Another month down and we are fast approaching the end of the year! My goal for this year is to read 75 books and at this point (including this lot!) I am at 71 so there is a good chance I will reach and even surpass my goal! Wahoo! I don’t really have much else to prattle on here about, so lets just get into the book reviews!
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (Focus on the Family)
5 Stars: I listened to the audio drama of Little Women by Focus on the Family in the car with the kids and it was positively wonderful. This was my first time reading the book/ listening to the story and it is enchanting – no wonder it is a classic! My 6-year-old attached herself to Jo and was very caught up in her storyline and journey. She was so excited in the end when she gets engaged too! and now she wants to grow up to be an author just like Jo! While a bit heavy at times (civil war, scarlet fever, death) it allowed for some great conversations in the car and exposure to a family (that in many ways is like our family) but living in another time in history with different challenges, joys, and expectations. I cannot wait to read the next books in this series!
PS: This is the link to the hardcover book I own.
The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald
5 Stars: My husband read this book to my girls earlier this year and I felt left out. Especially because the girls play a game called “Princess Irene” where they take yarn and string it all around the house and then follow it out of the tunnels. George MacDonald is a fantastic storyteller and the way he weaves stories together is truly magical. The language may feel old and antiquated but in fact it gives life to the imagination and explodes language and storytelling in the minds (and mouths) of little hearers! This story has so much to offer the child as well as the adult reader. I cried and laughed.
PS: This is one of the best versions of the book I have seen! Great illustrations and formatting!
All We Thought We Knew by Michelle Shocklee
5 Stars: I have been devouring all of Michelle’s Tennessee themed books this year! This one is the newest and I preordered it so that I could read it right away! I was afraid that the more “modern” timelines (aka Vietnam War) would be less interesting to me, however I really enjoyed it! I was invested in both the WWII timeline and the Vietnam one. I found it so interesting to see how they connected and I learned more about the history of the wars specifically from a TN perspective! The characters were amazing and real and moments were heartbreaking and encouraging. Michelle does an amazing job of weaving two stories and timelines together while capturing your heart and imagination. Honestly, it is another great one and I cannot wait to read the next book she writes!
The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry by Anna Rose Johnson
4 Stars: This is my second book from this author. I liked The Start That Always Stays so much that this book was a bit of a let down. I think it will be more fun to read it out loud with my girls than on my own. I just couldn’t get into the main character and her storyline. I know she has had a hard life, but I just felt that she was very unlikable. It was hard for me as the reader to be on her side and follow her motivations which made the book feel a bit as though it dragged on. This review sounds worse than it was, it is still fun and middle grade, but just not as captivating.
The Color of Home of Kit Tosello
4 Stars: This was a cute read! I enjoyed the storyline. While pretty predictable, it was also very heartwarming. This is a dual perspective story (same timeline) and I didn’t think that worked as well as it could have. Audrey’s voice and perspective really lead the story while Daisy’s just felt extra, clunky, and unneeded. We got to learn more about Daisy through her thoughts but that was about it. In many ways, the story progresses as you would expect but it is always encouraging seeing your characters make better choices and confidently trust the Lord with their lives and plans. Overall, a quick and easy read!
The Blooming of Delphinium by Holly Varni
3 Stars: Not my kind of book. I felt like the premise that the main character could smell a flower or plant on everyone and have it mean something about their character to be so weird. And since it is a huge part of the storyline, it is talked about ad nauseam. I also didn’t feel like the main character is very likable, in the first several chapters you just hear her complain about everyone – the old men who are her friends, the guy who comes into her shop – does she like anyone I wonder? I think because these two things, I had a hard time getting into the story and it just felt pretty flat to me. It has a happy ending (I guess) but I wasn’t too invested in it to care as much as I would have liked.
According to my Goodreads tracker, my current count is 71/75! All books that I have rated 4 or 5 stars are added to my Amazon lists here where you can look for even more recommendations than just this monthly list! 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!
