19 hours ago
Fall is in the air, and I am ready to mix up my reading stack so I can prioritize all my coziest books - but first I have to get this post out of the queue! Getting caught up on sharing my reading is something that has been weighing on my mind for quite some time. It was a good reading summer for me, and every time I got ready to share this post I put it off so I could finish just one more book and add it. Clearly that was a mistake, because this book post has ended up being rather long, but I think most of you bookish people won't mind too much.
A Gentle Tyranny by Jess Corban - These first two books are a short series set in a dystopian future. A couple hundred years in the future, after women have suffered ever-increasing abuses due to rampant immorality, most of Earth's population is intentionally wiped out and a Matriarchal society is started with only "gentled" men - men with no testosterone. This new society is named Nede, which is Eden spelled backwards, and Reina Pierce, the granddaughter of the current Matriarch starts to see that things are not quite right in their supposedly idyllic society. She has established friendships with various "Gentles", and as she competes to take over the matriarchy, she truly sees the brutality the Gentles suffer through - but surely Gentles are still better than the "Brutes" of old, right?
A Brutal Justice by Jess Corban - At the end of the first book, Reina discovers that there are "Brutes" (ie. men with their testosterone intact) living in the jungle, and they aren't at all like she thought they were. Now she must find a way to help the Brutes, and the Gentles, who she discovered were not born that way as she was always told, but were made into the frail creatures they are. A running theme through these books is that people choose whether to be monsters or have virtue, and either Brutes or women can become evil if they so choose. The only characters in the book that don't appear to have any capacity for malice are the Gentles, which is also my main gripe with the book. Let's be realistic here - people can be wicked with or without hormones, so I thought the author should have written the "Gentles" in a more balanced way, because males with no testosterone would still be capable of sin, betrayal, etc. The author says she is a Christian, so I think she should have been realistic about the sinfulness of all humans, including her fictional, altered Gentles. Overall though, this series was a very interesting concept, and I quite enjoyed it. The ending was really nicely done - I feel that so many dystopian books end on a somewhat hopeless note, and this one didn't. Content Notes: Reina does murder someone for the "greater good", though she is tormented by her decision. There are some references to the birds and the bees as part of the plot, but not explicit at all. Vague references to same-sex relationships, which are against the culture of Nede. Violence, especially in the second book, but not excessively described. There is some mythology/false religion built up around Nede, and Reina uses a false goddess's name as a curse word.
Wingfeather Tales by Various Authors - This is a book of short stories surrounding the land of the Wingfeather Saga, which I reviewed here. I quite enjoyed this collection of short stories! So many of them perfectly captured the feel of Aerwiar, and added alot of intrigue to an already interesting world. Collectively, some of the stories reminded me of different elements of Narnia, while still being completely their own.
The only story that I'm really not sure what I think of is the last one entitled "Beyond The Edge Of The Maps". I noticed online that this story had alot of mixed reviews, and I can see why. Spoilers Ahead: The story starts out quite dark and hopeless, and I think goes on for a bit too long, though it is written quite well (aside from some intentional run-on sentences, which as a style choice on which I will reserve judgement). The main character of the story is going on a quest to question his Maker, with accusations of injustice since the man has lost his daughter. But he never makes it up the One Mountain on which the Maker is said to dwell, because he realizes he is unworthy to bring an accusation because of a choice he made (though he is quite self-righteous up until that point).
The story ends with a glimpse into the fate of the man's daughter and the afterlife of this world of Aerwiar, but I will say that I wasn't satisfied with how the spiritual questioning element was tied together...or with how redemption is accomplished in this fictional world since the man never really makes peace with the Maker, but is still in paradise in the end. Andrew Peterson is a Christian, and though Aerwiar is it's own world (kind of like Narnia), spiritual principles were woven into the original books in a creative and meaningful way that were also mostly in line with Scripture (at least on a surface level). This last story departs from that pattern a bit, and I found myself confused about what the underlying message or principle was supposed to be, aside from possibly the fact that there are things we will never understand on the earth. I'm probably thinking too much into it. So yes, I nearly gave up on the last story, but at the same time, it is also the story that has me thinking the most, so maybe that says something. Content Notes: The main character in the last story considers suicide.
Only The Beautiful by Susan Meissner - This is an interesting story about how people were forcibly sterilized in California in the early 1900's, which is a travesty. Rosanne, who has synesthesia, works in a vineyard with her family, until they are killed in an accident. She is taken in by the vineyard owners as a foster child, but really ends up being their made. She is taken advantage of by the husband of the family and ends up pregnant, and is sent by his vindictive wife into a mental institution where they sterilize those with mental problems (and synesthesia was considered a mental problem by the doctor). Th second half of the book flashes forward about 20 years, and we find out what happened to Rosie. Content Notes: This books plot was so interesting, but I can't truly recommend it because I think the author went into unnecessarily explicit detail about the night Rosanne became pregnant. Because of that, this isn't a clean book. I believe there was some bad language as well, but it's difficult to remember now.
