I got in quite a few books this month, including three paper books and six audiobooks! I finished up a few books I had been in the middle of last month, and I got through the rest of the books my library had by my current favorite author Becky Wade. All in all, it was a good reading month! I am thankful!
81) At Lighthouse Cove by Suzanne Woods Fisher—I liked this book, until I did not. The book continues to follow the Grayson family as Cam and Maddie adjust to marriage, and as their father Paul runs Camp Kicking Moose. The youngest daughter Blaine returns from abroad, with a Parisian friend in two. Flashbacks peace together the story, and it seems more filled out, until it seems like the author might have run out of ideas, space, and time, because in one incident at the lighthouse, the story pretty much dead ends. While I am thankful for the opportunity to finish this series, I think I have reached the end of my reading from their author. Most of the rest of her books are about Amish country, too, which is not a particular interest of mine. Thanks for the summer reads, though!
82) You are Free: Be Who You Already Are By Rebekah Lyons—This is another spiritual memoir of sorts by author Rebekah Lyons. In it, she shares her journey to live out of her already free identity in Christ. She argues that confession is the path to freedom, and that freedom enables believers to serve and encourage others. While nothing in this book was particularly new or earth-shattering, it did remind me of the powerful truths in which I need to found myself. Additionally, the audiobook was a soothing devotional to pour over myself through listening during my day.
83) Memory Lane by Becky Wade—Islehaven, Maine artist Remy Reed spots a man floating in the ocean, and rescues him. Problem is, he does not remember who he is. This seems like a comic start to a story, but it is filled with intrigue and got me hooked. What follows is a story about fame, fortune, pain, power, love, and forgiveness. I thought I had the story figured out, only to see it go in a different direction, and then end with my identified guy being the true bad guy. This is an intense book—read the author's trigger warning on her website to make sure it won't bring up bad memories—but then if readers are up for a heady romance, mystery, and intrigue, pick this one up!
84) You Are the Girl For The Job: Daring to Believe The God Who Calls You by Jess Connolly—I have read several of Connolly's books now, and this one, like the others, is written in her endearing, encouraging, personal voice. In this book, Connolly acts as a cheerleader for believing in and following God's calling. She shares some of her story, while including lots of scriptural examples. While there is a little bit of health/wealth gospel flavor (if a person obeys, he or she will experience obedience), there is also a lot here about struggle and facing down fears because of belief in a big and powerful God. The concept that struck me ultimately, though, was this: “Knowing exactly what God wants us to do is not the aim of our life; worship is” (p. 180). While I want to be obedient to God, my ultimate job, as the Westminster Catechism puts it, is to “glorify God and enjoy him forever.” Connolly's book encourages me towards that end.
85) She Deserves Better: Raising Girls to Resist Toxic Teachings on Sex, Self, & Speaking Up by Sheila Wray Gregoire, Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach and Joanna Sawatsky—If readers want to read a book that will ruffle feathers, this one will! Written to Christian moms, it is really a book for all women raised by the church to be "small." The authors speak out very strongly against blaming girls and women for male struggles (eg lust, pornography, sexual assault, etc.). They argue for strengthening women and their faith, and letting men be accountable for their own issues. Why will this book ruffle feathers? Well, because it names many prominent Christian publications and explains how they have harmed women (eg Brio magazine, I Kissed Dating Goodbye, And the Bride Wore White, Every Woman's Battle, Every Man's Battle, etc.) While I am not sure I agree with everything in the book, I think its concepts demand some consideration (and it is based on survey research). The questions and exercises for moms and daughters are helpful, too. Ultimately, instead of blaming girls for male stumbling, the church needs Christian discipleship for all, boys and girls. That is better, not just for girls, but for all members of the church, because the way the church treats women is not just a girls issue, but a corporate issue.
