1. Power of Place by Daniel Grothe 10/10

2. Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan 10/10

3. Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate 10/10

4. Ground Zero by Alan Gratz 10/10 (Read with George)

5. The Self-Driven Child

6. Bear Town by Fredrik Backman

7. The Wise Woman Knows by the Help Club for Moms

8. The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

9. 10 Rules for Resilience by Joe De Sena 9/10

10. Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis 9/10

11. Will by Will Smith 6/10

12. Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets by Andy Stanley 10/10

13. Think Again by Adam Grant 9/10

14. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate 8/10

15. The Choice by Dr. Edith Eger 10/10

16. I guess I Haven’t Learned that Yet by Shauna Niequist 10/10

17. Hiding in the Light by Rifqa Barry 10/10

18. I, Dred Scott: A Fictional Narrative about the Life of Dred Scott by Shelia Moses 9/10

19. Wishtree by Kathleen Applegate (with Clark) 8/10

20 through 23. The Boys Start the War series by Phylis Naylor Reynolds (with Paul) 8/10

24 through 26. The Bad Guys series by Aaron Blabey (with Luke) 10/10

27. Davy Crocket by Janet Benge 9/10

28. I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron 6/10

29. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 9/10

30. Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund 7/10

31. What Happened to You? by Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey 10/10

32. Let’s Roll by Lisa Beamer 10/10

33. Daniel Boone by Janet and Geoff Benge

34. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 10/10

35. Parenting your Ninth Grader by Kristen Ivy and Reggie Joiner 10/10

36. Wit and Wisdom 8/10

37. Taste by Stanley Tucci 7/10

38. Waymaker: Finding the way to the life you’ve always wanted by Ann Voskamp 6/10

39. Allies by Alan Gratz 8/10

40. William Booth by Janet Benge 9/10

41. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver 9/10

42. Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri 10/10

43. Fostered by Tori Hope Peterson 10/10

44. Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan 8/10

45. Mental Toughness for Young Athletes by Troy Horne 7/10

46. A Burning in My Bones by Winn Collier 7/10

47. The Furious Longing of God by Brennan Manning 10/10

48. Douglas MacArthur by Janet Benge 10/10

49. Ronald Reagan by Janet Benge

50. Take Back Your Life by Levi Lusko

51. Personal History by Katharine Graham 10/10

52. You’re Not Listening by Kate Murphy

53. On Writing by Stephen King

54. The Passion Translation – My father-in-law gifted this Bible to me, and I’ve been reading it throughout the year.

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In the next post I will share my top ten favorites of 2022! In the meantime, you can check out my favorite books of 2021 by clicking here!

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Please subscribe or Follow me on GoodReads for all my book reviews.

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Amazon is having a Buy 2 Get 1 free sale right now! Get one for yourself and a couple for Christmas gifts.

Take Back Your Life by Levi Lusko

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Rating: 10/10

Review: This book is one of the best I’ve read all year and is PACKED with goodness. If you just read one book in the next 6 months – pick this one! Get it for someone you love too.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes:

• Thoughts are like trains, they take you somewhere. Instead of stopping a thought, REPLACE it. You have to actively FEED the POSITIVE and STARVE the negative.

• You will FEEL how you speak and FIND what you seek

• Public victory comes from private discipline.

• God loves the people in your life so much that He put YOU in their lives. He gave you a means to communicate with them so they could be better off because they encountered YOU!

• Smile and you’ll eventually feel better. Your body doesn’t know why you are smiling but will respond.

Here is an interesting Ted Talk with more info on this:

Do yourself a favor and GET THIS BOOK!!

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On Writing by Stephen King

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Rating 8/10

Review: I like to read books by successful writers on how to be a better storyteller. This is part memoir and part advice. I found it interesting and helpful.

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You’re Not Listening by Kate Murphy

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Rating: 10/10

Review: I read this book because I really want to improve my listening and communicating skills. The author does a great job in educating the reader on the art of listening and how necessary it is for life. This book encouraged me in HOW to be a better listener. I want to read this one again, there is a lot to learn and implement.

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Ronald Reagan by Janet Benge

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Rating: 9/10

Review: A very interesting biography about Ronald Reagan. I already liked this man – and this book reminded me why.

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What have you been reading? Leave me a comment!