The MacArthur Commentary on Revelation 1-11 - I've been reading this book as part of my own Bible study this summer, and I always appreciate MacArthur's detailed commentary and extensive Bible cross references! I just read this book alongside the Revelation passages this time through, but would love to go through it again with a notebook handy and go through all the Bible references that are mentioned.
The Confident Homeschooler by Pam Barnhill - I got to read this tiny booklet for free on Kindle. I'm not sure it qualifies as a book, but I think it's a great summary of some of Barnhill's best advice for homeschool moms, so I recommend checking it out!
Our Little Spartan Cousin Of Long Ago by Julie Darrow Cowles - I pre-read this book to see if I wanted to let my kids read it this fall. This is about a young boy living in ancient Sparta, and I thought it provided a really interesting look into Spartan society. I learned alot, but I do feel that the book presented mostly information in a positive light. It glossed over negative aspects of Sparta, such as the brutality of their war games, probably in an attempt to keep it appropriate for children. I will probably let my oldest read it and see what he thinks of it. Content Notes: Obviously stories about the gods of Greek mythology.
God Doesn't Whisper by Jim Osman - In this book, Osman addresses some of the unbiblical ways that Christians try to "hear the voice of God" in our modern times...including many very common practices such as fleeces, open and closed doors, feeling a "peace", etc. Your toes WILL be stepped on by this book, but it's very hard to argue with Osman's reasoning and biblical supports. Even I, as someone who barely has a charismatic bone in my body, was convinced that some of the ways I have supported my decisions in the past, using these frameworks, was not biblical. I love that Osman doesn't just leave us hanging at the end, but gives us a truly biblical model for making God-honoring decisions. Highly recommend.
State Of Lies by Siri Mitchell - I read some of Mitchell's historical romances years ago and quite enjoyed them, and have been meaning to read her first suspense novel for a while now. Georgie is a mom, trying to hold her life together after her husband Sean is killed - but mysterious things keep happening, and then her home is broken into, and she starts to ask more questions. I was truly on the edge of my seat during certain chapters of this book, and did not expect some of the twists and turns! I was rather unhappy about the identity of the villain, but other than that I quite enjoyed it. Content Notes: Somewhat graphic violence as various people Georgie interacts with are killed, and her physical relationship with her husband is referred to in various places in the book, without being described much. Also note: The paperback of this one is really cheap on Amazon for some reason, just FYI.
Truth Or Territory: A Biblical Approach To Spiritual Warfare by Jim Osman - This one is a similar book to God Doesn't Whisper, except in this one Osman discusses the modern church's idea of "spiritual warfare", and how alot of unbiblical ideas and practices have infiltrated modern Christianity. Osman does such a great job of addressing the so-called biblical support for some of these ideas, and then looking at the verses in context to understand the true meaning, which most often is nothing to do with spiritual warfare. Good examples of this would be praying "hedges", or generational curses. I listened to this one and actually wish that I had read it instead so I could have highlighted or taken notes. I may buy a physical copy in the future!
Musing On God's Music by Scott Aniol - This book is an in-depth look at the psalms as an actual book, not just a list of song lyrics. Aniol argues that whoever put the psalter together did so by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (as with all scripture), and that the order of the psalms itself is significant. It's not just a random collection of songs, it's a carefully curated collection that is meant to show us how to live a blessed life in a wicked world, a collection that is meant to form us as we sing them in order. I have never looked at the psalms as being intentionally organized in a certain way, and this book was revolutionary for me. I highly recommend this one for any believer! We don't take the psalms as seriously as we ought, and I think that is because we don't view them as a book with an overarching purpose and point!
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice For Murderers by Jesse Sutanto - This book was alot of fun - Vera Wong owns a "world famous" tea house, but one that is unfortunately about to go out of business...until a dead body shows up in her shop! A host of characters start to show up at Vera's, and she assigns herself as the investigator of the murder - even though the police aren't even sure it is a murder. A really delightful peek into Asian culture, especially the unique personality of a stereotypical Asian mother/grandmother. Also, this book made me really hungry for Chinese food and a cup of tea. Note: Bad language in this one, including several uses of the f-word.
Glitch by Laura Martin - In the future, some people are born with a "time travel gene" that allows them to glitch back in time - but unfortunately that means alot of people hopping around, trying to mess with history! That's what the Glitch Academy is meant to prevent as young people train to apprehend "butterflies" - people who are meddling in historical events. Reagan is a cadet in the Academy, and also the daughter of the director of the program, which leads her classmate, Elliot, to be jealous of how easy Reagan has it. And Reagan isn't a big fan of Elliot's know-it-all attitude either. But when they receive a letter from their future selves, they just figure out a way to save the Academy, and their futures, before it's too late! This was a really fun, imaginative world, and I loved the lessons about history that are subtly presented in this book. The only note is a little bit of violence as the cadets fight butterflies, and within various historical events that they visit.
