VT Christian Reading Challenge discussion

Like I said in the July thread - I've been distracted by the local forest fire situation - but I'm still reading!

I just started Boys in the Boat - so far, I like it a lot.
I'm still reading The Shirley Letters: From the California Mines 1851-1852.
And... I'm reading on Kindle - Art Before Breakfast by Danny Gregory!

I like all these books. I'd love to hear what you're reading this month.

I love Boys in the Boys in the Boat! We are traveling so I’ve been reading less. I did pick up Forever Boy and so far it looks like a promising read!

I finished Pilgrim's Progress and enjoyed most of it but the last fourth seemed to drag on.

I am starting X Multiply Your God-Given Potential by John Bevere for my last Christian Living title.

I am starting X Multiply Your God-Given Potential by John Bevere for my last Christian Living title."

I looked up this book. One of the comments mentioned him speaking at a conference, so it could work for that prompt too... and it is one of the prompts I haven't done yet.

Today I finished Art Before Breakfast by Danny Gregory and replaced it with another art book I have on Kindle (from Overdrive) - Keep Going, by Austin Kleon. I used Art Before Breakfast for prompt 42: "A book about something fun."

I always have at least three books in progress: Kindle, audio, and a physical book.

I really like your plan..three books, three different formats. I just picked up I Can’t Believe You Just Said That by Ginger Hubbard on Kindle.

Best, Worst and Surprise...

I finished nine books this month.

Best: The Shirley Letters: From the California Mines 1851-1852, by Louise Amelia Knapp Smith Clappe. This is a collection of 23 letters written by a doctor's wife to her sister on the East Coast. Louise lived at Rich Bar, then Indian Bar, and wrote detailed letters about what life was like in these rural camps. An enduring classic. Not Christian.

Worst: Criss Cross, by C.C. Warrens - this is called Christian fiction but I would not call it Christian. It was more about a serial murderer and his stalking victim, a Christian young lady who continually made stupid, self-centered, impulsive decisions putting herself and others in harm's way. The only Christian thing about this book was that the girl occasionally had Christian thoughts, but only briefly, and they didn't tie into the plot of the novel.

Surprise - I can't say anything really surprised me this month... except how bad Criss Cross was.

Good: The Magician’s Nephew. This is probably my least favorite of the Narnia Chronicles. The writing feels like it’s just a vehicle for the purpose of making a few connections to first book. That said, I have appreciated going through it slowly with my kids and discussing it. We compare characters and some of their choices. It’s been really fun.

Better: Forever Boy. I am just a softy for memoir! The ability to peek into someone’s life and hear what they were thinking is powerful to me. So when I got to read a story of a mom struggling with a boy with severe autism, it was a glimpse into something very sacred. I found that, as a mom, I could relate to so many things. Hopes and dreams, embarrassments and worries, struggles and hardships are all common to the lot of all of us. What I didn’t expect was how much I respected her for her choice to raise her son herself and pour into him. Such a constant battle that she took on for his sake. What a true picture of Jesus.

Best: Eve’s Daughters. This was also a surprise. I have enjoyed Lynn Austin books in the past, but that was historical fiction. This was such a beautiful blend of past and present and explored so many themes common to us women, that I was truly captivated. Something to come back to.

The Magician's Nephew was the first Narnia book I read to my children. I too love memoirs......... and love reading Lynn Austin's books. I've never read a Lynn Austin book I didn't like.

Happy September. I have finished the list. Yes

Best: Arcade and the Fiery Tester by Rashad Jennings. This is the latest book in a Christian fantasy coming of age series about a middle school boy who moves to New York and finds a token that has the power to take him on a journey. I enjoyed the entire series and it got better as it went on.

Worse: The Familiars by Adam Epistein. Tell a story about the familiars of wizards but the world was too strange for me to get my head around.

Surprise: The #1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. I was expecting a more straight forward detective story but the bookend collection of short stories was still very enjoyable.

Congratulations Ian - on finishing the 2022 Challenge!!!!!
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I still have 22 books to read. August was not my best reading month!

Good, Better, Best...

Quite a few of my fun reads this month were ARCs from Netgalley and a lot of fiction. We've been at the lake a lot, enjoying the last of summer til school begins for the kiddos.

Good: Word of Honor the second book in this series; Christian fiction.

Better: Secrets of the Sonnets historical fiction, a mystery to discover some of Shakespeares missing sonnets. Also, The Secrets of Emberwild historical fiction about a girl who loves her ranch and an old murder that comes to light.

Best: Wyoming Wild A Western mystery and Beneath His Silence a gothic regency mystery.

Sorry, couldn't nail it down to just three.

Christabelle, I added Forever Boy to my list. I don't usually love memoirs but I'd like to give it a try! (perhaps also to help friends who struggle with autistic children.

Ian, I've read one of the Ladies Detective Agency. We've lived in Tanzania and Kenya, so it just gave me all the home-y feels.

Linda, I was intrigued by the Shirley Letters I'm gonna consider it too!

Thanks for your recommendations, I appreciate all your sharing :)

Amber, I can’t remember where they are, but I was listening aloud with my kids around and realized there were a few mild oaths. She has faith sprinkled throughout, but its not the driving force of her life. That said, I really like her honesty. I’ve had a few acquaintances with autism and I’ve been shy to try to ask personal questions. This opened up that world some and gives some depth into some of the joys…and challenges… of that life.

Linda, We are excited for the next book! It is so l’un to share beloved reading with our kids, isn’t it? I couldn’t help but think of my mom when I read this Lynn Austin book! My mom recommended several of hers and always loved a good story. We would swap recommendations and it was super fun to see what she was reading!