Quick Lit~ late spring edition

During my little absence from my blog, you can bet I’ve been doing quite a bit of reading.

It’s been a particularly good couple of months of reading in fact, and it seemed like it was about time to share all the good things I’ve read since my last Quick Lit post.

I do have to confess that I have all but given up on Les Miserables, which was the book choice for the book club. I still want to read it, but there’s no way I’m going to finish by June which was the original goal. I don’t know what it is exactly, but the easy answer is that I just keep getting distracted by easier books.

 The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion

This is the fun sequel to The Rosie Project, which I read last year and loved. While I didn’t quite enjoy this one as much as the first, it was still quite entertaining and captivating.

There’s just something about Don Tillman’s narration that makes for easy and smooth reading, despite him being quite a technical and logical character. I’m still excited to see Don and Rosie in film format someday, since I know Simsion has worked on a screenplay for the The Rosie Project.

A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet by Sophie Hudson

I bought this book on a Kindle-deal whim. I had put it on my to-read list a while before but didn’t know much about it. When I saw it on a friend’s IG feed and then saw it for cheap or free (I don’t remember which), I snatched it up, which turned out to be a good grab. I really enjoyed reading it, and it got me realizing that I really love reading memoir before bed, because it’s the kind of thing that I can stop any time, and while thoroughly enjoyable, it doesn’t tempt me to stay up till 2am to see what happens next, like a novel. This was a sweet read, and while I had never read Sophie’s blog before, I enjoyed her writing style and stories immensely– a nice blend of laugh-out-loud funny and cut-to-the-heart moments.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

I’ve been on a bit of a WWII kick, sort of by accident. Reading this book felt really monumental. It explored a side of the war that I felt like I didn’t know much about (the Pacific war), and gave me a serious dose of perspective when I considered all Louie Zamperini went through when I was having a “hard day” of parenting. The way Ms. Hillenbrand writes is downright captivating. She masterfully presents all her incredible research into what reads like a page-turning novel. I still haven’t watched the movie yet because– I’ll be honest– I’m a bit nervous to see it, knowing how intense the story is. But to say I was inspired by Zamperini’s life, would be an understatement. Reading this made me wish my grandpa, who served in the Pacific during WWII, was still alive to talk to, and it also gave me a sobering education as Memorial Day approached.

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

When I started this book, I didn’t really know what it was about, which I’m kinda glad about. As the story developed, and I figured out what was going on, I fell in love with both the whole idea and the characters, and basically couldn’t put it down until I finished. I conveniently read it over Mother’s Day weekend which meant I didn’t feel bad reading it all day long essentially. Not only did this novel captivate me, but it got me thinking about my own life, which I think is a good sign of great writing. I’m looking forward to reading more of Ms. Moriarty books now, and recommending this one left and right. Last weekend I picked up a copy as a garage sale for $1 (score!) because I knew it was one I would want to re-read and loan out to friends.

Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands by Paul David Tripp

David and I have been leading a community group for about six years, and this is a book that I wish I’d read oh, about six years ago. In my opinion, it’s a must read for anyone in ministry or leading any kind of small group or really just living in Christian community with other believers. It’s a wonderful resource for iron-sharpening-iron kind of living, and for believers who want to share wise Biblical counsel with one another and be living out the gospel. I’m so glad our church leadership handed this one out to community group leaders and I’m sure I’ll be referencing it for years to come. Tripp uses lots of stories and hypothetical situations to convey his points which makes the information really come alive.

Comforts from the Cross by Elyse Fitzpatrick

Elyse has become one of my favorite gospel-centered authors. This book is a simple devotional– just 31 days’ worth of reading, that points us to what Jesus did on the cross for us, and how that applies to our everyday life.

I read this one while making my coffee over the last several weeks and it was a really great way to start the day.

Never Say No by Mark and Jan Foreman

I’ve read a lot of parenting books, but I think what I like most about this book is what its tagline proclaims, it’s about “raising big-picture kids.” And that’s exactly the kind of book it is. This isn’t a nitty-gritty how-to-parent book, it’s a big-picture look at parenting, and about raising children who love the Lord and who are fully living out who God created them to be.

Let me go a little fangirl on ya and say that I’ve loved Switchfoot since they were college kids (and I was in high school), playing on a virtually empty corner of the local street fair. I have every album and have probably seen at least a dozen of their shows. But what’s always stood out to me is that the band members seem to have integrity and have, over the years, created quality work that reflected their values and beliefs but appealed to a broad audience (which just happens to be a quality I aspire to  in my writing). So to read first-hand how the brothers were raised has been a real special experience. Mark Foreman pastors a church just up the street from mine, and while he and his church might vary a bit theologically from mine, he comes across in this book as someone who genuinely loves Jesus and deeply desired to follow Him as he and Jan raised their children. Thanks to Litfuse for this review copy; I’ve really enjoyed this book.

Currently reading:

• Mary Poppins (to the kids)
• All the Light We Cannot See (still… savoring this one)
• Bittersweet by Shauna Niequist
• Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
• Yes Please by Amy Poehler (just downloaded to listen!)

So that’s it! I’d love to know your thoughts on any of these books or hear what you’ve been reading. I’m pretty sure every book on this list was one recommended by a friend– that’s why I love sharing book lists and reading others’.

Affiliate links included; thanks for your support, and thanks for reading!

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