Making it a goal to read four fiction books last month helped me get more books read in July!

 
This first non-fiction book is from my 2016 reading list.

Planet Middle School by Dr. Kevin Leman.  This book had some helpful advice for parents of middle schoolers (though I feel that Dr. Leman is occasionally crude in some of his language and stories.)  I would recommend Sue Acuna’s Middle School:  The Inside Story if you were looking for an excellent book on parenting this particular age group.

I read two other non-fiction books in July.

Unstuffed by Ruth Soukup.  I really wanted to read this book after thoroughly enjoying Living Well Spending Less.  In Unstuffed, Ruth did a great job of dealing not just with decluttering in every area of your life, but in learning what to value and how to choose the possessions and pursuits that matter the most to you.

Be Satisfied by Warren W. Wiersbe.  I read a chapter of Ecclesiastes each day for a couple of weeks and used this as a companion book.  It really helped bring out some of the truths Solomon shared.

Here are the four fiction books I read last month.

Sweet Olive by Judy Christie.  This is the first book in the Trumpet and Vine series and is a small town story about interesting characters with just a little bit of mystery.  I enjoyed it so much that I moved on to the second book in the series!

Magnolia Market by Judy Christie.  This book was as good as the first one, and I’m hoping there will be a 3rd!

Miriam by Mesu Andrews.  Read my complete review of this book here.

The Witnesses by Robert Whitlow.  My husband and I have enjoyed several books by Whitlow, and I really liked this one as well.  The story switches back and forth between current day and Nazi Germany.

Have you read a good book lately?

I’ve been hearing Old Testament Bible stories since I was a toddler.  I know well the story of how God used Moses to deliver the children of Israel from Pharaoh.  I also know about Miriam – how she watched over her baby brother’s basket in the Nile River, how she led the women in praising God after crossing the Red Sea, and how she joined Aaron in criticizing Moses over his choice of a wife.

 
Mesu Andrews writes a captivating story of what might Miriam’s life might have looked like during the days of the plagues and the Israelites’ subsequent flight from Egypt.  I appreciated the research that went into this book and how the author wove other recognizable characters – such as Eleazar and Hur – into the storyline.

While the developing of the details in Miriam’s life are fictional, reading this book helped me consider those parts of the lives of Bible characters that are not revealed to us.  God chose to tell us a segment of their stories, but many of the things that happened in their lives – the daily struggles, their hopes and dreams, their understanding of how they fit into God’s plan – are not given to us.  Yet we know that they were people just like us, with strengths and weaknesses, times of faith and periods of doubt. 

I believe the overarching lesson of this book is learning to trust God – something I certainly need to be reminded of every day!  I look forward to reading more of Mesu Andrews’ books in the future.

Blogging for Books provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.  All of the opinions expressed in this post are my own and I was not compensated for this review in any other way.

My reading list is unusual this month in that I read more fiction books than non-fiction.  That almost never happens!

The first book is on my 2016 reading list; the other four were not.  All three of the fiction books were read just before or during our vacation week.

 
1.  Fervent:  A Woman’s Battle Plan for Serious, Specific, and Strategic Prayer by Priscilla Shirer.  This book on prayer reminds us of who our real enemy is and the importance of using prayer to defeat him.  Each chapter deals with a specific prayer topic, and includes verses to use in developing your own prayer for each situation.

2.  I’m Happy for You (Sort Of….Not Really) by Kay Wills Wyma.  This was a re-read; I just felt like I needed to be reminded of the truths that Kay shared in this book.  You can read my extensive review of this book here.

3.  The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin.  I actually got this young adult book to preview for my teenager, but ended up reading the whole thing myself before I passed it on to her.  It’s a Newberry Award winner, and quite a clever little mystery.

4.  The Patmos Deception by Davis Bunn.  Reading a story set on the island of Patmos was interesting and thought-provoking.  I’ve always related that location to the apostle John and his writing of Revelation, but it was neat to realize that it’s a place where people actually live today.  This book seemed a little slow at points for me….but maybe that’s because I ended up comparing it to my next read.

5.  Gold of Kings by Davis Bunn.  This was an entertaining read, with lots of adventure and mystery.  I really enjoyed this one!