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Daniel Boone by Janet and Geoff Benge

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Rating: 10/10

Review: This was a fascinating story and history lesson about the great hunter and explorer, Daniel Boone. It gave interesting insight into what life was like in the 1700s. It made me grateful that I wasn’t born in that time, and also grateful for how hard our forefathers worked to pave an easier road for the rest of us! I recommend this to families taking a road trip. Great for ages 10 and up.

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The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

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Rating: 10/10

Review: I was at a parent-teacher conference with my son’s reading teacher, and she had a sign posted of her favorite books of all time – and this one was on the list. I’m not sure why I’ve never read this classic book…but I glad I finally did. I was transported back in time 100 years and enjoyed Fitzgerald’s writing.

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Parenting your Ninth Grader by Kristen Ivy and Reggie Joiner

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Rating: 10/10

Review: This is more a journal than a typical book. The goal is to get you thinking and give you ideas about how to connect with and invest in your child. There’s a book for every age and grade level!

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Wit and Wisdom

Rating: 8/10

Review: How weird am I that I read an entire book of quotes? Well, what can I say, I love a good quote. We will call this ‘research’ for future posts. 🙂

Here are just 3…

Wit, by itself, is of little account. It becomes of moment only when grounded on wisdom

Mark Twain

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Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.

James M. Barrie

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In matters of style, swim with the current, in matters of principle, stand like a rock.

Thomas Jefferson

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Allies by Alan Gratz

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Rating 8/10

Review: I was excited to read this book with George. I have a great uncle who was a paratrooper on D-Day, and I wanted to read about what the experience may have been like for him. My only complaint about the book is that the author introduces so many characters that it’s a little hard to keep track of who’s who. Overall though, this book makes you feel like you are storming Normandy beach. The author captures the intensity of the day without being overly graphic. Great book for teens or those interested in D-Day or WW2.

We’ve been making lots of memories and spent most of the month outside, so I only finished two books, but they were great ones.

Here they are:

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The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

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Rating: 9/10

Review: I loved “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” by Kingsolver and wanted to read another one of her books. This novel is about a family who moves to Africa to be missionaries. You see each of their struggles as they navigate this new world – and discover how it impacts them over the course of their lives. It was a really well-written, interesting story.

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Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri

Rating: 10/10

Review: This book will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading it. You will laugh, cry, be filled with joy by people’s kindnesses, and be astonished at people’s cruelty. Most of all I think it will give you hope. It caused me to examine to my faith, gain perspective on a refugee family’s experiences, and learn about the Persian culture. It gave me new ways to pray for refugees in the world today. I recommend it to anyone 14 or older. This book is a gift to anyone who reads it!

What are you reading? Leave a comment!

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Here are reviews of 4 great books I read this month:

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What Happened to You? by Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey

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Rating: 10/10

Review:

This book is outstanding! I listened to the audio book (SO GOOD) but now I want to get the hard copy and re-read it, underline, highlight, and take notes! 

Dr. Perry discusses the effects of trauma on the brain. The book is filled with real-life stories of how a person’s childhood effects who they and how they act, as well as how people recover from trauma. I even discovered new things about myself and why I act or react in certain ways. 

The book encourages us to stop asking “What’s wrong with you?” and start asking, “What happened to you?”

“What happened to you?” is not a faith-based book, but I love how Dr. Perry highlights the power of ‘faith’ and being a part of a ‘faith-community’ as one important step in recovering from all kinds of trauma.

I highly recommend this book to every teacher, counselor, law enforcement officer, nurse, and pastor.

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Let’s Roll by Lisa Beamer

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Rating: 10/10

Review:

The 20th anniversary of 9-11 got me thinking about the lives of those who were greatly impacted by that terrible event. I ordered this book last September and it’s been on my shelf for almost 10 months. I finally opened it up and read the ENTIRE book in ONE day.

The story is written by Lisa Beamer, the wife of Todd Beamer. Todd died on 9-11 when his plane went down in a field as he and a few others fought back against their plane’s hijackers.

As I read about Todd’s early life, he reminded me of my son Clark – and their mutual love for athletics and sales. I enjoyed getting to know what kind of man Todd was before 9-11, and what his wife’s life was like in the year after he died. I’d really love for her to write a follow up book about her life since writing this book. I wonder how she survived as a widow and single mom. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in 9-11.

