I cannot believe that another month has flown by and I am scrambling to get my April reviews written and blog post up! This is one of those months where I told Goodreads I started reading all ten of these books but never marked them as finished or wrote the review until today. So I just spent the last 2 hours writing all these! There are some good books in the mix, get excited!
PS: I have quite a few books I preordered and am excited to read when they come out! I wanted to share them with you just in case you want to get on the hold list at your local library or preorder them too! All We Thought We Knew, Across the Ages, Into the Starlight, Habits for a Sacred Home, and For a Lifetime. Happy Reading!
Under the Tulip Tree by Michelle Shocklee
5 Stars: I need Michelle Shocklee to write more books because I am devouring her Tennessee stories. This split-time novel bridges slavery/ the Civil War and the Great Depression and makes nods and ties to her other books in little ways. Always so well done, the characters and their stories come to life and weave together beautifully. It is hard to read because slavery wasn’t pretty, but it is also redemptive, hopeful, and healing to see change and growth in people. Great read, 10/10 recommend!
Sacred Seasons by Danielle Hitchen
5 Stars: From the author of my favorite Baby Believer Board Books, is a book for the whole family on celebrating the church calendar and centering your year (and family) on Jesus. As someone who now attends an Anglican Church but didn’t grow up in the denomination or celebrating/ acknowledging the church calendar, this book is a wealth of information! Not only is each season organized throughout the book, but each section is filled with historical significance, verses, themes, quotes, education on why we celebrate each season, liturgies, and practical ways we can celebrate it with our communities and our families. I’ve read through the entire book (couldn’t help myself) but keep this out in our kitchen near the dinning table year round. It is a wonderful resource to help bring me and my family into church traditions and the powerful meaning behind them.
A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus
5 Stars: This was the sweetest World War II novel and I cannot wait to read it again with my kids – I think they will like it as much as I did! In many ways it felt like the Narnia books but without the Narnia part – sounds silly to say, but it captures the real feelings and reality for children in London during this war. There are many hard and challenging things these three siblings go through, but their broken story is infused with hope and redemption! There is no magical land in this book, but it is enchanting just the same!
The Word in the Wilderness by Malcolm Guite
5 Stars: This is my second year reading through this book – see 2023’s review here. Bruce and I read it out loud again and decided we love George Herbert so we purchased The Temple to read more of his poems! I also found myself scribbling poems in my journal the entire season of lent – what can I say, it is inspirational!
The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple by Joanna Davidson Politano
5 Stars: I couldn’t put this book down. The truth really was elusive! Magical realism wove through the whole story causing the reader to look at the world with new eyes – engaging deeper with fact and fiction. I simply enjoyed every part of this story and it’s many twists and turns. When it ended, I wanted more. PS: Lily + Peter = Perfect!
Lent: The Season of Repentance and Renewal by Esau McCaulley
5 Stars: This was a very quick, yet informational, book on Lent (as you would expect!) I loved hearing some of McCaulley’s personal stories as he shares about the historical significance of the Lenten season. I didn’t grow up in a liturgical church but now attend one, and I am enjoying learning about these historic and seasonal markers of our faith! I really liked the idea of practicing confession during Lent by going through the 10 Commandments and the Beatitudes and asking myself if I have sinned against God in thought, word, or deed. As well as Lent as a season not simply saying no to things, but instead setting things aside to make room for what matters more. I’m eager to read the other books in this series – a bit disappointed that McCaulley didn’t write them all, but I am sure the other authors will also do a great job!
“We hope that as Christians we mature and grow and become more and more like Christ. But the church and its wisdom assumes we will fail even after our baptism. The church presumes that life is long and zeal fades not just for some of us but for all. So it has included with it’s life a season in which all of us recapture our love for God and his kingdom and cast off those things that so easily entangle us.” p6
God Always Keeps His Promises: Unshakable Hope for Kids by Max Lucado
4 Stars: I listened to this in the car with the kids. It is definitely written more like a devotional than a novel so it didn’t exactly lend well to listening/ reading all at once. That being said, it was nice to listen to it straight through over the course of a couple days as we drove around town because it connected the big story of the Bible – the old and new testament and how all the stories build off one another showing God’s faithfulness. Hilde made lots of comments about what we were listening to and it started many conversations in the car, so I say it’s a win! I would say it is probably better to read together in more of a devotional setting than listen to straight through on audiobook, but really it works either way!
Practicing Presence: A Mother’s Guide to Savoring Life through the Photos You’re Already Taking by Joy Prouty
3 Stars: Not exactly what I was expecting. A lot more memoir and a lot less photography. It came across a bit more “find all you need in yourself” than “find yourself in Christ” at the end which I didn’t love. Joy has walked through a lot of grief/ darkness and photography has helped her find the light and hope – this was the main premise of this book. There were a couple photography tips at the beginning that I put into practice which was my favorite part. Ironically, I wish there was more about motherhood and photography? It was more introspective than either of these things. I enjoyed all the photos of hers that she included but wish she commented on each of them instead of just a couple of them. I didn’t love the calls to action at the end, but did love the poems. So overall, 3 or 4 stars but mostly just not what I was expecting … but not terrible. Seeing Ann Voskamp in the acknowledgements makes sense because the language was very flowery and definitely written in a similar emotional writing style. At least it is a very pretty book to have on the shelves!
The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery by Amanda Cox
3 Stars: While being incredibly hard to read at points (miscommunication & assuming KILL ME), it was still a good story with a sweet ending. I mean, we all needed a good ending after that book! It just shows that miscommunication, bitterness, secrets, and regret can pass down generation to generation and it needs to stop with someone at some point or the cycle will continue. I truly do have a hard time with unhealthy/ dishonest mother/ daughter relationships because they do so much damage, so it was hard to enjoy the book when everyone was making destructive, annoying, and selfish choices (that weren’t even benefiting them!!) I’m grateful for the healing at the end but still hate how it took so many years away from them all. Clarence Clearwater was my favorite character and Bo was my second favorite – so yay for the steady husbands who helped these ladies!
My current count is 31 books read out of my goal of 75! Books I rated 4 or 5 stars are added to my Amazon lists here where you can look for even more recommendations. Follow me on Goodreads to see what I am reading, what I want to read, some of my favorite books, and every review I write! Any other books I should add to my list? Leave a comment and let me know!
