Hi đ friends! One of my little projects this summer will be to read/reread from my shelves! I also have a learning project that I will post about later, but for now, these are ones Iâd love to pick up sooner than later! Iâll come back and cross off as I finish and hopefully I can chat a bit about the ones that really spoke to me. Even if it takes me the rest of the year thatâs ok, too. Do you have projects like this for yourself? đâĽď¸đ
A – Apple Bough by Noel Streatfield
B – Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope
C – I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger
D – Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl (with my kids)
E – The Ember Blade by Chris Wooding
F – The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien (reread)
G – A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
H – Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry (reread)
I – Marthaâs Vineyard : Isle of Dreams by Susan Branch (reread)
J – Jane & Dorothy by Marian Veevers and/or Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery (reread, with my kids)
K – Kristin Lavransdatter 1-3 by Sigurd Undset (online buddy read group)
L – Sylviaâs Lovers by Elizabeth Gaskell
M – Motherprayer by Barbara Mahany and/or Memories of Childhood Marcel Pagnols
N – Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens and North & South by Elizabeth Gaskell (reread)
O – Orion & the Starborn by K. B. Hoyle (with my kids)
P – Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard ( reread, buddy read with my friend Kim! đâĽď¸đż)
Q – The Lives of the Kings & Queens of England edited by Antonia Fraser
R- Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey ( buddy read with my friend, Deea)
S – Sink Reflections by Marla Cilley
T – A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
U – Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington
V – Linnets and Valerians by Elizabeth Goudge (reread, with my kids)
W – Walking on Water by Madeleine Lâ Engle (reread)
X – Ox Cart Man by Barbara Cooney (reread, with my kids)
Y – You Are a Tree by Joy Marie Clarkson
Z – Oz books by L. Frank Baum (some rereads, with my kids)
What are excited to be learning, reading, doing this summer? đâĽď¸đ
If Jesus ever commanded us to do something that He was unable to equip us to accomplish, He would be a liar. And if we make our own inability a stumbling block or an excuse not to be obedient, it means that we are telling God that there is something which He has not yet taken into account. Every element of our own self-reliance must be put to death by the power of God. The moment we recognize our complete weakness and our dependence upon Him will be the very moment that the Spirit of God will exhibit His power.
We live ever on the edge of expectancy, she thought, whether we know it or not; ever with our eyes on the line of light that shines through the crack of the door.
If our hearts are full of the love of God, the roughest knocks cannot make us unloving or unpeaceful. But how often, in a moment of impatience, we blame the rough knock! âSo -and-so did this; so-and-so said that; my circumstances are difficult. I could be good somewhere else, in some other place or workâ
All such excuses are folly. It is not what happens to us but what is in us that settles the matter. How often we have to go to our Saviour for cleansing and pardon, after some hard knock has caused us to âspillâ something unloving which was inside us.
But have we not been comforted by the generous wealth of His pardon? Is it not just like Him to assure us again and again that nothing is changed on His side? He loves us as He did before. He wants us as He did before. His tender mercy embraces us on every side.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Hello Friends! I trust the new year is easing in kindly for you. âşď¸đâď¸đđ âď¸đIt was hard to narrow down my favs, but here they are {not really in any particular order} with a small snippet to celebrate each one! I definitely picked the books and characters I keep thinking đ¤ about. How do you pick your favorites?
~2023~
1. Klara & the Sun âď¸by Kazau Ishiguro ~ 5 đ a sympathetic story that considers what makes us human from the viewpoint of Klara, an Artificial Friend (AI) to an ill teenager, Josie. I keep thinking about all the themes and questions brought up in this one. I loved the audiobook! (Possibly my favorite of the year?! đą)
2. TheSword of Kaigen âď¸ by M. L. Wang ~ 4 đ The set up to this Asian -inspired fantasy world was very (too) slow, but you find yourself gripped by a mother and son trapped in an insular community that is holding onto the old ways. They face danger and questions from within and without. Extremely violent, FYI, check trigger warnings. This is such a beautiful story about standing tall in the face of adversity and self-sacrifice.
3. Wormwood Abbey đby Christina Baehr ~ 4 đ This was a cozy, Victorian-time period, family-centric fantasy story. I looooved the main protagonist, Edith Worms. She has a few secrets of her own, not unlike the new abbey her father has inherited. Looking forward to next in series!
4. Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society đĽby Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows ~ 5đ (reread) I adored visiting again with these characters through the letters they exchanged. WWII historical fiction set on the island of Guernsey đŹđŹ. The audiobook was fantastic.
5. Disenchanted: The Trials of Cinderella đ by Megan Morrison ~ 4 đ This MG/YA retelling was deeper and more thoughtful than I expected. It felt like the themes of Elizabeth Gaskellâs North & South except with fairies. đ There were a few things I didnât love, but overall, I sooo enjoyed this story of standing up for the suffering people in the world.
6. Evelina by Francis Burney đ ~ 4 đ Honestly, not a lot really happens in this coming-of-age Regency story. I found the excessive formality hilarious and enjoyed following teenager Evelina as she grows. I listened to this long novel and really enjoyed being along for the ride.
7. Gods, Graves, & Scholars đż by C. W. Ceram~ 4 đ I found this nonfiction fascinating about the beginnings of archaeology and I loved how it made my Old Testament reading come alive. A bit dated, but a fascinating read!
8. Until Tomorrow, Mr. Marsworth đ§đťđ¨đźâ𦳠by Sheila OâConner ~ 5 đ Heartwarming and heart wrenching story about a young girl who befriends an ostracized Quaker on her paper route. Her and her brothers navigate the world of conscientious objectors during the Vietnam đťđł War.
9. Marilla of Green Gables đĄ by Sarah McCoy ~ 4 đ I keep thinking about this one that my daughterâs friend recommended to me. Fun retelling of sorts for Anne fans, but I wasnât expecting the historical fiction side about the Canadian Underground Railroad. Fascinating!
10. Ourselves, School Education, both by Charlotte Mason, and Parents are Peacemakers by Essex Cholmondeley đđ¨đ âď¸~ 5 đ(rereads) This was my cheat, lumping all these nonfiction educational beauties together. Powerful encouragement for raising children- educational philosophy at itâs finest.
11. Unearthing the Secret Garden 𪴠by Marta McDowell ~ 5 đ Beautiful and truly lovely look at the 3 gardens created by Frances Hodgson Burnett in her lifetime that definitely shaped her life and writing.
12. Katherine Wentworth đ´ó §ó ˘ó łó Łó ´ó ż by D. E Stevenson ~ 5 đso gentle, full of peace, hope, nature, and a charming cottage. Second chance story with lovely mother & children. This reminds me slightly of The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery, although not quite as quirky!
13. Mrs. Lorimerâs Quiet Summer đ´ó §ó ˘ó łó Łó ´ó żby Molly Clavering ~ 5 đA sweet family tale set in beautiful Scottish scenery. I found out that Clavering and D.E. Stevenson were friends and that this is semi autobiographical.
14. Grapes of Wrath đby John Steinbeck ~ 4 đ This is a Great Depression/Dust Bowl era historical fiction. This was gorgeously written, raw, heartfelt, and disturbing. Ma Joad was my favorite! Adult content and language.
15. Everything Sad is Untrue đŽđˇby Daniel Nayeri ~ 4 đ A slow, but heart-wrenching stream-of-conscious nonlinear fictionalized memoir of a young Iranianâs experience as a religious refugee in Oklahoma. It took me a long time to get into this as it had a very unconventional writing style , but then I loved the thought-provoking themes it brought up.
16. Seasons of Your Heart đ by Macrina Wiederkehr ~ 5 đbeautiful poetry and short Christian devotional entries. A bit unorthodox and slightly mystical, but really spoke to my weird, word lover side. My friend gave this to me as a gift and it was such a blessing!
17. The Belton Estate đšby Anthony Trollope ~ 5đA super interesting story about a Victorian woman who bucks tradition in a situation involving male entailment of property. This had so many interesting themes around marriage of convenience and friendship with a woman of âdubiousâ character.
18. The Historian đ by Elizabeth Kostova ~ 4 đA deep, rich historical thriller with a slight fantastical twist. The atmospheric setting of this was a amazing! Told through multiple timelines and flashbacks, the story of a daughter tracing her fatherâs discovery of a strange book with connections to Dracula. This has a lot of travel, Balkan culture, history, and so much more.
