It’s Monday! What are you reading?

It’s Monday! What are you reading? Is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journey. Kellee and Rikki at Unleashing Readers and Jen at Teach Mentor Texts gave the meme a kidlit twist. It’s a great way to reflect on what you’ve read and reviewed the last week and plan what you want to read next. Join up with us and discover what good books other people are reading.

IMWAYR 2015

November went by in a blur. I’m not sure what happened to the month, but I am back with an update on what I’ve been reading. As you’ll see, my reading is all over the place right now. Now that the days are short and colder (we even had our first snow last week), there is nothing I like better than to curl up with a good book and a mug of hot chocolate (or tea). I am savoring all the traditions of the holidays and hope you are able to celebrate with your favorite traditions. Despite the dark news that fills the internet and televisions, I am searching for–and finding–hope and peace and love in unexpected places.

I finished…

Soul Salsa by Leonard Sweet – Sweet gives so many ideas to connect faith and life and worship. After reading this one, I am looking for ways to bring my faith into my daily life. As I look, I find opportunities to practice kindness, to give of my time and self, to speak and write words that heal rather than words that inflame.

Before Amen by Max Lucado – My group finishes our discussion of this book this week. I find Lucado’s pocket prayer to be a way to enter into prayer simply without worrying too much if I’m doing it right. Now comes the practice. Reading about prayer may be interesting, but it is in actually praying that I learn and grow.

Atonement by Ian McEwan – Wow! I found so much to think about in this one. Even though it is set long ago (leading up to and the beginning of World War II), there is so much that applies to today. A careless accusation made on faulty understanding ruins the lives of many and tears a family apart.

Jump into the Sky by Shelley Pearsall – I’ve been a Pearsall fan for some time, and this book might be one of my favorites by her. Near the end of World War II, Levi Battle leaves the home of his aunt in Chicago to reunite with his father in North Carolina. He carries little with him, including little knowledge of the ways of the segregated south. (My one issue with this book is why would his aunt send him down South without warning him about the dangers he would face with segregation. He survived his first encounters, but I’m not sure his innocence provided much protection from bigotry.) He just misses his father, but joins the family of one of his father’s crew in the elite Triple Nickles–an all-black unit of paratroopers. He travels across the country to finally find his father, but his adventure is just beginning. Not only does Pearsall share the story of the Triple Nickels, but she creates some unforgettable characters along the way.

Shadow on the Mountain by Margi Preus – Here’s another World War II story, this time of the resistance in Norway. Germany may have thought that Norwegians representing their Aryan ideal, but most Norwegians didn’t want anything to do with it. I knew a little of the trouble that ordinary Norwegians created for the occupying German force, but I learned even more from Espen’s story (based on the real-life adventures of Erling Storrusten. Preus gives excellent information about what’s true and what’s not in the author’s note and other material at the back.) Espen starts by delivering underground newspapers and eventually becomes a courier and even spy for the Resistance. Even though he wonders at times if his small part makes any difference, he decides it does. When he sees his sister feeding prisoners in the German prison camp, he wonders if her acts of kindness might be the most radical resistance of all. I think that is something to remember for today.

The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde – I absolutely love this series. Fforde’s humor may not be for everyone, but his books make me laugh out loud all the way through. I’m hoping to get the third book in the series for Christmas, so I’m treating myself by rereading the first two. Foundling Jennifer Strange is the acting manager of Kazam Magical Arts and the unlikeliest of heroes. She has quite enough to worry about with the dwindling of magical power, the disappearance of the great Zambini and the constant bureaucracy of King Snood. Now she learns that she is the Last Dragonslayer and events are conspiring to force her hand into actually killing the dragon. She’s much prefer to get to know it. The magicians are wacky, the dragon is noble, if a bit tattered, and the imaginary world of the Ununited Kingdoms seems just a little too much like the present.

Olive the Other Reindeer by J. Otto Seibold and Vivian Walsh – I read this one to my daughter last night. We both enjoy the story of the confused dog (named Olive) who thought she was a reindeer (“All of the other reindeer…”) Olive shows up at the North Pole and Santa (with a little help from Comet) lets Olive tag along for the ride. It’s a good thing, since dogs are good at chewing through stuck harnesses, fetching stick-like flutes, and smelling cookies baked by Mrs. Claus. The story and illustrations combine to make a fun addition to our Christmas collection.