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Waymaker: Finding the way to the life you’ve always wanted by Ann Voskamp

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Rating: 6/10

Review:

I had really high expectations for this book since Ann Voskamp’s first book, One Thousand Gifts, was my favorite of 2018. Unfortunately, I didn’t connect with this new one in the same way. In Waymaker, Ann shares the story of her marriage, her health, and about the adoption of their daughter. The stories aren’t told sequentially and she jumps around a lot. So that, plus her poetic-style of writing, made it hard for me to follow along and stay engaged.

In spite of that, there were some really powerful quotes in the book. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Detours are the way dreams and destinies actually come true.
• God delights in you, smiles over you, seeks to be with you, revives you with his kiss of Grace and can’t stop singing love songs because of you.
• Even when I don’t feel it, I am Father-held, His everlasting arms around all my needs.
• Lament can be tears that water new life.
• God signs his inconspicuous signature everywhere: everything is a sign post that points to his love.
• The purpose of reading scripture is not to become good, but to be with Goodness Himself. Not to get God to love you, but to fall in love with God.
• There is a reason why God is called The Way. He makes roads you wouldn’t have dreamed of, miracles happen exactly where you never would have imagined. 
• Marriages are fragile things, not an accomplishment to be proud of, but a miracle to give thanks for.

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William Booth by Janet Benge

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Rating: 9/10

Review:

This is a biography of William Booth, the man who started the Salvation Army. William was born in England in the 1800s. He had to quit school at age 13 to help provide for his poor family. As he grew older, he had a strong desire to teach people about God. His heart was for the poorest of the poor. First he began meeting their spiritual needs, but also found ways to meet their physical needs.

William Booth opened factories to give work to the unemployed. Government leaders toured his facilities and created laws for ‘safer working conditions’ once they saw how well his factory was run compared to others. Booth published articles, books, and traveled the world to teach and inspire others to help the poor.

Thousands of people throughout the world, became part of the “Salvation Army” whose mission was to meet the spiritual and physical needs of the poor. Some of his work still continues to this day.

I was fascinated by how much resistance William Booth and the Salvation Army got, mostly because it was ‘un-conventional.’ They seemed to be buffered at every turn. However, they kept moving forward, trying to find more ways to help those in need. The challenges didn’t cause them to give up, but actually made them stronger, more resilient, and even more effective.

Though William Booth started with nothing, he earned an honorary doctorate from Oxford, was lauded by Winston Churchill, and had friendships with two US presidents.

I was inspired by this book and the positive impact that one person can make in the world. Click here to read a brief summary of the social impact his daughter had in the United States.

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What have you been reading? Leave a comment!

Click here to read a list of my top ten favorite books of 2021.

I finished five books this month = 3 memoir/biographies + 1 fiction + 1 non-fiction. I share my reviews and recommendations below. I’d love for you to leave a comment if you’ve read something interesting lately!

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Taste by Stanley Tucci

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Rating: 7/10

Review: This book made me want to eat large bowls of pasta. I was hungry the whole way through. I started reading the hard copy, but when I saw that Stanley Tucci reads the audio version, I switched to listening to HIM read the book to ME…his voice…so good. The only reason you may want the hard copy of this book is to see the recipes. There’s a pasta/zucchini recipe that Stanley describes in the book that I’m dying to try. I think Stanley is a great actor, and LOVED him in the movie Julie and Julia, so I was looking forward to reading his book. However, it wasn’t your typical autobiography. He told more stories and details about FOOD than his actual life. He shared briefly that his first wife died of cancer and left him with three young children – but never went into any detail about this part of his life. He met his second wife (Felicity Blunt), at her sister Emily’s wedding. Overall the book was interesting, but I’d recommend his “Searching for Italy” series over the book.

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Davy Crocket by Janet Benge

Rating: 9/10

Review: Another great biography about a man from history. I was fascinated by what life was like during that era. So simple, yet so challenging. I’m grateful for this glimpse into his life and how hard he worked to take care of his family, and to make America a great place to live. He died defending our country.

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I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron

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Rating: 6/10

Review: I feel bad about this book. Nora tried to write a funny book about aging, and while there were funny parts, overall, this book left me feeling bad. If you are a Nora Ephron fan, what book would you recommend that I read that’s better than this one?