19. The Last Cuentista đŞ by Donna Barbara Higuera ~ 4 đThis was a darker, dystopian, scifi middle grade book and coming of age story. I loved the main character Petra and how she kept hope alive through storytelling.
20. Pat of the Silverbush đ˛ by L.M. Montgomery ~ 4 đwow! So beautifully atmospheric! I loved this book for the writing, but overall, this was not a happy book. It felt sad and lonely. However, it was full of interesting, quirky characters that Montgomery does so well. I really enjoyed discussing this book with Chantel Reads All Day YouTube channel.
21. Grace of Wild Things đ§ââď¸ by Heather Fawcett ~ 5 đThis was a charming middle grade fantasy twist on Anne of Green Gables. A young girl has nowhere to go and attempts to apprentice herself to the local, grumpy witch. I loved the found family, adventures, and gorgeous writing style.
22. Dune 𪹠by Frank Herbert ~ 4 đI listened to the audiobook of this one and was so pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this political, sci-fi family story. It moved EXTREMELY slowly, but it was just what I needed at the time. I loved thinking of the influence this had on Star Wars. I loved Lady Jessicaâs perspective.
23. Julie đď¸ by Catherine Marshall ~ 4 đA buddy read with my penpal via Voxer. This was a wonderful Depression era historical fiction story set in Pennsylvania. I loved the male characters in this book, and Julie and her fatherâs relationship was such an interesting dynamic. Julie and her family take over a failing newspaper in this coming of age story that brought up so many thought-provoking themes.
A few honorable mentions: The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer (ridiculously hilarious),Hindsâ Feet On High Places by Hannah Hurnard (faith-building reread), All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor (heartwarming), Two Old Women by Velma Wallis (inspiring), Distilled Genius by Susan Branch (inspiring), and Cottage Fairy Companion by Paola Merrill (inspiring). All the poetry I read was also SO enriching!
2023 was a âYear of Changeâ for me and I found myself drawn to darker stories that show the protagonist overcoming! I had a wonderful reading year mostly due to narrating, interacting, and discussing what I was reading with so many wonderful friends (Voxer and Zoom for the win!), writing in my journals (here and in the regular paper & ink kind đ¤Ł), and sharing a little on Booktube. Engaging deeply instead of just inhaling mindlessly. Granted I still read my fair share of fluff, 𼰠but my reading life felt more life-giving this year. How about you? How was your reading in 2023? Iâd love to chat below!
I love the lights snaking up this tree đł âĽď¸â¨
Winter is just about here, friends! âď¸âĽď¸One of my delights this year has been dipping into a fair amount of poetry. Here are some highlights for you to consider adding to your stack for next yearâŚcozy up, grab a hot drink , and read on âď¸. Enjoy!
Mary OliverâsDevotions ~ I received this as a Christmas gift a few years ago and have been sipping from it here and there. Oliver has such an eye for life-giving details in nature and she asks us questions that go just a bit deeper. I love that about her. As a modern poet, she is definitely a bit more approachable and easier to ease into than some of your classic poets. Not every one of her poems hits for me, but sometimes one line or a word will meet me right where Iâm at in that moment. Iâm often surprised by her.
Emily Bronte ~ I was extremely surprised how much I loved this dark and brooding poetry. Just like the all the Bronte sisterâs fiction, this was sooo atmospheric and because she talks of death frequently, it actually made me contemplate how Iâm living life. I found the Everymanâs Library Pocket Poets collection to be a wonderful selection of her poetry and I love the small size of these editions.
William Wordsworth ( and donât forget Dorothy) ~ I love the poems and writings of this brother and sister duo. Williamâs beautiful poetry centered in life around The Lake District, Cumbria, England really feeds my soul and my faith. He really grasps the touch of God in nature and it is such a testimony to me. I love his poetic storytelling, too. Dorothyâs journals are so simple, domestic, yet so compelling. They both have that artistic eye. âĽď¸ I loved sharing Wordsworth with our Charlotte Mason co op homeschool group last term.
Gerald Manly Hopkins ~ Wow. Mr. Hopkinâs use of language and metaphor is so gorgeously layered and rich. I will confess I struggle a bit with his writing richness, but if I have a little patience and read just to enjoy each word, I walk away blessed. His wrestling with faith and art is so relatable and real. Heâs one of the hardest poets for me to read, but also one of my favorites.
