July Reading Roundup

July was another busy reading month.  I read four nonfiction books and two fiction novels.  Here's a brief review and rating of each book I read.

Overcoming Toxic Emotions **

by Leah Guy

This is a book about emotional healing and self-care.  It has some good thoughts and ideas, but I didn't find anything truly life changing in it.  It isn't a long book (about 160 pages) and the author's writing style is very easily readable, but her references to "energy" and "vibrations" didn't resonate with me.   The author refers to herself as a "spiritual guide" and "healer" but she is not any kind of credentialed mental health care professional, so while there are some good things in the book, there was much I took with a grain of salt.  I probably won't read any more books by this author. I gave this book on two ** stars on Goodreads. (Own, Kindle edition).

The Kings of Big Spring****

by Bryan Mealer

This is sweeping multi-generational memoir of the Texas based family of author Bryan Mealer.  Mealer begins the saga in  1892 with his great-grandfather leaving the Georgia mountains to look for wealth and adventure in the open country of Texas.  Mealer researched and tells the story of his family in a way that makes the reader feel a part of the clan, and their search (as the title says) for God, Oil and the American Dream.  I listened to the audiobook read by the author, but I also own a hardcover edition of the book.  For anyone interested in the history of ordinary and extraordinary American families and individuals who weather the storms of time and everyday existence, this is an excellent and interesting story.  I gave the book four stars **** on Goodreads.  (Own, hardbound, listened to audiobook from library).

Little Broken Things ***

by Nicole Baart

A few months ago, I read another of Nicole Baart's book (Everything We Didn't Say) and I really liked it, so I decided I would probably like another of her books.  I did not like Little Broken Things nearly as much as the first book of Baart's that I read.  Little Broken Things reads like a long and confusing dysfunctional family soap opera.  The characters weren't particularly likable and some of the plot elements made no sense.  In addition, at almost 400 pages, the book just seemed to to go on and on and on.  The ending was a little weird and the characters reactions to it seemed unrealistic.  I have probably over rated this book, and if it were possible I would have given it 2 1/2 stars.  It isn't the worst book of this genre that I have read, but certainly not the best.  I probably won't be inclined to seek out more books by this author.  I gave the book 3 *** stars on Goodreads.  (Own, paperback, purchased used). 

Reconnecting with Your Estranged Adult Child *****

by Tina Gilbertson

This is an excellent book for anyone facing the situation of estrangement. Psychotherapist Tina Gilbertson covers just about every aspect of rifts between parents and adult children.   This is not just a book about family estrangement however. It is an excellent handbook on all kinds of communication, relationships and self-care.  It is highly readable and broken into small sections.  Recommended for all parents experiencing rocky relationships with adult children.  Read this book now to learn how to take care of your own needs and save relationships that may be in trouble.   I gave this book 5 ***** stars on Goodreads. (Own, paperback, purchased new). 

We Were Liars ***

by E. Lockhart

This is a story of wealth, greed, love, lies, family, loss, grief and deep dysfunction.   Every summer the three daughters of wealthy Harris and Tipper Sinclair gather with their children on their father's private island off the coast of Massachusetts.  One summer, a terrible accident leaves the oldest of the Sinclair grandchildren injured, addicted and emotionally damaged.  As the story of  unfolds, family secrets and lies are put together like pieces of puzzle, until the startling conclusion.  I had a hard time getting into this book until almost the very end, but the ending makes the rest of the story worth sticking with.  Even though it wasn't my favorite book, I gave We Were Liars 3 stars *** on Goodreads.  (Own, hardbound, purchased used). 

I Am Malala  ****

by Malala Yousafzai

This is an interesting and compelling biography of Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani school girl who is known because she was shot by the Taliban on her way home from school in October 2012.  This book is her story, but it is also the detailed story of her family and childhood, as well her home country, Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in Pakistan.  The book tells of the volatile political situation in Pakistan, especially as the Taliban came to power in the days after the 9/11 attack in the U.S.. Well worth reading, to get a better picture of that part of the world and the political situation that has led to so much loss of life in the U.S. and other parts of the world.  I gave this book 4 stars **** on Goodreads because of its important historic and political content.  (Own, hardbound, purchased used, listened to library audiobook). 

Here's a peek at what I'm reading as we begin the new month.  I got over 100 pages into another mystery/thriller and decided that it was way too violent and troubling for me, so I just started Missing by Erin Kinsley. I am hoping that it is more to my liking.  I am also reading a nonfiction, Walking on Eggshells by Jane Isay. 

Please let me know what you have been reading lately.  I am always looking for good book recommendations.  

Have a good August, and keep reading!

Until next time,

😊Deb💖

"The reading of all good books is like conversation

with the finest people of the past..."

~Descartes

October Reading Review

Another month has passed, and I am pleased with how much reading I was able to do in October.  Here are the books I completed last month, along with a review of what I liked and didn't like about each one. Three are nonfiction, with two fiction books. The books included a self-help book, a Christian nonfiction, a history book, a suspense/thriller/mystery, and a kid's fiction book.  While I didn't give any of them a five star ***** rating, I did find something to like in each book I read last month. 

