read with us: a book that has been banned

Our September topic for Modern Mrs. Darcy's 2016 Reading Challenge was a book that has been banned. We had slightly more success with this book than we had in August, and this post will certainly be longer, mainly because brother Andrew decided to join in the fun! This is good, as Susan and Stephanie didn't even attempt a book this month, and Becky only got 1/3 of the way through hers. (You can see are thoughts on all of the books we've read for the challenge here.)

Becky says: My approach to this topic was, as you'll soon see, very different than Andrew's. I didn't care where or why the book had been banned—I just wanted to find a book that I already owned that would fit into the category! I've been meaning to read The Fault in Our Stars for several years now—I bought it around the time the movie released (no, I haven't seen the movie, either), but I just never cracked it open—so I decided to see if it had ever been banned. Sure enough, it had! In 2014, it was banned from the Riverside (California) Unified School District's middle schools. (It has since been reinstated.)

As I began reading the book, I could see why it was so popular. And if I'd followed Val's advice and knocked it out in one afternoon, I probably would have loved it. As it was, I read in bits and pieces, and I never felt fully immersed in the story. I also never finished it.

The protagonist of the book is Hazel Grace, a girl with Stage IV cancer who has survived far longer than anyone thought she would. She meets Augustus Waters at a cancer support group, and they become fast friends ... and I assume more, but that's about as far into the novel as I've gotten! (I did get far enough to learn where the title comes from.)

I won't even attempt to give this a star rating—I haven't read enough of it to really judge it. But if I ever do finish it, I'll let you know!

Val says: This month, I read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon. According to the Modern Mrs. Darcy blog post I read listing this as a frequently-banned book, it is the book’s language that often ends it up on the “banned” list. There were a few instances of the “f” word used throughout, but they were infrequent and were always used by adults.

The protagonist and narrator of the book is a 15-year-old boy with autism.  This is the is the first book I’ve ever read that had a character with autism, and I SO appreciated that he was the one narrating the story because it really gave the reader such an excellent glimpse into what life is like for someone with Christopher’s particular type and severity of autism.  I knew (vaguely) that sensory sensitivity can be an effect of autism, but the book really showed what the world is like through Christopher’s eyes and how he deals with his particular triggers.  (There’s one very memorable scene where Christopher is in the train station by himself, and there’s a picture of what all the signs really say, and then there’s a picture of what Christopher sees as his senses are overloaded.)

As much as I’ve made this sound like it’s just a completely educational book, it’s actually a story with an interesting plot and believable characters.  The book opens with Christopher setting out to solve the mystery of what happened to his neighbor’s dog, and he ends up solving some bigger mysteries along the way.  I would highly recommend this book, especially to someone who wants to learn more about autism or just to glimpse what life can be like for individuals with autism. 4.5 stars

Andrew says: I went looking for a list of banned books, and quickly found that basically every book of any value has been banned or “challenged” in one place or another.  I decided to use the American Library Association’s Banned and Challenged Classics list.  I wanted to use a US-based list because we have a largely robust anti-censorship legal system and this is the culture that I inhabit.  It felt a little like cheating to pick a book that has only been banned/challenged in some much more restrictive culture or political climate.  I chose to go off the classics list because it seemed more interesting.  As I looked at the lists of most challenged books for the 1990s and 2000s, it became clear that people will challenge books that involve any of the following: 1) nonwhite people, 2) non cis-gendered people, 3) ”Magic” outside a fantasy setting, or 4) puberty and the female body.

 I chose to read Go Tell It On The Mountain by James Baldwin, and you should too.  I had heard very good things about Baldwin’s writing from people whose opinion I trust, and I was not at all disappointed.  Baldwin’s prose is incredible, and his insight into the human condition is precise.  Go Tell It On The Mountain tracks the salvation experience of 14-year-old John in Harlem. In the process, it jumps back in time to visit his father as a young man and his mother as a young woman.  We see both how they relate to each other in the present and formational experiences of John’s parents affect the family dynamic and are shaping John in his spiritual journey.  Baldwin is incisive in his critique of the shame of sin and the human tendency to secrecy as an effort to avoid shame both public and private.  Baldwin’s characters and narrative are real in a way that everyone who reads him will identify truth that resonates with them. For me, one of the most moving themes was John’s experience with a strictly legalistic religious tradition and the perfectionist tendencies that engenders, along with the self-doubt and feelings of secret shame that come with a failure to live up to those standards.  Growing up in a fundamentalist tradition, I felt a resonance with Baldwin’s description of these phenomena that transcend the distance between Harlem in the 1930s and Nebraska in the 1990s.

Go read Go Tell It On The Mountain.  It will challenge you.  You won’t regret it. 5 stars


If you've read any of these books, we'd love to know your thoughts! (Also, Becky would love to know if The Fault in Our Stars is worth finishing.) Be sure to join us again next month, when we'll be talking about books we should have read in school.

Read More

read with us: a book that intimidates us

Well, this is either incredibly easy or incredibly sad. Or both. Val is the only one of us who even attempted a book this month. She's been pretty anxious for me to post about it, too. See our conversation from earlier today:

Next month should be easier (what were we thinking, choosing an intimidating book for the month that school starts???)—our category is a book that's been banned. Practically everything has been banned by someone at some time, so surely we can all find something. In fact, Mom discovered today that Green Eggs & Ham was once banned, so I'm gonna keep that one in my back pocket in case I need something super easy. (See all of our previous recaps here.)

Since no one else has anything to say this month, I'll let Val take it from here.

Val says: For this month’s category, a book that intimidates you, I chose Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry.  This book has been on my To Be Read list for a couple of years, ever since a coworker mentioned that he considers it to be the Great American Novel.  This book is intimidating in its length – the copy I read clocked in at 821 pages.  This book was SO much more engaging than I thought it would be – for the first 50-100 pages, I was worried that I would be bored, and that the book would be a chore to get through.  This could not have been more wrong.  Around page 200, things really picked up, and from there on, I was captivated to the end.

