A young brave truth-teller’s earthly life ended this past week, however his light has not dimmed. Let us remember Charlie Kirk as a life long learner and advocate for truth and living life God’s way. Read a challenging book he recommended like Mere Christianity,1984, A Brave New World… Even with his busy schedule he read 100 books a year! Reading does something nothing else can do, it stretches and exercises our minds. We can interact with authors from different centuries and backgrounds and cultures. 

Charlie challenged young and old to live daringly and be difference makers. Please join us as we share my grandson's free verse poem for Charlie. 

We are grateful for each of you! May we grow together! Blessings and as Charlie always said, “Buckle-up, here we go!”

It’s 1963, four housewives living in the same suburb start a book club. Margaret dreams of becoming a writer, Charlotte an artist, Bitsy a vet, and Viv would like to return to nursing. They all have kids except the youngest member, Betsy, who desperately wants to be a mother. 

Charlotte says she will join the book club only if they read The Feminine Mystique. This sent up a red flag for me because of preconceived notions about the women’s movement, which brought both good and bad.  Anything that demeans God’s role of motherhood makes me wonder if the author was blessed with children. After going down that rabbit hole, I discovered she had three children. In the book,  How to Read a Book, the authors caution about forming an opinion before finishing a text, that is powerful advice. I learned a lot.

What surprised me was that a married woman wasn’t able to open a checking account without her husband’s signature. I also got an up close and personal glimpse of overbearing husbands and it wasn’t pretty. I had the opposite growing up, my dad never talked down to my mom, she lamblasted him.

The story is mostly about Margaret and how the past haunts her. Margaret’s marriage hits some bumps when she starts writing a column for A Woman’s Place, which Walt, her husband, refers to as her jobette. When honesty clears the lies he’s been believing, he makes an about face!

Don’t grab a cigarette or a stinger, just sip some tea and enjoy the recap on The Book Club for Troublesome Women : )

Where the Lost Wander is a gem of a book by Amy Harmon! Join the Mays and John Lowry as they forge westward on the Overland Trail in 1853! Sparks fly when mule man John Lowry meets the young widow, Naomi May. Romance shows us the trail is not the only thing that is bumpy. Grittiness and resilience abound!

Memorable Quotes are aplenty in this timely treasure:

“The hardest thing about life is knowing what matters and what doesn’t,’ Winifred muses. “If nothing matters, then there’s no point. If everything matters, there’s no purpose.”

“I cannot give her shelter. Not out here.” John talking to Naomi’s mother who wisely responds…

“That’s what marriage is. It’s shelter. It’s sustenance. It’s warmth. It’s finding rest in each other.”

“Thinking takes time…feeling not so much. Feeling is instant. It’s a reaction. But thinking? Thinking is hard work. Feeling doesn’t take any work at all. I’m not saying it’s wrong. Not saying it’s right either. It just is. How I feel, I cannot trust that, not right away, because how I feel today may not be how I feel tomorrow.”--John Lowry

“It is the suffering of love. Every parent feels it. It is the suffering of being unable to shield or save. It is not love if it doesn’t hurt…The pain. It’s worth it. The more you love, the more it hurts. But it’s worth it. It’s the only thing that is.”---Jenny (John’s stepmother)

“It’s all in the mare. The best mules come from superior mothers. The jack’s important, but the mare is everything.”---John’s father

“Winifred May is a darn good woman, and William knows it, which is to his credit. The best thing about him is her…” —John

“Ma said transcendence is when we rise above the things we can’t change.”--Naomi

“We women want to make the world brighter even if we have to fight our men folk to do it.”---Mrs. Vasquez

Wagons ho… Thank you, dear readers, for joining our adventure! Blessings!

Greetings Readers! Kate and Sheila recap the impactful middle grade novel, Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech.. We meet 13 year old Sal who is traveling with her grandparents to Idaho to see her mother who left the family months ago. During the trip, Sal tells them the story of her friend Phoebe Winterbottom who thinks her mom was kidnapped.

