Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread - Proverbs 30:8

Friday, June 10, 2016

What I'm Reading in 2016 ~ Volume 5


For some reason, it seemed like I couldn't quite find a groove when it came to reading good books this past month.  Here are the books I started and quickly stopped:

Bossypants by Tina Fey ~ I've heard this recommended several times, so I thought I'd give it a a try. However, I felt like every single sentence was an attempt to be funny, and I just couldn't do it. (I had a similar experience with Amy Poehler's book Yes Please.) 

Presence by Amy Cuddy ~ I read a few pages of this book and then was inspired to watch her TED talk (because it's the second most watched TED talk ever). I loved the talk and the idea behind the book, but once I'd watched the talk, I was no longer interested in investing the time into this book.

Hip to Be Square by Hope Lyda ~ This was mentioned on the What Should I Read Next podcast and I looked for it in our local library system. It wasn't there, so I ordered a cheap copy off Amazon. I don't remember specifically why I couldn't get into the book, but I couldn't. I ended up donating it to our church library, so at least I still have access to it in case I decided to give it another try.


Now on to the titles I did read....

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanthi ~ What happens when a neurosurgeon at the height of his career is diagnosed with cancer? Paul wrote this memoir to document his story of how he came into his career and then found himself the patient and on the receiving end of treatments. The epilogue, written by his wife, had me in tears.

Lizzy and Jane by Katherine Reay ~ This was a delightful book about two sisters who desperately need to men their relationship and be there for each other despite their past. Although most of the book takes place in Seattle, I was pleasantly surprised to read about a few references to Hood River, OR, a favorite place of mine to visit on weekends.

Small Matters by Greg Nettle and Jimmy Mellado ~ The authors of this book believe that every child is at risk and that every child matters. Children living in poverty are at risk of hunger, disease, sex-trafficking and more. Children living in wealth and abundance are at risk of obesity, entitlement, self-absorption and more. Greg Nettle is the president of Stadia Global Church Planting (an organization committed to making sure every child has a church) and Jimmy Mellado is president of Compassion International (a ministry committed to working through the local church around the world to release children from poverty in Jesus' name). What a powerful combination to have these two men and their ministries working together on behalf of children around the world! You can read more about this book here.

The More of Less by Joshua Becker ~ Authored by the creator of the hugely popular blog Becoming Minimalist, this book delivers a powerful message of living life to the fullest with less stuff. My introduction to the concept of minimalism came through Joshua's writings and I find his story and motivation to be so inspiring. You can read my review here.

Unstuffed by Ruth Soukup ~ I had the opportunity to receive this book for free in exchange for a review and so I did. There really was no new information for me in terms of decluttering, but I liked Ruth's approach and appreciated that she dedicated time and space to address more than just physical clutter. You can read my review here.

Chase Away Cancer by Ellie Poole Ewoldt ~ This was another book I received in exchange for a review. Ellie's two year old son was diagnosed with a rare and agressive cancer, and she wrote this memoir about their journey. It's never easy reading these heart-breaking, yet heart-warming stories of tragedy and faith, but it's also encouraging to see the hope that can emerge in such dire situations. You can read my review here.

Love, Ruby Lavendar by Deborah Wilkes ~ This was a read-aloud with my girls and it was a delightful story. I really liked the format and we all enjoyed the book.



I'd love to know if you've read any of these titles and what you think of them. I'd also love to know what you are reading now....


I'm linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy for Quick Lit



6 comments:

  1. Good to know about Fey's book!
    I need to get into the reading groove once school is done!

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  2. I am glad to hear I am not the only one who couldn't get in to Tina Fey's book. I have read rave reviews but it wasn't for me. Plus I have never seen even one episode of 30 Rock which was referenced A LOT. I really want to read When Breath Becomes Air but I just know by reading about it that I would be in tears as well. But I plan to read it one day...I received a preview copy of Brandon Hatmaker's soon to be released book A Mile Wide and am reading that at the moment.

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    1. I have watched 30 Rock and enjoyed it, but just didn't like her book.

      I expected to cry a lot in When Breath Becomes Air, but didn't until the very end. So that was a nice surprise...

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  3. I tried to get a copy of Unstuffed from my library but was unsuccessful as of last week. Joy of Less is on my bucket list as I have read Joshua's other books. Other than that, yeah, zero.
    This spring I did read Awe and several more Louis L'Amour books.

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  4. I have heard Joshua Becker interviews on several different podcasts and will have to check out his book! Also, I'm reading Come As You Are at the moment :)

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  5. I loved Lizzy & Jane! Have you read Dear Mr Knightley and/or The Bronte Plot? Dear Mr Knightley is my favorite of Reay's so far!
    I read When Breath Becomes Air recently and LOVED it, though I was definitely in tears at the epilogue too. Such a powerful book!
    I have heard about The More of Less and recently heard Joshua speak on Tsh Oxenreider's podcast, The Simple Show. It made me curious to get the book!

    Here are my May books: http://elle-alice.blogspot.ca/2016/05/may-book-reviews.html

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