The general plot is that two former Texas rangers decide to do their first ever cattle drive from South Texas to Northern Montana – basically traveling the entire length of the country.  Adventures ensue.  The book is set in 1876 (according to Wikipedia – I knew it was 1800’s post-Civil War, but didn’t notice if it actually said what year it was), so the West is still very much Wild. Also, a word of caution – because this is set in the old west, prostitution and violence were pretty much the order of the day. There was only once scene where I would call the violence graphic, but there is a fair amount of killing, and many of the characters are rough around the edges.  So maybe consider that if you’re deciding if this book is for you.  Personally, I am SO glad I read it and am strongly considering reading the other books in the series (Lonesome Dove was written first but is third chronologically). 5 stars.

Have you read Lonesome Dove? If so, what did you think?

Read More

read with us: a book published before we were born

We had ... virtually no success this month. Susan and Val finished reading their June books, and Becky and Steph chose the same book to read, but neither of them finished it. Here's hoping for a better August! Even though no one finished a new book for this month's challenge, Susan and Becky have updates on what they did read. (See all of our other updates here.)

Susan says: This month, I finished reading The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas. This is such a terrific book, and the second half was a fantastic finish to the first part of the book that I read last month.

I loved how it described Marcellus' travels seeking the truth about Jesus, the robe, and the increasing numbers of his followers. These people were convinced that Jesus was now alive, despite Marcellus' first-hand knowledge that he was truly dead on the cross. His interactions with people who had witnessed Jesus' miracles during his lifetime eventually convinced him that Jesus is God and indeed living. He became a dedicated Christ-follower who impacted many people living in the sphere of his influence. Many of the characters in this book were mentioned in the Biblical accounts, and it was interesting to see how the author wove these actual historical figures into the story line.
   
The experience of rereading this book after many years have passed was so good! I remember how it moved me so many years ago and was again impacted by it. I highly recommend this book.  5 stars.

Becky says: When Steph and I discovered we both had chosen A Lantern in Her Hand by Bess Streeter Aldrich, we decided to take it along on our road trip to Indiana and Nashville and read it aloud to each other.

A Lantern in Her Hand is the story of prairie wife Abbie Mackenzie Deal. As a child in Iowa, Abbie dreamed of becoming a famous singer. Her dreams changed when she fell in love with childhood friend Will Deal, and they moved to Nebraska to make a life for themselves.

I had always been very hesitant to read this book because of the truly terrible TV film adaptation A Mother's Gift. Steph was completely obsessed with this movie when she was a kid, and I finally hid the video tape and told her it was broken. (Or maybe I told her it was lost. Either way, I hid it and lied about it.)

Anyway, we started our road trip, and I started reading aloud. We were stunned to discover that the book was set in Nebraska! We were also pleasantly surprised by Bess Streeter Aldrich's writing style. The book has so many touches of humor thrown in!

We only made it to Chapter 9, and neither of us read any more after the trip--but I definitely want to finish it, and I know Steph does, too.

If you've read any of these books, we'd love to know your thoughts! Be sure to join us again at the end of the month--we're reading books that intimidate us. 

Read More

read with us: a book we've already read

This month in the reading challenge, our category was A Book You've Already Read. However, life got in the way of our good intentions. As Susan put it when I sent out the email asking for reviews, "Just report that I am a failure."

But in reality, none of us are failures. Modern Mrs. Darcy is getting us to read things we wouldn't otherwise be reading, and, even if we don't finish those books, I still consider that a win. Plus, this month's category was "a book you've already read at least once," so the only thing we missed out on by not finishing our books was seeing these books through new eyes. And I would guess that each of us who didn't finish our book will do so at some time in the future.

We "read" The Robe, The Dandelion Field, Anne of Green Gables, and Pride & Prejudice.

The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas

Susan says: I read The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas. I very much enjoyed the first half of it, which is all I finished reading last month. This book was in my parents' library, and I was in about 7th grade when I first read it. It made such an impact on me that I purchased a hardback copy to put in my own library when I was in college.

The story is about Marcellus, a Tribune in Rome, who fell into disfavor with the Roman Prince Gaius and was sent to run the Roman Garrison at Minoa in southern Palestine. He was responsible to oversee the crucifixion of Jesus, whom he was convinced was innocent of the charges brought against him. He was the recipient of Jesus' robe, and after being coerced to put it on, became deeply emotionally disturbed and overwhelmed with guilt for his part in that terrible day.

Another important character is Demetrius, the Greek slave of Marcellus, who was his true friend and who was eager to find a way to heal Marcellus' sick mind. The robe itself was key in that healing process.

This book was interesting for its descriptions of the corrupt government of that time, and of the people who were either slave owners or slaves themselves. The story of people who believed Jesus was God and put their faith in him, in spite of severe persecution, resonates in our day and age.

I highly recommend this book and give it 5 stars.

The Dandelion Field by Kathryn Springer

Becky says: This is another month when reality got in the way of my intentions. I really wanted to read Anne of Green Gables, but June actually turned into my month of previously reads, thanks to the INSPYs. I was a judge for the Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense category, and a whopping four out of five titles that made the shortlist were books I'd already read. (Maybe this means I just have really great taste?) So, I'm choosing to count The Dandelion Field, which is the book that won the INSPY, as my book for this month, even though I read it for the INSPYs and not for this challenge.

The Dandelion Field tells the story of single mom Gin and her teen daughter Raine as they try to build a life in Bannister Falls. It deals with some heavy issues like teen pregnancy, abuse, prejudice, and poverty, but it's also a very enjoyable story to read. And after you read it, you'll definitely want to go right into The Hearts We Mend, which I liked even more!

You can see my 5 star review here, and be sure to check out all the 2016 INSPY winners (and if you want to go even deeper, the shortlisted books)--you can find some great reads to add to your TBR pile!

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Val says: For June's reading challenge, I read (ok, am still reading) Anne of Green Gables.  I've seen the movies (with Megan Follows) approximately eleventy billion times and LOVE them, but I'd only read the book once.