Personality Isn’t Permanent by Benjamin Hardy

This book was much better than I expected it to be and part of it truly resonated with me. I enjoyed the illustrative stories and the down to earth, practical advice and explanations. Dr. Hardy’s writing style is straightforward and easy to read and understand. As far as “self-help” books go, this one can actually help.  Hardy discusses how limited beliefs, especially about our past can affect our future.  If we can have a growth mindset, believing that our personality is not pre-determined by past events, we can build a better, more resilient and successful future. While the book was a quick and interesting read for the most part, parts of it were repetitious and seemed to be more of the same self-help that so many other "experts" extol. Still, I did get some good things out of it.

I gave it four stars **** on Goodreads.

Becoming Myself by Stasi Eldredge

This is a good uplifting book for the Christian woman.  It steered away from "how to please and support your husband" as many Christian books geared to women have done in the past.  Instead this book focused on how a relationship with Jesus Christ can help us overcome addiction, shame, guilt, depression and many other things women today struggle with. As a Christian woman who has struggled with some of these things myself, I found this book helpful.  There are a couple of chapters in the book about how mothers affect and impact their daughters.  I found these chapters helpful and illuminating because of some things I have faced in my own life.  The book is interesting and easy to read with stories from the author's own life, as well as other modern women and women in the scriptures.

The main thing I did not like or agree with was Eldredge's "romantification" of God's love.  That doesn't do it for me at all.  God is our father, Jesus our older brother.  That's how it is in my mind for right or wrong.  Jesus' love for me is not romantic.  I now remember starting and then stopping Eldredge's first book, Captivating, for the same thing.  The thought  makes me very uncomfortable. Another thing Eldredge writes about is "celebrating" our daughters when they get their first periods.  That seems so person, and not a reason to have friends over and have a party.  Nope.  My daughters, I believe, would have been mortified to have a "First Period Party." It's not shameful, just personal.

While most of the book is uplifting, there were these things that made me uncomfortable, but there was so much more in it that I liked than that I didn't.

I gave it four stars **** on Goodreads.

The First Conspiracy: 

The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington

by Brad Meltzer

I listened to the audiobook of this title. It is an excellent, well-researched book about George Washington and the American Revolution. An interesting and compelling look at a little-known part of the history of the founding of the United States, namely the fact that there were soldiers in the Continental Army, working with the British and plotting against their commander, George Washington . This book made me appreciate, even more, the courage, intelligence and even miracles behind our nation and its founding.

I gave this book four stars **** on Goodreads.

The Perfect Family by Robyn Harding

The Adler Family - dad - Thomas, mom - Viv, son - Eli and daughter - Tarryn live a privileged upscale life in suburban Portland, Oregon.  From outside appearances, the Adlers have it all - a nice home, good jobs, and loving relationships.  This however, is not the reality of this family.  There are many toxic secrets dwelling in the Adler's home, and everything begins to come undone with of series of at first harmless pranks that escalate in a terrifying way.  This is a fast-paced book with short chapters told from the alternating perspectives of all four of the main characters.  It was suspenseful with a plot that had numerous twists, keeping the reader guessing.  There were many things, however, that I did not like about this book - namely all four of the members of the Adler family. The characters were not likeable at all to me as a reader.  I felt no sympathy for this family, nor did I care about what happened to them.  Although portrayed as an affluent family with the privileges that might afford them, the members of the family seemed incredibly unintelligent and they seemed to get less intelligent with each passing chapter with regards to their secrets and the attacks on their home and each other.   The plot never reaches a satisfactory conclusion and in the end the reader is left confused, not knowing if the mysterious and violent attacks have been solved.  The police seem completely uncaring, uninterested and right down inept when they are called. I was left wondering if the author had some kind of agenda in portraying law enforcement in that way.  In the end, I didn't much care this book and felt that giving it three stars was actually pretty generous.  I won't seek out any more books by this author. 

I gave this book three stars *** on Goodreads.

A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park

A young Korean orphan boy named Tree-ear watched a master potter in his village take a lump of clay and shape it into a thing of beauty.  Tree-ear wants nothing more than to learn to create beauty in this way himself.  Tree-ear wants to prove himself worthy of being taught by Min, the master potter, but first Tree-ear must prove himself worthy by helping with hard mundane tasks like chopping wood for the kiln and harvesting clay to be used in making the beautiful vases and pots. 

This is an uplifting and positive story by award winning children's author, Linda Sue Park.  It has a good message with some Korean and art history thrown in.  This would be a good one for 5th-7th grade children, but isn't that interesting or compelling for the adult reader.   I probably would not have read this book had it not been the selection for the book group I am in made up of mostly very elderly ladies from our church.

I gave this book three stars *** on Goodreads. 

As the month of November begins, here are the two books I am reading, Better Than Happy by Jody Moore (nonfiction Christian self-help) and The Empty Nest by Sue Watson (mystery/suspense). Both very good so far.

What good books did you read in October? What are you reading in November?

That's all for now. Thanks for visiting.

😊Deb💗

"Reading gives us someplace to go

when we have to stay where we are."

~Mason Cooley