May 2020 Reading Recap

As a home educating parent I believe reading MUST be an integral part of our life.

“The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.” - Jane Austen (Northanger Abbey)

Don’t you just love Jane Austen’s blunt way of seeing into our souls - and her keen observations about so many social situations? I think there is a lot to be said for the above quote. If we want to be educated, able to converse well, and able to transport ourselves to different worlds it is essential to READ.

Reading widely and well is something I want my children to observe in me. Reading has also been a very necessary lifeline and method of escape for me during the past few years - years that have included so much personal change, loss, and evaluation.

A good book always has the power to right a topsy turvy world!

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I always share what I’m reading on my reading Instagram account. I want to share it more here on the blog because I am realizing that so many of your share my love of reading - so these bookish updates are most certainly homeschool related.

What Guides The Book Choices

Serendipity

Truth be told, I don’t often plan what I will read. I am a firm believer in book serendipity. Books find me at the thrift store, the Little Free Library, GoodWill, or through friends. Last year I found a beautiful Elisabeth Elliot book (signed nonetheless) at our local Good Will. Of course, I read that one right away!

Book Clubs/Podcasts

I am a member of the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club and also an in-person book club. (That’s two books each month that are already chosen for me).

My two favorite podcasts are What Should I Read Next? and Currently Reading. There are so many great podcasts out there!

Homeschool Curriculum

I also make sure what I am reading is preparing me for my son’s upcoming Challenge assignments, so that we can discuss those books together.

We also have a read-aloud going at all times - it gets harder with the teen boys, but I’m not giving up!

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May 2020 Books

May was a wonderful reading month.

There was just one book I disliked. All Adults Here just wasn’t for me - too many social agendas not so cleverly disguised as a novel. It honestly made me ANGRY how many social statements the author was trying to cram down my throat.

I also don’t have much tolerance for cursing in a book - unless it adds to the story. The cursing in this book just added to the already low opinion I held of each character!

All Adults Here: A NovelJane EyreThe Jane Austen Society: A NovelThe Confession Club: A NovelFreak the Mighty by Philbrick, W. R., Philbrick, Rodman, Verburg, Bonnie (May 1, 1995) Mass Market PaperbackThe Lost and Found Bookshop: A NovelA Long Petal of the Sea: A NovelChristyThunder and Rain: A Novel

May Book Notes:

Historical Fiction

If you’re a historical fiction fan, anything by Isabel Allende is sure to please. A Long Petal of the Sea takes us to the time just after the Spanish American War and details the lives of a family that has immigrated to South America. I had just finished Ruta Septys’ The Fountains of Silence earlier this year, and this novel was a great way for me to learn more about this part of history.

Heart Favorites

Jane Eyre and Christy will probably be in my favorite books of all-time list.

Jane Eyre was a book I never fully appreciated until this moment in time. I’m not sure why that is - but I know it’s book serendipity. It’s on my son’s reading list for 10th grade and I wanted to be able to discuss it with him - well, I’ll be able to do that and more. I am addicted to the Bronte’s use of language and Jane’s perseverance no matter what.

I’m not sure how I missed knowing about Christy for this long, either. Wow. There is such a community of fans surrounding all of Catherine Marshall’s works! A friend of mine also loaned me the Christy DVD’s, so that’s next on my list.

Audio Favorite

Audiobooks allow me to read a lot more.

Thanks to Libro.fm, I was able to get my hands on The Jane Austen Society before it came out. Oh my! If you choose any book on audio, make it this one! Richard Armitage narrating this book was such a treat for the ears!

Feel-Good Books

The Confession Club, The Lost and Found Bookshop, and Thunder and Rain were simply books that made me happy. If you’re looking for pure escape without a ton of thought, I think you could pick any of these and be happy.

Read-Aloud

We loved Freak the Mighty and followed the reading up with a movie night watching “The Mighty”. This is a great read-aloud for a teen boy!

Check out Homegrown Book Picks on Instagram for more details on each book I’ve read.

I’ll see you back here in a month for another reading update!!

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Best Books of 2019

Best Books of 2019

Reading is one of my greatest joys.

As technology has taken over our lives I’ve felt the need to retreat from technology (and television) - reading has helped me to stay away from screens and fill my time with truth, beauty, and goodness.

Reading has helped me become a better home educating parent. It has helped me become a better conversationalist. And, reading has provided an outlet for the grief I have faced the past few years. Losing my mom and then father-in-law in such a short time span threw me for a loop - I don’t think I’m being dramatic when I say reading a good book was my anchor many days.

Most of all, reading has opened so many worlds to me. It’s as if there is an urgency to learn all I can through books.

A capacity, and taste, for reading gives access to whatever has already been discovered by others.