June was a busy month - moving into a new house and closing on the old one plus the wedding of a dear friend meant that there hasn't been much time for reading. But that doesn't mean that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed the time I did spend rereading the first half of this book.  Anne is utterly endearing in her earnestness, her "all in" approach to life and friendships, and her expressions of priceless imagination.  My goal is to carve out some time this weekend to finish the book because I'm always glad after I've spent some minutes/hours with the gentle souls of Avonlea. 5 stars.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Steph says: This is a book that I have read more than any other. This go round is probably somewhere between my 10th and 12th time through the book since picking it up in high school. For years it was the book that I carried in my purse if I wasn’t reading another one. There are so many things I like about this book. Each time I read it there is some nuance that I notice for the first time. When I first picked up the book I loved the sarcasm and wit that Austen used to describe the ridiculousness in society on page one. Then I loved Lizzie and the way that she knew who she was and how she would stick to her guns against whatever the world might say otherwise. Then I loved the bond between sisters, between Lizzie and Mr. Bennet, between Collins and his benefactress Lady Catherine.

But what stuck with me the most is what I first loved about the leading lady—the way she could laugh at the ridiculous side of life. In the first few pages, Lizzie and company are at a ball. She overhears Darcy calling her “tolerable” and refuse to dance with her.  Her response, in the words of Austen, “She told the story, however, with great spirit among her friends; for she had a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous.”  Rather than allowing her worth to be diminished by the opinion of others, she laughs at the ridiculousness of the situation and lives life to the fullest. I admire that so much, probably because it is very much how I would like to handle things.

As always, I would give Pride and Prejudice 5 stars. I loved it when I first read it, and I still love it now. It’s a great book for a glimpse at family life, ridiculous people, the bonds of friendship, and how everyone is a little bit stupid when it comes to love.

If you've read any of these books, we'd love to know your thoughts! Be sure to join us again at the end of the month--we're reading books that were published before we were born.

Read More

read with us: a book we'd previously abandoned

It's June 4, and I'm finally getting around to posting our May book check-in! Some people *cough* Val & Steph *cough* didn't have their reviews written by the end of the month, and then when they did all come in, my computer was tied up streaming the NBA Finals. Yes, I'm one of the few people in the US who doesn't have ABC. Thank goodness ESPN is streaming the finals! (I'm a Warriors fan, by the way. Not during the season--I pay ZERO attention to the regular season--but definitely during the playoffs.) Anyway, on to our books!

Our category this month was Books You've Previously Abandoned.

A Singular & Whimsical Problem by Rachel McMillan
Becky says: When I saw this category, I thought, "Yes! This is when I will finally read Pride and Prejudice!" See, I started reading P & P as a junior in high school, but I got bogged down in the middle and didn't finish. True confession: I love all of the Austen adaptations, but I've never finished reading one of her books. "But May will be my month!" Wrong. May is the month when my yearbook is due to the publisher. May is the month when I purposely don't line up many book reviews because of said yearbook deadline. May is the month when reading for pleasure (or watching TV or doing practically anything except yearbook) doesn't happen. So how on earth could I find time to read Pride & Prejudice?

I couldn't. I didn't. Instead, I read a novella (a very, very short novella) that I'd started before Christmas: A Singular & Whimsical Problem by Rachel McMillan.

A Singular & Whimsical Problem introduces readers to Merinda Herringford and Jemima Watts, female detectives in 1910 Toronto. In this novella, the duo is hired by the wife of one of the city's prominent businessmen ... to find her missing cat. As they search for the cat, they stumble upon corruption and danger while getting into scrape after scrape after scrape.

I'll be honest: When I initially got this novella (which I won in a giveaway), I immediately started reading ... and then gave up after about 10 pages. I just wasn't that interested. But then I read the first full-length Herringford & Watts novel, The Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder, and I was completely charmed. I knew I should give A Singular & Whimsical Problem another chance.

Unfortunately, I'm still not a fan of this novella. There's nothing particularly wrong with it, but it's not as witty (or downright hilarious) as The Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder. In fact, aside from the characters being the same, it doesn't feel anything like the novel. My two favorite aspects of the novel, the footnotes and the excerpt quotes that begin each chapter, are not present in this novella, and I miss them.

Another oddity is that A Singular and Whimsical Problem takes place during The Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder. It just seems like a strange way to introduce the Herringford & Watts series. So here's what it comes down to: I am all in when it comes to McMillan's Herringford & Watts novels. But the future novellas? I think I'll skip them. 3 stars.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
Susan says: This month I read Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford.  This is a fabulous book...full of descriptions of places and situations I have never seen or experienced, but so beautifully voiced that it almost seemed familiar.

The book tells the story of two young Asian Americans, a Japanese girl and a Chinese boy. They meet 1942 in an elementary school in Seattle, where they become fast friends, despite the extreme hatred of the Chinese father toward the Japanese. The boy does not understand his father, and they can barely communicate.

Other very interesting characters, such as Mrs. Beatty the school lunch lady, and Sheldon, the jazz saxophone player who worked the street corner playing for pocket change, play important roles in the story.

The book begins in 1986 when Henry Lee, now an adult with a grown son, sees a Japanese parasol that has been stored since the 1940's in Seattle's boarded up Panama Hotel. In a series of flashbacks, we learn about him and his sweet friend, Keiko Okabe and their families. The Japanese Americans were forced to leave their homes and were held in internment camps, and Henry and Keiko make promises to each other which were impossible to keep.

I heartily recommend this book. The scenes described in it will remain with you long after you close it. 5 stars.

Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist
Steph says: You know what makes finishing books hard? Moving and graduations. Did I finish my book? Nope. Will I finish it this month and read another one? Yes. This month I got half way through Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist. I had started it previously and put it down because packing and the aforementioned moving at the end of last month. I picked it up again this month and absolutely love it. Shauna believes that life happens around the table. Her philosophy is simple: don’t worry about looking perfect, just invite people into your home. “I’m not talking about cooking as performance, or entertaining as complicated choreography of competition and showing off. I’m talking about feeding someone with honesty and intimacy and love, about making your home a place where people are fiercely protected, even if just for a few hours, from the crush and cruelty of the day.” One of the best things in life is cooking with love for the people you love. She and I have this passion in common. She weaves tales of her life in with recipes from those stories. You can almost hear the searing of meat in the pan and laughter of loved ones.

