August Book Reviews

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The countdown until Elliot's due date is shrinking quickly. He is due in one week!!  I am getting some reading time while I can, because who knows what the next few months of the sleep-deprived transition to motherhood will do for me reading life, but I did not expect to get through thirteen books two months in a row. This is probably the last month I can ever do that (and I am ok with that!)


Gifts from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh ★★★★☆
A little book with a middle-aged woman's reflections and lessons while on vacation in a secluded beach cabin. Using different seashells to share analogies, she focuses each chapter on a different theme (and shell). One chapter is on the need for simplifying life when it seems so busy and cumbersome that you're having trouble actually enjoying the present, while another chapter focuses on marriage. Originally published in 1955, it continues to offer timeless wisdom. It felt like a breath of fresh air and made me long for the simple pleasure of the crashing waves of the beach.  I didn't even know (until Anne Bogel of What Should I Read Next and Modern Mrs Darcy gushed about the book), that the author was the wife of Charles Lindbergh, the famous aviator who was the first to fly across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927. They were parents of five children, one who was tragically killed after being kidnapped at twenty months old in 1932. And yet, her fame and wealth is never mentioned; her book reads without being pretentious, showing off or only applying to the elite. I think anyone can glean from her simple, yet stirring thoughts.

Rating: G


Harvest of Rubies by Tessa Afshar (audiobook) ★★★★☆
Sarah is a rare gem in this Biblical historical fiction novel set in Persia around 445 BC. She is the cousin of Nehemiah. She is fictional but he is a real character in the Bible who was allowed by King Artexerxes to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city after years in exile.  From an early age, she taught herself to read and write in multiple languages, which is atypical for someone in her low social status, especially since she was a female.  Her desire to learn soon grants her access into the Persian Court, where she is a scribe to the queen. She is a flawed character, which makes her seem real and believable. She yearns to earn her worth through the quality of her work, which causes her to be somewhat of a workaholic. She stopped reading the parchment scrolls filled with stories and psalms about the God of her Jewish heritage; she is jaded after enduring hardship from an early age and feels she must earn love or else she will be abandoned by those who matter to her. Through no workings of her own (and much to her horror), she is married off to a cousin of King Artaxerxes, but this arranged marriage starts off on a very bad foot  and her new husband is so frustrated with her, he abandons her in his country palace while he heads on summer vacation with the royals. Through a variety of circumstances, Sarah begins to see the truth that there is a God who loves her, not because of her achievements and talents, but because of who He is. She experiences the pain of being pruned, like a vineyard by a Master Gardener, to a place where she can grow and learn to rest in who she is rather than what she is able to do. Her husband eventually returns and their relationship is an interesting part of the story as he starts to see she is not the person he originally accused her of being. Sarah is a relatable character to me and I enjoyed seeing her character develop throughout the story as well as her faith journey as she slowly learns to trust in God. The historical context was fascinating as well. Tessa has her Masters in Divinity from Yale so she knows a thing or two about the Bible and the historical context surrounding it, and it definitely shows in her novel.

Rating: G


Chronicles of Avonlea by Lucy Maud Montgomery (audiobook) ★★★★☆
Twelve delightful and endearing short stories of various new characters of Prince Edward Island. Our beloved Anne Shirley is briefly mentioned in several of the stories but never actually makes an appearance. Even so, Montgomery's style and charming writing that captured my attention with the Anne series permeates through all the stories. I typically do not like short stories because I feel like they are either rushed or do not include enough details or character development. That was not the case for these short-but-sweet stories that were  each different but enjoyable in their own way, from an old man-hating woman who gets stuck in smallpox quarantine with a cantankerous woman-hating bachelor (that was quite funny), to a lover's quarrel that lasted several decades and finally comes to a halt one fateful night, to an old man who is anxiously awaiting his daughter's return after three years in the big city and wonders if she will still like her simple life on their ramshackle farm.