~ Abraham Lincoln

2019 was a good book year - probably my best one yet.

It’s important for us to read, moms.

I know it’s hard to find the time, and it’s gotten easier for me to find the time as my children have grown.

I hope my reading can encourage you - and I know I am encouraged when I receive emails from you about what you are reading, too.

This post will give you a list of all of the books I read, as well as my favorites in the nonfiction and fiction categories.

It became obvious to me after thinking about and cataloging my books that I will need to write at least one more post to talk about audiobooks (which I used liberally in 2019) and when I find time to read, along with how I am keeping track of books and my feelings about them.

So… I promise there will be another book post coming soon!

Included in these books are the books we read aloud in 2019 - we’re averaging about one book every 2 months - as hard as I try, reading aloud doesn’t happen as much as I would like, but I consider it a victory that we are continuing to read aloud during the high school years!

Follow along with me on Instagram (@homegrownbookpicks) - I thought it would be fun to start a #bookstagram account to participate in a fun community and keep my readers up to date.

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Nonfiction Books Read in 2019

In 2019 I set the goal of reading more nonfiction, as well as using the time in the cracks of my day to listen to audiobooks.

I also wanted to coordinate a lot of my reading with my son’s American History studies in Challenge I - maybe not necessarily the SAME books he was reading, but books that allowed me to learn more about what he was studying. And - I must admit I read a few selections my daughter’s college professors were assigning, too!

All of the books listed here are books I read and finished - if I don’t like I book I will not hesitate to put down a book I don’t enjoy. All of the books, therefore, are books I would recommend. It is hard to choose favorites!

Top 5 Nonfiction Reads:

• The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration

  This one opened my eyes to the migration of African Americans in the 20th century. I think everyone should read this book. I found that it shed so much light on other books I would read, issues in the news, and a lot in general. It is a topic that isn’t discussed much.

• The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row

  Prepare to be angry, sad, ashamed, and more when you read this book. Anthony Ray Hinton is an amazing man, with faith and resilience that is admirable. I learned a lot about the criminal justice system, the prison system - and the grave injustices in the Deep South that continue to this day.

• Eye Can Write: A Memoir of a Child’s Silent Soul Emerging

  A friend recommended this to me - she read it aloud with her homeschoolers. This memoir is authored by a 12-year-old with Cerebral Palsy. It will shatter stereotypes and move you to tears. I loved it.

• Through Gates of Splendor

  Elisabeth Elliot is one of my heroes, so when this book was assigned to my son for his Challenge I coursework, I read along - again. I got even more from this book since it was the second time I had read it. What a powerful story of faith, martyrdom, perseverance, and God’s sovereign promises to us.

• When Less Becomes More: Making Space for Slow, Simple, and Good

  I think this is the most recently published book on the list. Emily Ley spoke directly to my mom heart with this book. It has affected my social media time, time spent on my phone, and how I am prioritizing the many things I have to do. It was a perfect read right before Thanksgiving because it equipped me for the busy holiday season.

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Nonfiction Books Read in 2019

84, Charing Cross Road 1st edition by Hanff, Helene (1970) HardcoverBeauty in the Word: Rethinking the Foundations of EducationInheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and LoveOne Summer: America, 1927The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great MigrationBold and Broken: Becoming the Bridge Between Heaven and EarthUnplannedEducation by Design, Not Default: How Brave Love Creates Fearless LearningBetween Heaven and the Real World: My StoryEvicted: Poverty and Profit in the American CityWhat Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship, and LoveGrace Is Greater: God's Plan to Overcome Your Past, Redeem Your Pain, and Rewrite Your StoryIntroverted Mom: Your Guide to More Calm, Less Guilt, and Quiet JoySymphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of LeningradAdoniram Judson: Bound for Burma (Christian Heroes: Then & Now)SOUND OF GRAVELWeapons of Mass Instruction: A Schoolteacher's Journey Through the Dark World of Compulsory SchoolingVictoria: The Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an EmpireRelease My Grip: Hope for a Parent's Heart as Kids Leave the Nest and Learn to FlyUndefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football TeamAnxious for Nothing: God's Cure for the Cares of Your Soul (John Macarthur Study)The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism, & Treachery (Hardback) - CommonCrescendo: The Story of a Musical Genius Who Forever Changed a Southern TownThe Year of Magical ThinkingHow Happiness Happens: Finding Lasting Joy in a World of Comparison, Disappointment, and Unmet ExpectationsThrough Gates of SplendorThe Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life, Freedom, and JusticeThe Grand Escape: The Greatest Prison Breakout of the 20th Century (Scholastic Focus)An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination: A MemoirWhen Less Becomes More: Making Space for Slow, Simple, and GoodEye Can Write: A Memoir of a Child's Silent Soul EmergingThe Boy Born Dead: A Story of Friendship, Courage, and Triumph

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Fiction Books Read in 2019

Top 5 Fiction Reads:

• Ordinary Grace

  This was the second book by William Kent Krueger I read this year. I love his lyrical, down to earth, poignant writing. I love that he is a Christian and this is infused throughout his books. Ordinary Grace left me with such a warm, hopeful feeling - and isn’t that what we want a good book to do?

