Good morning, everyone! It is a bright, blue-skied, sunshiney day here in California. Yesterday, I picked up some fresh sunflowers from Trader Joe’s so I can whip up some inspiring posts for next week. It feels so good to be in a spring state of mind again!
While my mom takes the Lord of the Rings trilogy by storm and my best friend surges a metaphorical sea of books faster than you can say chocolate-covered espresso beans, I have been plodding along through my seemingly endless stash of library books.
Welcome to the stack of books on my nightstand. About a month ago, I got myself in a bit of a predicament because I…
- ordered a few dozen library rentals all at once, on a whim, based off various recommendations from friends or from blog posts, and then…
- I picked up the said library books and stacked them on my nightstand,
- decided they ALL looked fascinating, and therefore…
- chose to read them all instead of returning them to the library (and no I will not save them for another time, THE TIME IS NOW), and so…
- it has been decided that I must read them all, one by one, before I begin any new novels or reread any beloved classics.
- Also some are overdue. Yikes.
I’d Rather Be Reading // Anne Bogel
(Ironically).
This is a charming little coffee table book, written by Anne Bogel of The Modern Mrs. Darcy blog, is a literary companion for book-lovers. Each chapter explores part of the role that books play in shaping who we are, who we become. The “book-lover’s problems” chapter had my mom and I in tears with laughter. For anyone who has stayed up past midnight to finish a story, this book is perfect for you.
Girl, Wash Your Face // Rachel Hollis
I want Rachel Hollis to be my life coach. In this book, she delivers 110% on so many subjects—from making your big dreams come true, to stopping the limiting beliefs you have about yourself. Each chapter is like having coffee with a cool older sister. All that said, this is definitely one of the best nonfiction books I’ve ever read. Her latest book, Girl, Stop Apologizing, is definitely on my “to be read” list.
Walking on Water // Madeleine L’Engle
Holy cannoli. I cannot say enough good about this book. In this slender paperback, L’Engle tackles the highly relevant question of what it means to be a Christian artist. Chapter by chapter, she has brought up topics that I’ve wrestled with long after reading: having a childlike imagination in today’s world, rejecting the simplification of modern texts, why stories are so important to humanity, and what it means to be a creator. Not to mention the book’s cheerful yellow cover (have I mentioned that yellow has been a theme lately?).
Becoming Mrs. Lewis // Patti Callahan
Written in the style of a novel, this is a fictionalized biography of Joy Davidman, the woman who became C.S. Lewis’s wife. It details her adult life, from the time she began corresponding with Lewis to her marriage and eventual death. I haven’t begun this one yet, but all the reviews say that Callahan writes a beautiful love story and breathes life into the characters of Joy Davidman and C.S. Lewis alike.
Throne of Glass series // Sarah J. Maas
My best friend recommended this series to me after I despaired at the lack of decent fantasy books on the modern market. I’m a little late on the train for this one, apparently, because I remember it being quite a craze a few years ago when the author, Sarah J. Maas, released the seventh and final installment of the series. Right now I’m on the third book, Heir of Fire, and I’m hanging on because I’ve been promised it gets better. I’ll keep you posted.
Liturgy of the Ordinary // Tish Harrison Warren
This collection of essays is structured around the ordinary practices that shape our daily life. In this book, Tish Harrison Warren recognizes the holy sanctity of each mundane moment. This book stands out especially in my reading list because it speaks a lot to my current life; I’m currently taking a gap year to wait tables and save up money for my final semester at college, which means that this year is about finding beauty in the ordinary. I’m looking forward to this book because I think it will make me aware of how all the little practices of my life—doing my laundry, serving tables, making breakfast—can still be acts of worship.
Up next on my reading list are Ali Smith’s How to Be Both and Mary Oliver’s Upstream essays. I’m a bit overdue for some fiction reading, though—if you have any suggestions, please send them my way!
What have you been reading lately?
<3 Olivia Grace
