October TBR

This month’s TBR is shorter than normal because I am going to try to do a theme focus for the month: children and middle grade books (branching many genres). However, I do still have to give that mystery book a try. I might just have to grit my teeth and jump in, hoping that I get in the mood once I start reading it. I also still do have books on hold at the library, and if they come through I will read them too. So the only specific books on my TBR are:

Christian Non-fiction :
Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Ted Tripp
Hopeful Parenting by David Jeremiah
Grace Based Parenting by Tim Kimmel

Mystery :
Midbury Murders: A Horticultural Nightmare by Martina Thurlow

Here is a sneak peak at a few of the books that I plan on reading within the theme :

Christian:
The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald (fantasy)
North or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson (fantasy)

Classics:

The Enchanted Castle by Edith Nesbit (fantasy)

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stuart

The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle by Hugh Lofting
Heidi by Johanna Spyri

Fantasy:
Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
Nevermore: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend 

P.S. I Like You Review

P. S. I Like You by Kasie West is a young adult contemporary romance. This book is about high schooler Lily who has a big family, loves music and hates chemistry. During her chemistry class, she is spacing and ends up writing the first few lines of lyrics from one of her favorite bands on the desk. The next day she finds someone has written the next line under hers. So begins an anonymous pen pal friendship. Unraveling the identity of who her pen pal is and what effect that will have in the other areas of her life (friendship, family, etc.) fill her days.

I gave this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars.  I really liked this book. Just like the first Kasie West book I read, I almost couldn’t put this down I was so hooked. The characters were fun, interesting and very well written. The plot was a modern, young adult twist on the old movie “You’ve Got Mail” (which I adored). It was so funny and entertaining. I felt quite the range of emotions along with the characters: from anger to annoyance, to glee, to excitement and excessive nerves. It was a wonderful ride.

I also appreciated her love of music. Even though her style was different than mine, a music lover is still a music lover. And being a musician myself, I was impressed with her abilities (especially being self-taught/ youtube taught) and could empathize with many of her situations.

The only thing that bothered me is that I could see what the author was going to do from a mile away, and I was begging her up to the moment it happened that she would go a different route. Yet, even though she took the obvious path (and the one I didn’t want), I was totally okay with it by the end of the book. With the backwards perspective I am thrilled with how it was done and how the story turned out.

This was such a fun hate to love story. There was some minor sexual content (hugging, kissing, etc.), but it wasn’t too descriptive and never went beyond making out.

After reading this, I think I have found a new author that I really want to read more books from (one who might become a new favorite author).

A Wrinkle in Time Reveiw

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle is a middle grade science fiction book (first in the Time Quintet). {I know it is often categorized as a children’s book, but as the main character is 12, I felt it appropriate to change it to a more modern genre} It is about a young girl named Meg Murry. Her life seems to be falling apart a bit. She doesn’t fit in at school, she feels ugly and out of place, her family is misunderstood, and (biggest of all) her scientist father is gone and hasn’t been in contact with them in almost a year.  Then she, her youngest brother Charles Wallace (a genius boy), and an older boy named Calvin O’Keefe are together pulled onto a fantastical quest through space to find and help her missing father.

This review is a little different for me because this is a re-read. I read this book back when I was about 12 or 13. I didn’t remember much (or really anything) about it, but also don’t remember liking it all that much. With the movie coming out I decided to read it now to refresh my memory on what the story is about and see if I would be able to appreciate it more as an adult.

I ended up giving this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars. I did enjoy reading it and there were many good points about it. However, I wasn’t all that impressed by the book. Maybe it is lingering feelings from when I read it as a kid. I kind of liked it, but that’s it.

The writing style is really strong, compelling and literary (which I really enjoyed reading). The style reminds me of that used in the old “classics” and I am a big fan of the classics. The characters are all unique and complex. I liked them right away and was eager to get to know them better and see how they would change as the story progressed. However, I am sorry to say that I didn’t feel like there was much character development through the book, the opportunity was there, but they just didn’t grow like I would have expected.