The Winterbottom family has been receiving inspirational quotes on their doorstep, such as:

Everyone has their own agenda.

In the course of a lifetime, what does it matter?

You can’t keep the birds of sadness from flying over your head, but you can keep them from nesting in your hair,

Do you like duel story lines and mystery? This 1994 Newbery winner might be just the book for you! Blessings!

It’s Back to School time…Here’s 10 Reading Excuses that Don’t Fly or Read On Sistah : )

1. Saying you don’t have time - Empty distractions time will rob (set a goal to read a little every day. Even if it is just a few sentences)

2. It doesn’t matter what I read - Set the bar high - be a reading snob (we become what we consume. So many great options. Follow book review youtubers you trust or The Recap Book Chat Podcast for some great recommendations)

3. I can’t remember what I read. Reading w/o reflection is like taking a shower w/o soap (book journaling and book clubs help loads in the remembering department)

4. I’m in a reading rut, challenge yourself-you are not a dope! (Start small with something simple and fun to get the gears rolling- try audio books)

5. I’m waiting for the perfect mood - Progress not perfection is the right direction (I believe you can learn something from every book, not just the ones you love.)  

6. I’m behind…Comparing your reading journey to others spoils the connection (Comparison steals your joy, everyone has their own pace, be sure to honor yours.)

7. I’m too tired/wired - Read anyway something will stick (Studies show it is super healthy for your brain to read before bed. Be sure to use a blue blocking booklight.)

8.   I only have one speed quick quick quick, learn to savor slow, (try some classics! They were written in a much slower time and have a way of making the reader slow down as well)

9. No, I can’t explain what I read in a simple way, but AI can so what the hay (try some kid lit, it is written in easier to explain ways but can still pack a punch)

10. I’ll wait for the movie, NOT at all groovy (so many books that have been turned into movies have been altered from what the author originally intended. Why not do both! You will appreciate it in a more indepth way and can see if it lines up with what the author intended.)

There is a reader inside all of us. We often suppress this desire to curl up with a book and a cup of joe or tea because we (insert excuse here) ________. Don’t fall into the trap! We tend to do what is important. Carve out some reading  time, your brain will thank you!

Booklight -  hooga 

Reading Journal - Amazon.com: Reading Journal: For the Love of Books, A Book Journal and Planner for Book Lovers to Track, Log and Review

Greetings! Today, Kate and Sheila dive in recapping the book of Joshua! 

This scripture is just as powerful today as it was in Joshua’s, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord you God is with you wherever you go.” 1:9. Followed by …”choose this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Spoken like a godly man with a purpose!

This book packs quite a punch! Here’s an acrostic on Joshua to get us going.

Jericho-epic battle!

Over and over he’s told to be strong and courageous 

Served the Lord wholeheartedly

His mentor was Moses

Unwavering leadership-Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua

Asked for the sun to stand still

We gleaned so much from reading Joshua and we hope you did too. Thank you for joining us!

Have a blessed day!

PS  Notice there is a curse in 6:26 about rebuilding the city of Jericho. It was fulfilled 530 years later when Hiel lost his firstborn and his youngest in 1Kings 16:34.

This novel is set in an interesting way, devoting chapters to Penelope and individual members of her family, but also to more secondary characters such as Antonia and Dannus (the bright spots). Each snapshot gives characters their own unique voice.

The Shell Seekers by Rosamonde Pilcher has a dual timeline, WWII and present day which was 1987. Penelope's three children were a bit hard to take. Olivia seemed the most sensible, although loaded with the “I am woman hear me roar” vibe, at least she was not greedy like her siblings. Nancy and Noel were unlikeable and self-absorbed.

 Pilcher's writing is unique in that she uses the senses extremely well. Her ability to make readers hear the ticking clock, smell the food being served, hear bird’s song, and even feel the importance of plants as a symbol of growth highlight the best parts of the book. Penelope did not have an easy life, her husband ran off with his secretary leaving Penelope the kids and his gambling debts to pay off. 

