In 2023, I set a purpose to complete one guide per week. I’m aiming to take heed to 30 minutes of an audiobook per day (whereas cooking, cleansing, and/or driving) and learn 10 minutes of a guide. By doing this, I hope to pretty simply be capable to end one guide per week.
You possibly can observe alongside on GoodReads to see what I’m studying, what books I end, and the star ranking I give every of them.
Listed below are the three books I completed just lately:
Salt to the Sea
I completely beloved this guide. It was well-written, tremendous partaking, and I discovered loads about an occasion in historical past (that passed off throughout WWII) that I’d by no means even heard of earlier than. I additionally beloved that it was the identical story written from a number of views… which made it actually fascinating.
It’s a tragic story, however the writer dealt with it in a means that it will be acceptable even for youthful readers. Our teenagers learn it with me over the summer time and all of us actually loved it.
One factor I’ll say is that because it’s informed from a number of views, it could take a bit to get your bearings on who’s who and what’s what… however maintain studying for the primary 30-40 pages and also you’ll in all probability then not wish to cease studying
Additionally, on account of loving it a lot, I went on and listened to all three of the writer’s different YA books!
Verdict: 5 stars
Don’t Maintain Again
If you happen to don’t like getting your toes stepped on, don’t learn this guide. As a result of regardless of the place you stand politically, there’s a good probability this guide goes to convict you — and probably make you’re feeling actually unsettled. However in the end, I hope it challenges you to look to Jesus and for us to cease trying to a person or a political determine or a political celebration to “save us” or to alter our world.
I additionally beloved the emphasis on loving others and reaching out to those that might consider very otherwise than us. And the decision to unite round God and His Phrase as a substitute of secondary beliefs and convictions.
This guide has gotten loads of pushback and critique (not less than based mostly upon the variety of messages I bought whereas I discussed studying this guide on Instagram) and I discovered that each single factor individuals informed me why they wouldn’t learn the guide missed what the guide was about. So I’ll simply say should you’ve heard issues and haven’t learn it, learn it first earlier than leaping to conclusions about it aligning with a sure political celebration.
Verdict: four stars
Okay, so I struggled to determine methods to overview this guide. On the one hand, I believed it had loads of actually useful ideas on methods to spot a dysfunctional friendship and the significance of discovering our value and worth in Jesus as a substitute of looking for that in a relationship. When you’ve got struggled in friendships and relationships up to now, particularly in terms of drama or misunderstandings and damage in relationships, I feel this guide has loads of perception into the place a few of that could possibly be stemming from.
Then again, I felt prefer it left me wanting… as in, sure, you shared tons and plenty of smart perspective on what unhealthy friendships appear to be and methods to keep away from and acknowledge that, however I didn’t really feel empowered with concepts of virtually what it seems wish to pursue wholesome, life-giving mates. It nearly made me really feel hesitant to pursue relationships lest I’ve unsuitable or unhealthy motives.
Additionally, it made it seem to be wholesome relationships will contain loads of confrontation and onerous conversations and calling out sin. Personally, I feel this guide might make individuals really feel like they must be confronting their mates loads as a substitute of loving and displaying up and believing the perfect after which (very sometimes) needing to have a tough dialog. I’m all about pointing our mates to Jesus and inspiring them to pursue holiness, however I feel we must be cautious that we don’t really feel prefer it’s our job to be their Holy Spirit.
I’d advocate studying this guide at the side of Discover Your Individuals for some stability of general — particularly in case you are wanting to construct wholesome, life-giving, deep relationships.
Verdict: three stars