Robert MacFarlane The Lost Spells ~ I would be remiss to not mention this gorgeously illustrated (Jackie Morris) collection of modern nature poetry. MacFarlane is a lover of Hopkinâs wordsmithing and the homeschool co op and I loved looking at both poets together earlier this year. MacFarlaneâs wordsmithing, storytelling, and putting himself into the everyday life of animals and plants is just lovely. He is another poet whose work is perfect for those new to poetry!
Kim PiĂąa ~ this is an online friend that I was blessed to âmeetâ YEARS ago, through blogging. đđâĽď¸ I love Kimâs word play, almost like a songwriter/compelling poem-rap style, and I love how she asks deeper questions tangled with the daily mundanity of life. Her Instagram account is lovely, too!
Robert Frost, Rainer Maria Rilke, and Sara Teasdale ~ Iâm extremely new to these three poets and canât wait to really sink into their work more in the new year. I was familiar with a few famous poems, but I recently got Mirror of the Heart, a Teasdale collection, Rilkeâs Everymanâs Library Pocket Poet collection, and The Poetry of Robert Frost, edited by Edward Connery Latham, and am so excited for new words to drink up.
I also asked for two new poetry collections for Christmas and canât wait to dive into these more!
Iâm nervous about this one, because I saw it on Instagram, but what Iâve read of his poetry, I found compelling and came away with ideas to consider. Iâm mostly excited about this collection as I love Kortneyâs work and have always been so inspired by her! âĽď¸
Lastly, I have two poetry nonfiction books that Iâd love to get too, just to keep growing and learning about this life-giving art.
Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke and What is Poetry? by Michael Rosen âĽď¸
How about you? Do you read poetry? Who are your favorites? âĽď¸âď¸âĽď¸Happiest Winter Beginnings and Christmas đ to you all, friends!
Each life is like a weaving, a tapestry of various threads arranged in parallel lines on a loom – threads consisting of work, creativity, talents, drudgery, dreams, weaknesses, longings, failings, successes, satisfying achievements, moments of reality, frustrating failures, fresh ideas, surprises of joy, spurts of energy, disappointing weariness, deadlines met in time, hindrances cutting into work seeming to go well. Prayer is woven in (in this picture I see) helping day by day to turn the threads into fabric with a pattern that brings forth what your life and mine could be. As history moves on, the history of your time and mine, prayer is the thread that helps us find out what God wants us to know from His Word and moment by moment ask for His guidance in the practical next step of doing it, as well as really depending on His strength to enable us to run and not be weary.
Hello đ Friends! Back here for a favorite 𤊠post to share with you. These are quick snippets of favorite reads from the summer! I was surprised by all the nonfiction, coming-of-age, and Victorian favs. âŁď¸
Charlotte Fairlie by D.E. Stevenson – charming story – about a single woman, head of a girlâs school who feels a bit stuck. She finds herself getting involved in one of her studentâs lives, helping her through her parents divorce. I especially loved how Charlotte and the student, Tess, help another student and her brother who are in an abusive situation.
Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri – slow, but heart-wrenching stream-of-conscious fictionalized memoir of a young Iranianâs experience as a religious refugee in Oklahoma. It took me a long time to get into this as it had a very unconventional writing style , but then I loved the thought-provoking themes it brought up.
Seasons of Your Heart: Prayers & Reflections by Macrina Wiederkehr – beautiful poetry and short Christian devotional entries. A bit unorthodox and slightly mystical, but really spoke to my weird, word lover side.
The Belton Estate by Anthony Trollope – super interesting story about a Victorian woman who bucks tradition in a situation involving male entailment of property. This had so many interesting themes around marriage of convenience and friendship with a woman of âdubiousâ character.
The Historian by Elizabeth Koskova – deep, rich historical thriller with slight fantastical twist. The atmospheric setting of this was a amazing! Told through multiple timelines and flashbacks, the story of a daughter tracing her fatherâs discovery of a strange book with connections to Dracula. This has a lot of travel, Balkan culture, history, and so much more. Iâd love to reread someday with the audiobook.