Rating: G


The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League International ★★☆☆☆
I have heard great things about this book and about LLLI so I was thrilled when I found a third edition (published in 1981) for $0.50 at a local book sale. I figured it would still have the most important information about breastfeeding, so I took the latest edition (8th edition published in 2010) off my baby registry. I naively thought, how much could change in the breastfeeding world? Well, apparently, a lot! I regret not splurging for a newer copy because this was incredibly outdated with some recommendations that have since been discouraged by the American Academy of Pediatrics, namely the encouragement of co-sleeping and placing a baby on their tummy to sleep (this was  before the successful Back to Sleep campaign that started in 1994, so I am cutting them some slack there). I came to the book expecting it would be a manual to the breastfeeding  technique, but it read more like a persuasive essay on why women should breastfeed and why their partners should support them. Granted, breastfeeding was slightly taboo back then and only recently becoming more socially accepted and credible research-based evidence regarding its benefits have been published, but it still felt like too many chapters focused on convincing the reader to stick with it.  I am already convinced; I was wanting practical tips and troubleshooting help when things don't go right.  I really did not have any takeaways or feel more knowledgeable about breastfeeding in the end. Luckily, the doula I work with is affiliated with a remarkable lactation consultant, so I feel like I will be covered with my specific questions, but I am still a bit disappointed in not finding this to be as useful of a book as I figured it would be. I was also on the fence about how adamant the authors were about doing everything possible to continue breastfeeding, including quitting your job and co-sleeping until toddler ages. I am all for encouraging continuation of breastfeeding as long as possible but this should be balanced with the family dynamics, finances, and other individual factors in each family. LLLI is definitely a proponent of child-centered parenting and attachment parenting, both of which have some good points to them, but I cannot agree with them overall. I wasn't a fan of the encouragement for co-sleeping to make breastfeeding easier for both safety reasons as well as the fact that it was coupled with the idea that the baby should breastfeed whenever they cry. This is absolutely appropriate in the early months but is questionable when babies are able to self-soothe and have the ability to sleep train and can truly survive a night without a feeding.  It  feels like the authors puts the baby above the need for the couple to have quiet time in their room (again, this is after the baby can be safe in their own room), and that is something that we are hoping to avoid because mama and daddy still need alone time! Granted I am a mere weeks from this all becoming a reality, so who knows what I will think then, but these were my initial thoughts as I read it the book. I am curious what others thought about the more updated version of the book and if these recommendations remain.

Rating: G ... unless you count all the photos of breasts ;)


Minding the Manor: The Memoir of a 1930s English Kitchen Maid by Mollie Moran  (audiobook) ★★★★☆
Calling all Downtown Abbey fans! This is a book for you! An entertaining memoir written by a British woman in her nineties reminiscing on her teenage and early adulthood working in three different mansions in the 1930s. In true "started from the bottom, now we here" (you'll never get another Drake reference from me, haha), Mollie started as a scullery made at age fourteen, the lowest rung in the ladder of the "downstairs" working class,  and eventually made it to the respectable position of cook. The days were grueling and the tasks often seemed menial, yet this was far from a dry or domesticated tale of unending housecleaning duties. Mollie is a spitfire and seemed to always find trouble, often inadvertently but other times as a result from her own pride and immaturity. She shares tales of failed romances, the thrill of glimpsing into the wealthy lives of the bustling London atmosphere  (she grew up fairly poor in a quant country village so she was captivated by this other world), and friendships she made along the way.

Rating: PG (I think I remember a cuss word or two, but it was actually clean overall)


The Gospel Comes with a House Key: Practicing  Radically Ordinary Hospitality in our Post-Christian World by Rosaria Butterfield  (audiobook) ★★★★★
I first became acquainted with Butterfield's story through her first memoir, The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert (in which she shares her journey to Christ from being an atheist lesbian highly opposed to Christianity). Now in this most recent book, she shifts focus on the importance of "radically ordinary hospitality" as a bridge to bring the gospel of Jesus to those who do not yet know Him. The idea of hospitality was a bedrock during her journey to Christianity through a mentoring couple who invited her over for dinner for years as they listened to her barrage of complaints about Christianity. And it was also the bedrock of the early churches, as described in the Apostle Paul's letters to various churches and the book of Acts. Rosaria gives practical ways to incorporate this intentional type of hospitality regardless of finances, marriage status, or denomination. Every Christian has the ability (and the calling) to make their home (whether that is a house, a dorm room, or an apartment) a safe haven for others to find the hope of the gospel. She shares stories of what hospitality looks like in her home, with special focus to how her family chose to love a neighbor who was a recluse and deemed as dangerous by other neighbors, Biblical references to hospitality, nuts and bolts practicality of how to prayerfully make this a part of your life, and (surprisingly, but very interestingly since it is rarely discussed in literature or sermons) how church discipline is linked to hospitality when it means protecting a church family from one who is sinning and hurting fellowship. This was encouraging, inspiring, and a kick in the pants that I need. Rosaria's writing is clear, concise, hope-filled, and honest.