I’m reading this book once straight through and then I’m going to go back and try the recipes.  I’ll keep you posted over at my blog of how those go (when I actually get settled and have time to cook again). 5 stars (for the chapters I’ve finished so far….)

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Val says: This month, I read two books in the Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer – Cress and Winter. Rather than reviewing those, though, I’m going to focus on the first book in the series, Cinder.

The Lunar Chronicles reimagines several well-known fairy-tales and places them in a futuristic setting.  (If I had to identify the genre of these books, it’s probably YA/Sci-Fi. But don’t hold that against them.) Cinder, the title character of the first book, is the reimagination of Cinderella…as a cyborg mechanic in New Beijing.  I started this book last fall, read a few paragraphs (literally, that was all), and thought, “Nope. I’m out.”  But I’d already bought the kindle version, so it just sat there, waiting.  Then, this winter, I happened to be between books and checked out what I had on my kindle. Lo and behold, there was Cinder.  I decided to just give it another glance, and I am SO GLAD that I did! Within a few pages, I was hooked. Each book in the series introduces new (and eventually, beloved) characters that increase the enjoyment factor exponentially. At times, the series is somewhat reminiscent of the Hunger Games, but MUCH more lighthearted.  The stakes are still high, but it doesn’t quite feel as real and heavy as the Hunger Games trilogy does.  Overall, I give Cinder (and all the other books in the Lunar Chronicles) 5 stars and would HIGHLY recommend them to anyone looking for a fun and engrossing summer read.

If you've read any of these books, we'd love to know your thoughts! Be sure to join us again at the end of the month--we're reading books we've already read.

Read More

read with us: a book we've been meaning to read

Time for our April reading challenge check in! And for the first time, we all quite enjoyed our books!

Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor by Melanie Dobson
Susan says: Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor, by Melanie Dobson, was the book I chose to read this month. Becky gave it to me right after she read it last year, but I just hadn't picked it up yet. The story line moves through four generations of a family, jumping from one era to another and back again. It was not difficult to follow, and I loved how the author unveiled the plot slowly through the the words and actions of characters that I really cared about.

The book begins as a young woman accepts the proposal of marriage from a man who has long loved her but whom she has earlier rejected. She is pregnant with another man's child at the time of their marriage, but hides that fact from her new husband until the truth is discovered. Their marriage, based on a lie, is the shaky foundation for the generations to follow.

The book powerfully shows how lies and deceit impact their family. Some of the same behaviors repeat, and a tragedy occurs. But I LOVE how God is shown to redeem even the awful events to bring beauty from ashes!

I wholeheartedly recommend this book and will look forward to reading more of Melanie Dobson's writing. 4.5 stars.

The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery

Becky says: I read The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery. Prior to this, the only Montgomery books I had read were the Anne of Green Gables series. When I learned about The Blue Castle last year, I immediately bought it (it was only 99 cents on Kindle), and every time I saw it on my Kindle I thought, "I should read it," but I never got around to it.

The Blue Castle is the story of Valancy Stirling, a woman who lives with her mother and a cousin. She has a very large extended family, and led by her uncle Benjamin, and the Stirlings are prone to grudges and snobbery--their Anne counterparts would be the Pringles. Actually, Valancy reminds me of Pauline Harris from Anne of Avonlea (the movie), who was based upon Pauline Gibson from Anne of Windy Poplars. Like Pauline, Valancy was a lesser member of a judgmental family, she was single to the point of being an old maid, and she cared for a very demanding mother.

Anne connections aside, The Blue Castle is a very intriguing novel. Valancy's story really begins after she visits a doctor on her 29th birthday (unbeknownst to anyone in her family) due to some disturbing health problems. The doctor is called away on an emergency immediately following her examination, but he writes her a letter telling her she has a fatal heart problem and will die within the year. At this point, Valancy decides she's had enough of being "Doss" (her family's condescending nickname for her) and wants to truly live. She takes a job caring for an ill school friend and gets to know Barney Snaith, the local recluse and subject of many rumors. As time goes on, romance blossoms ... sort of.

This really is an unusual romance, as it's more about Valancy finding herself than about her finding true love, and the interactions between Valancy and Barney are seldom romantic. I definitely wasn't dying for Valancy and Barney to declare their love, but I was very interested in where the story would take them. While there are a couple twists that I saw coming a mile away, one took me completely by surprise--and made me laugh out loud!

While I wouldn't say The Blue Castle is on the level of the Anne books, I am glad that I read it--and I would really enjoy seeing it made into a film. 4 stars.

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

Val says: For this month’s category, I read the book Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. I kept hearing/seeing on social media that a lot of people read this book in mid-to-late 2015, and I’d been meaning to read since then.

The book centers on the disappearance of Lydia Lee, a half-white, half-Chinese teenager in small-town Ohio in 1977.  The reader knows from page 1 that Lydia is dead. It’s literally in the first sentence of the book.  What the reader doesn’t know is what happened to her – was she murdered? Did she commit suicide? And what led to the circumstances surrounding her disappearance? But in order to get those answers, Ng uses flashbacks to take the reader through a fascinating history of the Lee family. It’s a heartbreaking look at why each member of the family felt so acutely “other” – in both the community at large, in which Asian Americans were still a rarity, and within the immediate family circle.

Ng does a wonderful job of developing each of her characters so well that I found my heart aching for each of them while simultaneously disagreeing with the choices that they made.

For me, the most beneficial aspect of this book (aside from being a completely compelling read) was that it allowed me to glimpse what life was like as a person in the racial minority. As a white, middle-class woman, it’s so valuable and necessary for me to read books that help me see what minorities deal with in terms of prejudice, injustice, and the daily challenges faced.

I would strongly recommend this book to certain readers. There is some objectionable content (some sexual), and some mature themes that I wouldn’t want a young teen tackling. But overall, I would give it 4.5 (out of 5) stars.