Klara & the Sun by Kazau Ishiguro – I listened to the audiobook of this and I loved being in the head of the AI Klara. The interesting way Ishiguro made you think and view Klara with sympathy. The teens Josie and Rick were interesting characters and this book brought up so many themes and questions on what does it mean to be human, love, technology, loneliness, etc.
The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera – this was a darker, dystopian middle grade book coming of age story. I loved the main character Petra and how she kept hope alive through storytelling.
House of Dreams: The Life of L.M. Montgomery by Liz Rosenberg – I loved this heart wrenching biography on Montgomery.
Three Men in a Boat ( To Say Nothing of the Dog) by Jerome K. Jerome – This was charming story and the travel/ nature writing superb. It had a humorous, arm-chair philosophical twist to it and it was a bit slapstick and so relatable.
The Stokesley Secret by Charlotte Mary Yonge – Christian fiction novella from the Victorian era! This may come across âpreachyâ to some, but I loved this tale of Miss Fosbrook, a young governess, to a large family. She was compassionate, but just. So charming!
The Cottage Fairy Companion by Paola Merrill – I donât totally connect with the authorâs YouTube channel, but I loved her book. Overall, her watercolors, photos, poetry, and short essays were sweet and inspiring. Her and I donât totally agree on worldview, but I still think about the gentleness of this title.
Home for Christmas by Susan Branch – a very short memoir of her childhood Christmasâ in a large family. The care that Branchâs mother put into everything was so inspiring.
All-of-A-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor – This was a charming story of a religious Jewish family of 5 girlâs living in New York in the early 20th century. The audiobook was fantastic! I loved the sweet librarian and the mother was lovely!
Pillars of the House Volume 1 by Charlotte Mary Yonge – the first half of a massive family saga surrounding the lives of an orphaned family of 13. An in-depth coming of age story that Iâm LOVING reading with a wonderful bunch of Victorian literature lovers. đ
Distilled Genius by Susan Branch – a charming collection of handwritten and illustrated quotes. Branch and I differ on worldviews a bit, but I really adored this overall.
Two Old Women by Velma Wallis – a short story based on true events of two tribal Alaskan women who get left behind as their band is starving. A tale of survival and forgiveness. My friend recommended this and I loved it!
Pat of Silver Bush by L.M. Montgomery – wow! So beautifully atmospheric! I loved this book for the writing, but overall, this was not a happy book. It felt sad and lonely. However, it was full of interesting, quirky characters that Montgomery does so well. Another coming of age tale that I listened to via a YouTube recording, as one of the main characters has a heavy Irish accent.
How about you? What were your favorite reads for the summer? Have you read any of these above? Letâs chat! đđ¤đâď¸đđťâ¨đĽđđžđđđđĽâď¸đ¨
The house remembered her whole life. It had always been the sameâŚit had never changedâŚnot really. Only little surface changes. How she loved it! She loved it in morning rose and sunset amber, and best of all in the darkness of night, when it loomed palely through the gloom and was all her own. This beauty was hersâŚall hers. Life could never be empty at Silver Bush. Somebody had pitied her onceâŚâso out of this world.â Pat laughed. Out of the world? Nay, she was in the world hereâŚher world. â I dwell among my own people.â Wise Shulamite!
I love reading seasonally or at least I get in certain reading moods as the seasons ease into the next. đđđđžđđđżď¸đťâĽď¸ đHere are five reads that I recommend that feel September-ishâŚ
1. From the Heart of the Home: Autumn by Susan Branch {this is a delightful collection of joyful reflections, illustrations, quotes, and recipes to get you into the fall mood}âĽď¸đť
2. Pat of the Silverbush by L.M. Montgomery {Iâm reading this currently for the first time and itâs lovely and cozy for this time of year}
3. Christy by Catherine Marshall {beautiful story full of hope, growth, faith, and wonderful female friendships}
4. The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry {honestly, I pull this short poetry collection out all times of year, but have been craving it lately}
5. The Grasmere Journals by Dorothy Wordsworth {beautifully simple journal entries from the sister of the poet William Wordsworth. The domesticity and pace of life is just so relaxing to me and the English Lake District setting is perfect}
P.S. William Shakespeare is another I feel drawn towards. Whatâs your favorite play of his?
Do you have any favorite reads that smell and feel of September? âĽď¸ Please share!
A.M. Pine - Hearth Ridge Reflections 