86) Counting the Cost: A Memoir by Jill Duggar with Derick Dillard and Craig Barlase—Another audiobook down! Yes, I might be slightly preoccupied with the Duggar stories (having read several now, as well as several other books from the IBLP movement). I have some skin in the game, though, having gone to college near this family and had friendships with people part of this movement. I recognized a lot from this story: the setting, the surroundings, sadly even some of the teachings. Reading this book alongside She Deserves Better helped me see some of lies involved in religious sects that set lots of rules for women in order to “help the men behave,” sects like the one in which Jill grew up. Jill's particular story opened my eyes to the inner workings of the Duggar family, how the show impacted it, and the burdens borne by the Duggar children. It seems to me that riches and the sexual abuse scandal involving Jill's brother Josh were the ultimate corrupters of the family. All hope is not lost, though, as in the epilogue, Jill points out a lot of good things about her upbringing. Although Jill counted the costs and got out of being a “filming family,” she still loves her family and wants to be part of it. She writes that she is working on healing her relationship with family and looks forward to that ultimate end.
87) Stay with Me by Becky Wade—Genevieve Woodward is part of the “Miracle Five” youths who survived an earthquake, and she has spent her life trying to “pay God back” for saving her, first as a Bible study writer and teacher, and then in every other area of her life. The problem is that she is floundering, and now using Oxycontin to try to survive. Sam Turner, meanwhile, is trying to control his circumstances so that he doesn't have a repeat of his past. When he walks into the cottage on his farm and finds Genevieve asleep there in a hungover stupor, the facade starts to crumble. Meanwhile, Genevieve's parents are hiding secrets, and someone is out to get the family and their reputation, or at least their letters say so. This is a masterfully written story including romance, murder, intrigue, and truth. It testifies of the power of transparency, forgiveness, and the grace that comes and stays when those are present. While some might need to read this story with caution, due to its content, this is a story I am thankful to have read, and one that will definitely stay with me long after reading.
88) In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart: Hope for the Hurting by Ruth Graham with Stacy Mattingly—Though she is the daughter of legendary evangelist Billy Graham, Ruth Graham’s life has been anything but legendary. Instead, it has been full of brokenness and hurt. After discovering her husband’s infidelity, she went through several divorces, as well as serious issues with her children (bulimia, teen pregnancy, and drug use). She tried to seek the Lord, but still made mistakes. In this book, Graham chronicles the everlasting love of God, family, and friends that sustained (and sustains her). Part memoir, part self-help, this is a testimony to the brokenness that faces all people, children of famous Christians or not. It is both said and encouraging to hear Graham’s story, and I admire her honesty and vulnerability in telling it.
*I’m not sure this is the whole book, as the end of the audiobook says it was “condensed” from the original book.
89) Dancing Through Life: Steps of Courage and Conviction by Candace Cameron Bure and Erin Davis—First on Full House, and then an actress in numerous movies, and finally, a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. This is Candace Cameron Bure's tale of her experience, and what it both revealed and taught her about the Christian life. I enjoy listening to the audiobook of Bure telling about her struggles with the judgement of others and how she made decisions that felt most obedient to the Lord. The appendices of this book instruct readers about how to find a biblical church and good Bible studies. All in all, this was a solid book that both gives a window into Bure and her life, but also what it means to live with courage and conviction as a public figure.
90) From Good to Grace: Letting Go of the Goodness Gospel by Christine Hoover—This book was not everything I hoped it would be. It was a solid presentation of how the goodness gospel infiltrated the author's life, and how she learned to receive God's righteousness and live out of it, rather than striving to be “good enough.” Why was this book not everything I hoped? I hoped for some big aha moment, but what I found instead was reminder of the truth I *should* know, that I am saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). For this reason, the book was a good read, one I, and probably a lot of other perfectionists like me, need.
