In June, I started a little mini summer series with recommended reads. If you missed the first post, read the 4 Books I Think You Should Read This Summer (June edition).
1. Undone: Making Peace With an Unexpected Life
Do yourself a massive favor and read this book! I cannot recommend it highly enough. Michele is one of the most gifted communicators I’ve ever met, but more than that, she’s one of the most Jesus-filled people I’ve ever known. Michele’s story will inspire you, move you, and leave you feeling empowered that you, too, can face overwhelming odds and unknowns with courage and bravery.
You can read more about Michele and her journey here. I’m so grateful for her.
2. What Alice Forgot
I really enjoyed this book. While it wasn’t written from a Christian perspective and had some swear words in it, the book was well-written and really caused me to step back and examine my own marriage and relationships to see if I’m making small choices that would, over time, have devastating consequences. Highly recommended if you like novels that will really make you think and dig deep.
3. Anchored
Okay, confession time: I haven’t completely finished this book. But I’ve enjoyed it so much that I had to recommend it to you in this post. It will probably make you both laugh and cry… and you’ll wish you had enough time to read it in one sitting. But then you’ll want to make it last so that you can savor it, too! 🙂 You can read more of my thoughts on this book here.
4. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh
This book starts out a little slow and then quickly picks up the pace and becomes incredibly engaging. In fact, this has been one of our all-time favorite read alouds ever. Every single member of our family enjoyed it and was sad for it to be finished. Yes, even Jesse. 🙂 It’s a great book to read aloud and savor and enjoy as a family.
I read What Alice Forgot this year and enjoyed the story, only I can’t help but feel a little disappointed when the author adds a little spice into the mix with sensuality, especially between unmarried couples. Thankfully, it didn’t go too into detail. I’d recommend These is My Words by Nancy E. Turner, it was a really good read, I know you’ll enjoy it. I checked it out as an ebook from my local library. ~Yessel
http://www.happyhomeinthecity.com/2015/07/how-i-read-books-for-free-and-get-more.html
Thanks so much for the recommendation!
I spy Kathi Lipp! You must have taken that on your retreat. She has some pretty fab books herself. The one she co-wrote with my friend Erin came out earlier this week! Anyway, Rats of NIHM was a favorite of mine as a child. And while I liked What Alice Forgot, Big Little Lies was my favorite of Liane Moriarty’s books. But so far my most favorite book of 2015 was The Nightingale but Kristin Hannah. It was so, so good.
I love that you added “Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh”! My fourth grade teacher read that book (among several others) to my class after recess. I fondly remember that story! You have also written praise for “Cricket in Times Square”, which is another goody. Some days it would be beautiful to lounge around reading quality, elementary-age fiction ?
For a read-aloud, we are loving By the Great Horn Spoon by Sid Fleischman. It’s the perfect adventure story for boys and has added a new element to their beach playtime 🙂
My picks for summer reading are:
Summer of the Monkeys (the book, NOT the movie) by Wilson Rawls. This is the perfect read-aloud with your kids! It is a heart-warming story of a young boy growing up in the Ozarks who sets out to catch a bunch of monkeys who escaped to the bottomlands when the circus train which was carrying them overturned; he wants to win the $150 reward for doing so. There is a very special relationship between the boy and his grandpa and there are funny parts. Our family has read this aloud several times and we love it!
The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace—this is a book which encourages you in very Biblical ways to be a better wife. It helps you at the core of everything–your mind and attitudes. Every wife will be helped by this great book.
Ester Reid’s Awakening by Isabella MacDonald Alden (try your public library or Amazon has some cheap paperbacks) If you like Little Women, you will enjoy this book. It is the story of a young woman who goes to spend extended time with her cousin and as she does so she realizes that her relationship with Christ is not what she thought it was. (And, if you haven’t
read Little Women in a long time, add that to your stack!)
Crazy Busy by Kevin DeYoung–this is an excellent book to help you re-think your family’s priorities. Keven has a winsome way of writing and he admits (because of the challenges in his own family) that keeping a sane pace of life while working, raising kids, serving at church is not easy. He teaches some profound truths, though, that are rather enlightening.
Reading changes you, so READ GOOD BOOKS!
I’d recommend:
Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin
Crazy Busy by Kevin DeJoung
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (a nice beach read)
& For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn
I have been reading “The Walk” series by Richard Paul Evans. Super good!
I remember reading Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH when I was in 4th grade! I loved it, too, it was definitely a favorite. If you enjoyed this I recommend Brian Jaques’ Redwall books. We read those as family read-alouds. My oldest loved them so much he now collects them. He’s 22 and he still reads them!
