New Books for the New Year

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Mark has a week off to start the new year, and I am so excited. In addition to lots of family time (including William’s godmother and my godson visiting from Georgia!), I’m excited to have the spare time to do a little more reading.

I thought I’d share with you some of the books I’ve read and loved recently as well as the ones I’m looking forward to digging into

Books I’ve Loved Recently

Becoming Mrs. Lewis

I absolutely adored this fictionalized story of the relationship between CS Lewis and Joy Davidman. The story is told from Joy’s perspective, and pays tribute to her writing as well as her romance with Lewis. I really enjoyed the story and the quality of the writing.

The Art of Inheriting Secrets

Kate Morton, author of The House at Riverton, is one of my favorite authors. I am constantly intrigued by the way she is able to weave timelines, mysteries, and characters together so effortlessly. The Art of Inheriting Secrets reminded me a lot of Morton’s work, but was a lighter, easier read. It’s less fleshed-out than Morton’s texts, but the characters are strong and the story line is interesting from start to finish.

A Wrinkle in Time

I feel like G is just one breakthrough away from completely taking off in reading. And once that happens, I’m anticipating an explosion of reading from her, and I want to be ready. So I’m trying to re-read some old favorites in anticipation. I started the Wrinkle in Time series a few weeks ago, and it’s just as good as I remember. I really loved Madeleine L’Engle as a child, and now as an adult, I am enjoying seeing the ways her faith is woven through the stories. So far my favorite book of the quintet has been A Swiftly Tilting Planet, but I just had to share this wisdom from A Wind in the Door:

Books I’m Currently In The Middle Of

I rarely read just one book at a time. Sometimes I’ll get sucked into one and forget all the other, but usually I’m in the middle of a non-fiction, a spiritual writing, and a novel all at the same time, and swap between them depending on my mood and the time of day. Here’s what currently in rotation:

A Circle of Quiet

Re-reading a Wrinkle in Time made me want to delve into more of L’Engles other writings, and I discovered that she wrote a series of memoirs. This is the first, and I’m really enjoying learning about her life and her writing from her own perspective. There’s so much wisdom contained in the pages. I’m slowly savoring each and every chapter.

The Theology of Home

This was on my Christmas wish list, and I opened it up the day I received it. It’s part coffee-table book, part spiritual memoir, and part warm and fuzzy winter read. I’m really loving the beauty and graces that fill the pages.

The Bean Trees

I’ve loved everything that I’ve ever read by Barbara Kingsolver. I’m not far enough into this one yet to know for sure that I will love it too, but so far, it’s been very engaging. It’s told in the first person, which I find I tend to enjoy, and I’m loving the characters quirkiness. Kingsolver has a remarkable talent for vivid and unexpected descriptions.

Time for God

I’ve written a little bit about Fr. Phillipe’s book In the School of the Holy Spirit before, and it definitely made me want to read more of his works. This book was also a Christmas gift, and I can tell it’s going to be a current read for awhile as I slowly soak it all in. This quote from the beginning on our role in prayer struck me:

Books I’m Excited To Start

John of the Cross, Man and Mystic

Sometimes the saints find us at the right moment in our lives, and St. John of the Cross has been popping up a lot lately, so I’m excited to start this biography of him. I’m also listening to this fabulous course on his life on the Hoopla app through our library.

Illuminations

I fell in love with St. Hildegard this past year, and was surprised and very excited to find that our library, which does not often have faith-based titles, has this novel based on her life. I haven’t started it yet, so I can’t speak to how good it is, but I’m always interested in reading about Hildegard!

Many Waters

I’m on hold at the library for the next book in the Wrinkle in Time quintet, and this is it. I’m next on the list, so hopefully (fingers crossed) I’ll have it in hand soon . . . .

Mission: Family

I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Heidi through several online writers’ forums, and I am so excited for her newest book (just launched!). Heidi brings such vulnerability and honesty, along with troves of knowledge and experience, to all of her writing, and this book was no exception. I got a sneak peek at it awhile back, and loved the format. I cannot wait to dig deep into it as a whole family. If you are looking for a way to figure out your own family’s unique mission and how to carry it out in the world, look no further!

What Next?

Send me a note or drop a comment below if you’ve got a good read to recommend! My current reading list might be long, but I think I’m going to get through it rather quickly . . .