August Book Reviews

 

The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson (audiobook) ★★★★☆

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, so I was excited to hear about this recently published sequel. Honey Angeline Lovett is the daughter of Cussy, a "book woman" with a rare blood disorder that caused her skin to be blue-tinged. Because of the disorder and because of the prejudice in Kentucky during that time (1940s, I think), she is imprisoned for being married to a white man, leaving her sixteen-year old daughter in the care of a family friend back home in the rugged Troublesome Creek hills. But when tragedy strikes over and over, Honey is left to fend for herself and ends up following in her mother's footsteps by accepting a position as a new packhorse librarian, aka a book woman, delivering books and other reading material to families in the secluded Kentucky mountains. This book had great history mixed with a compelling plot. I preferred the first book, but this was a satisfying sequel. Hoping for another book to follow, since I think this story still has a lot of potential for continuing. 

Content rating: PG  (a few cuss words, reference to sexual abuse, though there wasn't an actual scene)

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin (audiobook) ★★★★☆

The endearing story begins when Rebecca is ten-years old, heading in a horse-drawn buggy from her small farm where her large family lives.  She will live with her two maternal aunts, who have agreed to bring her up as a young lady and provide financially for her education as their family duty since their widowed sister has her hands full with a farm and a lot of children. Rebecca's colorfully verbose and imaginative personality is very similar to Anne of Green Gables, so if you love Anne, I think you'll also love Rebecca. They are similar without being carbon copies, with Rebecca having her own quirks that set her apart. The story follows her through adolescence as she grows in wisdom as well as compassion. I enjoyed this classic, though I was hoping for more resolution at the end since it seemed to end abruptly. 

Content Rating: G 

Classics Club Reading Challenge:  - 42nd book (out of 75). See my whole list HERE

The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth by Genevieve Howland 

I recently came across the YouTube and Instagram accounts of Mama Natural, Genevieve's social media handle, and was curious about her book. It was a great resource on a wide variety of natural approaches to pregnancy and childbirth. This included nourishing recipes for each chapter, how to avoid toxins in your household, explanations of what's happening to baby and to your body week-by-week,  natural remedies to pregnancy symptoms, the low down on epidurals and other medicated options, how to find a doula and midwife who will support your birth plan, benefits of eating your placenta (not as gross as it sounds, I promise!), natural pain relief during labor, what to do during each step of labor to help the process, explanations of all the common newborn procedures done immediately after birth, and breastfeeding tips. I was familiar with a lot of the content, but there was still a ton of things I gleaned from the book that I will be using with this pregnancy. 

Content rating: G

Tomorrow Will Be Better by Betty Smith (audiobook) ★★★★☆

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is one of my all-time favorite novels, so I have enjoyed reading other novels by Betty Smith since her writing is so gripping. She writes characters so well and dives into the inner workings of their minds and hearts in such a fascinating way, particularly in the lower-income Brooklyn families of the 1920s. Published in 1948, it still rings relevant in so many ways today, which made it feel contemporary and relatable. I loved the protagonist, Margy Shannon, the shy and overly optimistic daughter of stingy and always-complaining mother and quiet dad. As she grows into a young woman and finds her voice, I was constantly rooting for her, until the abrupt end of the novel (I had to rewind the last few seconds of the audiobook to make sure it wasn't a glitch, but alas, it truly ended before some resolution occurred that I was hoping for). The story is somewhat melancholy since Margy is constantly hoping to be loved, first by her parents, then later by her spouse. It was plain to see the unhealthy family dynamics that played a part in bother her and her husband's insecurities, which affected their marriage in sad ways. It was a simple, tender, beautiful story with a good share of heartbreak, but the writing and overall heart of the story set it apart for me as a recent favorite. 

Content rating: PG (mild references to sex without much detail)

Classics Club' Reading Challenge:  - 43rd book (out of 75). See my whole list HERE

Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers by Dane Ortlund

Gleaning insight from the Bible as well as Puritan writers (like Jonathon Edwards and John Bunyan), Ortlund focuses on Jesus' attribute mentioned in Matthew as "gentle and lowly in heart" and how it applies to our sin-scarred lives as redeemed Christians. He looks not only at the New Testament but also at the Old Testament, showing readers that God the Father is gentle in His love for His people too, rather than a furious judge that needs to be appeased by His Son's atonement for the sins of His people. He writes in a beautifully clear way, explaining somewhat complicated Puritan teachings (mostly because of their old language) to concise thoughts mixed with his own wise insight. It is a great book for those who need to be reminded that Jesus comes alongside us in our suffering, in our struggles with sin, and in our everyday challenges. He is for us and He sustains us, from the moment we are saved from our sin through the rest of our lives. 

Content rating: G