I did enjoyed Charles’s whimsical, genius, hidden depths personality and how Meg was also a slight genius but still dealing with very human struggles. Only some of those struggles seemed to resolve themselves too quickly. But I think Calvin is my favorite: so open, friendly, caring, cheerful and of a strong protective nature, yet fairly content to kind of be in the background. Mrs. Who was quite a unique character talking in (almost exclusively) quotes. I find it an interesting trait now, but see how it could have been frustrating for me when I was young (especially when done in other languages).

The plot was pretty basic (the foundation) but I felt that it was well done. However, the story gets through a good quarter of the book just building more and more questions with very little to no answers (and even those just adding to the questions). I can see why I may have disliked this book as a young girl. As Meg is somewhat kept in the dark and only learns things a little at a time, because we are following in her perspective, that is how we learn and what we know. I am not always a fan of being kept in the dark especially when cryptic hints are being thrown around but solid answers being delayed “for later”. I think the story works better upon a re-read (with previous knowledge of the story) or as I am reading it: an adult slowly working my way through it.

That being said, I felt there were many profound ideas expressed here (even if just touched upon in one sentence, they were meaningful). I also appreciated the Christian references and the foundational Biblical concepts expressed through the story. And I was impressed with her showing how science and faith can (and should) go naturally hand in hand. This wasn’t necessarily a “Christian” book, but the author’s faith clearly played a big part in her creation of the story. In some ways it reminds me of C S Lewis’s space trilogy (primarily the first book Out of the Silent Planet). As it is written with a young audience in mind, I feel it could be categorized as a Christian middle grade science fiction work.

Overall, it is a good book and a fairly enjoyable read. I am glad I gave it another chance. And, who knows, I might like some of the later books in the series even more.

All Things New Review

All Things New by Lynn Austen is a Christian historical fiction novel set in the restoration period after the Civil War. It follows a southern woman, her oldest daughter and one of their former female slaves as these three woman try to find healing, rebuild their lives and find their way back to the God that truly does love them.

I gave this book a 4 out of 5 stars. This was a very fitting book to read after just finishing Austen’s Refining Fire trilogy (all set during the Civil War). I also like that it looks from a southerners perspective with all the hurt, anger and their very way of life forever changed as well as from a former slaves perspective in learning what it means to be free.

The writing was just as beautiful as I expected it to be and the storytelling was enchanting. The characters are interesting and complex. I enjoyed seeing them learn and grow and change. There were characters I liked, some I didn’t and everything in between.

This book was honest about the harsh realities the people faced in that time: the loss, the poverty, the remaining hatred and resistance to change. But again Austen handled these issues very well (especially in dealing with grief and loss). There was a bit of violence (trigger warning: including an attempted suicide and mentioned rape), but it was never overly graphic. One reason I liked the book so much is the hope that it shows and in the lesson that we can always turn to God and trust Him (even in out doubts and suffering).

The young romance was sweet and heartwarming. Even though I saw it coming from the first meeting, I was totally for it and thrilled to watch them come together. I also liked looking at romance from multiple perspectives of a married couple, the first love scenario and the second love scenario.

This was a really powerful and enjoyable read. I look forward to reading more works by Austen in the coming months.

Standing Strong Review

Standing Strong by John MacArthur Jr. is a Christian living book on the topic of spiritual warfare. It defines spiritual warfare and addresses both personal and corporate aspects of the topic. This is his response to the rise of the spiritual warfare movement.

I gave this book a 4 out of 5 stars. I found the introductory warning a very wise and important one. Understanding who our enemy is and what he is doing (in the spiritual warfare context) is very important. However, we need to keep our eyes on God and focus on doing His will first and foremost. I appreciate the reminder of balance before delving into the topic.

The theology was quite sound and heavily backed with scripture and quotes from other spiritual leaders. I think it is imperative that authors use scripture as the foundation of their teaching; it gives me reason to take head of what they are saying (of course with discernment). It is a pleasant plus when they refer to other known spiritual leaders, showing that their thoughts and opinions are shared by others in the church (giving support to their interpretations). I am more likely to trust and respect a well-read writer (of both Bible and other works).

