Hey friends! How’s 2022 treating you so far? To be honest, January smote me. We could not hit a homeschooling groove, the weather was very cold for where we live, my toddler became a climber extraordinaire, and the shiny, fresh new year vibes were simply not there. Our family of seven capped off January with our first case of Covid-19. All of February felt like trying to run through quick sand. Now it’s March, it’s spring where I live, and glimmers of hope shimmer in the corners of my vision. I’m happy to see the bend and the road and the new season ahead. Today, I’m jumping in for a few quick book reviews from this past season. I hope you’ll see a book that sparks your attention and would love to know what you’ve been reading to start 2022!
Winter Reads 2022
New Release Literary Novel – The Lincoln Highway – I wanted this to be more like A Gentleman in Moscow, and it wasn’t, but the writing was still splendid. In this book, Amor Towles delivers a classic American Dream on the road novel set in the 1950s that combines Huckleberry Finn and The Odyssey in a strangely adventurous, humorous, philosophical way. Throw in lots of Shakespeare references and it’s hard to believe this could be a page turner, but it was! Not quite as much as this next book on the list, though…
New Release Page Turner – Finlay Donovan is Killing It – I think of this as an adventure rom-com book (if that’s a thing). A seemingly average single mom finds herself accidentally involved in a mafia as the hit woman she never meant to be, and adventure ensues. I imagine Sandra Bullock in the lead role for this novel that reads like a movie. Yes, you have to suspend reality as you read, but as a light and fun read, it checks all the boxes. (Side note – def a PG-13 rating on this one) The sequel is a little cringier at the beginning but rights itself by the end to become almost as fun as Book One.
Vintage Novel – A Town Like Alice – I’m so glad I read this well written novel of one woman’s journey across three continents during and after World War II. The characters were strong in hard circumstances, yet still remained believable and human. It was originally published in 1948, and there are some politically incorrect terms I would love to see edited in a new edition, but setting those aside, I found it to be one of those stories that inspires strength in my own life.
Warm Blanket Book – Miss Read’s Fairacre series, books 1-3 – Not sure how I made it this far into a life filled with tons of British literature without reading Miss Read, but that is now remedied. Her books are very character driven, not a whole lot of action, but insightful when it comes to human nature and community, and so cozy and wholesome. I wish I were Miss Read’s neighbor.
Read Aloud with the Kids – The Wind in the Willows – We laughed a lot through this book, and enjoyed knowing this was what C.S. Lewis chose to read in bed after an illness. We could see some similarities in his Narnia books to this novel about a set of animal friends who live like humans and have strong characters. There were some chapters that were more enjoyable than others, but for the most part, we really liked this book. Now we’re at loose ends for a new read-aloud to start and taking all suggestions!
Nonfiction – Adorning the Dark – This book is rich and thought provoking, though my brain sure would have like each chapter to be a little more obviously connected and chronologically laid out in the grand theme of the book. Still, as a collection of essays about the creative life of a Christian, it’s a great book. I was particularly drawn to the ideas about longing for a home and a place to belong, and might start looking for rocks on the side of the road like the author if I’m not careful!
Parenting book – Why Motherhood Matters – I heard September McCarthy on a podcast years ago, and then saw this book a few weeks ago at the library and snatched it up. It was a timely refocus at the beginning of the year on purposeful parenting. If you’ve read any of Sally Clarkson’s books, the parenting ideas and approach are very similar, but I appreciated the direct and succinct presentation of the author’s parenting principles. Sometimes books on the ideals of motherhood can leave me feeling weighed down with a feeling that I’ll never achieve anything, but this book instead reminded me that as a parent, you have the ability to direct certain things in life and it’s never to late to start new ways.