Everyday Grace by Jessica Thompson
Steph says: Everyday Grace by Jessica Thompson is a book that I purchased a few months ago and had been meaning to read. I officially found my new favorite way to read nonfiction books: over my lunch hour while eating Chik-fil-a. Why, you ask? I have three solid reasons for you: 1) they have booths and I love to sit in a booth 2) their chicken sandwiches are delicious and 3) they have fresh flowers on the table ALWAYS. I like reading by pretty things….or with coffee…but my lunch break is when I could find time to read this month.

Everyday Grace is about infusing all of your relationships with the love of Jesus. The main point of the book is that the more you understand the Love and Grace of God, the more you can extend love and grace to those around you.  Jessica Thompson is very clear that there is no one-size-fits-all for relationships because every person has their own issues, struggles, and history. What works in one relationship won’t necessarily carry over to another.  But what is universal for all relationships is that everyone is broken and everyone will fail. We have to reset our expectations because no one is perfect. The only person who will never let you down is Jesus. When we remember our own brokenness and the grace that God shows us despite our failings, we can show grace to others when they fail and grace to ourselves when we fail. The more you understand love the more you can show love. This book echoed something that I have been working through on my own—if you learn to love well, other things will fall in place. But learning to love well means understanding how you are loved by your Abba Father.  I was so excited to see Jessica quote my favorite sections of verses for this season in my life.

Ephesians 3:14-21 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Thompson makes the comment after this verse that “Paul doesn’t pray that the Ephesians would get their act together; he prays that they would somehow be able to comprehend the incomprehensible love of God in Christ.”  While there are so many other nuggets of truth in this book, this one resounded the most with me because it has been occupying my thoughts for some time now. The more I have understood the height, depth, length, and width of my Abba’s love the more grace and love I can extend.

I really enjoyed this book and have been talking about it with a few of the kids that I work with at youth group. I would recommend it for any woman that wants to look at what they can do on their end to improve relationships. Guys could read it to, but it’s written to women in particular so not everything will translate. 4 stars.

If you've read any of these books, we'd love to know your thoughts! Be sure to join us again next month when we'll be talking about books we've previously abandoned. 

Read More

read with us: a book published in 2016

Is it just me, or did March fly by? I can't believe it's time for our March reading challenge check-in, but here we are again! In March, we read books that were published in 2016.

Our books for March were Spark Joy, I Said Yes, Cold Shot, and Like Never Before. Read below for our thoughts, wordy though they may be!

Spark Joy by Marie Kondo
Steph says: Guys! I actually finished this one! spark joy by Marie Kondo is a practical companion to the life-changing magic of tidying up. Practical being the key word here.

I read Kondo’s book on tidying over Christmas break, and while I found some of it very insightful, I was generally annoyed at how many anecdotes filled its pages. This follow up book is exactly what I had wished for—a how-to guide complete with diagrams.

The overall thing I like about Kondo’s approach (besides the revolutionary way to fold clothes) is her idea of facing things head on. This especially resonates with me as I am living on my own now. Figuring things out on my own is always slightly terrifying and usually a little daunting. But I have never regretted sitting down and figuring out what I needed to do (hello, retirement fund and life insurance, I took care of you like a boss). The timing of this book and Kondo’s general sentiment of "face your life, take care of your business" is impeccable. I am about to move at the end of the month.  This girl is going to be going through EVERYTHING in the next couple of weeks because it will make moving that much easier.  And the fact that I’m excited about that is shocking. Just ask my sisters. I have never wanted to go through things before, but I am looking forward to it. (I know, who am I?) Becky butts in: This is SOO true. Last Christmas, when Val and I "Kondo'd" my books and movies, Steph thought we were nuts.

While Kondo generally personifies her objects more than I would personally agree with, I think she is spot on when she tells you to treat the things you use with respect. I haven’t done that in the past, but I will now. Only use what you love and need, and treat your items well. Pretty simple for an outlook on life, but true nonetheless. As I read, I constantly thought, “Be faithful with the little things.” While my home may not be grand, it is mine, and I should use it well.  Part of using it well would be to make it functional, welcoming, and a useful tool for the life I want to live.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars (because we rate these…right?) The only reason it’s not a 5 is because Kondo started reminiscing at the end.  It was good, but I wanted a practical book, ya know?

I Said Yes by Emily Maynard Johnson

Val says: I Said Yes, by Emily Maynard Johnson, is an interesting mixture of Reality TV experiences and spiritual memoir.

As a long-time avid Bachelor franchise fan, I was excited to hear that one of my favorite “contestants” had written a book. I watched Emily’s run on Brad Womack’s second-chance season of the Bachelor and liked her immensely. She came off as a sweet southern mama with a tragic back-story (her fiancé was killed in a plane crash; days later she learned she was pregnant). America loved her – so much, in fact, that once her engagement with Brad ended, the producers did everything they could to get her to sign on as the Bachelorette. (Initially she said no, but she eventually relented.)

I was one of many rooting for Emily to “find love” on her second go-round.  Her season of The Bachelorette brought us such reality-TV greats as all-American Christian Sean Lowe, throw-her-against-a-wall-and-kiss-her Arie, and curiously hipster Utahan Jef (yes, that’s how it’s spelled). Having LOVED watching her season, I was excited to read the nitty-gritty details, hoping her book would read much like Sean Lowe’s recent memoir, with its behind-the-scenes insights and backstage views of memorable events.

But that’s not so much how this book is. Emily gives the reader more of a general overview of her time on both shows.  She touches down to highlight a few key events, but for the most part, it’s kind of an unemotional summary of her experiences.  The reality tv fan in me was hoping to really feel with her the emotions she was experiencing at each moment. To get a glimpse of what she was thinking when Arie gave her what may be the best reality TV kiss of all time. (Do yourself a favor and go ahead and youtube this one – it’s there for you https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnPtO1fHc6M)

She does give some details and insights that the reader wouldn’t know just from watching the shows – like what was going on behind-the-scenes with her and Brad, how quickly that went downhill, etc.  But again, those “insider looks” are short and feel abridged – later on in the book, it’s unclear what even really went wrong with Jef.

