Books

Looking through this month’s list, it definitely looks like I’ve been on a fiction kick. Of course, I have a half dozen non-fiction works in progress in my bag or on my Kindle–but I just haven’t been finishing them at the rate I’ve been finishing fiction.

But why worry? Balance is for the birds. Why not add unbalanced reading to all the rest of the stuff that’s currently unbalanced in my life?

This month I read:

Adult Fiction

• The Damascus Way by Davis Bunn and Janette Oke
  I’m continuing to enjoy these historical novels set around the early church. This one includes (can you guess?) Saul, the church persecutor, in addition to familiar characters (both Biblical and fictional) from the previous books in the series. I’m realizing that this is as far as the series goes at this point. Oh my! I’ve committed the unthinkable, getting engrossed in a series that isn’t finished yet!
• The Drifter, The Maverick, and The Plainsman by Lori Copeland
  An okay series, mostly fluff but good for a turn-off-your-brain read. I enjoyed The Drifter (the second book in the series) best. In it, a Kansas widow saves a drifter who was being mauled by a wolf–and then tries to force him to marry her so she can keep her homestead claim. Maybe I just enjoyed that one because I’m a sucker for stories of marriages of convenience.
• Letter Perfect by Cathy Marie Hake
  Ruth Caldwell causes trouble wherever she goes. She doesn’t intend to do it, but not even a half dozen young ladies finishing schools has been able to turn her into a “letter perfect” woman. When her mother’s dying wish sends her to California to stay with the father she never knew–and when the father turns out to be no longer living… Well, things get interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
• Bittersweet by Cathy Marie Hake
  The sequel to the aforementioned title, Bittersweet follows Ruth’s sister-in-law Laney, whose longstanding crush Galen has finally started noticing her. But when the squatter living on Galen’s land makes a startling revelation, Laney’s hopes and dreams come crashing down. I’m definitely enjoying Hake these days.
• A Vote of Confidence by Robin Lee Hatcher
  Hatcher sure likes her suffragettes. I’m not quite as fond of these I-will-never-marry-oops-I-fell-in-love heroines as she seems to be. Hatcher’s books are fluffy reads, okay but not amazing.
• Ariel Custer by Grace Livingston Hill
  A bit unique among Hill’s works in that it includes a bit of a mystery (about 3/4 of the way through). Oh, and it includes a bad mother (probably what sets it apart most from Hill’s other works.) It took a while to get started, but once it was going, I enjoyed it well enough.
• The Rest of Her Life by Laura Moriarty
  A beautiful, introspective novel with realistic, nuanced relationships. This is probably the best novel I’ve read so far this year. Read my full review here.

Adult Non-fiction

• Busy Mom’s Guide to Family Nutrition by Paul C. Reisser
  A basic nutrition guide put out by the Focus on the Family Physician’s Resource Council. I gave it a “meh” review and suggested that I should write my own Christian nutrition reference–something that I’m only half kidding about.
• Grace for the Good Girl by Emily P. Freeman
  Barbara H. wrote an excellent review of this book just as I was finishing it up and returning it to the library. I didn’t feel the need to write a repeat review. Suffice to say that it was very good. I’m so thankful that God opened my eyes to His marvelous grace six years ago in Jacksonville, Florida. I pray that others will recognize that they were not only saved (past-tense) by grace, but that they also walk (present-tense) through God’s grace. This book is a good reminder.
• Knack Pregnancy Guide
  Research, I tell you, research. :-) And maybe just my own continuing curiosity. I’m still pretty bummed that my midwife career didn’t pan out.
• Make the Bread, Buy the Butter by Jennifer Reese
  I read every blurb all the way through. I tried one recipe. I returned the book to the library. I ordered myself a copy. Jennifer Reese is my hero, comparing the homemade version to the store-bought for everything from cake to cheese to hot dogs. Alice of Supratentorial also wrote some thoughts on this book while I was in the middle of it. Her conclusion: Buy it. I concur.
• The Penguin Book of Women’s Humor edited by Regina Barreca
  The back of the book explains that this is “a landmark anthology that proves there is a distinctly female way of being funny.” If this anthology showcases this distinctly female way of being funny, I can summarize said distinctive way in two words: Not Funny. 600 pages of venomous bitterness. Blech. I gave up when I still hadn’t found anything funny by page 229.