91) Point of View: A Fresh Look at Work, Faith, and Freedom by Elisabeth Hasselbeck—Elisabeth Hasselbeck went from a walk on softball player at Boston College to a shoe designer at Puma, then a contestant on Survivor, and finally, a big name player in conservative broadcasting (as a member of The View and later a Fox News commentator). This book details much of her adult journey: what she learned about faith and God along the way, and how she learned to work with people whose views differed greatly from her own. I enjoyed listening to the Hasselbeck narrate her own story in the audiobook and appreciated both her vulnerability and honesty. Though Hasselbeck was not familiar to me before this book, she is apparently pretty famous, at least from the names she names. She is humble about it, though, and writes about learning to like people over politics and being right with people over being right. She truly does have something to say, which made Point of View not just enjoyable, but applicable, too.
92) Rocky Road by Becky Wade—FBI Agent Jude Camden has a secret op: to act Perfumer Gemma Clare’s boyfriend and intercept Gemma’s cousin selling trade secrets. He isn’t supposed to have any real interest in Gemma, but he can't help but be attracted to her. Gemma, meanwhile, is trying to keep her business going and solve the mystery of her grandma’s love story. This is a sweet book, rocky road ice cream freezer raids and all. It also has mystery, intrigue, a little danger, and some historical references. Through it all, the author focuses on grace and learning to give it to self and others. I throughly enjoyed running down the road of this story a wish the library has the last book in this series!
93) Serenity in the Storm: Living Through Chaos By Leaning on Christ by Kayleigh McEnany—After everything that has happened of late, I thought I might should catch up on some cultural issues. That I did through this audiobook. Though I appreciated the biblical perspectives McEnany presented, I think she went into too much gruesome details about things like war crimes and partial birth abortion. I can believe those things are wrong without knowing all the gory details. Additionally, though I found McEnany to be tactful in her writing, I also found some of her discussions to lack nuance. It is not surprising that McEnany is biased towards the right. She was Donald Trump’s press secretary. I guess I hoped for a more biblical, less political book, but alas, this is not that. Read if you like, but this was not the book for me.
94) Running with Joy: My Daily Journey to the Marathon by Ryan Hall—Mostly training log, with reflections on each day of running, this is Ryan Hall's story of preparation for the 2010 Boston Marathon where he took fourth. Though I am a runner, the immense miles of a pro runner did not interest me. Hall's vulnerability about his struggles with comparison and trying to find his identity in God, however, resonated. This book was easy to read, so for me as a runner, it was worth the time spent. I look forward to reading Hall's second book, Run the Mile You're In next.
95) Let It Be Me by Becky Wade—Leah Montgomery's two ambitions are to get her brother through high school and go to Princeton to get her PhD, a goal she put on hold to raise her brother when her mother went off gallivanting around the world. A little bit of a control freak, Leah is determined to give her brother what she never had: stability. Meanwhile, Dr. Sebastian Grant, one of the Miracle Five who survived an earthquake, is determined to not get too attached, to never love and lose again like he did with his mother, who died when he was young, leaving him in the foster system. The two met in book one of this series, after Sebastian had an automobile wreck. They reconnect at Leah's school, and then when Leah needs help researching her medical files. This is a book about identity, trust, forgiveness, and love that chooses to stay. While a few parts struck me as a little unbelievable, I appreciated the overall sentiment of the book, found a few plot surprises, and overall enjoyed reading.
96) Turn to Me by Becky Wade—In this conclusion to the Misty River series, the last and most aloof of the Miracle Five Luke Dempsey gets out of prison. He planned to build a cabin in Montana and recluse there, but first he has a promise to keep. Little did he know that keeping the promise would mean working at an animal rescue for beautiful Finley Sutherland. He says he is there to keep a promise to her father to keep her safe during her birthday treasure hunt. She is on a secret mission to “rehabilitate him.” What follows is healing for both of them: Finley from her fear, and Luke from his guilt. Along the way, readers get to see conclusions to relationships started in the first two books, and a change at love for Ben Coleman. While this was not my favorite series of Wade's, it is perhaps the most redemptive and Christ centered. It's got all the elements of a good page-turner: murder, love, mystery, and suspense, but also sustenance. I think it's worth a read.
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