Jessica Snell's Blog, page 4

Book Notes: All Shall Be Well, by Deborah Crombie

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All Shall Be Well, by Deborah Crombie, is the second in her Kincaid and James mystery series (you can read my review of the first book here).

In this book, Inspector Kincaid has the sad task of investigating the death of his neighbor--a neighbor it turns out he didn't know nearly as well as he thought he did.

As with the first book in the series, I enjoyed this book mostly for the sheer pleasure of its prose and the way Crombie describes many disparate people with the same detached, intelligent kindness. It's just a world that's rather nice to spend time in--even though there are a few awful people in it. (There have to be in a murder mystery!)

Though there was one particular character in this one--an emotionally abusive boyfriend--who soured a bit of the book for me. He wasn't in a lot of it, but everything about him was unpleasant. Not to totally contradict my last paragraph, but it was like he was the one character the author had no pity for (understandably), and so it just wasn't fun whenever he turned up on the page. I'm curious to see if having a character who is the "one exception that proves the rule" ends up being a pattern in the series.

Because, of course, I'm totally reading the next one.


Content warning for the usual things, but nothing egregious.


Peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell



This post contains Amazon affiliate links; if you purchase a book from this link, I receive a small percentage of the purchase price. I will probably use it to buy more books. (See full disclosure on sidebar of my blog.)

Book Notes: "Reading the Christian Spiritual Classics: A Guide for Evangelicals," edited by Jamin Goggin and Kyle Strobel

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Reading the Christian Spiritual Classics, edited by Jamin Goggin and Kyle Strobel, is, as the title says, a guide for evangelicals. It starts by explaining what the spiritual classics are and then, helpfully, gives instruction on how to read them, how to avoid the dangers in reading them, and shows why they're worth reading. Then it goes into a chronological overview, introducing and giving context to works from the church fathers to the Puritans.

Full disclosure: I know at least five of the contributors to this book. But I didn't just read the sections of the folks I know--I read the whole thing, and enjoyed both being reminded of works I've loved, and being introduced to new-to-me classics.

To close, I really love this paragraph by Betsy Barber:

Due to the historical strangeness of many of these writings, it is beneficial to practice hospitality as we read: to entertain these ideas as guests. As with guests, you may not appreciate or benefit from all they say, but give them prayerful space and consideration for a time. Listen to the common family-of-God dialect in their words. 

You could do worse than just taking this book and reading through all of the works the contributors talk about, taking their chapters as a map to unfamiliar territory. I'm grateful for the work these contributors did in providing such a helpful "field guide" to modern evangelicals who want to read these primacy sources in church history.


Peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell



This post contains Amazon affiliate links; if you purchase a book from this link, I receive a small percentage of the purchase price. I will probably use it to buy more books. (See full disclosure on sidebar of my blog.)

Book Notes: "Clean" (Mindspace Investigations #1), by Alex Hughes

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Clean, by Alex Hughes, is a sci-fi detective novel set in a futuristic Georgia. Our hero is a disgraced telepath, fighting to stay clean after kicking a drug addiction. He contracts out his services to the local police department.

Usually, he spends his days in the interview room of the police station, trying to get confessions out of the assortment of thugs and petty criminals that the cops drag in. But then some strange murders start happening, and he gets caught up in the hunt for a serial killer.

There were two things I really enjoyed about this book. The first is that it gave me what I like to call "good book hangover." That's when you're going throughout your day, and this taste floats through the back of your mind. It feels kind of like the tune of a song you've forgotten, but liked. It's just an atmospheric sort of an emotion, but a good one, and you think, "What is that? What does that remind me of?" and you realize, "Oh, it's the way that book I was reading made me feel."

I liked this book because it gave me Good Book Hangover. The emotions of it came into my mind when I was away from it, and it was a pleasant reminder. (Which is weird, because serial killers are not pleasant, right? But any story can be told well.) It wasn't OH MY GOODNESS I AM RUINED FOR OTHER STORIES book hangover, but "Clean" definitely resonated with me in a good way, and there are plenty of well-told stories that never manage to do that.

