Annie Knows Everything by Rachel Wood

 ★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

Hilarious and terrifying in its fake-it-until-you-make-it descriptions of what's normal today. Annie typifies the know-it-all who has life in hand until everything falls apart. Her pluck and grit made me smile.

A fun read for young adults and those trying to understand GenX to Y. Just don't make Annie your role model!

Work in Progress by Devon Rodriguez

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
 I've followed this young artist for a few years, marveling at the talent he's shaped with perseverance and practise. Rodriguez writes with honesty and grit about his difficult beginnings and the challenges of his neighborhoods. 

He became known for the portraits he gifted people on the streets of New York but has picked up sketching and landscapes in his travels. I'm fascinated by the joyful acceptance he offers those who are marginalized or have chosen the fringes of society. Though he's been recognized in high societal circles, he remains humble and open to new things.

For everyone who thinks their background determines their future, please read this engaging story.

Mistakes I Made at Work: 25 Influential Women ... edited by Jessica Bacal

 

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★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
If you don't have mentors or role models at work, read this. If you are ambitious to climb the corporate ladder, get a copy. If you're not sure you have what it takes to be a woman in business today, you definitely need to read it - and you can probably charge it to your educational expenses.

Highly practical, thoughtful, and personal, the women who have contributed expose their journeys to success - through hard work, failure, relationships, and defining what matters to them.

Recommended for young women in the workplace as well as those who are mid-career.

The Empty Nest of Juliette Bouchette by Susanna Sauveterre

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

Utterly engaging and heartwrenching at the same time. Juliette is "all grown up" and her family has changed. Her children are adults. Her marriage is settled. Yet she has to negotiate the complete change of season and what gives meaning to her life.

I recommend this for those trying to understand midlife and how women process and transform as their homes and work shift. Would be an excellent book club choice.

Manufacturing a Duchess by Tracy Wise

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
This was amusing and interesting. Beyond historical details and cultural expectations, Wise tells the story of a woman who refuses to be anyone but herself. The novel took me along in various settings. I liked and loathed characters - which is a sign of absorption in the tale. 

I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to get lost in an Austin-like story. Though the perspective and observations were from a modern perspective, the demands of British society came through loud and clear. Reading it is not demanding but was engaging at many levels.

The Lost Perfumes of Paris by

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

A tale of ambition, talent, and culture that affect women, even today.  This story touched me with its constant striving to overcome the barriers that women face, whether in progressive or traditional cultures. 

I could smell and taste the novel through vibrant descriptions. I got to know (and dis/like) the characters from the interactions. I'd recommend this one for a women's book group, for girlfriends looking to discuss their challenges, and for readers who want a book to immerse them in history and destinations.

Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer

 

★★★★★  

At a time when I'm balancing my husband's healthcare, increased hospitality, and a change of service, this book was very meaningful. 

Comer asks why so-called disciples of Jesus are content not to follow his words or practises. Does comfort and cultural patterning determine how we live out our faith? Or do we align with Jesus' words and actions, with his requests and commands to those around him?

With practical, encouraging examples, the reader is immersed in new ways of discipleship. I thoroughly enjoyed this and will recommend it to my students in classes on Spiritual Formation.

Sunrise by Téa Obreht

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
Another one of those stories where you don't know what's coming. If you like suspense, historical fiction, and a nail-biter, you'll enjoy the town of Sunrise, where mysteries of 100 years ago live on. When you survive a plane crash, have no idea how to take care of yourself, and your cellphone is hurled at a bear, what comes next?

This is one for a long commute or a plane trip, as long as you know you'll spend a few extra hours reading instead of sleeping.

A Novel

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Sunrise by Susan May Warren

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

When the heroine plunges into the Alaskan wilderness, it's up to an old friend to find her. Echo is determined to rescue a fellow researcher, but can Dodge reach her in time to save her life?

Suspenseful, romantic, descriptive of Alaska ... this is one to keep you reading to the last chapter. 

The Last Mandarin by Louise Penny and Melissa Fung

★★★★★  Louise Penny is one of my favorite authors. This book, the first I've read apart from the Inspector Gamache series (which I love), was a shock from start to finish. The imagination, understanding of American and Chinese culture and politics, and the thriller storyline captured me.

Because I don't have the context of Chinese names and places, I had to pay attention beyond a casual read. Once I understood who was what or where, the story came alive. I was gripped until the end.

Definitely recommended if you lean toward complex characters, mystery and suspense, culture, or modern politics. Any of those interests make it a must-read.

Good Girls Die Bored by Elizabeth Little

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
Juno's ready for a new start when her friend Min pulls her into a new season. Her new team is a surprise and a challenge. If you are ready for an adventure that keeps you guessing, you'll like this one.

Tuck it into your beach bag, add it to your carry-on, or pull it out of your briefcase when you have a long commute. Good summer reading.

A New Year in the Presidential Suite by Judith Keim

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
When you are sent away by your family, you don't know what to expect. Lori opens her heart in her week away, but Griff has more ideas coming. When an unexpected gift brings them together again, will love blossom?

A delightful romance and a hopeful story of restoration and new beginnings. Recommended for beach reading or commutes. Tuck it in your tote bag!

A Rule for the Rest of Us by Jen Pollock Michel

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The author personalizes the Christian rule with stories and personal examples. Michel unfolds the process of setting up a rule of life, including the context, scheduling, engagement, and expectations of how God will use our efforts.

Michel abandons the legalism of spiritual formation, emphasizing the freedom available through submission to Christ. He lays out the trust, rest, community, and realism of creating a rule. Each chapter has a reflection question to help the reader process the concepts.