There were a couple small points that I was not in agreement on (like the belief that miracles and casting out demons was only doable for Jesus and the apostles because they had ‘special’ authority, but not something we can do today), but that is not a big problem. I do understand where he is coming from, in countering the spiritual warfare movement big at that time. None of my issues with the book are about anything major or vitally important, just minor disagreement.

On a positive note, there were a number of points I was happily surprised that he included (like expounding on the armor of God) and found this book to be overall very encouraging and helpful. I am very glad I read this book and will probably refer back to it.

A Light To My Path Review

A Light to My Path by Lynn Austen is the last book in the Refiner’s Fire trilogy. It is a Christian historical fiction set during the Civil War. It tells the story of two slaves, a girl named Anna (Kitty) and a boy named Grady. We follow them from childhood through the events of the Civil War and the gaining of their freedom, as well as their spiritual journeys to true freedom.

I gave this book a 4 out of 5 stars. As I am coming to expect from Austen, she is an amazing story teller. She makes these people and places come to life. The way she handles these difficult and terrible issues is so well done, gentle but honest. Slavery is a very sad and ugly topic but so important for us to remember, especially as it does still exist today and we need to be aware of God’s view and where we should stand as His followers (what we should do if possible).

I liked how Austen showed a different perspective with every book: 1. The white southerner growing up in a culture of slavery, 2. The white northerner/ north side fighting for the rights of others, and 3. The black slaves who’s lives and futures were on the line. It was also very fulfilling to see the threads connecting the characters of all three books together in such a beautiful and intricate story.

I enjoyed seeing these two young people’s path to God, but it was not always easy to read. They both go through some really bad stuff, but the way Austen addresses why God allows people to go through such things is very touching. What I had the hardest time reading was Grady’s deep anger and hatred, even aimed at God. It was so disheartening to see him fight God so hard and hold onto such deep rage, but what made it so painful for me is that I am sure that there were people just like him. How heart breaking to know that such hurt and pain those people experienced pushed, God only knows, how many people away from Him.

Again the romance was more of a sub-plot than the focus (being the two people finding their way to the Lord). I really appreciated this choice and could enjoy the romance for what it was (just one aspect of their lives). As to the sexual content, there is some kissing and one scene where they, being married, have sex (non-descriptive).

Austen did mention certain things that were done to the slaves (like rape), but it was never described, and only included as it added to the plot of the story. A couple instances of violence were described in light detail: a beating and a flogging. And of course we have a glimpse into the slave trade itself and there were some battles that we get to see. All in all, I would say she made good choices in what she allowed into the book and I appreciated that everything included served a purpose for the plot.

I am glad that I read this book. It wasn’t always a pleasant read (due to the topic), but it was a beautiful and powerful one.

For the trilogy as a whole: 

It was very good. I am so glad that I picked this series up. It was filled with strong narratives, memorable characters that were complex and deep, serious topics handled marvelously, and lovely romances. I really liked Austen’s writing and definitely want to check out more of her works.

Non-Christian Recommendations

Today is the last day of my recommendations week. The focus for today is non-Christian books. Same as with the previous posts, I have read all the books mentioned and the complete series where recommended. These books all got at least a 4 star from me (except perhaps a book or two from within a series recommendation, but no lower than 3.5). This list is a little longer than the others because I am doing both fiction and non-fiction together. So let’s get started:

1.       Favorite middle grade fantasy:

Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine

Two princess sisters. A deadly disease with no known cure, but knowledge that a cure does exist. A prophecy that the cure will be found when the fearful become brave. And an epic journey to save a loved one.

2.       Favorite young adult fantasy:

The Precious Stones Trilogy by Kerstin Gier

Time travel, prophecies and mysterious groups. Gwen is thrown into this mix at 16 years old when she unexpectedly turns out to be the 12^th time traveler that everyone thought was going to be her cousin. Chaos and danger ensue.

3.       Favorite adult fantasy:

Dragon Song by Anne McCaffrey

Music and dragons. A young girl from a fishing village who loves music and doesn’t fit in. When she runs away from home, she ends up bonded with 9 fire lizards and set on a path to find her place in this world.

