Once a month we share the books we’ve finished reading and are reading now at 5 Minutes for Books.
Here is my list for April. I successfully finished some books from my TBR list–always a good feeling. And I finished a few books that I’ve been reading for months. Several of the other books I read were short though, so altogether it looks like I spent lots more time reading this month than I actually did.
BOOKS I’M READING NOW
1. The Age of the Image
Redefining Literacy in a World of Screens
by Stephen Apkon
My review here
Visual literacy has grown to be important in our society. How literate will we be? A great book addressing and teaching on this subject.Very interesting so far!
2. The Invisible Man
by H. G. Wells
This classic is about the troubles of a man who finds himself invisible. It’s short and is moving along quickly. It’s an enjoyable novel so far. Somehow I’ve never read it before (first published in 1897).
3. 50 Women Every Christian Should Know
Learning from Heroines of the Faith
by Michelle DeRusha
My review here
I’m learning so much from Michelle’s breakdown of Christian women I wish I could talk to in person. It’s not just a book of facts (although it is full of facts); it also reaches deeper into virtue and inspiration.
4. When Mockingbirds Sing
by Billy Coffey
My review here
Have you read this book? I hear Billy Coffey is an amazing author so I’m looking forward to reading this novel that I know nothing about.
BOOKS I FINISHED FROM MARCH’S LIST
5. Searching for Sunday
Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church
by Rachel Held Evans
My review here
Such an encouraging book from Rachel Held Evans about church and community and God. She opens up about her journey of faith—the ugly and the pretty—and helps us see our own journey through the lens of these seven sacraments of baptism, confession, holy orders, communion, confirmation, anointing the sick, and marriage.
6. Scary Close
Dropping the Act and Finding True Intimacy
by Donald Miller
My review here
I happen to be a Donald Miller fan because I love how he keeps it real. He’s at his most vulnerable yet in this book about his fears of getting close and letting himself really be seen.
7. Middlemarch
by George Eliot
I loved this classic and beloved British novel about community and relationships and life in the early 1800s. I’d had this one going for a long time, but I’m so glad I kept at it.
8. Billy Budd, Sailor
by Herman Melville
A very short novel about a good sailor being mistreated. It was okay; not my favorite.
9. Abandonment to Divine Providence
by Jean-Pierre de Caussade
Written by a French Jesuit in the 1700s, this was originally a series of letters to nuns to navigate spiritual concerns they had. I didn’t get all of it (i.e., it was written in the 1700s). That’s ok. I grabbed what I could. It was enough. Fiat! Fiat! Be faithful; submit to God’s will; resign yourself to the present moment in what God is doing. I’ve been reading this one for several months, too, so it was good to finish.
10. Ruby
by Cynthia Bond
My review here
This novel is about an abused woman’s return to her small town in east Texas and the way it responds to her and how she responds to it. The writing was beautiful, but the content wasn’t my cup of tea.
11. Coffee Talk with Jesus
Intimate Chats with the Savior
by Barbie Swihart
A small book of 31 devotionals. Each day includes an encouraging devotional thought, Bible verses, and questions for journaling. Barbie also includes recipes here and there. I have a friend that it’ll be perfect for, so I’ll gift it to her this week now that I’ve enjoyed it.
12. In Search of Balance
Keys to a Stable Life
by Richard A. Swenson
I liked Swenson’s book Margin better. This one felt repetitive to me after awhile, restating the obvious—we need more balance. Summary: You’re doing too much. Cram less things into your day. He did offer lots of specific advice though and the message itself of balance is a valuable one.
13. Pride
The Story of the First Openly Gay Navy Seal
by Brett Jones
I met the author Brett Jones at a book signing and speech he gave a couple weeks ago. He’s had an interesting life as a Navy SEAL and being outed during the Don’t-Ask-Don’t-Tell era. I loved his positive perspective of always taking the high road, reflected in his character and in his book. I left encouraged after meeting him. I wrote about it here.
14. For Women Only
What You Need to Know about the Inner Lives of Men
by Shaunti Feldhahn
I came to this one with a bad attitude—what more can she tell us about how men are different than women? Why should I read this? Well, maybe it wasn’t necessarily new stuff. But it was good reminders that I needed to hear (even if reluctantly). And it was short. I’ll pass it along to younger women in my life who may not have heard this kind of information before.
15. The Witch of Blackbird Pond
by Elizabeth George Speare
This 1950s Newbery Award book is about an orphan girl’s move from her home of Barbados to family in Connecticut in the 1700s. She befriends an outside Quaker woman considered a witch by their Puritan community. I read it as a child and wanted to refresh what I loved about it. It’s still amazingly relevant in our own culture to the discerning reader, and yet appropriate for middle-school readers and up.
16. The Art of Racing in the Rain
by Garth Stein
A philosophizing dog narrates this novel about his owner’s life. It’s funny, it’s sad, it’s cute. I listened to the audio version, which was read so well. I don’t always remember to include books I listened to, but this one was so good I couldn’t forget to tell you about it.
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What are you reading this month? Please share here.
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