August Book Reviews

It was a very satisfying month in my literary world! I read five books: three non-fiction, two fiction; two audiobooks, three paperbacks, and I loved all of them! Speaking of reading... have you read my Substack updates lately? If not, you can subscribe for free with your email address (no need to download the app) and it will come directly to your email inbox! The next update will include a very special recipe, too, so you don't want to miss it! Ok, but for here and now, I want to highlight the beautiful work of other brilliant authors who have inspired and influenced me in August. 

Sacred Margins: On the Spiritual Life of a Writer, Steve Laube

My friend, Mary, from one of my writers' groups, gave me this book after we attended the Taylor Professional Writers Conference together. I actually submitted my manuscript to the Steve Laube literary agency in the spring (and got a rejection), but I was still interested in reading his work. It's a small book, and easy to read, and had so many good themes in the chapters. He quoted a lot of authors I respect and a lot of scripture I love. He explored the ways Christian authors have spiritual battles and wrestling matches as they do the incredibly difficult and noble work of creating something beautiful and true and redemptive to send out into the world. It was insightful and encouraging, and I'm glad I read it.

Heaven: Your Real Home, Joni Eareckson Tada

After reading Joni and Ken last month, I decided that I'm going to try to read one Joni book each month until I've read them all. So this month was Heaven. I actually have the hard copy of it, but I chose to listen to the audiobook because Joni is the narrator, and she sings the songs she mentions throughout. Joni never claims to be a theologian, so her perspective on heaven is rooted in what scripture says and also embellished by her holy imagination. She has spent a lot of years dreaming of what heaven will be like, and it is so lovely to hear it and dream along with her. As I was reading this book, I had some really sweet conversations with friends about their thoughts on heaven as well. What is the thing you look forward to the most? What do you think you will do when you see Jesus for the first time? What is something you can't wait to do there that you cannot do here? Feel free to leave a comment and let me know! 

Everything Sad Is Untrue, Daniel Nayeri

I picked this book up while I was in Nashville in June, at the Rabbit Room. It's safe to say I trust everything that they recommend, so it's fun to do some blind-date shopping in their bookstore, meaning I pick a book purely for the cover appeal, without reading the summary on the back or the inside sleeve; all I go on is the title and the image on the front. When I got home, I laid it on the top of my stack to read, and when I got to it this month, I read it in three days! It's actually a memoir of a Persian refugee boy who is telling the story of his family. I love that it is written in his little-boy voice, maybe 8 or 10 years old, like he is doing an essay assignment for his class at school. There are silly boy anecdotes, ADHD ramblings involving lots of poop and blood in ways that only boys can talk about, but woven throughout in the underlying current is a deeper and richer story of faith and the faithfulness of God. 

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 6, Beth Brower

Like a warm chocolate chip cookie, I indulged in this next installment of Emma's extraordinary journals as the most comfortable, entertaining, cozy, delightful - and yes, delicious - literary treat. I'm continuing to hold fast faithfully in my position on "Team Pierce (aka The Tenant)," especially in the final pages, which were an absolute cliff-hanger! Upon reading the last page, I 1) squealed, 2) put down the book, 3) picked up my phone, and 4) sent a text to my neighbor Rashelle (who owns and supplies all of the books in the series to me) begging if I could roll over to her house this morning (in the rain) to acquire volume 7. Being much more sensible than me, she offered to deliver it to my house later today instead. And so, I anxiously await whatever happens next...  

MY AUGUST TOP PICK:

The Other Bennett Sister, Janice Hadlow

There is a new TV miniseries available on BritBox right now, based on this book. Contrary to my typical conviction, I watched the series before reading the book. This is because I was skeptical of the book; I haven't traditionally loved spin-offs, adaptations, or fan fiction of Pride & Prejudice, and I couldn't imagine this could be that good. I was wrong. The miniseries was absolutely wonderful, and so I couldn't wait to get my teeth into the book itself.

If you haven't figured it out yet, "the other Bennett sister" is a reference to Mary Bennett, the third sister in the Bennett family from P&P, her older two sisters being the beautiful Jane and clever Elizabeth, and her two younger sisters being the very silly Kitty and foolish Lydia. In P&P, Mary is depicted as plain, dull, prudish, and sulky, staying in the shadows unless she awkwardly speaks up to give unwanted moral advice to her sisters. All around, she is unlovable and very forgettable. 

But those of us who love that story have always wondered whatever happened to poor Mary. And in this book, we are delightfully satisfied. It is a clean, romantic, coming-of-age tale that many of us can relate to more than we care to admit. Whether you've read P&P before or not, you should read this treasure. I actually know someone who is reading it with her daughter now before reading P&P, so when she comes to the classic story, her daughter will see Mary as the true hero that she is!