How are you doing with your reading, moms?
It's getting harder as 2017 progresses to carve out the time to read, but I am DOING it, and I hope you are, too.
Did you read any of the books on last month's list?
March 1 marked the beginning of Lent, so you will find a couple of books with Lenten themes here. You'll also find one book I raced through in just TWO DAYS - I might have given everyone an afternoon off just so I could sit outside and finish this page turner!
Fiction for March
I won't keep you in suspense. And, I just have one fiction selection for you this month.
(One of my challenges for Lent is to stick to nonfiction - I finished this book just before Lent began!)
This first book was AMAZING. Fair warning, however: The Sea of Tranquility is technically a Young Adult novel. I wouldn't let my own young adult read it, though!
It has some very mature themes and language. It deals with some situations that might make you uncomfortable. I did, however, find it to be an excellent read that I just couldn't put down.
When I shared the book on my Instagram feed someone commented that it is excellent on audio, too. (Listen to the Audible sample here.)
Non Fiction for March
The next two books are ones that came highly recommended to me as we entered into the season of Lent. They did not disappoint - in fact, my husband has read them and enjoyed them both, too. (I always enjoy it when we can talk about a book together.)
Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life is such an encouragement for moms. Our mundane activities make a difference, and this book helped me to see that my daily activities are a liturgy of sort - and they are important!
“The crucible of our formation is in the anonymous monotony of our daily routines.”
If you are interested in the history and practice of Lent - and how to practice Lent in our lives (whether you are in a church that practices Lent or not), then The Good of Giving Up will interest you.
I have celebrated Lent my entire life, but didn't truly UNDERSTAND it's historical origins and significance completely until reading this book.
Finally, You Are What You Love is sitting on my nightstand waiting to be read next. It has come highly recommended and will help me quiet my heart and mind even further during this Lenten season.
A Classic Read for March
Modeling reading is so important. How I spend my free time is closely observed by my children, so I am being intentional about reading and WHAT I am reading, too.
I've been trying to read along a few of the selections with my 10th grade daughter this year in her Challenge II curriculum.
This month I am tackling A Morbid Taste for Bones. (You can read it for free on Kindle unlimited.)
Surprisingly, I enjoyed it VERY much (I was skeptical). This Medieval murder mystery was something very different and unexpected for me.
"Professional Development" for Homeschool Moms
I pulled these two books out to review this month - they always serve as my winter "shot in the arm" for homeschooling.
Our job is serious, and we need to invest in ourselves. Our professional and mental education is very important to the success of our homeschools, don't you agree?
If you've never read these two books, then you MUST!
A Pocketful of Pinecones is a sweet, sweet story (in the Charlotte Mason tradition - but good for ANY homeschool mom). It is a guide for nature study - cleverly disguised as one homeschool mother's journal.
And, you just want to LAUGH you definitely need to read The Homeschool Experiment. I'm sure that you will be able to relate to more than one situation presented in this book. I always fly through this book in one or two sittings!