Famous For A Living by Melissa Ferguson - In this book, a famous influencer is hit with scandal, and has to find a place to lay low for a while - she travels to a small international park run by her uncle. As she tries to help the park with their social media and do what she can to combat her bad image in the press, she falls for a guy who hates the internet. Will she give up her life for the guy or not? Fairly predictable, sweet rom-com type book, and I enjoyed it!
Such A Quiet Place by Megan Miranda - I have a weakness for suspense books set in small towns or communities, where everyone knows everyone, and this book was like that. Ruby was convicted for murdering the neighbors, but now she's been released from prison, and she's back in the neighborhood - and no one quite knows why. Content Note: This book had alot of cursing, which I did not appreciate. But it did scratch that small-won suspense book itch, and I enjoyed it overall.
Black Ships Before Troy by Rosamary Sutcliff - I read this to pre-screen it for school for my 7th grader - It was a really thorough telling of the Trojan War. I appreciated all the information it gave about the different figures, but sometimes felt like the writing was too stiff. The Greek "gods" make appearances in this book, and the Greeks make sacrifices to them, etc, but I wouldn't say those characters had a major role in this version. I'm torn about whether to have my son read this one, or keep searching for a version I'll like a little better.
Gentle And Lowly: The Heart Of Christ For Sinners And Sufferers by Dane Ortlund - This book was a surprise to me. Ortlund reviews some of the Puritan writings about Jesus statement about Himself being "gentle and lowly in heart", and explains what that means. The focus in this book is about Jesus's gentle attitude toward sinners who truly repent, toward His sheep that still fail as we go about life in this fallen world. Though there were certain phrasings here and there that I wasn't quite sure about, I found this reminder of Jesus's love toward His own to be comforting and heartening, and there were many times when I was close to tears reading a needed reminder. I'd recommend it!
Sing A New Song: Recovering Psalm-Singing For The 21st Century by Joel Beeke - This book is a collection of essays regarding Psalm singing, and it covers such topics as the history of psalm singing, why it's important, why we seem to have largely dropped it in the modern church, and why we should not let the art of singing psalms fall by the wayside. Some of the essays got rather academic, but I appreciated learning more history of church music through this book, and it did fire me up to make sure I'm teaching my kids a robust collection of psalms to sing. Definitely recommend if the idea of singing psalms interests you at all, along with the book I mentioned before, Musing On God's Music.
Okay, I'm going to close this out now, even though I'm nearly finished with a few more books I could add! In the future I will try not to get so behind on sharing books so these reading posts don't end up being quite so long.
What did you all read over the summer?
It has been quite some time since I shared a Wednesday Five. They are such easy posts to put together, and easy is what I need right now, so I'm going to try to share these more often.
A Quote
"Whenever the Psalter is abandoned, an incomparable treasure is lost to the Christian church. With it's recovery will come unexpected power."
-Dietrich Bonhoeffer
I read this quote in a book I read recently about Psalm-singing, which will be in a book round-up post later this week. I've been incorporating psalm-singing with the kids into Bible time with the kids this summer, and it's been so sweet to learn to sing the Psalter together.
A Book
I just started "A Biblical Case For Cessationism" by Tom Pennington, and I can already tell it's going to be thorough and helpful. You can watch his talk about Cessationism from the Strange Fire conference a while back to get something of a preview, since in the book he's fleshing out alot of the arguments he made in that message.
For a fiction book, I finally started "Homecoming" by Kate Morton. Her books always feel perfect for the fall to me. A little bit of homeyness, and little bit of mystery. I'm sure a full review is coming if I ever catch up on sharing books.
A Bit Of Nature
We visited the Botanic Gardens last week, and there were so many pretty plants. It was the perfect time to catch the flowers before things start to die off in the fall. These are some sort of crabapple, apparently.
A Recommendation
I am going to recommend this with an abundance of caution, but if you have long-ish hair, and you are getting a bit sick of it or feel like your hair is boring, this is for you. I have been feeling bored with my hair for a while, and was considering going back to a bob, but I was hesitant because I do like to be able to pull my hair up sometimes. I wasn't sure what to do about it beside going to my hairdresser and asking what she thought, but a hair appointment is also just not in my budget right now. Then one night, I stumbled across this video on Youtube comparing a wolf cut with a butterfly cut, and a wild hair (ha!) must have struck me, because I decided to give myself a butterfly cut. The worse that could happen is that I'd have to schedule that hair appointment sooner than planned. I followed this tutorial.
