but there was nothing questionable about it. I hope this mother/daughter team is penning another one!
A Classic Amish Series
The Confession: The Heritage of Lancaster County by Beverly Lewis
The Reckoning: The Heritage of Lancaster County by Beverly Lewis
Even though I’ve written many Amish fiction novels I hadn’t read this classic Amish series, The Heritage of Lancaster County. There is a reason why Beverly Lewis is a best-selling Amish author. Her characters are wonderful and the plot had me worried at times. I won’t say I went as far as to pray for the characters, but it was close!
Non-Fiction Favorite
Sparkly Green Earrings: Catching the Light at Every Turn by Melanie Shankle
I love Melanie Shankle. She makes me laugh. On days that I need something lighthearted and need to remember that I’m not the only mom with crazy kids–this book is the one that I pick up.
Sneak Peeks!
(Books to pre-order)
These are books that I read for endorsement. This means that I get to read them before they’re in print. Watch for these, friends!
The Making of a Mom by Stephanie Shott (Regal)
Weaving biblical insight together with real life stories, Stephanie Shott helps mothers discover the joy of parenting with purpose and pulls back the curtain on a unique and comprehensive view of motherhood. The Making of a Mom gives moms a sense of comfort, confidence, and freedom to not only navigate the often tumultuous waters of motherhood but to also know they aren’t alone in the journey.
Written to meet moms in the middle of their mom journey and lay a biblical foundation for motherhood, The Making of a Mom also equips the church with the tools needed to step into their “Titus 2 shoes” and begin mentoring moms in the local church, urban areas, crisis pregnancy centers, juvenile and homeless shelters… This book will impact our communities and culture for Christ.
Customized Parenting in a Trending World by Richard and Carrie Blackaby
I’m a fan of all things Blackaby! This book is written by Richard Blackaby and his daughter Carrie. It’s not another system or formula. Instead, it urges parents to break away from them. The authors encourage parents to ask hard questions, seek divine answers, and refuse to give up until each child is thriving.
Thief of Glory by Sigmund Brower
For ten year-old Jeremiah Prins, the life of privilege as the son of a school headmaster in the Dutch East Indies comes crashing to a halt in 1942 after the Japanese Imperialist invasion of the Southeast Pacific. Jeremiah takes on the responsibility of caring for his younger siblings when his father and older stepbrothers are separated from the rest of the family. He is surprised by what life in the camp reveals about a woman he barely knows—his frail, troubled mother.
Amidst starvation, brutality, sacrifice and generosity, Jeremiah draws on all of his courage and cunning to fill in the gap for his mother. Life in the camps is made more tolerable as Jeremiah’s boyhood infatuation with his close friend Laura deepens into a friendship from which they both draw strength. When the darkest sides of humanity threaten to overwhelm Jeremiah and Laura, they reach for God’s light and grace shining through his people. Time and war will test their fortitude and the only thing that will bring them safely to the other side is the most enduring bond of all.
Wrestling with Wonder by Marlo Schalesky
Who is this God? Who is he who calls us to surrender and then leads us on a journey of twists and turns, ups and downs, unlike anything we could have ever expected? Who is this God who calls a young girl to birth a Savior and then watch him die on a Roman cross? Who is he who fulfills every promise and yet shatters every expectation? Come, join Mary, Jesus’ mother, on a journey of discovery. Hear the angel’s call, walk the long road to Bethlehem, give birth in a barn, search for a lost son, kneel at the foot of a cross, and experience the wind of the Spirit. Come walk with Mary and find your own journey in hers. Why? Because life rarely turns out the way we planned. Because we lose the wonder in the disappointments of life. Because being highly favored does not mean being highly pampered. Because her story shows us God — Passionate, breath-taking, and unpredictable…
In this digital age, children are spending more and more time interacting with a screen than with a parent. Technology has the potential to add value to our families, but it can also erode a sense of togetherness and hinder a child’s emotional growth. In Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World you’ll learn how to take back your home from an over-dependence on screens. Discover the five skills needed to give your child the relational edge in a screen-driven world: affection, appreciation, anger management, apology, and attention. Today’s screens aren’t just in our living rooms; they are in our pockets. Now is the time to equip your child to live with screen time, not for screen time. Constant entertainment is not the goal of childhood. No phone, tablet, or gaming device can teach your child how to have healthy relationships; only you can.
What I’m Currently Reading
- Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge by Mark Batterson
- Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst
- Murder Simply Brewed by Vannetta Chapman
- Undaunted: Daring to Do What God Calls You to Do by Christine Caine
I love reading, and I love digging into new books.
What are you reading?
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Just finished and posted a review of Plain Faith. Now a little over half-way through Colleen Coble’s Seagrass Pier. Then on through my never-ending TBR pile!
Yeah, I hope you enjoyed it! I haven’t read that book, yet. I’ll have to check it out!
Yes, I very much enjoyed Plain Faith. Don’t know if you saw it, but I posted a link to my review on your facebook page.
Seagrass Pier is the 3rd book in Colleen’s Hope Beach series — all good.
Just read Beverley an David Lewis’s “Child Of Mine” which was excellent then read a series “Apple Creek Dreams” by Patrick Craig…unusual and good …now reading Leaving Lancaster by Kate Lloyd …also different but good…Hope I can find the new Vanetta Chapman book…enjoy her books as a rule and can’t wait for you to get another one out…
Sounds like you’ve read a lot of good books lately!
A couple of those pre-reads look really good!
Which one sounds the best to you?