Luggage and Literature

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. - St. Augustine

October 2017 Reading List

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Every month I try to read at least one book from the following categories: nonfiction, devotional, and fiction. And this year I’m participating in the 2017 Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenges, so I’m also going to be listing which category my books fulfill. If you want to join in on the fun, you can check out the list of categories here! This is my October 2017 Reading List, my brief reviews and book recommendations for October 2017. Hopefully I’ll provide you with some inspiration for your future reading as well!

Books Finished:

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

This book was so intense! From page one I wanted to know what was happening, and could scarcely stop reading or thinking about this book. In the story, you meet Shadow when he’s in prison nearing the end of his sentence. You don’t know what he’s in for, but you know it’s something serious. And some weird and probably bad things are happening around him. He doesn’t know what’s happening, and therefore you as the reader don’t either. But it is gripping stuff. I really, really enjoyed this book and would recommend it strongly!

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

My book club read this for our Halloween meeting. Although we all found it interesting, it was by no means scary in the sense that we were expecting. Written from the perspective of a demon advising his nephew in tempting a human man, each letter touches on a different topic or theme. The book made me think of my own actions and ways that I’ve been tempted in my own life. I recommend this if you’ve not read it before, although not all in our book club enjoyed it.

The Black Cat by Edgar Allen Poe

In addition to reading The Screwtape Letters, my book club read The Black Cat aloud during our meeting. It is a short story most appropriately placed into the horror genre. After not having the ‘scary’ experience from The Screwtape Letters, this was exactly what we were looking for.

The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allen Poe

In searching for a piece of Poe’s work for our live book club reading, I also read this one. I settled on The Black Cat because of it seeming more appropriate for Halloween and being shorter, but very much enjoyed this short story as well. The story of a man going to visit a childhood friend, Usher, who is very ill. The cause of his illness is mysterious and made more alarming by the grave and haunted feel of his house. It’s creepy.

Tapping In: A Step-by-Step Guide to Activating Your Healing Resources Through Bilateral Stimulation by Laurel Parnell

Recommended to me at a training on reflective practice, I’ve tried to implement the skills when I’m anxious. Essentially the book teaches to use bilateral stimulation to help calm a person. I listened to this in the audiobook version, and recommend this version, as the author herself walks you through the different strategies.

The Passage by Justin Cronin

2017 MMD Reading Challenge: a book that’s more than 600 pages

I’ve been working my way through this one for a couple of months because it is quite long. But I very much enjoyed it, and intend to read the next book in the series. The book at first seems to jump forward from character to character, but in the end ties the pieces together. This book begins in a few years in the past, moves forward to present day, and then jumps forward approximately 100 years and is clearly a piece of dystopian fiction. I don’t really want to describe anything else about the plot for fear of ruining the surprise and the suspense, but I do recommend this book wholeheartedly.

Kilmeny of the Orchard by Lucy Maud Montgomery

I just love L.M. Montgomery’s books after beginning with the Anne of Green Gables series in recent years. This entry in her collection is a sweet romance, and (at least as far as I’m aware) not a part of a series, but instead a standalone. The book picks up with Eric as he’s completing his studies. He moves to Lindsay, Prince Edward Island and meets an unusual woman, and learns more about her history. As with all of her other novels, this one was charming and sweet.

New Enlarged Anthology of Robert Frost’s Poems by Robert Frost

2017 MMD Reading Challenge: a book of poetry, a play, or an essay collection

I am not typically a fan of poetry, but there are a few poets whose work I enjoy immensely, as it just makes sense to me. Frost writes in a way that everyone can understand and enjoy his works, but at the same time they are immensely beautiful to read. If you’ve not spent any time with Frost’s poetry, I recommend doing so.

The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person by Judith S. Beck

My second time through this book, I found it easier going, but still great tips (now reminders) about what I need to be doing to continue losing weight. I recommend this book, as it’s not a diet plan, but simply using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy strategies to work through whatever diet plan you choose, and then to maintain weight loss later.

Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic by Sam Quinones

I serve on the local Board of Health, and have been following the opiate crisis that has hit certain places in the country. Thus far, we haven’t seen significant issues with opiates, but I’m hoping that with some interventions, we can avoid it becoming a significant concern here. This book lays out quite well the major causes of the opiate epidemic.

The Diamond As Big As The Ritz by F. Scott Fitzgerald

An immediately engaging story, I couldn’t put it down until I’d finished. John Unger, the protagonist goes away from home to a boarding school for very wealthy young men. Whilst there, he meets a rather unusual man, and goes to the man’s home in Montana. Surprises (I was really surprised to find out what was really going on) ensue.

Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy by Sheryl Sandberg or Adam Grant

Option B is the story of Sheryl Sandberg’s journey after the death of her husband, trying to find a new normal for her life and the lives of her children. It was gutting at times, but important reading whether you’ve lost someone close, or you know people who have (and who doesn’t?!). A great book.

The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley

I also picked this book for October for Halloween. It was suspenseful, and seemed a little bit scary when trying to figure out exactly what was happening. But it’s not a horror or thriller type of book. It was a nice read, and not particularly long.