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The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Rating: 9/10

Review: A unique story of a young foster girl living in Nazi Germany through World War 2. The book is narrated by Death, who crosses her path more than once, and tells the story of her struggles as she grows from a child to a teenager. I’m looking forward to watching the movie now that I’ve read the book, I’ll post my thoughts on which is better in my next “Movie or Book” post.

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Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund

Rating: 7/10

Review:

This book had extremely high reviews, so I had high expectation and thought I’d love it. While there were some beautiful parts, I found it a little dry and had a hard time getting through it. A similar book that was much more enjoyable to read was “What is God Like?” by SJ Hill.

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Hiding in the Light by Rifqa Barry

Rating: 10/10

Review: A beautifully written autobiography from a girl who left Islam to become a Christ-follower. She wrote about the struggle she endured because of that decision. Her family thought it would be better for her to be dead than to become a Christian.

Because I have grown up knowing Jesus, there are certain things I take for granted – this book reminded me HOW MUCH I have to be grateful for. The author points out how in her Islam faith, it was mostly rules and traditions. She said multiple prayers, at specific times each day, in a language she doesn’t speak.

The author was shocked to learn that Christians can pray anytime, in words they understand. She loved praying to a God she knew would listen…to a God who answers prayer. She discovered a freedom in Christ she had never experienced before. A joy she had never felt. The deep, experiential love of God, an indescribable peace, and an enduring strength.

I loved this book and highly recommend it, especially if you are curious about the differences between Islam and the Christian faith.

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I, Dred Scott: A Fictional Narrative about the Life of Dred Scott by Shelia Moses

Rating: 9/10

Review: When I heard that Dred Scot lived at Fort Snelling in Minnesota, I wanted to hear more about his life and what brought him here. I listened to this short, but interesting, historical audiobook on my free Hoopla app. The book is fiction, but based on research the author has done on the life of Dred Scot. It shares the challenges of a man who was born a slave, and how hard he (and others) fought for freedom.

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Wishtree by Kathleen Applegate (with Clark)

Rating: 8/10

Review: “Red” is an oak tree that’s over 200 years old. He narrates the story from his point of view. Once a year, Red becomes the “wishtree” when people write their wishes on scraps of cloth and tie their wishes onto his branches. Red has seen many things in his life, and shares some of those stories with the reader. When he thinks he’s about to be cut down, his final ‘legacy’ is helping two unlikely kids meet and become friends. This story is written for children around the ages of 8-14.

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The Boys Start the War Series by Phylis Naylor Reynolds (with Paul)

Rating: 7/10

Paul’s teacher read the first book in this series aloud to the class, then Paul asked if we could get the other books in the series from the library. We’ve been slowly making our way through each book. They are cute stories, and Paul enjoys them. The books are about a family of four boys and another family of three girls, and the silly pranks they pull on each other.

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The Bad Guys series by Aaron Blabey (with Luke)

Rating: 10/10

Review: After Luke saw The Bad Guys movie with his Nana, he brought home the first book in this series from his school library and asked if we could read it together. It’s the story of some animals who are usually ‘scary’ or considered “the bad guys” (a shark, wolf, tarantula, snake & piranha), who are working hard to become the “good guys.”

The books are really entertaining. I’m enjoying this series as much as Luke is. The chapters are short and an entire book can be read in 30-45 minutes.

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Click here to read my TOP TEN reads from 2021.

What have you been reading lately? Leave a comment!

I don’t always finish five books in one month, but did this month because:

1. The weather’s been cold and wet. Bad for exploring, great for reading.

2. I got to tag-a-long with Ted on a work trip and did a lot of reading by the pool (it was amazing).

3. The first book listed was a short one.

4. I’ve been reading Think Again, and the Ivan book, slowly over the several months, and finally finished them both this month.

5. Two books were so good I couldn’t put them down, and stayed up way too late to finish them.

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Here are my reviews of the five books I finished in April:

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Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets by Andy Stanley

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Rating: 10/10

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Review: SO MUCH wisdom packed into this short book. It’s wonderful, and HARD to read/listen to as Andy asks some really tough questions. I recommend this one to anyone who wants to grow in their character and decision making ability!

Here are 8 points that really impacted me:

1. Private decisions almost always have public outcomes. If you have children, the outcomes of your decisions are outcomes somebody you love will be forced to live with.

