Welcome to my weekly book update post where I share what books I read this past week + my honest thoughts and star ratings of them.
In the spirit of keeping my goals smaller and in bite-sized chunks in 2020, I decided to just pick the next few books I’m planning to read instead of trying to sort of plan out the whole year!
And then I’m planning to do a book update post every week or every other week here with reviews and thoughts on the books I finished. It’s very possible that some weeks I won’t finish any books, so I’m giving myself permission to skip a week here and there if I don’t have anything to report! 🙂
If you want to see what I’m currently reading or what I’ve read so far this year, you can check out my GoodReads account.
A Word on My Star Ratings
The star ratings I give the books I read are based on a 5-star rating system. I rarely will ever give a book a 1-star rating (maybe never?), because my philosophy is that if a book is only worthy of one star, I’m more than likely going to quit reading it. 🙂 In the same vein, you’ll also notice that I’ll rarely give a 5-star rating as I reserve those for only my very, very favorite books.
1. Awful, Beautiful Life
I love Katherine Reay’s fiction works and picked this book up solely based upon that. I wasn’t familiar with the story otherwise but I thought it sounded intriguing.
Unfortunately, the book fell flat for me. It felt like the story drug out longer than it needed and that there was a lot of filler information included just to reach a word count.
Honestly, while I think there were some encouraging things throughout the story, it seemed to get bogged down by all of the legal and financial information that kind of went on and on. Or at least that’s how it felt when I read it.
While I think it would make for an interesting article or 3-part series, I didn’t feel like there was enough meat to make it a book length work.
Verdict: 2 stars
2. Killing Patton
I was excited to listen to this via the Libby App as I had loved the other books in this series. However, I found this book harder to follow. Maybe it was because I was not at all as familiar with Patton’s story so it didn’t draw me like the stories of Reagan and Lincoln.
In addition, the book starts out by kind of giving away some of the basic facts of how Patton was killed. I felt that this ruined some of the build up and engagement that I found with the other books.
Currently, I’m listening to Killing the Rising Sun and it’s so much better and engaging than this audiobook. If I were to be asked, I’d say to skip this one and listen to Killing the Rising Sun instead (review coming next week!)
Verdict: 2 stars
3. Romancing Your Child’s Heart
Okay, lest you think I just had a really negative attitude all week when it came to life and thus the negative reviews, I saved the best for last! 🙂
Romancing Your Child’s Heart is a book I think every Christian parent should read. In fact, it’s one of the best parenting books I’ve read.
While some of the illustrations might seem a little outdated or not something that are relatable for your family (the author is very much an outdoorsman type of person and he and his wife raised their kids in the same vein), the premise of the book is something I think we all need to hear.
It’s so easy for us as parents to focus on rules-based parenting and spending our days correcting our kids instead of cheerleading them and learning to communicate well with them. And while boundaries and parameters are important, we can miss relationship in the process, if we’re not careful.
I love how the author really challenges parents to take the time and make the effort to build relationships with our kids, to listen to them, to embrace them for who God created them to be, and not to try to make them into something they aren’t or that we think they are supposed to be.
Verdict: 4 stars
Classic Movie We Watched This Week
The kids decided — all on their own — that they want to start watching one old classic movie per week together as a family in 2020. They are helping me choose the list of movies and I’ll be reporting here what we watch each week and their thoughts on it.
I plan to do a big classic movie round-up post at the end of the year with their verdict on the best and favorites of the ones we watched. (If you have suggestions of must-watch classic movies, leave them in the comments!)
This week, we watched 7 Brides for 7 Brothers. The girls thought they may have seen it before, but if so, it had been a really long time.
While it was somewhat cheesy to a few of us, everyone said they were glad that they watched it. We also loved seeing how they were creative with backgrounds back before modern movie technology!
(Kaitlynn did take issue with the references to the Sobbin’ Women bit from Plutarch’s story of the Sabine Women. “Mom, do you know what they did to those women?? It was no laughing matter!” I haven’t read Plutarch, but she has, so she helped us all understand more of the story where this originated. Which led to a great discussion on this… I love it when movies and books lead to great family discussions on important topics.)
If you like lighthearted, old musicals and can overlook some things, you’ll likely enjoy this movie. That said, I will warn you that the songs will get stuck in your head for DAYS!
What did you read this past week? Any books you think I really need to add to my long to-read list??
((This is the beginning of my list))
Our kids (age 6-16) have grown up watching classic movies and musicals with us. 7 Brides would have made the list too! Here are some my family recommends:
-Shop Around the Corner (Jimmy Stewart)
-Singing in the Rain (Gene Kelly)
-The King and I (Yul Brynner)
-Little Women
-Anne of Green Gables (Megan Follows; and sequels)
-Fiddler on the Roof
-The Music Man
-It’s a Wonderful Life (Jimmy Stewart)
Thank you so much!
This is the rest of the list my family recommends:
-White Christmas (Bing Crosby)
-Mr Deeds Goes to Town
-Mr Smith Goes to Washington (Jimmy Stewart)
-Holiday Inn (Bing Crosby/Fred Astaire)
-Sound of Music (Julie Andrews)
-Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews)
-Swiss Family Robinson
-Anchors Aweigh (Gene Kelly/Frank Sinatra)
-Holes (Shia LeBeouf; not as old and not a musical, but my kids wanted me to include it!)