Recommended if: You liked Everybody Always and Love Wins (both by Bob Goff) and other similar books, but wished there was more Scripture focus and practical steps for long-term discipleship after the initial (vital, yet not conclusive) extravagant acts of  love. (I  still love both those books, but recently the above critique was shared with me regarding Everybody Always and I agree that there seemed to be a vital part missing).

Rating: G

Gorge: My Journey Up Kilimanjaro at 300 Pounds by Kara Richardson Whiteley (audiobook) ★★★★☆
A raw, vulnerable, honest memoir by Whiteley about her third trek up Mt. Kilimanjaro as a plus-size woman. She goes back and forth between real-time travelogue of the week-long grueling trek (on which she embarked with three other friends) and then switched to memories of her childhood with a distant father and the subsequent decades of struggling with her weight (both physical and emotional baggage). I admired Whiteley for her courage, tenacity, and commitment to climb the notorious 19,341 foot mountain. But what was equally admirable was her willingness to share intimate details of what it is like to live as a plus-size woman, including the taunts and ridicule endured from childhood to adulthood, attempting to satisfy her many emotional wounds through overeating, the regrets and deep fears associated with her weight gain, and so much more. She does not hide her struggle with weight, both on the mountain and in her inner self.

Rating: PG-13 (plenty of F-bombs and references to sexual encounters (brief, not explicit). Also, be aware if this is a trigger for you: there is a scene depicting childhood sexual abuse.


Gracelaced: Discovering Timeless Truths Through Seasons of the Heart by Ruth Chou Simons ★★★★★
I have admired Ruth's gorgeous artwork on her Instagram (@gracelaced) for years and have had this equally gorgeous book waiting on my bookshelf for me to dive into for almost a year. Whether on her blog, Instagram, or in the pages of this book, Ruth's writing always brims with wisdom, honesty, and purpose. In this book, which I slowly read as a daily devotional rather than rushing through, Ruth uses the four seasons to express ways to draw near to God. Winter symbolizes "resting in God's character", spring symbolizes "rehearsing the truth", summer is "responding in faith", and fall is "remembering God's provisions". Each of the seasons has eight essays or devotional writing, complete with a "delve deeper" portion that lists three Bible verses on which to meditate and a "respond" portion with a question for reflection or an action to take. The devotions are surrounded by Ruth's beautifully vibrant artwork and photography that intentionally aids in (rather than distracting from) the writing. I was deeply encouraged by this book, which continuously pointed to God on every page. This book is a delight, especially for women who love beautiful artwork coupled with soul-stirring reflections on Biblical truths.

Rating: G


On Becoming Babywise: Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep (2019 Edition) by Dr. Robert Bucknam, MD and Gary Ezzo ★★★★★
My husband and I have heard countless recommendations of this book by friends and co-workers who said that their babies slept eight hours a night by 8-10 weeks after following the guidelines of this book. Our curiosity was peaked and thankfully, a co-worker gave it to Greg as a gift. Though we have yet to put it into practice since we are still awaiting our son's birth, it seems like it will be an indispensable resource in the very near future. The co-authors declare that their parent-directed feeding (PDF) is a balanced approach to feeding (and consequently, sleeping) strategies,  comparing it to two opposing extremes,  the child-centered parenting and rigid scheduled feeding. They believe that schedules are pivotal but so is following your individual baby's hunger cues and specific needs. In satiating an infant with sufficient nutrition, the parents are consequently promoting normal sleep patterns during the day and night since baby shouldn't be waking up hungry. They discuss in very practical ways how sleep training can be implemented and different troubleshooting tips for when it just isn't happening. There is also a plethora of baby care advice, all from an experienced pediatrician. As a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, I agreed with 99.9% of the recommendations and thought the writing was reader-friendly for parents while still being accurate and evidence-based. It is so much more than a sleep training guide; it is a parenting manual that discusses the seemingly endless factors that can correlate with an infant's sleep (or lack thereof) and gives a plethora of ideas for parents to try that can be individualized to each family's unique dynamics. I look forward to implementing what we have learned from this book!