Juvenile Fiction

• Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Corn Popper by David A. Adler
• Cam Jansen and the Chocolate Fudge Mystery by David A. Adler
• Young Cam Jansen and the 100th Day of School Mystery by David A. Adler
• Young Cam Jansen and the Ice Skate Mystery by David A. Adler
• Young Cam Jansen and the Library Mystery by David A. Adler
• Mystery at Devil’s Paw by Franklin W. Dixon
• Boston Jane by Jennifer L. Holm
  Jane is a motherless tomboy throwing mud in the Philadelphia streets before William Baldt shows up on her doorstep to apprentice under her father. Then she’s off to school to learn how to be a lady (after all, William thinks it’s important). Jane pines for William when he leaves on a ship for Washington Territory, but the two correspond as promised–and at last Jane leaves for Washington to become William’s bride. When she gets there, though, she discovers that Washington isn’t quite what she expected–and neither is her fiance. This was a very strange book. It’s labeled as juvenile fiction by my library, but it’s really not. It’s pioneer fiction, with a main character who starts as a girl and emerges as a woman. I suppose it wasn’t edgy enough to be labeled YA–and couldn’t be adult fiction because Jane isn’t even 18 when the book ends. It was pretty good, if unclassifiable.
• The Redheaded Princess by Ann Rinaldi
  I checked out Rinaldi’s book about Lady Jane Grey during my last library trip–so now it was time to see how she would portray Jane’s cousin, Elizabeth. The Redheaded Princess didn’t disappoint. It was a enjoyable detailed little novel about the girl who would become Queen Elizabeth I.
• At least 36 Children’s picture books

Juvenile Non-Fiction

• One-Room School by Raymond Bial
  A glossy, full-color history of rural one-room schools. I cried a little (for real) when I read: “In addition to the Amish, Hutterite, and other parochial schools, there are still more than 800 one-room public schools, mostly in Nebraska…” Sadly, in the twelve years since this lovely little history was written, one-room schools have disappeared from Nebraska’s landscape to be replaced by consolidated schools that offer long bus rides and sub-par educations. Despite the sadness this book reminded me of, the book itself is a wonderful tribute to the way the majority of American students learned for over a century.
• Passover: Celebrating Now, Remembering Then by Harriet Ziefert
  Do you plan on celebrating the Passover with your little ones? If you don’t, you should consider it (talk to me for more info about how the Passover points to Jesus.) If you do, you should consider picking up a copy of this book to prep your kids for what’s to come. This lovely book goes through the basic order of the Seder, describing what is done (“Now we hold up the roasted lamb bone”) and pointing backwards to the Exodus (“Then the Angel of Death passed over the homes of the Israelites.”) This is a great introduction to the Seder–and worth having.

Don’t forget to drop by 5 Minutes 4 Books to see what others are reading this month!

In what is becoming a refrain for me, I’ve been busy–busy enough that I haven’t blogged much and haven’t written anywhere near as many reviews as I’d have liked. But I’ve still been reading in every snatched moment.

This month I read:

