Reading: Past, Present, Future | Part Two

It's been six months since my last bookish rambling so I think it's about time for another one. Don't you? As the title suggests, you'll find the books I've read in the last several months, the books I'm reading now and the books I want to read next all neat and tidy-like in this post.

In an effort to keep the page nice and clean, you can find all this and more right below the jump! ......




...... You made it!

Firstly, as a follow up to my last post I did read Bread & Wine but failed to read Hey, Natalie Jean - though I'd still like to read it in the future! Sometimes other books just come in and side-swipe your to-read list! And that's okay. :)

What I've read recently: 

A.D. 30 

A.D. 30 by Ted Dekker was a book store impulse-buy for me. I always feel better about impulse-book buying when I actually read the book! hah. This was a gripping and fast-paced read. Set in the years just before Christ's Crucifixion, it follows a young woman of a Bedouin tribe who is understandably cynical. She encounters Jesus at the beginning of his public ministry and is changed by the interactions she has with him even though she doesn't really grasp who he is just yet. I read somewhere that Dekker is releasing a sequel sometime later this year and I'm moderately interested in picking it up as well!

The Hidden Hand

An interesting cover to be sure but The Hidden Hand by E.D.E.N. Southworth is a great read. I think this was the third time I've read it - so it's a keeper! It's one of those stories that masterfully interweaves the stories and backgrounds of so many characters. It really keeps you on your toes.

Harry Potter (Books 1-4) 

I had never ever read these books before. I know, it's probably a huge surprise given the fact that EVERYONE AND THEIR GREAT AUNT has read these books. (Except me, of course.) I read the first four: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling. I thought they were fun reads. J.K. Rowling has wit that is playful and critical all at once. Of these four, the Prisoner of Azkaban was the most enjoyable - probably because the reader is already familiar with Harry's world and it brings some changes to Harry's life that are exciting. I decided after the Goblet of Fire, though, that I am probably done reading the series. I started to loose my connection with Harry and the next few books seem to get heavier and more epic in the battle of Good vs. Evil. I don't usually shy away from stories like this... I mean, Lord of the Rings is one of my favorite epics! But for some reason, I just feel kind of done with this one. Maybe I'll watch the movies? I haven't decided yet. 

The Cubicle Next Door

The Cubicle Next Door by Siri L. Mitchell is incredibly light and easy. Set in Colorado which is a state I LOVE because of its beauty. The main character is also a blogger sooooo It was an obvious fluffy-read choice. As a matter of personal choice and intentional living I try to be cautious in what types of romantic literature I consume. This one is G-rated. :)

The Maze Runner

The Engineer and I decided that we'd like to begin reading books together as a habit in our marriage. We selected The Maze Runner by James Dashner as our first co-reading experience. It was such an intense story and we finished it in three days! For my part, I think it was mind-bending and adrenaline pumping in a way that was fun for one book but not so fun that I want to keep it up by reading the rest of the series. The Engineer is still on the fence about finishing the rest of the books and as of yet he hasn't started reading the next one.

What I'm reading now: 

The Mingling of Souls

The Mingling of Souls by Matt Chandler is actually a book that The Engineer picked up and read a while back. It's been on my to-read list for a while and I finally started digging into it a few weeks ago. This isn't the type of book I enjoy reading the way I read a novel: instead I like to read small sections and chew on them over time. I'm sure this will be on my nightstand for a good while as I work my way through it.

Wives of Henry VIII

I'm a nerd. That's why I found a used copy of the Wives of Henry VIII by Antonia Fraser in a bookstore while we were on our anniversary trip and I couldn't leave without it. I don't know why I'm so fascinated by this era in England's history. It reads like a biography rather than a novel, and that's just fine by me!


Up Next: 

The Fourth Turning

The Engineer read The Fourth Turning by William Strauss and Neil Howe a few years ago and it's been coming up in our socio-political conversations a bunch recently so I decided it was time for me to read it too! It sounds extremely intriguing. (Have I mentioned that I'm a nerd? Okay, good.)

And Finally: Redwall

Redwall by Brian Jacques will be my next novel. I recently asked The Engineer what books he wants to read to our future children and it spurred a conversation about what books or book series' impacted us as children. He would enjoy reading the Redwall books to our future kiddos since he loved them as a child. So of course it made me want to read them right this very minute!

If you're wondering my response to my own question is: The Laura Ingalls Wilder series, The Hidden Hand (listed above), The Trumpet of the Swan, All of C.S. Lewis' Narnia books, Pippy Longstocking, and probably more that I'm forgetting.

Have a wonderful Friday, friends. I applaud you if you made it all the way to the end. You deserve some coffee. :)

All book titles link to their corresponding page on goodreads.com.