2. Your legacy, your mark on the future, are determined by the decisions you make. 

3. What story do you want told about you? The good news is, YOU get to decide – one decision at a time. 

4. The decisions you make in the VALLEYS are the stories you tell on the mountain. 

5. When confronted with anything or anybody that has a strong emotional appeal, press pause, not play.  

6. Paying attention to that unexplainable, seemingly irrational tension, is important for all of us. I will pause even when I can’t pinpoint the cause of my hesitation. I will explore, rather than ignore my conscience.  

7. Ask: what is the wise thing to do. Regret is always preceded by unwise decisions.

‘In light of my past experience, my current circumstances and my future hopes and dreams, what is the wise thing to do? ‘

Andy Stanley

8. Jesus did not leverage His God-card. He leveraged His example – how He loved. What does love require of me? 

Write a story you are proud to tell.

Andy Stanley

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Think Again by Adam Grant

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Rating 9/10

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Review: This book is filled with interesting stories and humor. Adam presents a case for why it’s helpful to be a lifelong learner and open to change vs. someone who is ‘set in their ways’ or a ‘know-it-all.’

Here are 9 points from the book that stood out to me:

1. Cognitive laziness – hanging onto old views over the difficulty of grappling with the new ones.

2. We listen to views that make us feel good instead of ideas that make us think hard.

3. We often favor feeling right over being right.

4. Scientific thinking favors humility over pride and curiosity over closure.

5. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it think.

6. A successful relationship requires regular rethinking. For example: Learning not to be late. Or, being open to moving and planting roots in a new community. 

7. People find happiness when they prioritize social engagement over independent activities.

8. It’s our actions – not our surroundings – that bring us meaning and belonging.

9. Be a lifelong learner. Learn something new from each person you meet.

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Click here and leave a comment if you’d like to win a copy of Think Again!

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The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

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Rating 8/10

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Review: After finishing Home of the Brave with Clark, I decided to check out this book by the same author. I read it with my younger two boys who are animal lovers. It’s a sweet story of friendship between an ape and an elephant.

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The Choice by Dr. Edith Eger

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Rating: 10/10

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Review: An outstanding book written by a survivor of Auschwitz. She writes about her escape “physically” from prison, and how she later learned to escape the prison of the mind. She is the female version of Victor Frankl (Man’s Search for Meaning). There are parts of this book that are really hard to read, but it’s also a book filled with hope and redemption.

The sign above the entrance to the author’s prison camp in Aushwitz says: Arbeit Macht Frei, meaning: Work Will Set You Free.

Dr. Eger writes:

Work has set me free. Not the work the Nazis meant, but the inner work. Of learning to survive and thrive, of learning to forgive myself, of helping others do the same. When I do this work, I am no longer a prisoner. I am free.

Dr. Eger

Here are a 10 gold nuggets I pulled from the book:

1. You can live in the prison of the past, or you can let the past be a springboard that helps you reach the life you want now.
2. Get the feelings out. Expression is the opposite of depression. You can’t heal what you don’t feel.
3. You can’t feel love and fear at the same time.
4. It’s easier to hold someone or something else responsible for your pain than to take responsibility for ending your own victimhood.
5. How easily we can cling to – worship- the choice we think we could or should have made.
6. Our painful experiences aren’t a liability, they are a gift. They give us perspective and meaning, an opportunity to find our unique purpose and strength.
7. Doing what is right is rarely the same as doing what is safe.
8. The biggest prison is your own mind. In your pocket is the key: the willingness to take absolute responsibility for your life, the willingness to risk, the willingness to release yourself from judgment and reclaim your innocence, excepting and loving yourself for who you really are – human, imperfect, and whole.
9. No one can take away from you what you put in your mind.
10. Freedom is accepting what is, forgiving ourselves, and opening our hearts to discover the miracles that exist right now.

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You can’t change what happened, you can’t change what you did or what was done to you. You can choose how you live right now. You can choose to be free.

Dr. Edith Eger

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I guess I Haven’t Learned that Yet by Shauna Niequist

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Rating: 10/10

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Review: I already know this will be in my TOP TEN list for the books I read in 2022. I loved every.single.page. Shauna is such a phenomenal story teller. Each chapter is a story from her life, and what she’s learning in that story. I cried, I laughed, I stopped to think, pray, and express gratitude. Read this book.

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Thanks for reading these reviews. Which of the books listed above do you want to read? Leave me a comment!