4.       Favorite young adult science fiction:

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

Futuristic retellings of 4 well known fairytales (Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Snow White). Characters from earlier books carry on to the later ones and become this epic friend group fighting the evil queen.

5.       Favorite middle grade fairytale retelling:

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

Ella is cursed to always obey a direct command (even if given unknowingly). Add this to the general Cinderella plotline and we have a fantastic story.

6.       Favorite young adult fairytale retelling:

Violet Eyes by Debbie Viguie

Violet is a farm girl who falls in love with the prince in a chance encounter, but his parents have devised a contest to determine his bride. So she sets off to prove her worth in this retelling of the Princess and the Pea.

7.       Favorite young adult classic retelling:

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

A dystopian/ science fiction retelling of Persuasion by Jane Austen. Lost love and second chances amidst a judgmental and uncertain society.

8.       Favorite adult classic retelling:

Cyrano by Geraldine McCaughrean

A direct play to fiction retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand. Love, beauty, and the importance of looking at the heart told in a tragic tale.

9.       Favorite middle grade myth retelling:

Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan

An imagining of Greek mythology set in modern times. Percy Jackson discovers the truth about who his father is and it changes everything in his life and sends him into a spiral of events leading him on a quest through mythology he never imagined could be real.

10.   Favorite young adult myth retelling:

The Wild Orchid by Cameron Dokey

A retelling of the legend of Mulan. All I can say is beautifully done.

11.   Favorite adult myth retelling:

Till We Have Faces by C S Lewis

A retelling of the Greek myth of Psyche. About trust and doubt, mistakes and consequences.

12.   Favorite adult historical fiction:

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy

The first disguised hero story. The scarlet pimpernel is rescuing aristocrats in France from the guiotine and the new French Republic, while they seek to discover who he is and stop him. Margurite is a French woman married to an English aristocrat and forced to play spy trying to find out his identity.

13.   Favorite young adult contemporary fiction:

On the Fence by Kasie West

Charlie is an only daughter with three older brothers (an the neighbor boy basically adopted in) to a single father. She is a tomboy through and through. A self-discovery story with a sweet romance. <I have a review coming>

14.   Favorite adult contemporary fiction:

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

A popular but lost young man and an unpopular girl who is confident and comfortable in who she is get thrown together and change each other’s lives.

15.   Favorite children’s book:

A Squash and a Squeeze by Julia Donaldson

A cute story of being content and happy with what we have (looking at circumstances in the right light).

16.   Favorite children’s classic:

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

A little girl who knows every girl is a princess at heart and tries to live that out, no matter what life throws her way.

17.   Favorite middle grade classic:

Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott

A beautiful story of growing up and meeting life in its changes.

18.   Favorite adult classic: (sorry but I really couldn’t narrow it down to just one)

Watership Down by Richard Adams

             Rabbits seeking out a new home and the adventures they encounter on their way.

Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens

A young man seeking to find his way, to support himself and his family after the death of his father and trying to do what is right no matter what life throws his way.

Daniel Deronda by George Eliot

A young man raised as ward of a wealthy man who knows nothing of his origins and is uncertain of his future but with a good heart seeks to find his way and a young woman full of herself and only what she wants. 

& He Knew He Was Right by Anthony Trollope

A paranoid man and how he destroys his family by refusing to believe that he could be wrong, and many romances blossoming for the people around and connected to them.

19.   Favorite play:

A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

Fairies, magic, mistakes and love. A night of craziness and fun.

20.   Favorite non-fiction history book:

The Flag, the Poet and the Song by Irvin Molotsky

The history of the American flag.

21.   Favorite bickering couple:

P S I Like You by Kasie West

These two just can’t seem to get along until they are forced to see each other in a different light. A modern, young adult version of “You’ve Got Mail”. <I have a review coming>

22.   Favorite enemies to lovers:

In the Garden of Gold and Stone by Ryan Muree

A beauty and the beast retelling, with a switch: the girl is the beast.