The other thing I really liked about this book was the way that Hughes was always juggling about three different plot threads: the murders, the hero's fight against his addiction, and the hero's relationship with his cop partner.  All three of these threads were always weaving in and out around each other, and in ways that made interesting patterns. Hughes never dropped any of them, or forgot about any of them, but juggled them gracefully, and in ways where each thread made the other ones more interesting because of how they interacted. (And they all came together nicely in the climax of the story.)

If you don't like sci-fi or mysteries, you might not like this. But if you like both, you probably will. Recommended.


Peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell



This post contains Amazon affiliate links; if you purchase a book from this link, I receive a small percentage of the purchase price. I will probably use it to buy more books. (See full disclosure on sidebar of my blog.)

Weekly Links!

illustration credit: Seth T. Hahne
~ LINKS TO SOME INTERESTING READING, FOR WHAT'S LEFT OF YOUR WEEKEND ~


-My latest article for Christ and Pop Culture is out from behind the paywall: "American Ninja Warrior: Villains Need Not Apply."  I loved writing this. I got to get nerdy about spiritual formation and Dallas Willard and television and story structure and editing. And all in the same article! It was paradise. Go read it!


-Useful for the novelists out there: "Act 2 Plotting in 5 Easy Questions."


-"Finding the Living Cave: What I Learned From Odysseus." This is just a good read.


-And this one is just funny: "Two Cow Denominations."


-And this one is terrifying (but it has a happy ending): "That Time When I Plagiarized. Accidentally."


-And I found out that my friend Ann Dominguez (author of medical mysteries and also one of the contributers to Let Use Keep the Feast ), has a book blog!  Check it out here.



I hope what's left of your Sunday is peaceful and restful.


Peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell




This post contains Amazon affiliate links; if you purchase a book from this link, I receive a small percentage of the purchase price. I will probably use it to buy more books. (See full disclosure on sidebar of my blog.)

Guest Post: Some Favorite Family Read-Alouds

Today I'm happy to welcome my friend, author Alicia Brummeler, to the blog. Alicia's put together a great post about her favorite books to read aloud to children!


Some of my fondest memories of my children’s childhood involve books and reading together. Often we read before bed as part of our nighttime routine. During our homeschooling years, we also read during the day. On more than one occasion, I returned to the house after running errands and saw my husband on the couch with two children nestled on either side as they listened to a book (one of the many highlights of Brad’s graduate-student years). Not only have I enjoyed reading aloud to my family, but also, as an English teacher, I have enjoyed reading aloud to my students.

Whether you are a veteran or a novice when it comes to reading aloud as a family, I hope this post will provide you with some new titles or inspire you to try reading together as a family. Nothing beats sharing the wonder and power of good literature.

Some books seem particularly suited as read alouds. The beauty of the written word becomes even more elevated when spoken. The books I recommend below are those kind of reads. Also, my recommendations are best suited for elementary-aged children, with the exception of the last book. For this one, I recommend it for upper elementary-aged children. However, you know your child(ren). Use that knowledge to guide you. ________________________

My family was introduced to Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher through Sonlight, the homeschooling curriculum we used for a number of years. Set in the 1900s, this is the story of nine-year-old Elizabeth Ann. Betsy, the name her New England relatives call her when she comes to live with them, has much to learn about herself and the broader world. At the beginning of the novel, she lives with her two elderly aunts; however, when they can no longer care for her, she goes to live with her cousins, the Putneys.

The beauty of this story is watching Betsy’s character transformation. She’s fearful, timid, and anxious at the beginning. Gradually, she comes to see that she is capable of much more than she ever imagined. As a reader and parent, I appreciated the way in which Fisher does this. She doesn’t moralize or try to “teach” her readers independence or resourcefulness. Instead, she uses real life and believable characters to craft a story that both instructs and delights. At the end of the novel, Betsy must make an important decision. As readers, we enter her struggle as she considers the pros and cons, causing us to feel the weight too. While I can’t remember the specifics of our conversations about this book, I do recall both of my children processing and discussing this story as it unfolded. Conversations like these are golden!