Adult Fiction

• Dear Lady by Robin Lee Hatcher
• The Hidden Flame by Davis Bunn and Janette Oke
  I’d already met Abigail, a family-less woman of the early church, in The Centurion’s Wife. There, she was an unassuming character, gently inviting Leah (the main character of that novel) into the community of believers. Abigail is still serving the church, but somehow she’s managed to catch the eye of two very different men: one a well-endowed Pharisee merchant, another a well-positioned Roman soldier. She’s not sure she is interested in either, but what choice does she have in the matter? This story takes the reader through the martyrdom of Stephen-moving slowly through the times of the first church.
• Last of the Dixie Heroes by Peter Abrahams
  I’ve really lucked out that Abrahams’ name starts with AB. Had I begun my trip through the fiction section of my not-so-local library with an author that I despised, I might have despaired. As it is, I’ve enjoyed each of the half dozen or so suspense novels I’ve read by Abrahams so far. This one, about a Rebel Civil War reenactor who finds himself a bit deeper amidst battle than he expected, was no exception.
• Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
  While listening to the chapter on Northanger Abbey in A Jane Austen Education, I realized that I had never read this particular work of Austen’s. I set out immediately to correct that oversight and found it a delightful story, one that must be added to my list of favorites (along with pretty much everything else by Austen.)
• Sweet Caroline by Rachel Hauck
  Caroline is about to spread her wings and fly off to Barcelona, leaving behind her responsible but unexciting life as bookkeeper-slash-waitress at the decrepit Frogmore Cafe. But then she learns that the late owner of the Cafe has willed it to…her. Either she takes it, or it’ll be closed. Sweet Caroline is fluff Christian romance, nothing spectacular. I did enjoy it, though.

Adult Non-fiction

• Changing Diapers by Kally Wels
  Yes, I read books about cloth diapering. Sue me. This was a fun little guide for Moms who have made the decision to cloth diaper (or are strongly leaning that way) and who want some direction regarding the options and/or the process. This book is decidedly pro-cloth diapering and does NOT give both sides of the issue. If you’ve chosen not to cloth diaper and are inclined toward Mommy-guilt, do yourself a favor and don’t read this. As for me, I read it while thanking God that the little Miss (my niece) is cloth-diapered–getting to change her every so often helps keep the covetousness at bay :-)
• Coffee is bad good for you by Robert J Davis
  Have you ever been confused by the conflicting food and nutrition information you hear from just about everywhere? Who hasn’t been? Robert J. Davis puts a collection of popular food/diet information through the evidence test–and shares his findings. This is a rare nutrition book that gets my (almost unequivocal) stamp of approval. Davis is true to his word and avoids the sensationalism to get down to the science behind the headlines. What I liked best about this book is that Davis is willing to say that the jury’s still out–something most health reporters don’t seem to understand in their rush to report what the latest study “proves”.
• Demonic: How the Liberal Mob is Endangering America by Ann Coulter
  I read this. I liked parts of it. I didn’t like other parts. I think Coulter’s crazy. I think she’s very intelligent. I think that if you’re a conservative, you might want to read my full review. If you’re a liberal, you’d probably rather not. Coulter takes delight in ticking off liberals–and, while I don’t delight in doing the same, probably just hearing her described will be enough to raise your blood pressure (I know it raises my blood pressure to hear about certain authors/personalities who take delight in raging against me and mine).
• A Jane Austen Education by William Deresiewicz
  The life “Billy” has lived is far different from mine–and I disagree with many of the choices he describes having made in his memoir of growing up through his encounters with Jane Austen’s fiction–but that doesn’t change my opinion of this book. It is the perfect bibliophile memoir. Deresiewicz takes Austen seriously, extracts valuable life lessons from Austen’s fiction, and shares enough (but not too much) about his own life to make the reader sympathize with him. I sincerely enjoyed this book.
• Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
  Yes, I also read pregnancy books–although the official word on this is “research” for the story that I may someday move from my head to paper.
• Mere Anarchy by Woody Allen
  I don’t know much about Woody Allen, but apparently he’s a comic. I’m not sure about how funny he is, but his Mere Anarchy certainly was fun to read. He used big words, SAT or GRE caliber words. He alludes to educated things. Regularly. It’s fanTAStic. I’d read this again, just for the privilege of reading phrases like “my spine suddenly assumed the shape of a Mobius strip” and “only the fumes of a smoked whitefish I was deconstructing at the Carnegie Deli induced sufficient hallucinatory molecules to conjure the following correspondence.”
• Miller’s Collecting Science and Technology
  I don’t collect science and technology, but it sure is fascinating to read all about the pieces.
• Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
  I had heard about this book (via a podcast I listen to regularly), read about this book (on a couple of different blogs), and talked about this book (with my dad, who’d heard about it from the same podcast I had). It was on my TBR list, but it wasn’t until I saw a hardback copy for sale at the used store that I actually settled down to read it. Nothing prepared me for what I found within. This is a fascinating look at the factors that contribute to success. It was not at all what I expected, but just as interesting as I’d expected. I hope to review this in more detail at some point (add it to the pile of “review in more depth someday”.)
• The Roots of Obama’s Rage by Dinesh D’Souza
  I cringed when this book came up next in my attempt to speed my way through the 973.932’s at my library (current events-if I can finish this and close the gap between it and the next section before the next presidency, I can somewhat stem the tide of new books about politics that I’ll have to read.) The title of this book is awful. It reminds me of all those books that attempted to psychoanalyze Bush or explain how really he was just a puppet of Rove/Cheney/Big Oil. I hate that sort of thing. Hate it, hate it, hate it. And rage? Since when is Obama raging? Condescending, I can see, but I’ve never thought of him as raging. Anyway, I was inclined to not want to read this book. The redeeming feature was that it is written by Dinesh D’Souza, whose books I really enjoy reading. Thankfully, it turned out that this book was mis-titled, and isn’t really about rage after all (thank goodness!) I propose that it should have been titled The Last Anti-colonial. D’Souza draws from Obama’s autobiographies to explain how he feels that the underlying value behind Obama’s policy decisions is anti-colonialism. I’m fascinated by this thesis, and (for the first time ever) am eager to read Obama’s autobiographies myself in order to put D’Souza’s theory under the microscope.

