Every month, Anne over at Modern Mrs. Darcy hosts a Twitterature Link-up, “a place to share short, casual reviews of books…” I love gathering all the recommendations!
So far, I’m off to a good start on my Reading Goals for 2014!
Here’s what I read this Month:
The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared
This is a fantastic book if you like reading about reading! The author, Alice, is part of the father-daughter duo that created a promise to read 100 consecutive nights together, which transformed into reading together every night from the time she was nine until she left for college. She shares glimpses into this time and their relationship, but spent much of it talking about her father and his great skill and passion of literature! #fatherdaughter #readingisfun #missionaccomplished
This book has been everywhere, so when I saw it on the table at the library I snatched it up. The plotline revolves around the separation of brother and sister when they are very young; then branches into the stories of the surrounding involved characters (many of which looking back were long, not essential to the plot, and never resolved). Hmm? I’d say I did enjoy it, I wanted to see what happened, and think others would enjoy the story; but I personally won’t be raving about it or recommending it as a must read. However, I would highly recommend re-reading the first chapter after finishing the book to get the most out of it! #preferredThe Kite Runner
The Language of Flowers: A Novel
When we linked up our Favorite Books from 2013, I saw this title and added it to my list; it did not disappoint. A a poignant story about Victoria, a foster-child since birth, emancipating into society at 18 and relying on the only thing she has ever known to be true – the language of flowers. She journeys through homelessness, recollecting her past and the only person she’s ever loved, and beginning a new life (all while struggling against a lifetime of mistrust). She act horribly and lovely; she is strong and so weak. My heart hurt for these precious children, many of which are so hurt and will not find such healing. #thelanguageislovely #rawbeauty #overcome
Praying for Boys: Asking God for the Things They Need Most
I follow Brooke over at The MOB Society, which is a tremendous resource and encouragement to mother’s of boys, and so is her book! The fact that only other mothers of boys can relate to and understand their sheer (boundless) energy level and fearlessness should be enough :) but there is much more! She shares short anecdotes and encouragement on the magnitude and importance of praying for our boys and then provides questions and very specific scripture to pray USING your sons name in the passage. I’d recommend this concise reference book to read a chapter/topic at a time and be able to continuously work through. #fightforourboys #boysbecomemen #prayerwarrior
Do share, what did you read last month?
~ Becca
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Becca V
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And the Mountains Echoed has been on my TBR pile for far too long, I am going to have to move it up. And Reading about Reading is kinda my thing!
Then you’ll love the reading promise and they’re beautiful connection through literature!
That book about the father and daughter looks really interesting. I’ve never heard of it, but I’m going to see if my library has it!
Thanks for stopping by my blog…and I’m off to look for your yogurt recipe now. :-)
I hadn’t heard of it either, but it was on the “too good to miss table” so I figured it might be :) I am definitely glad I picked it up; inspiring tradition!
I hadn’t either, but I saw it on the “too good to miss table” and thought it might be!
The Language of Flowers came up over and over again in the favorite books link-up! I think that means I need to add it to my 2014 reading list.
Thanks for sharing your reads with us!
It is heartbreaking and redemptive; definitely worth the read!
That first book looks so cute! Intrigued by The Language of flowers!
It was cute! Added inspiration to make reading part of the legacy with our boys. And The Language of Flowers is really a beautiful story!
Ohmygosh, because of my vacation I actually have something to add to the discussion!!
Anyone who likes WWI, mystery, anything British or loved “All Quiet on the Western Front” as a kid HAS HAS HAS to read “The Secret Rooms”. It’s a true story that reads like an amazing mystery novel because the Duke that was supposed to be keeping family records from that time scrubbed three embarrassing times in his life and this author decides to research and uncover why he did so. Awesome.
“Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook. Any woman in the workplace should read this book. Any father to daughters should read this book. Any husband who’s wife works outside the home should read this book. Any woman about to graduate college should read this book (she’s actually coming out with an edition for graduates in Spring). Any woman who doesn’t work outside the home who doesn’t understand what women who do are complaining about all the time should read this book. Did I miss anyone? :-) You have to get past a little bit of the feminazi “we should just let boys play with dolls because it’s all about nurture not nature” stuff, but she’s really not overboard on that so it’s not too bad from that respect. 5* in my book. I was highlighting and taking notes.
The other three, I’ll admit, were quasi-romance-novels. Not the tawdry supermarket kind, but there are some **scenes** involved in all three. (Leave me alone, I was on vacation.) “Trouble” was about a girl whose father abused her all growing up after her mother “died”. Her father dies unexpectedly and she suddenly feels free. She also discovers in his belongings that her mother did not die but left and is potentially in CO (she’s in MA). Unfortunately, she quickly gets into a, yes, abusive relationship with her very first boyfriend. When he tries to rape her, she finally flees and decides to try to find her mother. She gets to CO and “befriends” the guy running the family hotel in the mountains, who decides to help her try to find her mother. I’m not going to spoil the ending but it’s QUITE the twist.
“The Mighty Storm” is really good, about two friends, a boy and a girl, who were best friends in England but his mother remarried an American when he was 14 and they moved to the US. She becomes a music journalist (her father was a musician, she and her parents are very close and have a neat relationship) and he ends up becoming a musician and his band hits it big and they meet up 12 years later when her magazine assigns her to interview him. They quickly rekindle their very good friendship, much to the dismay of her very sweet boyfriend. She ends up being asked to be a tour biographer and has to go all over Europe with the band (“The Mighty Storm” is the name of the band)… and the love triangle becomes quite the story. I won’t give away the ending of this one either, though I will say the sequel, “Wethering the Storm” (no that’s not a spelling error, “Wethers” is his last name) is just as good.
All of these books made me antisocial. As in, I didn’t want to talk to my family members, just keep reading. I LOVE BOOKS!
PS – reading about reading? LOL
reading about reading (and writing) are two of my favorite things, haha! Well, you said it all on those! I have to read The Secret Rooms for sure – I love WWII lit and it sounds amazing. Thanks for sharing ALL!
I’d been on the fence about The Language of Flowers, but I think you have me convinced to give it a go. :)
I’d love to hear what you think!
That’s the second time I’ve seen The Reading Promise on someone’s list. It’s now on my 2014 to-read list!
Funny! I hadn’t heard of it either and just grabbed it off the library shelf!
My kids were all three adopted from foster care. My middle daughter was 21 at the time that she stumbled across the Language of Flowers on a cross country bus ride during a time of great rebellion. (My kids have RAD) and she devoured it, then sent it to me and said “this. This explains things like nothing I’ve read before.” So of course I read it. It both moved me and broke my heart…
Oh, Wow, Misty! That is exactly how I felt – I can only imagine reading this from your different perspectives. How challenging but awesome to read to learn more intimately of your daughters feelings…it has to be so burdensome to experience such feelings are not always be able to articulate it.
My book club read The Language of Flowers last year. Victoria was a difficult character to love, wasn’t she? Or even like. When she lived in the tiny room with the new baby … so disturbing, just remembering how it feels to be a new mother. And then to add in those circumstances. I’m curious to see what Diffenbaugh does next.
Yes, her time with the baby was definitely disturbing. I held my hand over my mouth the whole time I read, shaking my head; just completely incomprehensible!! She was frustrating and hard to love at times, but my heart completely broke for her pain, loss, perpetual feelings of being unworthy and having no real knowledge of how process it all. I think that was the redemptive quality and grace of it all, that she was (and felt) so broken and hopefully those reparations could still be made!
[…] of the most raw, heart-breaking, and redemptive. You can read a more full description and review here, but it gives voice to the often voiceless experience of kids who age out of foster care (this […]