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.