a girl and her books

A Time for Every Purpose Series by Carolyn

Four novels make up this series, which focuses on the power of outspoken and partnered prayer and provides an alternative, somewhat radical, perspective on dating as a means to marriage.  I would strongly recommend these books to any Christian females. The author is eschewing fame (note the lack of a last name) and the so books are self-published and can be difficult to find.  But seriously, if you are interested, let me know and I will lend you my copy!  It’s one of the those books I hate to leave sitting on my shelf because it is too good to be gathering dust.  More than just a great read, I believe this series will give you a renewed passion for following God’s will and is chock-full of valuable wisdom for living out your faith.

Geez Magazine

“Geez magazine has set up camp in the outback of the spiritual commons. A bustling spot for the over-churched, out-churched, un-churched and maybe even the un-churchable. For wannabe contemplatives, front-line world-changers and restless cranks.”

I have subscribed to Geez for three or four years now and it is always an interesting read. Sometimes challenging my own worldview and theological perspectives, Geez is a constant encouragement to question how our culture operates and consider how Jesus would have me operating in it.

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

Someone lent this to me last year and I never read it and now have moved out of that city and they have changed their phone number. So I figured the least I could do was to actually read the book!  And it was good! Less harlequin-ny than it looks. It is basically a fictional retelling of the Old Testament book of Hosea - a man who God tells to marry a prostitute and his subsequent wooing of her.  Sounds strange perhaps, but actually a beautiful love story and moreso a powerful allegory of God’s love, and his desire for a relationship with us.

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

This was hands down the most sharp-witted book I have ever read.  Truly these two men have their own kind of genius.  Read it. Go find and read it now.

The Devil’s Footsteps by E. E. Richardson
Cirque Du Freak by Darren Shan

These are both for school, where we are trying out horror novels.  Not my usual fare, but the kids seem to eat them up. So if you are recommending books to teenagers, keep these in mind!

The Magician’s Nephew; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; The Horse and his Boy by C.S. Lewis

Shortly after Christmas I returned home to be with my ailing Oma, and I decided it would be a appropriate time to re-read the Narnia Series.  Not too heavy, not too light, perfect for reading at a bedside - aloud or quietly. As these things go, she passed away much quicker than any of us had anticipated - and so I only read the first three before it was back to real life.

C.S. Lewis has an exceptionally conversational way of writing.

He’s a Stud, She’s a Slut (And 49 Other Double Standards Every Woman Should Know) by Jessica Valenti

Lisa is lending me this book (written by the founder of Feministing) and it is proving a very interesting read with lots to think about. Already, sadly, I can see many of these double standards being played out in my everyday life. Luckily, Jessica has also added to the end of each chapter a ‘What can we do about it?’ section.

The Rainmaker by John Grisham

I have only previously read one other Grisham and didn’t enjoy it very much, but while I was home for the holidays my Opa was reading this one and he couldn’t stop raving about it. So I told him I would give it a shot and he lent it to me when he finished. Well - I have got to say that if you are going to read any John Grisham, or even if you aren’t - you should read this book. I thought it was fascinating and eventually just had to sit myself down for a whole afternoon and finish it because I knew I wasn’t going to be able to think about anything else until I had.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

My friend in Australia sent me this and it was everything!  It’s not your usual narrative, but extremely well written and full of weighty and lofty ideas.  It has alternating narrators - the first a clandestinely high-cultured but lonely concierge at a bourgeois apartment building, and the second a twelve year old girl who lives on the fourth floor and is determined to document her profound thoughts and what beauty in the world she does see before she kills herself on her thirteenth birthday.

This sentence took my breath away:
“Do you know what a summer rain is?
To start with, pure beauty striking the summer sky, awe-filled respect absconding with your heart, a feeling of insignificance at the very heart of the sublime, so fragile and swollen with the majesty of things, trapped, ravished, amazed by the bounty of the world.”

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Too many people had told me “I have to read it” for me not to. I thought it was going to be the new Harry Potter, but really - noone tells you how terribly written it is! A page-turner no doubt, and certainly a quick read, and I’m the first to praise anything which gets teenagers reading, but personally, I could have done without it!

Love Letter of Great Men edited by Ursula Doyle

Ever since I saw Sex and the City: The Movie, I have wanted to own a book like this. And then I just happened to be at Chapters on my birthday and decided it was the perfect birthday present to myself!  These days I leave it by my bed and usually just read one or two letter, out loud, before falling asleep. A lovely way to end the day!

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lews (from The Complete C.S. Lews)

This is an epistolary novel of letters written from “a senior demon, Screwtape, to his nephew, a junior tempter named Wormwood, so as to advise him on methods of securing the damnation of an earthly man.” (Wikipedia) I had read it once before but just sort of whizzed through it. These days I try to read about one letter a day and really focus on what its saying, with a little post-it summarizing the main points at the end. A very satisfying re-read!

What My Mother Doesn’t Know by Sonya Sones

I started reading this like five years ago at Chapters. And the other day I saw it at the library and figured I might as well finally finish it! (I read alot of Young Adult Fiction, fyi.) This one was cool because it is told in a bunch of one-two page poems by the narrator. Basically this fifteen year old girl is boy-crazy, so it was easy for me to relate - even at my wise, old age of twenty-two.

“My name is Sophie.
This book is about me.
It tells
the heart-stoppingly riveting story
of my first love.
And also my seond.
And, okay, my third love too.”

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

I sorta started reading this by accident. I had got it for a student I’m tutoring and then had some spare time and so just read the first chapter. And well, I was hooked. It’s a pretty gripping tale with a sort of a classic message about love being stronger than all evil. Plus its a super quick read.