Book Talk with Pumpkins on the Side

Recent Reads

North and South, by Elizabeth Gaskell (fiction, audio courtesy of CraftLit)

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Would I have ever read this book if it wasn't for the lovely Heather Ordover at CraftLit? Hard to tell. Given the way I'm swamped in books, probably not. But listening to the professional narration and then Ordover's commentary, explaining and inviting discussion, totally changes my experience folding laundry, doing dishes, and even driving when the kids are occupied. I love audiobooks, but at this stage in my life, I don't have much time for them. (That, and I have a slight podcast addiction.) CraftLit is one of my favorite podcasts, and though I don't consider myself crafty, I love hearing about that too (and the book is the bulk of the podcast).

As for the book itself, it was worth it all for the last chapter. Swooooon.

Current Reads

UnDivided (Unwind Dystology #4), by Neal Shuterman (YA fiction, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2014)

Why yes, I did have this on pre-order, and it did preclude all the other reading I have to do. In fact, this series has been on my mind and in my discussions in a way that might just be getting annoying for anyone who follows me regularly. (I blogged about it both at my blog AND at my Register blog last week.) Guess I'm a bit enamored. I have had a pile of work and real-life stuff (how dare my kids have birthdays when I have a book to read???), so I'm not whipping through it the way I want to...but I have to finish it or put it down in a few days, because there are books that MUST. be. read. (Like for that pile of work.)

Loved as I Am: An Invitation to Conversion, Healing, and Freedom through Jesus, by Miriam James Heidland, S.O.L.T. (Ave Maria Press, 2014)

I was halfway through enjoying my way to the end when UnDivided arrived on my Kindle. This promises to be an awesome book that I will be recommending to pretty much everyone. It's a fast read, in part because Sr. Miriam is a real-life, honest-to-goodness, been-where-I-have-been kind of person. I heard her speak last year at our women's conference and was wowed. I'm just as wowed by this book.

What have YOU been reading lately?

*Are you on Goodreads? I'll see you there!

Curious about what my ratings mean? Here's an explanation of what the stars mean to me.

Be sure to check out our Book Notes archive.

Copyright 2014, Sarah Reinhard