Put the whole series on hold at the library.

Wait until they all show up.

Read them as quickly as you can.

This is what I should have done with the Charlotte Holmes series. So let me say it again: Make sure you have them all on hand.

I read a lot this month, but maybe this is becoming my new normal.

Who knows. More data coming soon.

Here’s how it breaks down.

Non-Fiction

1. Martin Luther in His Own Words edited by Kilcrease and Lutzer – 4 stars. A collection of some of Martin Luther’s work with some useful commentary to provide insight into the historical and cultural significance of his writing. Useful and somewhat dry. Link to Full Review.
2. Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals by Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Hartgrove-Wilson, and Enuma Okoro – 5 stars. I really appreciate the way this book draws knowledge from multiple places in the Bible and draws you into a more thoughtful devotion with the call and response style, optional songs, social justice paragraphs, and prayers to read. I read it as a devotional and will probably pick it back up anytime I am between devotionals.
3. The Ministry of Ordinary Places by Shannan Martin – 4.5 stars. A challenge to live deeper and welcome wider from the place where you are. I am glad people write books like this about the ministry and importance of how we live our everyday lives.
4. The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E.B White – 4 stars. Useful book of rules or guidelines about language and writing.
5. By the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder – 5 stars. Loved this one, especially when the Wilder boys showed up :):). This is where I’ll pause in this series for my kids. The chapters and language became significantly more descriptive and I need to pre-read The Long Winter so I can better gauge when they’ll be ready for it.
6. Love Does for Kids by Bob Goff – 5 stars. My kids loved this book and it made me so happy to hear how much they loved this book every time. The stories are so fun with just enough Jesus talk to make the kids think. We’ll read this one again.
7. Run the Mile You’re In by Ryan Hall – 5 stars. I wasn’t especially familiar with Ryan Hall’s whole story, but I really liked hearing more about his running story and how he pulled Jesus into nearly every piece of it.
8. The Yes Brain: How to Cultivate Courage, Curiosity, and Resilience in Your Child by Daniel J Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson – 5 stars. Definitely worth reading for you and your kids.
9. In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About it by Lauren Graham – 4 stars. A fun inspirational college commencement speech. I recommend the audio version. :)
10. Becoming by Michelle Obama – 5 stars. I LOVED this one. Reading about Michelle Obama’s story even before Barack Obama came into the picture was just delightful and the insider peek into White House life and how their family experienced the whole thing was really great. Powerful book.

Fiction

1. In Real Life by Jessica Love – 4 stars. I really enjoyed this one though it is not without some problematic content. Online (becoming real) friendship, half-truths, and lots of drama.
2. The Last of August (Charlotte Holmes #2) by Brittany Cavallaro – 4 stars. If you read these books you better have them all on hand. They are best if inhaled. Lots of suspense, good humor, and really nuanced characters who are trying to get through their personal baggage while solving a complex mystery.
3. I’m Fine and Neither Are You by Camille Pagán – 4 stars. A book that seems like a chick-lit romp but quickly falls into some weighty topics.
4. The Case for Jamie (Charlotte Holmes #3) by Brittany Cavallaro – 5 stars. Refer to above review. I loved the 1st and 3rd books best.
5. A Question of Holmes (Charlotte Holmes #4) by Brittany Cavallaro – 4 stars. very good.
6. With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo – 5 stars. Loved this book about a teenage mom making it work and cultivating her passion for cooking.
7. Puddin’ by Julie Murphy – 4 stars. I liked Dumplin’ better, but this was another fun dive into fat-activism with an added exploration of racism all in the delightful shell of highschool, girlfriends, and peer pressure.
8. Hope and Other Punchlines by Julie Buxbaum – 5 stars. Two teenagers directly impacted by September 11th as infants pull each other into a research project looking for answers. Interesting how long it takes for fiction starts addressing national disasters. Almost 20 years. This one was really well-done and I was rooting for everyone involved.

---

I’m giving away a copy of Glorious Weakness by Alia Joy to one of my email subscribers. I’ll send out the email this weekend announcing the winners. Make sure you sign up!

In other news: find me on Instagram! Thanks for reading :)

(Disclaimers: This post contains Amazon Associate Links and a couple of these books were given to me by the publishers for review purposes.)