Rating: G


The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes ★★★★☆
This delightful short story won a Newberry Honor in 1945 and is considered a classic, but I had not heard of it until fairly recently. It is a sweet and reflective story appropriate for children and adults alike. Wanda Petronski is a Polish immigrant who gets teased by two popular girls at school for wearing the same dress to school everyday, particularly because she claims to have one hundred dresses in her closet at home. After she stops appearing at school because of the bullying, the two girls learn a lesson they don't soon forget. This would be a great book to read and discuss the power of words as well as how to stand up for someone who is getting bullied rather than watching it happen and not doing anything about it. It was a short eighty pages filled with beautiful illustrations and can be counted as juvenile fiction but I still enjoyed it very much.
Rating: G



The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson ★★★★★ (audiobook)
I heard about this book from Anne Bogel's podcast, What Should I Read Next on Tuesday, downloaded it the next day and finished it the day after that... that should tell you how much I loved it! I knew from her description that it was exactly the kind of book I would enjoy. Historical fiction with a touch of medical drama and romance as well. Cussy "Bluet" Carter is a nineteen-year old girl living in the wooded outskirts of Troublesome Creek, Kentucky when this story starts in 1936. She is the last living female of the rare Blue People, a mysterious and prejudiced ancestry of blue-tinged skin. Townspeople avoid her, belittle her, and are cruel to her for the color of her skin, which has been carried genetically for generations. A job as a traveling librarian with the Pack Horse Library Project gives her hope for a future and some semblance of respect as she travels through treacherous mountains on her mule to reach impoverished families in remote areas of Appalachian Kentucky to deliver library books and magazines to those who otherwise would not have access to reading material. She helps some of them learn to read, which opens doors for them that never could have been possible before. She faces numerous trials, devastating suffering, but also grows in courage and acquires loyal friends along the way. I learned so much from this book while also enjoying the beautiful story as well, from the medical term for the blue-tinged skin of Cussy, called methemoheoglobinemia, that was in real life first studied with a family in Kentucky, to the remarkable literacy endeavors of the Pack Horse Project's brave "Book Women", which was started by President Theodore Roosevelt during the Great Depression as part of the Work Progress Administration. This book was fascinating and well-researched but it also had so much heart behind it. I adored Cussy and was rooting for her all the way. She endured so much and yet was still kind and never vengeful. She was a quiet, often timid protagonist that increasingly grew in self-assurance and grit as the story progressed, which is the type of character development I love to read about.

Rating: PG (trigger warning: a sexual abuse scene)

This book reminded me of: Christy by Catherine Marshall (both girls serve the impoverished families in the remote Appalachian mountains) and Miss Jane by Brad Watson (both girls are born with genetic disorders that stand in the way of "normal" lives)

Things My Son Needs to Know About the World by Fredrik Backman (audiobook) ★★★★☆
This incredibly short (three-hour audiobook) collection of both sweet and hilarious essays written by Backman (best known for bestselling novels A Man Called Ove and Beartown) was incredibly endearing. The way he talks about some of the misfortunes of parenthood is a little self-deprecating but in the funniest way (one chapter is all about baby poop while another is on how he accidentally let the elevator shut with his infant son in stroller in there and had to run down multiple flights of stairs to meet him at the bottom floor of his apartment building). The way he talks about his wife is absolutely adorable and balances the humor with some very touching moments. This is a quick read, great for parents but I am sure anyone can enjoy it even without having children, especially if you want an inside look of the man behind these recent novels. He is a lot more silly than I would expect since his books tend to be have heavy themes, which was a pleasant surprise.

Rating: PG (a bit of language)


Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner ★★★★☆
I heard about this book from Anne Bogel on multiple episodes of her What Should I Read Next podcast and finally gave it a shot. It is beautifully written literary fiction with sentences that made me pause and just soak in the fantastic sentences. Definitely more character-driven than plot-driven, so it reads at a slow pace that is consistent with a lot of literary fiction, but that does not mean it is boring in the least. The first chapter starts in the present tense with an aging couple waking up in a guest cottage belonging to lifelong friends, one of whom is dying and has requested they come visit one last time. What seems to be a depressing start turns into a nostalgic look at the pivotal moments early in friendship between these two married couples, mostly in the academic world of University of Wisconsin  where the two men were professors in the 1930s. There is a lot of witty dialogue (some of which went over my head) as well as atmospheric descriptions of the sprawling compound in the rolling hills of Vermont where the wealthier couple spends their summers and often invites the narrator and his wife to visit (and where most of the novel is set). The introspective narrator has observations on marriage, friendship, religion, and life in general that flow effortlessly within the overarching plot. If you like intricately crafted writing that reminds you of the beauty of words combined with a memoir-style of fiction, this may be your jam!

This book reminded me of: Other literary fiction where aging narrators look at their younger lives, including Brideshead Revisited (although I enjoyed this a lot more and it was a lot more tame than Brideshead Revisited), Gilead by Marilynne Robinson, and novels by Wendell Berry.

Rating: PG (a few very subtle, quick sexual references)