Penelope grew up in a loving and welcoming home with a famous artist for a father. Nancy and Noel are eager to sell the beloved painting of Lawrence Stern called The Shell Seekers. Penelope ponders to herself, “perhaps she had not expected enough of them.” “I have given them all I can and they always want more.” Pilcher painted a powerful picture of ingratitude in this novel.

The first sentence of Leo Tolstoy's novel Anna Karenina is: “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” The Shell Seekers shows the tension families have when wills collide. Won't you join us for the ride?

Welcome friends! Today Kate, Sheila, and the boys dive into a classic from 1943,  

The Little Prince by  Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. As a child the narrator drew two pictures that received heavy criticism from adults. So he became a pilot instead of an artist. 

When his plane crashed as he was flying over the Sierra Desert the pilot meets the little prince. As Titus pointed out, the telling of this story gives the reader the child’s viewpoint (Little Prince) and the adult’s from the pilot’s point of view simultaneously. The Prince lives on a small asteroid, B-612, where he takes care of his rose and 3 volcanoes and pulls up baobabs before they take a hold and become unmanageable. “It is a question of discipline.”

We uncovered a plethora of powerful quotes! Here’s a few:

“Well, I must endure the presence of a few caterpillars if I wish to become acquainted with the butterflies.”

“Words are the source of misunderstandings.”

“It is much more difficult to judge oneself than to judge others. If you succeed in judging yourself rightly, then you are indeed a man of true wisdom.

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”

Little Prince: What do you mean tame? 

Fox: It means to establish ties. If you tame me then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in the world. To you, I shall be unique.

This book had an unexpected ending and a lot of life lessons. Maybe because it was written during WWII or maybe it was written back when people pondered more. This story has many layers.

Won’t you join us and meet The Little Prince? Blessings dear friends!

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Today we dive into episode 193, Five on the Side, where Kate and Sheila discuss impactful books they’ve read on their own. The list was varied and insightful:

1. S=’The Scarlet Thread” by Francine Rivers-         

 K= “God’s Chosen Fast” by Arthur Wallace

1. S=”The Gift of Fear” by Gavin De Becker-”T

K=”Clear Your Clutter with feng shui”  by Karen Kingston 

1. S=”A Spring of Daisies” by Cindy Escobar 

            K=”Sink Reflections” by Marla Cilley 

1. S=”The Indigo Girl” by Natsha Boyd   

K=”Soul Care” by Rob Reimer  

1.   S= "Where the Lost Wander" by Amy Harmon  

K=”Milly and the Warm Wind” by Jenna Winship

Bonus Picks: S=”Strays Like Us” by Celilia Galante

                      K=”Truth Journey Family Devotional Book” by Jenna Winship

Thanks for joining us on our reading quest to read the best!

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“Are you brave enough to wade into the great river of life?” Join us as we dive into a book about family, friends, and love served with a hearty dose of laughter on the side. Kate DiCamillo outdid herself with her 2024 book, Ferris!

It has something for everyone from an outlaw sister to a gifted pianist to Ferris’ plan to reunite her separated aunt and uncle. Emma Phineas Wilkey was born under the Ferris wheel hence the name Ferris. Pinky, her little sister, is a caution. Clarisse, her grandmother, lives with them and her uncle recently started living in the basement while he is attempting to paint the world but seems to be stalled after he painted a foot.

Ferris and her father share coffee each morning as he discusses his musings from the encyclopedia he’s currently reading. “Ferris took a sip of coffee. It was rich and mysterious. It tasted like being an adult.”

Ferris’ father’s favorite quote, “The dogs bark but the caravan passes by” is a powerfully pithy reminder for us all  not to let criticism stop forward progress.

Ferris and her friend, Billy, are concerned about Mrs. Mielk, a teacher they had in school because she is grieving the loss of her husband. “Grief takes away your words. For a while it takes away everything.”

As Ferris’ mother says the Wilkys live large and it is beautiful,

Everyone’s invited to the lighting of the chandelier dinner, won’t you join in the fun?

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