recently read.

back from a break - not intentional, just not blogging. so i thought i'd ease in with what i've been up to recently: reading.

and seeing as yesterday was world book day, it's only a day late!

i've had a string of good books this year - and really these things deserve to be shared. 

flight behaviour - barbara kingsolver

set in small town appalachia, this is a wonderful story about engaging climate science and daily life from the perspective of a young mother. this novel deals with the challenges of intersecting faith, education, small town life and climate science. this novel reminded me of the life that happens outside of urban, educated, well-to-do london. it is beautifully written with stunning poetic language that engages you from the beginning. 

anything - jennie allen 

what happens when you say - 'anything' to god? and by 'anything' you mean, that you'll no longer try to control or restrict or keep areas of your life from god. you won't say, anything, but...that's this story. jennie allen and her husband prayed that god would do, take, have, give, move anything. and he did. it was a book that really challenged my thinking on what i was holding onto too tightly. 

the round house - louise erdrich 

a reflection on how a boy lives through the aftermath of a brutal attack on his mother and the way a community grapples with violence. a coming of age story that is haunting and painful but so readable you can't imagine putting it down.

help, thanks, wow. - ann lamott

ann suggests there are three prayers: help, thanks and wow. moments when we call on the divine for assistance, asking for a need to be filled, a gap to be bridged, a hurt to be mended; moments when we simply praise god because that's what we were created to do: worship; and moments when you just sit back and say 'wow, god. just wow!'

the shoemaker's wife, adriana trigiani

a sweeping historical novel set in italy and america at the turn of the 20th century. this book might not be the next pulitzer winner, but it definitely entertains, is decently well written and thoroughly enjoyable. it grips you early, doesn't let you go and allows you to fully enter the story with the characters. my only criticism is that maybe it tries to reach just a little too far, the decades from 1890-1940 were tumultuous to say the least, and  this novel tries to touch on all the big events...regardless, you can't help but want the characters to triumph!


happy reading!