• The Mother-in-Law

  This isn’t the type of book I would have expected to like so much - it was a mystery with a lot of twists and turns. What I appreciated so much about this book was that Sally Hepworth managed to put the reader in each of her character’s shoes so well. I felt that I had a lot in common with several of the characters. She also did a great job of helping us get inside the head of a character - and to see how easily misunderstood people can be when we make assumptions about them.

• Out of My Mind

  This middle grades book was written from the perspective of a child with Cerebral Palsy - and what it is like to be treated like you have mental deficits when your only disabilities are purely physical. Again, my sweet friend whose daughter has Cerebral Palsy recommended I read this and it moved me deeply. This would make a fabulous read aloud with your children!

• The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding

  I love all things historical fiction, and this book is one of the best in that genre I’ve ever read. It is the story of the dressmakers (and in particular a woman who made the intricate lace designs for Queen Elizabeth’s wedding gown). It was a blending of two time periods and two lives - that came together in a most beautiful way.

• The World That We Knew

  Alice Hoffman was on my list of authors to try this year. I had heard her writing was extraordinary - and that is so true. I shy away from anything WWII (I read so much of that a few years ago) - but this novel was so different than any other WWII book I have ever read. The blend of historical fiction, fantasy, and magic were beautiful - and the writing was poetic. Don’t let the WWII subject matter steer you away from this beautiful book.

The Time Traveler's WifeHarry's Trees: A NovelJefferson's Sons: A Founding Father's Secret ChildrenThe Lake House: A NovelWhere the Crawdads SingMiss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (Persephone Classics)Anonymous GirlPrivate Peaceful (After Words)Ghosted: A NovelThe Saturday Night Supper ClubHomeless BirdNext Year in HavanaThe Enchanted April (Penguin Classics)Ginny MoonTell the Wolves I'm Home: A NovelParnassus on WheelsThe Poisonwood Bible: A NovelBrunch at Bittersweet Café (The Saturday Night Supper Club)The Silent PatientFinding Dorothy: A NovelPurple Hibiscus: A NovelMap of the Heart: A NovelOut of My MindNowhere BoyPachinko (National Book Award Finalist)How Not to Die AloneBeyond the Point: A NovelJane of Austin: A Novel of Sweet Tea and SensibilityThe Story of Arthur Truluv: A NovelHeartburnThe River: A novelWhere the River EndsEchoThe Gown: A Novel of the Royal WeddingWaiting for Tom HanksThe Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie SocietyField Notes on LoveThe Atomic Weight of Love: A NovelThe Gunners: A NovelThe Rest of the StoryAsk Again, Yes: A NovelTo Kill a MockingbirdThings You Save in a Fire: A NovelRoomThe MartianThe Sign of the BeaverOnce Upon a River: A NovelLonesome DoveWhy the Sky Is BlueEvvie Drake Starts Over: A NovelLost For Words: This bookshop keeps many secrets [Paperback] [Apr 20, 2017] Stephanie ButlandThe Scarlet LetterCutting for StoneCrescendo: The Story of a Musical Genius Who Forever Changed a Southern TownThis Tender Land: A NovelThe Most Fun We Ever Had: A NovelThe Book Woman of Troublesome Creek: A NovelDominicana: A NovelNight of Miracles: A NovelThe Dutch House: A NovelThe Bookish Life of Nina HillThe Garden of Small BeginningsLove and Other WordsThe World That We Knew: A NovelNothing to See HereThe Nickel Boys: A NovelThe Past Is Never: A NovelAmerican Princess: A Novel of First Daughter Alice RooseveltFamily Tree: A NovelThe Mother-in-Law: A NovelMidnight at the Blackbird Cafe: A NovelThe Paper Bag Christmas: A NovelThe Mother's Promise: A NovelOrdinary GraceDear Edward: A NovelSuch a Fun Age

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Stay tuned for another book post in the coming days… I’ll share about my favorite audiobooks, favorite books for homeschool mom development, and a little about my system of keeping track of the books I read.

Follow me on Instagram @homegrownbookpicks !

How was your 2019 reading year?

Can you recommend a book I should read in 2020?

Leave a comment below - let’s talk books!