Juvenile Fiction

• Cam Jansen and the Mystery of Flight 54 by David A. Adler
• Cam Jansen and the Mystery at the Haunted House by David A. Adler
• Don’t Talk to Me about the War by David A. Adler
  Tommy Duncan does not want to hear about the war going on in Europe. There’s enough going on in his own home to keep him worried, what with his mom’s shaking and unexpectedly dropping things and falling and whatnot. And when Tommy isn’t worried about his mom, he wants to take his mind off of trouble by thinking about stuff like baseball–not gloom and doom stories of war. But Tommy’s friend friend Beth and their new classmate Sarah, a refugee from the Third Reich, aren’t going to let him ignore what’s going on in the world.
• The Ghost at Skeleton Rock by Franklin W. Dixon
• The Mystery Girl by Gertrude Chandler Warner
• Nine Days a Queen by Ann Rinaldi
  I think I’m on my way to becoming a historical fiction junkie. And if this book is any indication, Rinaldi is among the best. This work is, of course, about Lady Jane Grey, who reigned for nine days before being deposed by her cousin, Mary, who would later have a blood-red cocktail drink named after her. The bit of this book that hooked me for good? The adolescent Edward, Mary, Jane, and Elizabeth (do you recognize these four as King Edward the Sixth, Bloody Mary, Jane Grey, and Queen Elizabeth I?) are discussing the King’s new wife:

  “She is brave,” Elizabeth put in.

  “She has a good head on her shoulders,” Edward said, and just as he said it, he minded what he had spoken, and we all looked at one another in horror.

  “May it stay there,” Mary whispered as if in prayer. And she crossed herself.

  Elizabeth said nothing, but I saw her pale. Her mother had been beheaded when she was just three. She never spoke of it. But I wondered what she felt and how she could live knowing about it.

  ~Nine Days a Queen by Ann Rinaldi, page 14

• At least 28 Children’s picture books

Juvenile Non-Fiction

• Tell Them We Remember by Susan D. Bachrach

Don’t forget to drop by 5 Minutes 4 Books to see what others are reading this month!

I’ve been busy, busy, busy, which has decreased my reading somewhat. But I’ve still managed to get a good piece in.

This month I read:

Adult Fiction

• Catching Katie by Robin Lee Hatcher
  Suffrage-fighter Katie Jones returns to her small-town home-town to encourage her fellow women to fight for enfranchisement for women in other states. Her plans go somewhat awry when her best friend, Paul Rafferty, falls in love with her and wants to get married. This was a light read that I was not overly impressed with. Katie’s a bit too self-centered, the “religious” element a bit too contrived, and the plot a bit too formulaic for me to really enjoy it.
• A New Name by Grace Livingston Hill
  In some ways, very unusual for Hill (thanks to a male main character, a very understated romance, and some definite law-breaking). In other ways, classic Hill (thanks to romanticized mothers, a strong “conversion” scene, and lots of great food and household descriptions.)