I'm going to qualify this by saying that I do have some experience cutting my own hair, so I felt pretty comfortable taking the risk of trying this out, because I knew I could probably salvage it into a nice bob if the cut went wrong. But that said, the tutorial worked perfectly. It added lovely, bouncy layers into my hair that look great when I curl them, and my hair has been feeling pretty glamorous ever since.
A Moment Of Happiness
My girls spent some time at their grandma's house for my 8 year old's birthday recently. When they arrived home, my 5 (almost 6) year old ran up to the door shouting "Mama, Mama!" I hurried over to greet her, and she threw her arms around me, sighed, and said "Ah, you're so comfy." I'm not sure if that would be a compliment from anyone else than my children, but from her it just made my day.
I learned from my mistakes last year and broke out my fall decorations on time this week. The autumn season is always more brief than I expect, and I want to enjoy it fully this year: including fall decor, fall candles, pumpkin muffins in the oven, and moody mystery books galore!
Summer eased out rather uncomfortably around here. We started school, but I wasn't as excited about it as I sometimes am. I think the dreary weather for a large part of our summer made it feel as if we didn't get a proper summer break, and this school year, which I've known will be a particularly difficult one, has been looming. I have all five kids homeschooling this year, and even though I feel exponentially more capable as a homeschool mom as the years go by, the challenges that come with more kids in school and older grades always seem to (nearly) cancel out my homeschool-mom gains. This year I can at least give myself the credit of seeing the challenges coming.
(The traditional first-day-of-school donut.)
Our homeschool days have been easier in some ways than I thought, because I have really got my homeschool systems down after perfecting my strategies over the last couple years. But it's also been harder in some ways. I shifted my mindset a few years back about homeschooling as the parent, treating it in my mind as more of a job that could take as long as 8 hours a day if necessary, and that helped transform our homeschool in alot of ways. However, this is the first year that it actually has been taking nearly 8 hours out of my day, and those extra demands are taking a little getting used to (for me). I also know this is most likely a temporary thing - our days will run smoother eventually, expectations will even out, skills will catch up, and I'll likely have more time on my hands again at some point. But right now my days feel packed.
We took a vacation a couple weeks ago, and I'm quite happy to report that it was uneventful! I think this may have been the smoothest trip we've had in quite some time, and a problem-free getaway was much needed. We drove up to South Dakota, we saw Mount Rushmore (including the evening lighting ceremony, which was wonderful), made a day trip to the Badlands with a stop at the infamous Wall Drug, saw a gunfight reenactment in Deadwood, took a tour of Jewel Cave. We stopped at Bear Country ( a drive-through zoo with more bears than I could count), and drove to the South Dakota Air and Space Museum (though the inside exhibits were unfortunately closed). My kids gained a grand total of six badges for various National Park Junior Ranger programs, which was quite an accomplishment.
Last time we went to South Dakota it rained the entire week, quite literally. We were tent camping, I was pregnant and soggy and miserable, and we cut our vacation short because we just couldn't take it anymore. After that experience, we were both a little nervous about this trip, but South Dakota was a winner this time! Overall, it was a nice quiet trip, with no car problems, no hotel issues, and no freaky weather events. Just what the doctor ordered!
Before we headed home we drove to Devil's Tower in Wyoming, and we also read about Custer and Crazy Horse before visiting Little Bighorn. It was a sobering way to end our vacation, seeing all the markers on the hill where Custer's regiment was completely wiped out. We read about the battle, and just seeing the sloping of the hills in person, I could really picture every stage of the battle as the cavalry advanced, and then retreated, finally forming a barricade behind dead horses on a ridge, before they were ultimately cut down. It was chilling, but it peaked my interest to read more about the Wild West, and I listened to "The Summer Of 1876" by Chris Wimmer on the way home. It was interesting to listen about different historical events as we were driving past the very locations where they happened.
The wide open, empty spaces of South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana got into my blood in a way. I live in a rural area already, but it's become very much more crowded than the places we visited, and I've been scheming and planning a fall hike somewhere more remote to get that taste of wilderness again.
I usually like to ease back into life when we get back from vacation, but I was forced to hit the ground running last week. We packed two field trips (one pre-planned, one spontaneous), plus a birthday outing for one of my kids with grandma, into that whirlwind of a week. We topped it off last weekend by visiting our local botanic gardens for a fall plant sale. We didn't end up buying any plants, but we did enjoy the gardens before coming home to watch a football game.
Then I drank some tea and and sat down to write this post before scrounging up some dinner. I've been missing writing on my blog, and I'm very much hoping I can carve out more time for writing despite this extra-busy season. Sharing on social media has always been draining to me, but writing on my blog tends to give me energy. It helps me organize my thoughts and feelings, and somehow that gives me a little boost to get on with what needs to be done. That's worth something! I'm looking forward to making it more of a routine again as we head into my favorite season.
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