I’m currently reading…

What Have You Lost edited by Naomi Shihab Nye – Yep, I’m still reading a poem here and there. Some days slip by without a poem, but I am nearing the end. I am amazed at the variety of loss represented by the poems and the ways in which poetry can transform loss into beauty.

Soul Tsunami by Leonard Sweet – This is the first book in the trilogy that ends with Soul Salsa (above). It is much more theoretical than practical, but fascinating in its look at shifts in the culture from modern to postmodern. Even though it was published in 1999, many of Sweet’s insights are even more true today. Not only does he look at the seismic shifts in culture, but he presents ways for the church to be involved in this transformation rather than just complaining that things aren’t the way they used to be. I find myself thinking about many of the concepts explored as I watch the news each day.

Coming up…

Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde is definitely calling to me to reread. Then I’m diving into the basket of Christmas books we’ve collected over the years. I never get tired of them!

What are you reading this week? What are some of your favorite Christmas stories?

Disclosure: I participate in the Amazon Associates Program. If you decide to make a purchase by clicking on the affiliate links, Amazon will pay me a commission. This commission doesn’t cost you any extra. All opinions are my own.

12 Comments on It’s Monday! What are you reading?

  1. Myra from GatheringBooks
    December 8, 2015 at 2:17 am (8 years ago)

    I have Jasper Fforde’s Tuesday Next series but haven’t gotten around to reading them yet. I plan on re-reading Jane Eyre first. 🙂

    Reply
    • Mrs. McGriff
      December 8, 2015 at 12:05 pm (8 years ago)

      I love Tuesday Next! It was my love of Jane Eyre (and a recommendation from a friend) that started me on Jasper Fforde books.

      Reply
  2. Cheriee Weichel
    December 8, 2015 at 2:03 am (8 years ago)

    I’m also a Jasper Fforde fan and have just downloaded The Last Dragonslayer. I agree that his sense of humour isn’t for everyone, but it works for me. If you like him you might also like PHilip Reeves. Have you read anything of his?

    Reply
    • Mrs. McGriff
      December 8, 2015 at 12:06 pm (8 years ago)

      I hope you enjoy The Last Dragonslayer. It’s probably my favorite of the ones of read even though I enjoy all of them. No, I don’t think I’ve read anything by Philip Reeves. I’ll have to look for them. What is a good one to start with?

      Reply
      • cheriee weichel
        December 8, 2015 at 8:03 pm (8 years ago)

        I really enjoyed No Such Thing as Dragons, but he is very prolific. He wrote the mortal engines series. Fever Crumb is part of prequel series to that. It is also very good. Happy reading!

        Reply
        • Mrs. McGriff
          December 8, 2015 at 9:38 pm (8 years ago)

          Oh, I thought the name sounded familiar. I have read Fever Crumb–and liked it. I never got around to the rest of the mortal engines series. I didn’t know about the dragon book. I’ll look for those! Thanks!

          Reply
  3. Ricki @ Unleashing Readers
    December 8, 2015 at 12:19 am (8 years ago)

    I love the historical books you are reading this week. I am intrigued by Jump into the Sky. I’ll have to request it at my library. Olive also looks like it is quite charming. You are making my to-be-read list grow!!

    Reply
    • Mrs. McGriff
      December 8, 2015 at 12:07 pm (8 years ago)

      I love everything I’ve read by Pearsall–and Jump into the Sky does not disappoint. I didn’t plan the two WWII books, but they went together well. Olive is charming!

      Reply
  4. Kellee from Unleashing Readers (@kelleemoye)
    December 7, 2015 at 11:06 pm (8 years ago)

    Olive looks so cute! I’m looking for a week of Christmas books to read with Trent, so I’ll have to request this one 🙂

    Happy reading this week!

    Reply
    • Mrs. McGriff
      December 8, 2015 at 12:07 pm (8 years ago)

      I hope you and Trent find and enjoy Olive! It has becomes one of our favorites. Let me know what other good Christmas stories you find.

      Reply
  5. Linda Baie
    December 7, 2015 at 8:23 pm (8 years ago)

    I just read about Shadow on The Mountain on another post. It does sound good. Thanks for the others, too. I’ve seen Olive The Other Reindeer, but need to find it-cute idea.

    Reply
    • Mrs. McGriff
      December 8, 2015 at 12:08 pm (8 years ago)

      I was glad to learn more about the resistance in Norway. The Germans got more than they bargained for when they invaded. The military didn’t hold out long, but the people put up resistance throughout the occupation.

      Reply

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