Adult Non-fiction

• Decision Points by George W. Bush
  A fascinating look at some of the key decisions 43 made over the course of his presidency (and a couple prior to that)–and how he made those decisions. George W. explains why he did what he did–and offers some retrospective thoughts on the outcomes of his decisions. I still don’t agree with everything Bush did during his presidency, but this book confirmed my respect for him as a leader. Read some quotes I’ve extracted from this book.
• Don’t Sing at the Table by Adriana Trigiani
  A delightful little memoir about Adriana’s grandmothers, filled with common anecdotes made special by Trigiani’s telling and wise sayings that are special however they come. I read this book based on Jennifer’s review at 5M4B–and I’m glad I did.
• I’m Not Really Here by Tim Allen
  Supposed to be humorous. Wasn’t quite. Meh.
• The Language of God by Francis S. Collins
  An attempt to reconcile science with faith–or, more specifically, Darwinian evolution with Christianity. I disagreed with much of this book, but appreciated it for provoking thought. Read my full review here.
• The Pregnancy Project by Gaby Rodriguez
  Few people were surprised when Gaby announced that she was pregnant in her senior year of high school. She was the daughter of a single mom who’d had her first child at fifteen. Many of her older siblings had carried out the family legacy of teen pregnancy. Gaby’s announcement was disappointing, but no surprise–until five or so months later when she announced that she wasn’t actually pregnant. The Pregnancy Project recounts Gaby’s senior project, a social experiment in expectations and prejudices. I had some definite peeves with this book (Gaby’s written voice is less than stellar and the way she skirts the question of whether she and her boyfriend were sexually active frustrated me), but the overall story is fascinating.
• The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard
  Stuff is all around us. We buy it from the store, we bring it home, we pile it up. Eventually, we go through and toss it out. But stuff’s story begins long before it reaches us–and lasts long after we toss it out. Leonard tells that story in The Story of Stuff. I liked this book except when I didn’t. I enjoyed the information and appreciated how Leonard made me think about the environmental impact of “stuff”. I did not appreciate Leonard’s clear bias against individual responsibility and toward government action. (I tend towards libertarianism–and Leonard is evidently a strong proponent of the nanny state.)

Juvenile Fiction

• Cam Jansen and the Mystery at the Monkey House by David A. Adler
• Only You, Sierra by Robin Jones Gunn
  I’ve read the Christy Miller books and the Glenbrook books and the Sisterchicks books–but I’ve never read the Sierra Jensen series until I started this last weekend. And now I’m hooked–so much so that I was VERY disappointed that I can’t access books two and three on my Kindle edition that was supposed to be the Sierra Jensen Collection, volume 1 (containing all three books). Because I’m hooked, I’m actually reading books 2 and 3 on my computer (not something I like to do since the computer’s backlighting KILLS my eyes). I’ll review all three once I’m done, but for now I’m thinkin’ Sierra’s a slightly less conformist but ultimately more normal version of Christy Miller.
• Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge
  I never imagined I’d like graphic novels, but this one is the second I’ve read so far, and it’s rather good. Paige is timid, insecure, and not so sure she likes being transplanted into New York City. But, by taking to heart some art tips from her Grandma (who was a real artist) and practicing them in her sketchpad (and in life), she manages to adjust to and find her place within her new world. This novel reminded me of my little sister.
• The Search for Delicious by Natalie Babbit
  Go read Carrie’s Review of this book. She’s right, there doesn’t seem to be any ulterior motive behind this delicious little read. I positively devoured it.
• Young Cam Jansen and the Baseball Mystery by David A. Adler
• At least 14 Children’s picture books, 14 of which were “Franklin” stories

Don’t forget to drop by 5 Minutes 4 Books to see what others are reading this month!