Books I've Read Recently

Greetings, faithful readers!!

To ease back into this blogging thing, I thought I would share with you some books I have read more recently that I enjoyed.

Okay, actually, these are the only books I have finished recently. And, the first one I finished this August... so, that says something about how little I read anymore.

I really need to get back into it.

But, in the meantime, here are some books I've read and enjoyed, along with my thoughts on them. Because I can't not tell people my opinions about stuff. Not on my blog.

Anyway!! Without further ado, my book list:

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Where to begin.

I do not think I have the words to express how much this book meant to me. It moved me and made me laugh and cry and scream with rage and open my eyes to just how horrible people can be while also giving me hope by showing me just how amazing they can be.

Seriously, words cannot express the amazingness of this book. I picked it up cheap at a bookstore because I’ve been trying to branch out in my reading. I tend to read the same sort of stuff and have seriously read no adult books that don’t fall under classic or Christian Romance. So, I thought I would give it a try, take a risk. So. Glad. I. Did.

There are a few major concerns with the book. Due to content, I would recommend not reading it until you’re an adult, an older teen if you’re not super sensitive to content. Aside from some of the language, it’s all necessary and nothing is done without a reason. It’s not bad stuff, just serious. It’s mostly language and thematic elements. Nothing inappropriate just heavy themes.

But yeah, if you are old enough and haven’t read it, you need to. You. Need. To.

Savvy by Ingrid Law

I read this one for book club and had no idea what it was even about when I started it. But, then the

more I read, the more I loved it.

On the surface, it seems like a super simple fantasy story about a girl in the modern world whose family holds a secret- on their thirteenth birthday, each member of the family gains a savvy (a special talent).

But, if you dig deeper, it’s a coming of age story about finding your place in the world. It’s about how scary growing up is and how you need to learn to embrace the changes that come to you. It also sparked some really awesome discussions about relationships that showed me just how mature my girls really are.

I adored this book. And, I need to read the sequels. Because this book is wonderful. And, the best part is that while it deals with such serious themes, the way it’s told, in it’s beautiful, lighthearted way, it’s totally appropriate for its target audience. So, there’s no need to be concerned when giving it to a middle grade reader.

In Between: Book One of the Katie Parker Series by Jenny B. Jones

I have read two books by this author. I adored her There You’ll Find Me beyond words. But, her So, Not Happening just wasn’t my cup of tea at all. But, this book is free on Kindle so I figured I might as well give it a try.

It had me from the opening line. Told from Katie’s perspective, the book starts with a perfectly snarky line that is enough to make me love her right from the get go. There You’ll Find Me is still my favorite book by this author. But, this book did not disappoint me.

It’s very realistic in terms of how it’s told. Katie is the typical foster kid- she wants so desperately to be loved, to be accepted, but she’s terrified and has no faith whatsoever that it will happen. So, she pushes people away. At the beginning of the book, she is trying to do everything in her power to get sent back to the group home. Better to get it over with now, instead of getting comfortable.

I also love how Katie is sent to live with a pastor and his wife but she doesn’t accept what they’re offering right away. It’s not your stereotypical Christian fiction book. She doesn’t jump right on it, there’s no “magic moment” where everything falls into place and she’s suddenly a model Christian. I firmly believe that people have those moments. But, not everyone does and I think it’s dangerous to portray that as being the be-all-end-all in terms of experiences with God. What Katie feels is real. It’s relatable. And, it also leaves it open for her to grow and experience more in future books.

Future books that I can’t wait to read!!

The Mercenary’s Marriage by Rachel Rossano

I have been waiting years to read this book. Every time I went to buy it the time just wasn't right and I

never got ahold of it. I finally bought it on Kindle yesterday and plowed through it in an afternoon. And, loved it so much I bought a copy of Duty on Kindle as soon as I finished it and promptly started to read that. I can't believe I'm only just reading these now. I might have a new author to add to my long list of favorites.

This book is so sweet and beautiful. It's also very short so it can be read in a sitting or two. The main characters are very sweet and their romance it adorable. It's very tame, so if you're looking for a bodice ripper, I would suggest looking elsewhere. The world is also only based on the medieval era, so don't read it if you are a die-hard medieval fan looking for 100% historical accuracy.

But, if you're just looking for a sweet, gentle romance with a medieval setting, you need to read this, because it is amazing. It reminds me so much of the stories I want to write and it inspired me so much. And, also made me just really happy and excited and yeah, I loved it.

Duty by Rachel Rossano

As I mentioned above, I bought this as soon as I finished her other book. I however did not realize what I was getting into when I started it. Unlike the last book, this one is not short. I was hoping to read it that same afternoon and ended up giving myself a headache from reading too long (yes, that can happen- when you’re reading on a Kindle. Which is why print books are superior)

Anyway! Aside from it being much longer than I expected, the book was amazing. Even better than her other one. Her couple was possibly sweeter in this one than the other and her guy was so well written. He was everything you would want from a guy in a romance but at the same time he was so believable it almost hurt. Like, one minute he was telling her that he was glad he married her because she was so strong and amazing and the next he was forgetting to tell her super important details because they slipped his mind or his didn’t think she needed to know them right that second.

And, the main character, Brielle was also so good because the author did a great job making her super strong and independent while also keeping her very organic to her story world. She was every inch a medieval woman while at the same time she was far from a simpering miss who cowered in the corner and could not protect herself. And, as you know from my Here's to Heroines Series I have very strong opinions about that sort of thing.

I will definitely be reading more of Ms. Rossano’s work in the future. This book has a sequel that just came out and I’m opting for the print version this time so as to avoid any headaches. But, I plan to plow through it just as quickly as her other works.

And, there you have it! Comment below with your thoughts on any of these books. Or with things you would like to see me write about in the future.

Until next time, dear readers. Stay awesome!!