I was surprised when I noticed that I was nearing the end of the book and she hadn’t gotten to the story of how she and Tyler (her husband) got together. She didn’t spend much time there, either – it was basically the summary of how they ended up on their first date, and then skipped a year ahead to his proposal (spoiler: she says yes).  Part of me was a little dissatisfied, but I also understand that sometimes there isn’t a grand story involved – you meet the right person, you start dating them, and you know.

I can also understand that it would be hard to write a book that is in large part about past relationships while being respectful to your husband and protective of your marriage.  So I have to cut her some slack there.

One interesting (and unexpected) aspect was how much time she spent on her spiritual life.  It was clear from the beginning that she was going to be interweaving her journey to faith and a relationship with God throughout the book.  By the end, I was convinced that she is a true believer with a sincere faith in Christ.  It was really interesting to see how she addressed some choices she’d made earlier in her life and how she did things differently after the Bachelorette.

I think the real reason I was somewhat disappointed in the book is that it wasn’t what I was expecting, but maybe it wasn’t supposed to be.  The tagline of the book is “My story of heartbreak, redemption, and true love” not “All the juicy details from my time as The Bachelorette” (but I really did want more of those juicy details!).  Ultimately, the book was about Emily’s personal and spiritual growth more than it was about Emily’s relationships.  And that’s great – it just wasn’t what I was expecting.

If you are a fan of the franchise, and especially if you watched Emily on either season, I would definitely recommend this book.  If you are just an ordinary citizen who chooses to forego the trashy reality TV, I would say you could probably skip this one.

Cold Shot by Dani Pettrey
Susan says: This month I read Cold Shot by Dani Pettrey. The book is a satisfying mix of romance, suspense, and murder, featuring an investigation that brings together four college friends to solve a mysterious death.

After leaving a career as a SWAT team sniper, Griffith McCray is a park ranger at Gettysburg. When skeletal remains are discovered that are not from the Civil War years, forensic anthropologist Finley Scott finds evidence that a murder had been committed by an expert sniper. Finley and Griffith both have had some difficult experiences in the past, and as they work on solving this mystery, they learn to trust each other and a fledgling romance begins. Griffith's college friends also become involved in the danger and intrigue as the story unfolds.

I really liked the story as it described the efforts they made to figure out what had happened, and although I expected parts of what was coming, there were some unexpected twists. However, the romance wasn't as appealing as I'd have liked. This was the first book in a series, so presumably there will be time to develop that more. I would also like to read more about Griffith's friends, who will presumably play a part in following books.

Like Never Before by Melissa Tagg

Becky says: All the books I read in March were published in 2016, so I just had to decide which one to use for this challenge! Originally, I was going to write about I Said Yes, but then Val decided to use it (you can see my thoughts here.) I also read Cold Shot this month and loved it a bit more than Susan did. As I glanced through the rest of my March book reviews, I didn't see anything I wanted to spotlight here. And then I remembered a book I've read but haven't reviewed yet: Melissa Tagg's Like Never Before, which officially releases next Tuesday, April 5.

Like Never Before is the story of speechwriter Logan Walker and newspaper editor Amelia Bentley. The novel begins with an oh-so-cute email exchange, where Amelia is trying to get former reporter Logan to return to Maple Valley, Iowa, and write for "her" newspaper. Turns out, Logan actually owns the newspaper--the former publisher left it to Logan in his will. So Logan has to return to Maple Valley to figure out what to do with the paper ... and sparks fly. (Especially in what has to be one of my all-time favorite kissing scenes. I may never look at a janitor's closet the same way!)

Like Never Before isn't just all cute boy-meets-girl, though. Both Logan and Amelia are dealing with past hurts--his wife passed away, leaving him to raise their daughter alone while his career is taking off; she's recovering from a divorce she never wanted and the disappointment of a failed adoption--and are struggling to reclaim their faith.

One thing I loved about the book is that it didn't end up like I thought it would. I mean, yes, Logan and Amelia get together. (I don't think I need to say spoiler alert because--hello!--this is a romance novel.) But where they end up in their lives is so different from what I imagined, and I have to say that I like Tagg's version better than my own!

I highly recommend Like Never Before to anyone who enjoys romance. Also, though this is book two (sort of three--there's also a prequel novella) in Tagg's Walker Family series, you can read this without having first read book one. And if you're a fan of old movies, you'll really enjoy the references in this book!

Join us again next month when we'll be talking about our April books--books we've been meaning to read. (I'm pretty sure Val and Susan have already started on theirs, while I haven't even picked mine out yet!)

Flashback: See what we read in January and February.

Read More

read with us: a book chosen by another

Welcome to our February update for the 2016 MMD Reading Challenge! This month, we read a book that someone else chose for us. Let's just say our results were a little less than spectacular!

Our books this month were The Martian, The Lost Garden, The Eye of the World, and Pride and Prejudice.

Becky's book: The Martian by Andy Weir, chosen by Val

Val says: I was SO excited for Becky to read The Martian – it wasn’t so much that I thought it was the perfect book for her specifically, it was more that I read it and loved it SO MUCH that I was desperate for anyone and everyone to read it, too! The Martian is everything you could want in a book – it’s suspenseful, engaging, and funny – I really didn’t expect it to be so funny! Technically this book is sci-fi, but don’t let that keep you from reading it. It is a total delight.

Becky says: I am so glad Val picked this book for me! I haven't seen the movie yet, and I knew I wanted to read the book first, but without this push, I probably wouldn't have.

Prior to beginning the novel, this is what I knew: An astronaut left behind on Mars survives by eating potatoes. And there's science.

Here's what actually happens: Mark Watney, a member of the Ares 3 crew, is presumed dead and left on Mars when a storm comes up and the mission is aborted. He has to figure out a way to survive until the next Ares crew arrives. Through ingenuity and lots of crazy science, he manages to stay alive.