________________________As a child, my husband read The Great Brain series by John D. Fitzgerald. Once he was a father, he was especially eager to share the books with his own children. The book is set in Adenville, UT, in 1896. Eight-year-old John D. narrates. Using his “great brain,” J.D. entices his friends to pay him money for his various schemes. Think Tom Sawyer, charging his friends to whitewash a picket fence. Perhaps the most compelling parts of the book are some of the side stories that unfold. Issues such as discrimination, fairness, and bullying emerge. Discovering what true friendship looks like is also explored. Readers who enjoy this first book will be glad that there are more in the series.

A couple of years ago, when the flu hit our house, my daughter asked me to go to the library to check out The Great Brain. She remembered the series and in her hour of illness wanted to read a favorite from childhood. I happily obliged.________________________
For the past five years, I have taught To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Each year I discover new insights and truths from rereading the book. Brad read this book to our children when they were in the sixth grade. I think this is best way to first experience Lee’s masterpiece—read it aloud. Lee’s nuanced writing style and her rich vocabulary deserve a slower reading to enjoy and savor this beautifully-crafted story. There’s so much fodder in the book for discussion too—mistaken assumptions, family relationships, not to mention issues of integrity, racism, and self discovery. Like all quality literature, this is a book worth reading again and again. And, after reading the book, you can watch the movie as a family, which does a great job staying true to the book.
________________________

My children are young adults now, in college and reading books on their own. Every once and a while a book we read together as a family will come up in a topic of conversation. Suddenly, we are transported to another place, reliving the scenes and the characters as if they were real events and people. We talk. We laugh. We quote lines of text. We experience the magic Emily Dickinson describes when she wrote, “There is no frigate like a book to take us lands away.” ________________________

Below, I’ve included some reading resources that appear in my book Everywhere God; specifically, my chapter on literature. You can flip through these repeatedly to find book suggestions or to inspire and motivate you to become a better reader. Some of the books are especially helpful if you have children in the home and want to instill a love of reading at an early age.


Honey for a Child’s Heart, Gladys HuntHoney for a Teen’s Heart, Gladys Hunt and Barbara HamptonHoney for a Woman’s Heart, Gladys HuntWalking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art, Madeleine L’Engle—If you want to read more about the intersection of faith and the arts, this book is a good place to start.A Time to Read: Good Books for Growing Readers, Mary Ruth Wilkinson & Heidi Wilkinson    TeelBooks Children Love, Elizabeth Wilson________________________
Alicia is the author of Everywhere God: Exploring the Ordinary Places. She and her husband have a college-age son and daughter. They live on Long Island, NY. You can find Alicia at aliciabrummeler.com, on Twitter @ReadingAlicia, or on Instagram at aliciabrummeler.
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This post contains Amazon affiliate links; if you purchase a book from this link, I receive a small percentage of the purchase price. I will probably use it to buy more books. (See full disclosure on sidebar of my blog.)

Weekly Links!

~ LINKS TO SOME INTERESTING READING and listening, FOR WHAT'S LEFT OF YOUR WEEKEND ~


-So, if you read any of these things, read this one: Even the Wind and the Waves Obey Him.


-This was fascinating: The Last Surviving Sea Silk Seamstress.


-A worthy book review: How to Think, by Alan Jacobs.


-So helpful: Rereading Ephesians.


-Theologian Alastair Roberts is doing a sort of AMA over at "Curious Cat," a new-to-me site/app. Good stuff: Zugzwanged at Curious Cat.


-Mere Fidelity is back! In their first podcast of the new season , they discuss the Nashville statement (two of the podcasters signed and two didn't). Edifying and interesting, as always.



I hope what's left of your Sunday is peaceful and restful.


Peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell

New article (on American Ninja Warrior!) over at Christ and Pop Culture

illustration by Seth T. Hahne
I'm a little late on announcing this here (though if you follow me on Twitter, you'll have already heard), but I'm delighted to say that I've got an article in the new issue of Christ and Pop Culture.

Here's a snippet:

There’s a different kind of reality show, though, and that’s the kind that invites us to admire virtue rather than to wallow deliciously in vice. This kind of show includes hits like Top Chef and Project Runway. Though contestant fights and foibles are still a part of the plot, the real joy of these shows comes from the simple delight of watching people who are good at something do the something they are good at.

 The issue is currently behind a pay-wall and available only to subscribers, because CaPC is one of those wonderful venues that actually believes in paying their writers. But you can become a subscriber for only $5, so if the contents look interesting to you, go ahead and treat yourself to some good reading! I don't think you'll regret it.


Peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell

Weekly Links!

The hibiscus on my patio is gorgeous right now.

~ LINKS TO SOME INTERESTING READING, FOR WHAT'S LEFT OF YOUR WEEKEND ~


-This is funny: "Unrealistic Things in YA Books, Pt. 2"


-So is this: "Celebrating the Many Doubtful Looks of Princess Anne"


-This is long, but it kept my attention the entire time: "'Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God," by Brian Zahnd (Long Review)"


-Interesting: "Chemists Say You Should Add a Little Water to Your Whisky. Here's Why."


-This podcast from Writing Excuses was really helpful: "Structuring a Short Piece"


-Finally: "What Brands Are Actually Behind Trader Joe's Snacks?"

I hope what's left of your Sunday is peaceful and restful.


Peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell

Sabbath Books

Today I'm guest-posting over at Alicia Brummeler's lovely blog, Always Orange, about Sabbath books. Here's an excerpt:

I found that I was reading more and more, and getting more and more discouraged. My heart was worn. The world kept looking uglier and uglier. And reading was…well, reading was becoming work. 

And, actually, it was okay with me that reading was work! Some things are good to know, but hard to read about. Most of the books in the world that are worth reading still have hard parts, or ugly parts, or even downright disagreeable parts. You read them anyway, because it’s worth doing the work of panning away the sand in order to get to those flakes of gold. 

But, friends, I had forgotten: Six days shall you labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest. 

I needed to read books that were pure rest.

Please head over to Alicia's place to read the rest!


Peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell

Book Notes: "Quintessence," by David Walton

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"Quintessence," by David Walton, is, as the back-cover copy says, set in "an alternate Age of Exploration" where "alchemy is a true science."

And that, right there, was just about all it took to sell me on this book. I'm fascinated by the Elizabethan age, and the metaphysical poets, and Shakespeare, and...and, and, and. In that time period, alchemy and science were sometimes pursued by very similar means, and the only difference between the two is that science ended up working and alchemy didn't.

So positing a world where that turned out differently is interesting from the start. And Walton followed it up with a nicely-paced plot and great description.

This is definitely a book where the setting is the strongest part of the story (and there were a couple of nice shout-outs to Lewis' Dawn Treader, if you keep your eyes open for them), but the characters worked, too. I especially liked that he had religious characters whose beliefs felt real, and integral to their personalities. They didn't all agree--you had Protestants, Catholics, and atheists, just for a start--but it felt like the author was determined to give them each their own best arguments, and not just throw up straw men for his heroes to knock back down.

(One possible exception is the Inquisitor character--but, granted, it's hard to make someone from the Spanish Inquisition sympathetic.)


I enjoyed this one. Walton gave me a new world, with fascinating new creatures, and a plot that kept me wondering what was going to happen next. Recommended if you enjoy the time period, or just like well-written speculative fiction.



Peace of Christ to you,
Jessica Snell


This post contains Amazon affiliate links; if you purchase a book from this link, I receive a small percentage of the purchase price. I will probably use it to buy more books. (See full disclosure on sidebar of my blog.)