Whether you want to explore a rule of life or if you are ready to set up your own rule, you will appreciate this personal call to attention. Highly recommended.

Anchored, Aligned, Accountable by Aiko Bethea

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
Bethea is a poet who shapes prose with unique insights toward living an intentional, sustainable, and significant life. Her descriptive writing offers direction for arranging one's inner life so that actions and thoughts are aligned with a person's values and resources.

I loved the surprises, the crafted language, and the personal stories. It was a completely new way of thinking that produced joyful anticipation as I turned the pages. If you're floundering and can overlook coarse language (never a plus in my opinion), you'll be charmed and churned and challenged by this book. 

Chasing the Clouds Away by Debbie Macomber

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
Another winning story from Macomber about challenges and the attraction between people who seem unmatched. The conflict is mostly between different levels of status and wealth. One person is rich in family but struggles financially and with pride. The other longs for connections and has abundant wealth to share.

Can they come together and find happiness for themselves and their families? If you like the process of reconciliation, hope, and finding common ground, you'll thoroughly enjoy this story.

A Heart on Consignment by Mindy Steele

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
 A sweet romance with a look at Amish culture. If you've been overlooked because of a chatty nature and short stature, if your family is intent on marrying you off, how on earth do you find love?

This is a lovely story of creating family ties in a closeknit and strictly regimented community. If you like women's fiction, romances, or a good tale, this is for you.

Weathering Change by Courtney Ellis

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
 Don't miss this one if you love birds! There's a wealth of observation in these pages.

A woven encouragement to seek spiritual depth through seasons of disciplines, formation, and life's challenges. I was surprised several times at how well Ellis bridged nature and the hard work of developing our souls.

The Pillagers' Guide to Arctic Pianos by Kendra Langford Shaw

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
 The premise is an inventive one: a piano shows up and changes lives and the economy of a far-north village in Alaska. Following a free-spirited family through the generations, this one will appeal to those who love adventure, change, and emotional development.

Curiosity about life in Alaska is a bonus!

Harriet in Waiting by Rachel del Grosso

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
A gripping and engaging novel about transitions. When your marriage implodes and you're left behind, how do you rebuild a hopeful future? 

Harriet discovers a new version of herself, friendships, and family. Full of characters, feelings, and movement - you'll enjoy this if you like women's fiction or going through a similar season.

Death Times Seven by Anne Perry; Victoria Zackheim

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
Perry was a favorite author. I really enjoyed this wrap-up of a novel. Exciting. It drew me in both in plot and characters.  If you liked Daniet Pitt, don't miss the conclusion of the series.

If you're looking for a mystery, a circle of interesting people, and a satisfying conclusion, grab this one.

Discipling the Diseased Imagination by Justin Ariel Bailey

 

★★★★★ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

I wasn't sure - from the title - if this was for people who were mentally ill or neurodivergent. Turns out it is for everyone, including me. Especially me.

What happens to our mind that needs rebuilding, redirecting, or reimagining? What damage do we sustain in the environment from childhood through maturity?

Bailey offers practical ways to pray and engage personally with God who loves us and wants the best for his creatures. "Whatever else prayer is, it is also about asking God for something, asking God to give something, to do something. Prayer is more than asking, but it is not less." The beautiful nature and being of God is brought alive in a fresh way. The chapter questions for reflection and discussion and the closing prayers offer an experience of going deeper.

Highly recommended if you are trying to pray, trying to understand prayer, or weary of praying and feeling unheard. You will be eased toward a joyful and abundant relationship with a God who has always wanted to reveal himself.  Going to read this at least twice.

The Lie You Don't Know You Believe by Jennie Allen

 

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

Scripture upon scripture to expose what your heart may have assumed is true - although it doesn't agree with God's good plans for you. 

Allen is well-known for speaking and writing about spiritual life for adults and teens. This one was a beautiful collection of truth-telling, straight from the Bible.

Recommended for small groups - do a chapter at a time - and for personal reassurance that God really is in control of the world and you.

What Grows in Weary Lands by Tish Harrison Warren

 

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

Many of us feel frustrated. We're not exactly burned out, but we're not on fire either. We have lost our resilience to life, either coasting along or slumped in depression.

Warren offers a fresh look at what it means to live the abundant life of Christ without the high emotion or accompanying energy that we desire. A beautiful book of encouragement and hope for everyone who has almost given up on a joyful and fruitful life.

Highly recommended for those who are "between" seasons of abundance and productivity. It was just what I needed in this time of transition.

Everyday Spiritual Habits by Hanna Seymour

 

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

If you're intimidated by spiritual disciplines, discouraged by religious rules, or tired of never measuring up ias a church-goer, this one's for you. Seymour explores what it means to make life with Jesus a habit that is as natural as breathing.

With practical examples and hopeful suggestions, the author encourages you toward a vibrant life in Christ. Highly recommended, whether you're starting the journey of faith or are mature and settled. I thoroughly enjoyed it and learned a lot.

The Prayerful Leader by Ryan Skoog; Cameron Doolittle; Peter Greer

 

★★★★★ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

I read some of the prayers aloud to friends on Zoom calls. The scriptures, calls to prayer, and prayer action steps touched me deeply and resonated with other leaders as we connected.

In a season of transition, when I am intent on deepening my own prayer life, this book has been life-giving and personal. No meant just for pastors, Skoog and fellow authors offer a personal and intimate opportunity to make conversations with God part of every day and every hour.

Highly recommended for leaders of NGOs, churches, organizations, and projects. I'm only partway and already planning a second round.