The Martian is hilarious! It's the funniest book I've read in ages, and I wasn't anticipating that, even though people said it was funny. (I guess I should have believed them...) There is so much science in the book, and I'm not exactly a science kind of girl, yet it never gets overwhelming or boring. Most of the book is comprised of Watney's journal entries, and that's where the hilarity comes in. He's witty, sarcastic, and just plain funny--which is pretty amazing, considering his circumstances. Once he is (SPOILER ALERT!) finally back in contact with NASA, he continues to crack jokes on a regular basis ... including a very well timed "that's what she said" joke.

I so badly wanted Watney to survive, and I loved reading about the ups and downs as he tried to do just that. This is easily the most fun I've had reading so far this year. One thing to note, though: There is a lot of swearing in this book. So if you have a problem with excessive language (seriously, it begins in the very first line), then I'd skip the novel and go straight for the movie. (I still haven't seen the movie yet, but it's rated PG-13, so the filmmakers must have toned down the language. The language just on the first page of the novel would push it into R category.)

Val's book: The Lost Garden by Katharine Swartz, chosen by Becky

Becky says: When it comes to reading material, let's just say that Val and I rarely ever choose the same books. The majority of my reading is in the realm of Christian fiction, a genre Val gave up on in the 8th grade. Every once in awhile, I come across a book that doesn't feel like Christian fiction, one that seems like something Val would enjoy. The Lost Garden is one such book. I loved it so much that it made my Top 10 list in 2015, and I wanted to share it with Val. (See my review.) Also, how could you not be attracted to a book with that cover? Gorgeous!

Val says: Becky chose The Lost Garden by Katharine Swartz for me.  It’s a dual-story plot – following Eleanor in 1918 after the conclusion of World War I, and following Marin and Rebecca in present-day. All three characters are facing great loss – Eleanor’s brother, Walter, was killed in the war, and Marin has just been given custody of Rebecca, her 15-year-old half-sister, because their father and Rebecca’s mother were killed in a car accident.  Marin and Rebecca end up living right next door to Eleanor’s old house, and they discover a walled garden that Eleanor helped plan.

It took me a while to get into this book.  I did not find Eleanor immediately likeable, and I felt that some of her reactions to events felt off – untrue to the situation.  But as the book progressed, I didn’t notice those issues anymore, and after about 50 pages in, I was very interested in both storylines.  I haven’t finished the book yet (I have about 50 pages left), and I’m excited for the unresolved questions in both storylines to be answered. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in the post-WWI time-period, or anyone looking for an engaging book with a compelling storyline that isn’t too emotionally taxing.

This is what Val's cat Chloe thought of the book.

Steph's book: The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan, chosen by our brother Andrew
Steph says: Our brother picked my book for me. It was The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan. I didn’t make it past the first page for two very important reasons: 1) this book is the most intimidating thing I’ve ever picked up. Only two people that I know gave encouraging opinions of this thing. They are also the only two that like epics. 2) I was added to a committee at church that was meeting extra the entire month of February. That meant I didn’t get home until about 10 o’clock four nights of the week. I already get sucked into books and have a hard time putting them down so that I can sleep. An epic this month was just not going to happen. You will be seeing my thoughts on this book when we reach our “books that intimidate you” portion of our challenge—when I will *hopefully* not be working on surprise projects.

Susan's book: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, chosen by Steph
Steph says: For our mother, I picked Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen because it is my favorite book and one that I have reread 8 or 9 times. It is witty, it is clever, and Lizzy is just my spirit animal. She has grace, class, and just the right amount of sass. All of the characters are wonderfully realistic and ridiculous in turn. The book has such a fun look at what family life is like. I asked mom to read it because she never has, and that just had to be fixed. 

Susan says: When I began reading the book, I really found it not that interesting. However, now I think it was because of the version Becky lent me. The book is beautiful, but it has small, old fashioned looking print.

I switched to my Kindle, where I'm reading the "insight edition" with notes prepared by Bethany House Publishers. The foreword was written by Nancy Moser, who wrote a novel about Austen's life called Just Jane, and as soon as I read it, I couldn't wait to read the Pride and Prejudice! In the body of the book, there are sidebars about terms or meanings of words, and the type is so much easier to read. I have been fascinated! I "hear" Colin Firth's voice when I read Darcy's lines. I am enjoying it very much! The ease with which I can read it makes it better. I haven't finished reading the book yet, but I'm looking forward to reading more!

Have you read any of these books? We'd love to hear your thoughts! And be sure to join us again next month, when we're each reading a book published this year!

Flashback: See what we read in January.

Read More

read with us: a book you can read in a day

As it's January 31st, it's time to tell you about the books we read for the 2016 MMD reading challenge! Unfortunately, Steph didn't have time to get her book read (because we didn't tell her about the challenge until last week), but our mom did, so she's going to jump in in Steph's place.

Our books this month are Bird Silence, The Little Prince, and The Wedding Chapel.

Bird Silence by Matthew Roth
Susan (Mom) says:
My cousin, Matthew Roth, has published this slim volume of his poems. Having never read it, I decided it was the perfect book for the first challenge.

I have always loved poetry...I had a real love affair with Rupert Brooke poetry when I was in high school, but that is a story for another day. I enjoyed reading Bird Silence and definitely enjoyed some of the poems more than others.

"Calling" was my favorite, with a sweet section about a young boy, "not yet two" who is quietly calling out from his room in the still-dark of the early morning his "tiny sing-song liturgy." His father hears and goes to "swoop down on him, whispering his own name in return."

While not everyone will enjoy Bird Silence, it is a worthwhile read for poetry lovers.

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Val says:
I read The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, published in 1943.  This is a book you could definitely finish in a day, probably in an hour. It is short, there are lots of illustrations, and the print is big. So this is an easy way to up your “have-read” count for 2016.

