We’ve made it HALFWAY through 2023 and I’ve just finished my 23rd book. Here they are!
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1. A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Bachman
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Rating: 9/10
Review: This book shocked me with it’s turn from crochety old man to old man who wants to commit suicide! However, as the story unfolds, you get to know this man and come to love him. What I took from this story is that:
If you have a pulse, you have a purpose!
Ove, the main character, did not think his life had meaning, but because he made himself available, he made a positive impact on those around him.
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2. Chop wood carry water by Joshua Medcalf
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Rating: 10/10
Review: This one will be in my TOP TEN of 2023! Ted read it and gave it to me. I was hooked from the beginning. Now our sons are reading it, and I’m recommending to all my friends with teenagers. It’s a short and easy-to-read book. Each chapter is a story with an extremely valuable life lesson. LOVE THIS ONE!! A MUST READ!!
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3. Good girls guide to murder by Holly Jackson
Rating 8/10
Review: My niece read and loved this book and recommended it to me. It’s a murder mystery that has the reader intrigued from the beginning, and was hard to put down.
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4. The Remarkable ordinary by Frederick Buechner
Rating 9/10
Review: A beautiful book that’s a breath of fresh air.
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5. Mere Christianity by CS Lewis
Rating: 9/10
Review: A great book from CS Lewis about WHY he believes WHAT he believes.
God made the human machine to run on Him. We can’t be happy without him. There is no true peace without him. Many of us are trying to ‘run’ on the wrong juice.
C.S. Lewis
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Rating: 7/10
Review: There are some gold nuggets in this book, but it was buried in a lot of extra reading and research data. I did appreciate the authors warnings about being overly connected to our phones, as well as the value of “device free” time for ourselves and our children.
Having quiet space to think device free, allows us to come up with new and innovative ideas.
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7. Now You’re Speaking My Language: Honest Communication and Deeper Intimacy for a Stronger Marriage by Gary Chapman
Rating: 10/10!
Review: A phenomenal book on communication in marriage. Reading this book was like going to a marriage therapy session and just SO good. I HIGHLY recommend it to ALL married couples!!!
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8. All my knotted up life by Beth Moore
Rating: 8/10
Review: I discovered Beth Moore in the 90s and she revolutionized my understanding of scripture. I love the way Beth teaches – she makes the Bible come alive. I was excited to read her memoir, but didn’t love it as much as I love her writing about Scripture.
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9. White Fragility by Robin DeAngelo
Rating: 6/10
Review: There are some aspects about this book that I appreciated and that will make me more self-aware.
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10. The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer Holm
Rating: 9/10
Review: A fun book I read with my 5th grader. It’s the story of a middle school girl and her Grandpa, a scientist, who discovers a way to reverse aging and becomes thirteen again. I loved the relationship between the “Scientist Grandpa” and “Middle School Granddaughter.” It’s a sweet story about what they learn from each other and how they help each other. The book helps answer the question about whether “reversed aging” is as good as it sounds.
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11. We need to talk by Celeste Headlee
Rating: 9/10
Review: A great book on how to be a better listener and conversationalist.
When talking to someone with different beliefs – stay curious (don’t try to teach or convince them they are wrong). Listening doesn’t mean agreeing, it’s trying to understand.
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12. Refugee by Alan Gratz
Rating: 8/10
Review: George and I loved Ground Zero by Alan Gratz, so he picked this one up from his school library for us to read together. It shares the story of three different refugee families leaving their countries to build a better life in a new country. It helped us see some of the challenges and struggles these families dealt with and made us grateful to be born in such a great country.
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13. The boys are back in town by Phyllis Reynolds
Rating: 8/10
Review: Fun and engaging stories for kids ages 8-13.
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14. Forever young by Hayley mills
Rating: 8/10
Review: When I was growing up, Hayley Mills was my favorite actor. This was an enjoyable book about her life.
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15.The Circle maker by Mark Batterson
Rating: 10/10
Review: The author shares lots of interesting stories about the power of prayer. This book inspired me to PRAY! The author also talked about the value in setting goals:
The brain is a goal seeking organization. Setting a goal creates structural tension in your brain which will seek to close the gap between where you are and where you want to be, who you are and who you want to become.
Mark Batterson
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16. Huck Finn by Mark Twain
Rating: 9/10
Review: A classic! I read this with my sons and we enjoyed it.
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17. The Wonder of Creation by Louie Giglio
Rating: 10/10
Review: An excellent devotional for parents to read with their kids. It pairs science and faith in a beautiful way!
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18. Remarkably bright creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Rating 10/10
Review: This book was a wonderful story about a young man looking for the dad he’s never met, and an older woman who’s still grieving her lost son. The two meet and their stories intertwine in a beautiful way.
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19. Uprising by Erwin McManus
Rating: 8/10
Review: McManus challenges readers to go from self-focused to servant-leaders, and shares lots of great stories along the way. Good book, but I liked The Last Arrow (by McManus) even better.
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20. Ghost by Jason Reynolds
Rating: 9/10
Review: I read this book with my 15 year-old and we both really enjoyed it. It’s a fiction book that tells the story of a troubled kid whose nickname is “Ghost” who joins the track team. There he finds his place, his ‘family,’ and the discipline he needs to succeed.
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21. Undistracted by Bob Goff
Rating: 10/10
Review: A fantastic book that reminded me to find my peace with God, find my place in the world, and do whatever it takes to be where my feet are.
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22. Growing Grateful Kids by Susie Larson
Rating: 10/10
Review: This is a must-read for every Christian parent. It’s filled with page after page of Biblical truth and practical encouragement.
Here are 5 of my favorite quotes from this book:
- We have this one life, this short time on earth to make our mark and to make life count. We have these children in our care for a blink of an eye. NOW is the time to be engaged and fully present. Now is the time to rise up and be the parent who trains and prepares our children to become the individuals they were created to be.
- Prayer is oxygen. We breathe in the fresh life that God offers and breathe out worries and concerns.
- Refuse to give your children everything they want, but assure them that God will provide everything they need.
- When we take time to play and laugh with our children amidst the stresses of life, we send a strong message that says we believe God is in control and that he is faithful.
- God promises to give wisdom if we ask him. We need wisdom because every child is different. The Lord will show you how to parent each of your children in a way that will help him or her to grow to be the person they were created to be.
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23. Surrender by Bono
Rating: 8/10
Review: The only way to read this book is to LISTEN! Bono reads and sings his way through the story of his life. If you are a U2 fan, you will enjoy this book!
Here are two quotes and a story I loved:
“It takes great faith to have no faith.”
Bono
“The world is not so scary, if around the corner someone is waiting to walk with you on the next part of your journey.”
Bono
“When Bobby Kennedy was appointed by his brother (JFK) to be Attorney General, the black community was upset. All of MLK Junior’s associates were complaining. Martin Luther King said, “Can anyone tell me one good thing about Bobby Kennedy?” They said, “That’s what we’re telling you, there’s nothing good.“ MLK told them that the meeting was adjourned, and that their assignment was to go find one good thing about Bobby Kennedy, because that would be the door that would move the civil rights movement forward. When Bobby Kennedy died, he was a champion for civil rights. You don’t have to agree on everything. Sometimes it’s just about finding one good thing. It’s the door.”
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Those are the first set of books I’ve read this year. What about you? What are you reading and what would you recommend? Leave a comment!
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