I just discovered sarah addison allen and I love her! I read “the sugar queen” in one day which is something I haven’t done since before I had kids!
I loved “What Alice Forgot” and it has definitely stayed with me for the last year.
Thanks for the recommendations!! I always enjoy seeing what you’ve been reading. So far this summer I’ve read Keep It Shut by Karen Ehman (helpful but struggled to get through it), Hiding in the Light by Rifqua Bary (goes quick sad/happy read), and At Home with Madame Chic by Jennifer Scott (light reading that gave me some home inspiration..originally exposed to this author from a Ted Talk by her that you shared).
I’ve been wanting to read that book ever since I heard her Ted Talk!
I read a frugal book that I thought was worth reading….sometimes it’s hilarious at the ways folks try to be frugal—10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget by Wise Bread. Here is my review of it.https://thisgeorgiagirl.wordpress.com/2015/07/13/books-i-am-reading-this-week/
It is useful to help you get started on budgeting.
I’m so glad you recommended Mrs Frisby!! One of our favorite read-alouds for sure, and one I had never heard of until I was an adult. They simply do not write “kids” books like this anymore. A classic in our house.
I’m so glad you enjoyed Alice too. One of my favorite (secular) books for sure! 🙂
For kids (maybe 8 and up?) – I just discovered the Penderwicks series by Jeanne Birdsall. They’re sweet and fun adventures about four sisters, their friends & family, and their pets.
“Mrs. Frisby and the rats of NIMH” is one of my favorite kids books! I can’t wait till my boys are old enough to enjoy the story. There is also two other books by the author’s daughter, Jane Leslie Conly. They are “Racso and the Rats of NIMH” and “R-T, Margaret, and the Rats of NIMH”. While they aren’t quite as good as the first book (in my opinion) they still are good books.
Thanks for mentioning those. I’d read some fairly negative reviews on them so was kind of scared to try them lest they be a big disappointment!
Just started reading Lizzy & Jane. Adding these books to my wishlist. 🙂
I really like these posts.
I read typically kids books for my son or personal finance and business books 🙂
Everyone should read Still Alice. It’s a fiction book that follows a woman afflicted with early-onset Alzheimer’s. It’s heart breaking, riveting, and terrifying, as well as strangely warming. I didn’t think I would like it, but I did. You can read my full review here: http://everydaymindfulliving.com/still-alice-by-lisa-genova/
For picture books, our latest favorite is Woolbur, a fun book about a sheep who happily travels his own path. The pictures are fantastic. Full review here: http://everydaymindfulliving.com/woolbur-by-leslie-helakoski/
I’ve got Still Alice sitting on my dresser and hope to dive into it soon!
I just finished Denise Hunter’s Married til Monday. It is a fiction story about a young divorced couple and how they were able to see what went wrong in their marriage and fell back in love. Anyone who is married can relate to them because marriage takes a lot of work. I also thought the author did a great job of showcasing how we will often blame each other, when in reality we have a lot we need to work on as an individual as well. I strongly recommend reading it!
Thanks so much for the recommendation!
I highly recommend For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn. What an eye-opening book on how men think. What a difference this has make in my marriage! I plan to have my teen daughters read it.
Shaunti just released another book called Through a Man’s Eyes about the visual nature of men. Excited to finish this one.
Glad you’re reading Mrs. Frisby! Fun one. Have you read The Tale of Despereaux as a read aloud yet? Fantastic.
Awesome book list, Thanks!! I can’t wait to get reading. I just finished Bridge to Haven, loved, loved, loved that! Have a blessed day:)
I remember my older kids (now 31 and 28) watching the movie, “Secret of NIMH” and it being one of their favorites. And thanks for all the recommendations! 🙂
Tattered and Mended is a book I just finished. It was amazing. It’s about how God takes our hard times and brokenness and makes it into a piece of art.
I am so glad your family enjoyed Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. I am one of the people who recommended it to you back in the day. It was one of our favorites also. We listened to the book tape when we were on a long drive. It is very well done for those of you who need a book tape for vacation drives this summer.
I just finished reading The Kingmakers Daughter. It was very interesting.
I love that you mentioned Mrs. Frisby. We are currently reading this book as a family book!
I am also currently reading The Fringe Hours (based on your recommendation in Makeover Your Mornings) and taking it on vacation to finish reading.
LOVED Undone! Her transparency and authenticity is unmatched.
Thanks for sharing these; I’ve come to really trust your book recommendations! ?
I really loved reading The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews to my 5th graders. Older and younger kids would love it, too.
Couldn’t agree more with What Alice Forgot! I loved it! Another good one is Where did Bernadette go?