The basic plot is that a pilot crash-lands in the desert, and it is here that he meets the Little Prince.  Although apparently human, the Little Prince is not from earth – he is from a planet whose name is never given, but we do know it is as small as a house, and the Little Prince is essentially its caretaker – pulling weeds (a necessity on such a small planet, for were he to let them grow too big, their roots would pull the planet apart), raking out the volcanoes (very small volcanoes, and only two are active), and tending to the flowers.  One flower in particular is very fickle and vain, and while he loves the flower, and she loves the Little Prince, a misunderstanding with her causes him to decide to leave his home and explore other worlds. The Little Prince visits several worlds before landing on earth.  The pilot grows to love the Little Prince, for he reminds him what it is like to live with the heart and eyes of a child, something the pilot longs to do again.  One of the main themes of the book is the way a child’s logic is often much simpler, cleaner, and far more magical than an adult’s mundane explanations of the world.

While technically a children’s book, I think it would have more of a lasting resonance with adults.  There’s a sense of wistfulness and longing throughout the book – the Little Prince longs to return to his home and his flower, the pilot longs to return to who he was and the things he loved as a child.  I can distinctly remember thinking as a child, “Why don’t grown-ups understand kids? When I’m a grown-up, I’ll remember how I feel right now. I’ll still get it.” Fast-forward 20 years to me now, stymied every week by the actions of the kindergarteners I corral on Wednesday nights…

This was one of those books I am glad to have read so I know what it is about. It did capture my attention, and it made me think about who I was as a child vs. who I am now. I would say it is worth reading at some point in your life, but I wouldn’t call it a MUST READ.

The Wedding Chapel by Rachel Hauck
Becky says:
I read The Wedding Chapel in one afternoon--the first Saturday in January, which was also my last free Saturday for eight weeks, thanks to my speech meet schedule. At 368 pages, it's not a book that everyone could read in a day, but it is a very quick, easy read. I chose it because, well, I happened to read it in a day, and with speech starting up, I knew I wouldn't have much time for "extra" (beyond my book reviews) reading.

The Wedding Chapel is a dual timeline story, taking place in the 1940s-50s and in the present. Jimmy Westbrook fell in love with Colette Greer the moment he first saw her picture. Their romance seemed picture perfect until wrong choices, jealousy, and misunderstandings drove them apart. Taylor Branson, Colette's grand-niece, connects with Jimmy when she is hired to photograph the wedding chapel he built for Colette decades earlier. She's having a bit of a romance crisis of her own--she married Jack, her high school crush, soon after reconnecting with him in the city, and their marriage is on rocky ground. As Jimmy, Colette, Taylor, and Jack's stories intertwine, secrets are revealed and healing finally occurs.

While many romance novels are mere fluff (and believe me, I do enjoy fluff!), The Wedding Chapel has a depth to it that makes the story rich and fulfilling. The four main characters, while not always likeable, are wholly fleshed out and completely interesting. It's the kind of story that keeps your attention and touches your heart. This is a beautifully romantic and compelling novel about secrets, sin's consequences, family, and redemption that will stick with you beyond the final page.

I would recommend The Wedding Chapel to anyone who enjoys inspirational fiction--it's one of the best novels I've read in a long time! (Of course, I also reviewed it on my book review blog. You can read the review here.)

Are you doing the reading challenge? If so, tell us about your January book in the comments--or leave a link to your blog post about it!

Next month, we'll be reading a book chosen by a relative. I chose Val's book, she chose mine, our brother Andrew chose Steph's, and Steph chose Mom's. We'll check back in with you on February 28. Until then, happy reading!

Read More

read with us: mmd's 2016 reading challenge

About a year ago, my sister Val introduced me to Modern Mrs. Darcy. Anne (or MMD, as we like to call her) blogs about a lot of things, and one of those things is books. So of course I like her!

Last year, Val participated in MMD's 2015 reading challenge, and this year, our sister Steph and I have decided to join her. Each month, we'll read a book from the same category, and then we'll share our thoughts here on the blog. At the end of the post, I'll tell you which category we're doing the following month, so you can join in if you'd like. (You can read all about the reading challenge here on MMD's site.)

I haven't made all my picks yet, and some I don't own, but here's a glimpse at a few of the books I'll be reading this year.

Now, I want to introduce you to my sisters. I've talked about them repeatedly, but here they are in brief:

Val came into my life when I was six years old, at a time when I desperately wanted a little sister. Unfortunately, said little sister didn't desperately want me. I adored her; she kind of hated me. That love-hate relationship continued basically until we were both adults (and trust me, the love-hate went both ways!); we didn't truly become friends until she was a senior in high school ... and now I can't imagine life without her!

I also like to take credit for her marriage to the love of her life. If I hadn't chosen Grace after finding it online (still an unusual way to find a school back in 2001), she probably wouldn't have chosen Grace herself or moved back there a few years after she graduated ... and then she wouldn't have met Greg. You're welcome, Val.

She and Greg adopted an adorable furball named Chloe last summer, and we enjoy swapping cat stories. All. The. Time.

We share a passionate love for reading, though our tastes are wildly different ... so you'll get a look at a wide variety of books through this series!

Three years after Val came along, Steph arrived ... and she did like me! Needless to say, I spoiled her. Shortly after her arrival, our mom took a secretarial job, so basically, I became Steph's second mother. We definitely had rocky times, too ... but things got vastly better after I returned home following college. (Maybe the problem was me???)

Steph did not follow us to Grace--she chose a different Grace! (Which is where our parents met. So out of our immediate family, my brother is the only one to not attend a school named Grace.)

Steph graduated last spring, and she works in insurance. She also writes a wicked-hilarious Bachelor recap on her blog, The Singing Barista.

One of Steph's passions is baking--if you live in the Omaha area and need someone to make amazing cupcakes, she's your girl! (Unfortunately, I can't eat anything she bakes anymore--maybe one day I'll get her to experiment with gluten free baking!)

Steph and I have very similar tastes in movies and TV shows (I'll always fondly remember the summer of Dawson's Creek), but I honestly have no idea what books she reads, so it'll be fun for me to see what she chooses!

I know it's late notice, but our January category is A Book You Can Finish in a Day. Join in if you'd like, and I'll be posting our thoughts on our books on Sunday!

Read More