It has been awhile since I updated my reading list and I thought this morning would be a perfect time. Reading has been interesting for me over the last couple months. Some days all I want to do is curl up on the couch and read and other days it takes everything I have to get focused to read a chapter- lots on my mind I guess. I read an article the other day from a new mom who loves to read. She talked about all the amazing ways being a mother has changed her life, but she was also please how some things stayed exactly the same- like reading. It was an encouraging article to read. That is everyones favorite thing to talk to me about right now during this season- how much my life is about to change. And I get that. This article offered hope and shed light on the fact that there are some things that will and can stay the same, and I hope reading is one of those things for me.
We are starting off our little one early with reading. I desperately want Sweetpea to have a great love for reading. Since about mid-summer Steve and I have been taking turns reading to my belly. At first we were reading lots of her baby/children's books to her, but then we thought, hey we are going to read these books A LOT to her once she arrives, why not read her something right now we can really get into as well. So Steve picked the above book, 'James and the Giant Peach.' It was one of his favorites growing up and I had never read it. The chapters are short so it was not time consuming each night. Steve had great voices for the characters- especially when they broke out in song:).
Now we are reading Kay Ryan's 'The Best of It' to her each night. Poetry is neither of our strong suits, but we like the writer. In fact, this was the writer Steve took me to see/hear on my birthday back in April. Some poems we understand and love and spend several minutes talking about after the reading. Others we read, stare blankly at each other and move on. Poetry is like that for me- sometimes it is all absorbing, other times it hits me like a blank wall- nothing. Wonder what Sweetpea thinks?
So I finally gave in and read the Hunger Game Trilogy. There were a couple reasons I was putting it off. 1) I knew it was going to be consuming, as in once I started I would not want to stop, so I wanted to give myself enough time and space to read them. 2) In some ways its a little like Twilight to me, it was all the rage among the teens. Sometimes I have to give myself some time before I jump on a band wagon. Or I could just say I am doing it for work. I work with teens on a daily basis and I need ways to relate. (I justify some of the music I listen to with this excuse too.) Overall, I loved the series. Book three was pretty dark and gory in parts, but I enjoyed each book and fell in love with all the characters. Looking forward to the movie coming out in late March.
And here is the fluffy, mindless book in the bunch. I usually read one of these books every couple months. They are easy, indifferent, and a quick read. The story line has little substance and it was kinda sad. I would not recommend 'Happiness Sold Separately' to a friend, but I am not sad I read it. I did like this author's previous book, 'Good Grief', but it too was sad.
'Evolving in Monkey Town' by Rachel Held Evans has been talked about here on this blog several times this year. She was one of keynote speakers at Summit in Abilene this past September and I got my book signed by her. It was great. This is one of my favorite books right now. I highly recommend it to anyone who has grown up in the church, especially a conservative one- I felt as if I related to her on so many levels, like it was my story being written out. It has been the number one gift for the season in our house and I still have copies stashed away waiting to go out for gifts in the upcoming year. That is how good I think it is.
I joined a book club in September. This is something that has been on my bucket list for years. You think it would be an easy one due to me loving books and all, but I never made the time. I am making the time now and I hope to keep up with the habit once this little one arrives. It meets once a month early on Saturday mornings. It's all women and some are my age and but most are not. Some go to my church and some do not. Some share my same beliefs and others do not. I am really liking this group. It is stretching me and making me think and exposing me to new writers and writings. I wish I had done this years ago. The above book it what we are currently picking through. I have just discovered Dorothy Day in the last 5 or so years. This is a great book to start out with if you are wanting to know about this saint-like women.
Have I ever told my absolute favorite story in the Bible is the prodigal son? Well it is. I usually cry every time I hear a sermon on this parable. And I can't hear enough teachings on this story, I feel like I learn something new each time I read or hear it. Steve brought me his copy of Henri Nouwen's 'The Return of the Prodigal Son' back in September. I have been slowly reading it ever since. It is a small book, one I could probably finish in a couple hours if I sat down and went through the whole thing, but I am savoring it every now and then. Nouwen takes you through each characters story- first the youngest son, then the oldest son (who I identify with), and finally the father, who Nouwen believes is what everyone should strive to be like. I would now like a print of Rembrandt's painting of the prodigal son in home someday.
For the flop book of the bunch- 'Edgar Sawtelle' by David Wroblewski. And I would like to start out by saying it's not him, it's me. I tried and tried and tried but could not get into this book. Usually when I can not get into a book I will do one of two things- read it anyways (I am stubborn like that) or stop within in a couple chapters- max. You want to know what I did with this book? I read more then 3/4 of the thing then put it down. That was kind of silly, I should have just read the whole dang thing, but it just was not doing anything for me. In fact, I really do not even care how it ended, which is why I stopped. There is no real criticism for the book other then it was just not for me. I have talked to a good handful of people who loved it, just look on Amazon- overall people liked it. You may too, so do not take my opinion of it, try it for yourself.
Well, technically I had two fluffy books this round. I also read 'Throwaway' by Heather Huffman back on our babymoon in October. I had finished all the Hunger Game books on the trip and needed another book to read. This one was free on iBooks on my iPad so I downloaded it and enjoyed the simple, fluffy story. It read like a Nicolas Sparks book, so I liked it:). If you find it free on your iPad or at a used book store it is worth the read, if not pass it up.
And I leave you with this article. This is 100% worth your read. I posted it on Facebook last night but I wanted to share it on here too. I am one of these girls and I hope to raise one just like it:). Just click on any of the highlighted words. Enjoy your Saturday- I am about to go curl up on the couch with some hot chocolate and a good book. Until next time- happy reading. (PS- feel free to share your current readings, I am always looking for a good book to get lost in.)
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