 

Books In Progress:

Raising a Secure Child: How Circle of Security Parenting Can Help You Nurture Your Child’s Attachment, Emotional Resilience, and Freedom to Explore by Kent Hoffman, Glen Cooper, and Bert Powell (this was recommended to be by some therapists that I work with regularly on my cases, as it is the background for the Circle of Security Parenting curriculum that we often have parents go through as part of their case plans)

My Brilliant Friend (Book One of the Neapolitan Novels) by Elena Ferrante

Discerning the Voice of God: How to Recognize When God is Speaking by Priscilla Shirer

The Justice Calling: Where Passion Meets Perseverance by Bethany Hanke Hoang and Kristen Deede Johnson

The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

 

Books I’ve Abandoned:

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

Favorite Books of 2015

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I have done a TON of reading in 2015! And I have read some fantastic books. If you are looking for some books to put on your 2016 reading list, I hope this will be a place to start for you. Without further ado, here are my 15 favorite books of 2015 (in no particular order).

The Martian by Andy Weir

The Best Yes by Lysa TerKeurst

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Somewhere in France by Jennifer Robson

Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg

The Einstein Prophecy by Robert Masello

Sugar by Deirdre Riordan Hall

The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Tattoos on the Heart by Gregory Boyle

The Mermaid’s Sister by Carrie Anne Noble

The Last Passenger by Manel Loureiro

What were your favorite books of 2015?  Do any of these make it onto your list as well?

What I Read (July 2015)

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So this post is super late, as we’re already halfway through August, but better late than never, I guess.  😉  Oh well…life has just gotten in the way lately.

Every month I try to read at least one book from the following categories: nonfiction, devotional, and fiction. Non-fiction ensures that I’m always learning something new. Devotionals ensure that I’m keying into my faith. And fiction books are just so enjoyable to read! This is What I Read in July 2015.

Books Finished:

American Sniper by Chris Kyle


 I actually read this book at the tail end of June, but forgot to list it in What I Read (June 2015). It was good enough that I didn’t want to leave it off altogether, so I thought I’d include it in this month’s posting. I don’t think this book could be considered a great work of literature. But the book is an incredibly compelling read, with interesting subject matter, and told from a unique perspective. It was a quick and easy read; I had a hard time putting it down. 

I Want God by Lisa Whittle 


My bible study group read this book, and just finished it this month. We read books out loud during our meetings, so no one has another thing that they ‘have to do’ each week. It works great, but consequently means that we read books rather slowly, so we’ve been working on this book for a couple of months. This book was very thought-provoking, and made me consider what kinds of things I prioritize over my own personal relationship with God, as well as how to make changes to my priorities and reverse my priorities. Outstanding for personal reading or in a bible study. 

Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg


This month I wanted to make sure that I read a high quality nonfiction book, as some that I have read in the last few months left a bit to be desired. I have wanted to read this book since it came out, and it delivered on being high quality, informative, and enlightening. I’m sure everyone has heard of this book by now, so I won’t belabor its main points. But I will say that it is worth a read for women, both in and out of the workforce, and for men too. 

Rilla of Ingleside by Lucy Maud Montgomery 


This book continues the Anne of Green Gables series, as well as my previous “kick” of reading about WWI and WWII.  The story follows Rilla, one of Anne’s children just as WWI is getting started and through the war’s end. It was a look at what it must have been like for women at home during the war, trying to support the Allied effort, as well as carry on and try to live as normally as possible. This was probably one of my favorites of the series.

How To Achieve Goals When Failure Isn’t An Option by Hajii Brown 


This book was motivating, but also short and easy to get through. I read it in the car (using Kindle’s speech to text) and was entertained for part of a seven hour road trip, so it was worthwhile to me. 

10 Women Every Christian Should Know by Michelle DeRusha 


I really loved this book! I had never heard of some of these women, and really enjoyed learning a bit about their lives and spiritual journeys. It was informative, but also had short enough chapters on each of the women so that I could just read a chapter at a time and then move on, which is how I read most nonfiction and devotionals. Wonderful read! 

The Motivation Switch by AJ Winters 


This book had 77 ideas for increasing motivation, some of which were memorable and useful. I can’t say that I have a big problem with motivation, but do procrastinate a bit on projects that I don’t want to do and shouldn’t have probably taken on in the first place. The book was not bad for an in-the-car, Kindle speech to text type of book.

Chronicles of Avonlea by Lucy Maud Montgomery 


This book is actually several short stories about characters tangentially related to Avonlea and Anne Shirley. I especially liked the story about the Old Lady. It kept me completely entertained and wanting to know what would happen next. This book is another solid entry in the series by Montgomery. 

Budget Traveling 101 by John Mayo 


This book truly is a 101 or beginner type of book. I can’t say that I really learned any new tips. And quite frankly, the author’s stories, which seem to glorify hitchhiking and sleeping on park benches seems highly unrealistic for the vast majority of travelers, and dangerous for female travelers such as myself.

The Einstein Prophecy by Robert Masello 


This book was my Kindle First book for the month. I was a little bit ambivalent after reading the description for the book, but ended up really enjoying it. The novel is set during WWII, and follows several main characters, including Albert Einstein. It is fast paced, and has a little something for everyone, including action, adventure, and romance. I recommend this book.

Stewarding Life: One Lifetime, Limited Resources, Eternal Priorities by Paul Chappell


This book made some great points about how all of our resources, which ultimately all flow from and belong to God, are finite, and that we can have the greatest impact on spreading the message of Christ by stewarding those resources well. I appreciated that the stewardship that the author discussed were not all financial resources, but also included time, talents, and simply willingness to share the Good News. A good read.

Inamorata by Megan Chance 


This book is set in Venice and is told from the perspective of several main characters. I can’t tell much about the plot without giving away key plot points, so I’ll just say that I found it hard to put down. I put this book in my Kindle Wish List, because it was part of the Kindle First program, but I was unsure of whether I’d like it. It surpassed my expectations. I recommend it to anyone looking for a fictional story that moves quickly.

 

Books Abandoned:

None.

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