What have you been reading lately?

Except for February, I think this is my year of underachieving when it comes to reading!

I finished three books in May; the first was on my 2016 reading list, but the other two were not.

 
1.  Age of Opportunity:  A Biblical Guide to Parenting Teens by Paul David Tripp.  The author encourages parents to use the teen years to prepare their children for the life ahead of them rather than to see it as a season just to be survived.  He deals a lot with promoting their spiritual growth and maturity, which begins by living a Godly example before them.

2.  What a Girl Needs from Her Mom by Cheri Fuller.  I thought this book covered the mother/daughter relationship very well!  It talks about all the different ways we can develop our relationship with our daughters.  The author has good insight into issues we will face with them.  Much of her focus is on keeping the lines of communication open.  I had gotten this book at the library, but I bought a copy for myself so that I can read it again from time to time.

3.  Living Beyond Your Capacity by Paul Chappell.  This was a helpful read about viewing the Holy Spirit as a person and acknowledging all the roles He plays in our spiritual walk as well as appreciating the work that He does in our lives.

What have you been reading lately?

I was missing in action here on the blog earlier this week as our daughters and I got to accompany my husband on a work-related trip to Asheville, NC.

We were blessed with beautiful weather!  My husband and the girls went ziplining on Monday, then we visited the Biltmore House and Gardens on Tuesday.

I’m also excited that I was able to read a few more books this month!  Here are the five that I read; only the first one was on my 2016 reading list.

• Parenting for the Launch:  Raising Teens to Succeed in the Real World by Dennis Trittin and Arlyn Lawrence.  This book is all about preparing your teens to leave home.  My favorite chapter dealt with helpful skills we can develop to communicate effectively with our teenagers.  The authors also explained changes to look for and embrace, offered advice on preparing them to make decisions and build relationships, and how we transition into guiding and influencing our children instead of telling them exactly what to do.
• Simply Tuesday by Emily P. Freeman.  Emily reminds us to embrace the small, the ordinary, and the every day; see the beauty in simple moments; and set aside time to let our souls breathe.
• Hands Free Life by Rachel Macy Stafford.  I’d read Rachel’s previous book, Hands Free Mama, but I have to say that I really prefer this book to the first one.  I highlighted a number of passages (and already shared this quote).  The nine habits she develops throughout the book are all key principles for developing a well-balanced life.  I love the personal stories she uses to illustrate each of the habits, and I left the book with a new realization of the importance of relationships.
• Meet the New You by Elisa Pulliam.  You can read my complete review of this book here.
• Murder at the Courthouse by A.H. Gabhart.  Okay, this fiction book is not as dramatic as the title sounds.  It’s a small town mystery that I enjoyed reading while we were on our trip earlier this week.  I hope to read the second one in the series soon.

Have you read any good books lately?

If you’ve ever wanted a personal life coach to guide you in changing the direction of your life, you might want to read Meet the New You:  A 21-Day Plan for Embracing Fresh Attitudes and Focused Habits for Real Life Change by Elisa Pulliam.

 
This book is laid out in 21 chapters, each with a particular theme.  The chapter opens with a couple of pages to read, followed by a “Trap and Transform” section, which gives activities that reinforce and put into practice what you’ve read.  Next, a few related questions are asked, with a place given for you to write in your answers.  Each chapter ends with a prayer.

Written from a Christian perspective, the chapter topics include such things as “order your priorities,” “discover your talents and spiritual gifting,” and “eliminate the excess and concentrate on what’s best.”  Some of the chapters have a lot of material to consider, especially if the particular topic is one you’re wanting to apply in your life, so you may want to take more than one day per chapter.  This would allow you to complete the assignments thoroughly and fully internalize the lesson being taught.

Since Elisa is an actual life coach, her perspective and guidance is helpful.  I think the book meets its goal, which is to “help you assess what your life looks like today while allowing you to gain clarity and vision about tomorrow.”

I also believe you will get out of this book what you put into it.  If you really dig in, put time and thought into answering the questions, and complete the activities given, you can gain a clearer picture of how you want to live, the habits you need to change, and clarity for a new direction in life.

Blogging for Books provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.  All of the opinions expressed in this post are my own and I was not compensated for this review in any other way.