March Reads
I read an interesting article on Substack titled “Your Reading Challenge is Making you Dumber” and I actually agree with some of the points – although I am still pro-Goodreads & recording reads. When we start reading just to check off a box or sprint through a reading challenge, we might find ourselves skipping challenging books or find ourselves simply “teaching for the test.” We can start picking books based on reviews that say “easy read” or note how many pages the book boasts before choosing to read it, and without realizing it, start moving past reading for the sake of reading (to learn, to enjoy) and on to reading in order to achieve or showoff. One of the books I have slowly been reading is Ask of Old Paths by Grace Hamman. I went to a lecture at a local college (so fun right?!) where I heard her speak and have been so enjoying pushing into more of these ancient Truths – uncovering old definitions and understandings and being convicted about these virtues and vices. You won’t see this book reviewed today because I am still in the thick of it – letting it linger in my thoughts, imagination, and heart. And so I guess what I want to say to you is this: read some books slowly, gobble others up. Simply enjoy reading to learn, to grow, to enjoy. Fill your brain with good things, challenging things, convicting things, beautiful things.
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8
In the House of Tom Bombadil by C.R. Wiley
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More people need to know Tom Bombadil and more people need to love him. This book is delightful. Many things to think on as we steward our lives, gifts, and resources well – dominion, boundaries, harmony, wisdom, mastery, freedom, cultivating, and communing. A short book filled with footnotes and highlighted passages. I’m blessed that I read it.
“Limits are terribly frustrating for ambitious people. But limitless living isn’t possible; thinking it is, is a kind of trap.” (p.26)
Lasting Ever by Rebecca St. James & Cubbie Fink
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I watched the movie Unsung Hero and my love for Rebecca St. James (and her family) was reignited. As a 90’s girl growing up in a Christian home, we listened to a lot of Rebecca St. James (and my sister would always brag that they shared the same name – Rebecca!) I found this memoir of Rebecca and Cubbie to be well-written, entertaining, and most importantly, God honoring. I love reading the testimonies of long-gone saints, but I also love reading modern testimonies too!
PS: If you listen to the audiobook, they are the narrators and it feels like sitting down with a friend and hearing their whole story. I recommend!
In All Things Thee to See: A Devotional Guide to Selected Poems of George Herbert by Stephen Witmer
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Snuggle up and settle in with a collection of George Herbert’s poetry. As a small country pastor from an educated aristocrat background, Herbert used his poetry to teach and encourage his flock. He lived in relative obscurity during his time as a vicar, but his works were published after his death his words still encourage flocks to this day. This book brings together some of his best theological works and pairs them with a devotional reflection – allowing you to both savor the poem and be shepherded by the poem. One of my most favorite lines at the end of “The Agony” –
“Love is that liquor sweet and most divine.
Which my God feels as blood; but I as wine.”
A Deeper Well by Jill Eileen Smith
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I am very familiar with the story of the woman at the well but I had never thought too much about her backstory or what could possibly lead to the famous words of Jesus we pair with the story, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” When you put this into it’s historical context, it says much more about the men in her life than the woman herself as it was nearly impossible for her to initiate divorce or choose to marry again. That being said, it is so hard to read. You know that each marriage won’t last – death, divorce, abuse, infertility, stillbirth, forced marriage are all tangled up in this story. Gratefully it is one of redemption and restoration, however that is at the end of the book and as readers, we have to walk through all the hard with Nessa. I did enjoy the book and do recommend it for some, but you should know what you are getting into before you dive in. Thank to Revel Publishing for letting me read and review this book.
Uncle Jim’s Jungle Stories: The Jungle Adventures of a Missionary Kid by James R. Cook
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My husband went to church with James Cook when he was a kid (my husband was the kid, not James Cook!) and so his family had a copy of this book they passed onto us. This book is filled with incredible and amazing TRUE stories of being a missionary kid in India! Both a book of adventure and faith, you will be changed after reading it. I do desperately wish it had a better editor – someone to clean up these stories and make them shine grammatically, BUT the content is worth it anyways. The end of chapter devotionals connecting his stories with our faith today were beautiful and encouraging. This was a family read-aloud, and I recommend it for all ages!
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 1 by Beth Brower
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Interesting. This was our book club read for March as it is a book around or under 100 pages and it is all the rage on Goodreads – aka everyone and their mom is reading it. I however feel like it was only half a book, or maybe only a quarter. What happened? Not much. Do I know what is happening? A little. Do I know the characters? Emma is one, and a whole host I honestly couldn’t map out well if I had to try. And how can she remember so many conversations word for word to write down in her journal? Maybe she is gifted, maybe she just fills in the blanks and likes creating dialogue for her diary – I know not. She is a poor mistreated orphan (much like Sara Crewe or Oliver Twist) but she lacks sympathy for her plight since we live with her in her head – or her journals that is – and can see how sarcastic, snippy, broody she can be. Maybe she will grow in character throughout the series, but she also feels like a modern lady stuck in Victorian times. I’m sitting here wondering if that makes her feel more human or more fictional (I’m leaning to more fictional.)
If you want to know what is happening in the story you need to read the next chapter – I mean book – to find any conclusions or solutions. I mentioned in my book club discussion that it feels more like a tv series and less like a novel – and I stand by that. Read at your own risk knowing that to find any answers, you must keep watching each new season with the slightest of payoffs each season finale (yay, she got pretty new clothes for free!) As someone who doesn’t love how much time a tv show demands of me, I probably won’t continue this series.
The Way of Wisdom: A Study of the Book of Proverbs
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My Women’s Bible Study also wrapped up this month and we read The Way of Wisdom. It was a group effort Bible study with 6 teachers teaching separate sections. Because of this, I felt it to be disjointed at times and drastically varying in depth and understanding depending on the teacher. The best sections were taught by Jen Wilkin because she digs deep into the text and historical context (I love her studies.) I was also pleasantly surprised by Courtney Doctor’s week and would be interested in doing more from her in the future. The other teachers however felt more surface level and topical. The study itself was a lot of busy work without the need to think deeply, which was a bummer. Overall, still a good, Biblical study on the book of Proverbs and I did learn new things despite being pretty familiar with the book (the Word of God is living and active after all!)
Book Tracker: 20/52 books read in 2026. If you don’t already, follow or friend me on Goodreads where you will see what I am reading, what I want to read, my favorite books, and every review I write! I also share all the books that I have rated 4 or 5 stars on my Amazon storefront AND here is my Monthly Book Review archives where I have monthly chronicled my reading list since 2023! Always feel free to share recommendations with me in the comments too – I am a big fan of word-of-mouth!