23.   Favorite friend group dynamic:

Harry Potter series by J K Rowling

This small group of friends are fun to see. They are all so different, but are caring and loyal and will see each other through anything.

24.   Favorite sibling dynamic:

Entwined by Heather Dixon

A Dancing Princesses retelling. This group of sisters is together dealing with loss and grief and finding their way to living again.

25.   Favorite poet:

Kalopsia by Andrea Michelle

26.   Book with ethnic diversity:

Cybele’s Secret by Juliet Marillier (Turkish)

A young European girl travels with her merchant father to Istanbul and is drawn into a magical journey with two Turkish men.

27.   Book with physical diversity:

Bellamy and the Brute by Alicia Michaels

A young man dealing with a terrible degenerative disease isolates himself from the world until a young woman finds her way through his thick shell.

& By Your Side by Kasie West

A high school girl hiding her anxiety disorder and the results of this choice on her friends. <I have a review for this>

As I mentioned I would in the previous post, here is a link to my goodreads page if you are interested in seeing more of the books that I have read and/ or really liked. <https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/19319918-chelsea>

Christian Non-fiction Recommendations

Today is my recommendations for Christian Non-fiction. For this section I felt it was necessary to include two books for many of the sections because cutting down to just one favorite was way too hard. I don’t know if I need to make the disclaimer or not, but just in case, The Bible is first and foremost the most important book to be reading and these are just my supplementary suggestions. But this is by no means an exhaustive list of all my favorites for these topics (I will put up a link to my goodreads page at the end of Friday’s post if you are interested in seeing more). On to the books:

1.       Favorite Christian living books:

The Pursuit of God by A W Tozer

& Pleasing God by R C Sproul

2.       Favorite spiritual discipline books:

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney

& Habits of Grace by David Matthis

3.       Favorite Theology books:

Practical Theology for Women by Wendy Alsup

& None Like Him by Jen Wilkin

4.       Favorite books on prayer:

Praying the Bible by Donald Whitney

& Prevailing Prayer by Dwight L Moody

5.       Favorite books on bible study:

Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin

& How to Study the Bible by Dwight L Moody

6.       Favorite parenting books:

Don’t Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Plowman

& How to Really Love Your Child by Ross Campbell

7.       Favorite marriage books:

Things I Wish I’d Known Before We Got Married by Gary Chapman

& Hot Mama: 12 Secrets to a Sizzling Hot Marriage by Kathi Lipp

8.       Favorite books for wives:

The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace

& The Fruitful Wife by Hayley DiMarco

9.       Favorite poet:

To My Husband and Other Poems by Anne Bradstreet

10.   Favorite financial book:

Miserly Moms by Jonni McCoy

11.   Favorite stress management book:

Say Goodbye to Survival Mode by Crystal Paine

12.   Favorite classic:

Abolition of Man by C S Lewis

& Mere Christianity by C S Lewis

13.   Favorite biography:

Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery by Eric Metaxas

14.   Favorite autobiography:

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

Recommendation Week

So, were doing something a bit different this week. I am going to do a three part recommendation series on some of my favorites based on the genre of the book or a specific trope used, etc. I only chose books that I have read and rated at least a 4 star. If I recommend an entire series, then I have read the whole thing, but one or two books in the series may be rated as low as 3.5 stars (not lower than that though). I tried to make sure that I have a variety of authors represented. This is one area I am working on right now (reading books by authors I haven’t tried yet). The first list is made up of purely Christian Fiction. Wednesday I will post a list for Christian Non-fiction and Friday will be all my non-Christian recommendations. So here we go:

1.       Favorite middle grade fantasy:

The Narnia series by C S Lewis

This series is very well written with adventures, new worlds, lessons about God and us and extremely well done allegories about Christ and the end times.

2.       Favorite young adult fantasy:

The Hidden Arrow of Maether by Aiden Beaverson

This book takes place in another world caught in the same spiritual battle that we are and is about a young girl discovering God’s calling and the adventures that leads her into.