-Les Miserables (Hugh Jackman; check content for your family but I put it on the list for historical content, great music, and message)
Thanks so much for sharing! We did Sound of Music last week and Swiss Family Robinson a few weeks ago. These all look like such great recommendations!
Thank you for the tips. My faves are Big Country and Beau Geste.
Thanks for sharing!
Father Goose with Carey Grant, To kill a Mockingbird are a couple others.
7 Brides for 7 Brothers is a favorite of mine.
Thanks so much!
We loved Abbott and Costello movies growing up. Also Arsenic and Old Lace.
Thanks so much for the suggestion!
How to Talk so Kids will Listen and Listen so Kids will Talk!!! This book has had a powerful effect on how I changed the way I parent. They give comic-style illustrations of specific examples(which I so appreciate!). Sometimes a book is well written but there is not a lot to bring to the table in application. When an author can make me feel like they are with me each step of the way by providing needed support throughout the book, it’s so much easier to apply! I knew this was a good book when my sister-in-law(we have such different personalities–in a good way, haha!) from across the country visited and was walking through my bedroom for the house tour, saw part of the book in my room and exclaimed, “I LOVE that book!!! It works.”
My daughter has 7 boys (ages 2 – 12) and they love 7 brides for 7 brothers. They have watched it numerous times. I don’t know if anyone mentioned “The Parent Trap” with Hayley Mills and as for old Black and Whites I love Madame X. it definitely is not a musical or a comedy but have a kleenex handy.
Thanks so much for the suggestions!!
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was a favorite when I was a kid! The Sound of Music has been mentioned a few times – one of my favorites of all time! The Wizard of Oz, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the original), The Muppet Movie, and ET are all great too!
The man that played Benjamin was the only one who wasn’t a dancer. During the dance scenes you can see him sitting out. The budget got slashed for 7 Brides so they had to shoot on a sound stage instead of on location. Their budget went to Brigadoon because the studio thought it would be more popular. It wasn’t.
So interesting! Thank you for sharing!
Penny Serenade was great!
I don’t know about the other links, but “The romancing your child’s heart” link goes to Amazon’s Killing Patton book page. 🙂
I’m excited to read the book! My word of the year is Nurture ( as in relationships, especially those with my kids). I will definitely be looking for other book recommendations that help me love and relate to my kids better this year.
Thank you for letting me know! I checked some of the links and they all seemed to be correct, but I didn’t get to that one. I’ll go fix it.
The Ghost and Mr Chicken is a funny one.
Thanks for sharing!
The Ghost and Mr Chicken is one of my favorites! Don Knotts is a hoot in it. I loved it when i was a kid also.
I watched it last year with my daughter- it is so amazingly silly, but somehow you can’t stop watching it. We still talk about it!
How about Mr. Smith Goes to Washington or 12 Angry Men?
We also watched all the Herbie, Ma and Pa Kettle, and Francis the Talking Mule movies when we were kids and found them amusing.
12 Angry Men is one of my favorites. My son (14) watched it recently and thoroughly enjoyed it as well.
“Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House” always wins with kids.
Thanks for the suggestion!
Looking for something a little different McLintock with John Wayne is a personal favorite. It is not one of his typical western but more of a romantic comedy.
I think old musicals are fantastic! Have you seen The King and I or Fiddler on the Roof? I also recommend Oklahoma and The Sound of Music.
Thank you so much for the recommendations! We haven’t watched any of those with the kids! They love musicals, so I appreciate the suggestions!
I recommend staying away from Carousel and State Fair.. much darker. Anything with Don Knotts is cute Incredible Mr Limpet, Shakiest gun in the west etc…
My kids are just now finishing up “Yours, Mind and Ours” the original version with Lucille Ball. They’re laughing out loud. It’s very fun and funny and on Amazon Prime.
Thank you for the suggestion!
I was just going to recommend this one! I love Lucille Ball 🙂
We watched “I Remember Mama” as a family and found it really moving, but funny. The kids sat through it, even though it’s in black and white. Definitely recommend!
Thanks for the suggestion!
Loved this movie growing up…If you can find Polly it’s awesome. Also Summer Magic, Meet Me in St Louis, Ann of Green Gables, The Searchers, The Inheritance, Parent Trap, Newsies, and Sound of Music are some fun ones!
Thank you for the suggestions!
Though there are obviously conversations to be had about the treatment of women and relationships, I love 7 Brides for 7 Brothers! The dance / choreography scenes are so creative. My two girls love dancing, but this gives my boys (and girls) a picture of strong, very masculine male dancers / gymnists, too!
I loved that movie as a kid. We watched that one as well as Oklahoma!
Oh! I don’t think I’ve ever seen Oklahoma!
I like Oklahoma as well but there is a really dark scene in it. I suggest reading what the plot is before showing it to your kids.
I have a love of movies. Here’s a few – Singing in the rain, Harvey, the sons of Katie Elder, Bringing up Baby, Meet me in St Louis, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Father of the Bride (original), Boys Town, Cheaper by the Dozen (original)
I second Cheaper by the Dozen and would also recommend Belles on Their Toes, the sequel!
Thank you so much for the suggestions!
I think your links are messed up!!
Which links are you referring to?
Meet me in St. Louis- definitely. It is such a hoot from start to finish. Boys Town- amazing story.
Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House.
I Was a Male War Bride.
Bringing up Baby.
There are too many to list!
Watch Pollyanna great movie and story!!
That’s on our list!