Summer Reading (For Real)
Lockwood & Co. series – I finished the first, The Screaming Staircase, and Jesse leveraged my enjoyment to lock me into reading the rest of the books by the end of summer. The first is a well written, good story of kids battling a ghost epidemic in London. Moms – you should read what you want to read (see Parts 1 & 2 of StoryLiar for more information on that) – but maybe your kiddos would like these.
Vegetable Gardening Wisdom – It’s laughable on all counts that I’m reading a book about gardening, but Matt and I do have 11 acres of land, and a girl has to dream about something other than removing the invasive species from it. Rumor has it, I will need to replace the honeysuckle and autumn olive with other flora. Why not tomatoes? I like tomatoes!
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series – These are as much a character delve as about the mysteries set around the sweet (and murderous!) town of Three Pines in Quebec. I’m pleased to report my high school French continues to show up and help me translate the smattering of French phrases. The books also make you really hungry. Louise Penny’s description of Coq Au Vin sent me prowling the pantry at 5AM on a Sunday morning, where, alas, none was to be found.
How Sweet the Sound – My writing partner’s newest book is releasing this August, and it’s a gem of a devotional that I read (and hum) in those 10-minute snippets between this and that. You don’t need to be a hymn person to read it, but after reading it, a hymn person you shall become (riddle me that!)
Eloquent Rage – This title stood out to me in a list of reads about racism and feminism. Women are raised to be nice, and love can look “nice” but when life is on the line, “nice” isn’t going to cut it. Anger can be righteous. Anger has its time. It has been time for a long time. I want to be an ally, and I have a lot to learn.
I John – I took the dogs for a sunrise walk the other morning, and the colors were beyond my descriptive powers. It was almost too difficult to take in, and at one point, I closed my eyes, wanting nothing more than to be part of the beauty all around me. This is how I feel when I read this letter from the apostle, John. To walk in the light I’ve received from God, to extend that light at every opportunity, and draw the light of the Gospel into every area of my life – Yes. This is what I want.
My Own Sequel – It.is.so.good. Can I say this about my own work? Sure! And it’s almost ready for you. Go ahead and prep with a re-read or first read of Lu!
Please pepper the comments with your recommendations! Summer is already starting to feel a little long with not much to do other than hike and creek, and the boys are kinda over it.