3.       Favorite adult science fiction:

Out of the Silent Planet by C S Lewis

This book is a wonderfully creative look at space travel and imagining what a world without sin (everyone in right relationship with God) might look like.

4.       Favorite thriller:

The Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye & Jen Jenkins

This series is full of action, danger, and fantastical events as an imagining of what the end times might look like.

5.       Favorite fairytale retelling:

Hagenheim series by Melanie Dickerson

Every book in this series is a retelling of a different fairytale. They are all so well done with fantastic characters and still ringing true to the original stories (minus any magic and including following God).

6.       Favorite Biblical retelling:

Lineage of Grace series by Francine Rivers

Each book in this series is telling the story of one of the five women mentioned in Christ’s genealogy. These stories are so beautifully written and well crafted (while staying true to scripture).

7.       Favorite historical fiction:

Mark of the Lion trilogy by Francine Rivers

This series is set in Biblical times (shortly after Christ’s ascension). The series follows Hadassah, a young Jewish believer, and how God uses her in the lives of those around her (except the third book which follows one of the male side characters from the first two books and his journey to God, and bringing Him to his people).

8.       Favorite contemporary fiction:

Sophie’s Heart by Lori Wick

This is such a sweet look at second love and the struggles of immigration (the language barrier and preconceived notions, etc.).

9.       Favorite allegory:

Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard

This is a wonderful book filled with relatable feelings and situations while walking the path of a believer. It is similar (in feel) to Pilgrim’s Progress, but easier to read and with a female main character.

10.   Favorite Amish fiction:

The Amish of Apple Grove trilogy by Lori Copland

The characters in this series are very well done and the stories are so unique to any others in this genre that I have read thus far (in a wonderful way).

11.   Favorite classic:

Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentice

This is such a beautiful look at what it is like to walk the life of a believer; our struggles, our growth, and the power of prayer in our lives.

12.   Favorite children’s book:

The Tallest of Smalls by Max Lucado

This is a cute story with an important lesson on our value being in God and not determined by others.

13.   Favorite middle grade:

Veritas Project duology by Frank Peretti

These books are suspenseful with mysteries to be solved and plots to be thwarted, all by the hands of two young siblings seeking truth and God (with a little help from their parents).

14.   Favorite bickering couple:

A Viscount’s Proposal by Melanie Dickerson

Talk about not seeing eye to eye; these two have such differing world views that they are often in discord until God works in both their hearts.

15.   Favorite enemies to lovers:

The Redeeming by Tamara Leigh

What a fantastic story of misunderstandings, errors and trials that the Lord ends up using to end strife and bring new beginnings. <I have a review of this>

16.   Favorite opposites attract:

Fire By Night by Lynn Austen

These two really don’t have anything in common, but the times and circumstances (along with truths revealed and God’s lessons along the way) draw them to each other in a wonderfully complementary way. <I have a review of this>

17.   A book with a plot &/or genre that is hard to explain:

Brides o’ the Emerald Isle by Pamela Griffin, Vickie McDonough, Tamela Hancock Murray, & Linda Windsor

A bit of the present time, three parts historical, all tied together by the place and a special stone dedicated to God (and four lovely romances).

18.   Best - friend group dynamic:

Glory by Lori Copeland

A group of girls in a covered wagon and on the trail to a far off destination as mail order brides (and one tag along picked up on the way). Each so different and yet working together to trust God and help each other.

19.   Book with ethnic diversity:

Bamboo and Lace by Lori Wick

A young woman who grew up and lives in a remote Asian village with her missionary father and a Hawaiian family she stays with when going for a long visit to her brother.

& Candle in the Darkness by Lynn Austen

Set in the south during the Civil War and deals with the issue of slavery and God’s will (how He sees the Blacks).

20.   Book with physical diversity:

Where the Wild Rose Blooms by Lori Wick

A teen girl who has an accident and goes blind, and then must learn how to live with it and how to trust God.

& The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson

A man who was maimed by a wolf with terrible scarring and little movement in his left hand and arm, who lets his scars and bitterness make him a harsh man until God sends a beautiful young woman into his service and shines His light back into his life.