Let it Fall!

Summer is ending and we are always excited for fall around here. Winter is my favorite season but autumn is my second favorite. We're hygge people!

We did pretty good on our summer bucket list and now, for autumn!

Here's our autumn bucket list... 

🍂 Hike!

🍂 Make our two favorite soups (curry potato via Paige Shay and creamy tomato gnocchi via PlantYou) + try a few Indian curry/stew-like recipes until we find one we love! 

🍂 Walk around downtown

🍂 Pick out new cozy sweatshirts (all 100% cotton... Probably via Colored Organics for the younger kids and Life is Good for Hubs, me, and the older kids).

     * I'd also like to thrift a 100% cotton sweater dress but shan't hold me breath. I have gotten them for my girls as toddlers (one was actually from Wal-Mart of all places!) but I have so far never seen a 100% cotton sweater dress for women, new or used. Let me know if you find one!

🍂 Pumpkin recipes! Pumpkin hummus, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin oat cookies, pumpkin pie smoothies and smoothie bowls

🍂 Read a Jaime Jo Wright book

🍂 Host a cozy board game night with friends

🍂 Make hot chocolate + homemade marshmallows

PS- autumn picture books we love!

Recent New Releases

Brindlefox* (picture book)... This is a great story about grumpiness and prickly attitudes, what's going on under the surface, and choosing to make things better. Lots of great discussion brought on by this one! 

Home is Calling* (picture book)... We happen to be in butterfly mode around here right now so this book arrived with perfect timing. We all loved learning about the monarch migration! The illustrations are great, too.

Letters from my Sister* (historical fiction)... Heartwarming, emotionally gripping, and full of family dynamic issues which I always love to see on the page!  Valerie Fraser is an author I will continue to watch. 

Lucky Girl* (nonfiction)... Now this is a fascinating memoir! Scout has shared stories about her heart breaks and triumphs to encourage and inspire her readers. 

Race to Krakatoa* (middle grade)... This is book 2 of the Inkwell Chronicles and was just as delightful and exciting as the first! This was a hit for me and an even bigger hit for my middle grade reader! We semi-patiently await book 3. 

Voice of the Ancient* (historical fiction)... This is book one of a new series, set during the time of King Saul. Biblical fiction is just not my favorite but I do understand the appeal and now I especially understand the appeal of Connilyn Cossette's writing. Definitely a good one for fans of Biblical fiction! 

Who Do You Want to be When You Grow Up?*... I love the massage of this picture book, a focus on your character and gifts for WHO you will be rather than the typical message of WHAT career path you will take.  Cute illustrations, too! 

Woven* (nonfiction, parenting)... This parenting book talks a lot about moralism (think legalism). It's a fine line to walk. I didnt agree with everything 100% but it made me think and reflect which is always a good thing! 

* I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Episode 63- The Christian Bookworm Podcast

Oops, it's been a while! Let's talk books! 

You can listen through Amazon // Google // iTunes // Overcast // Pocket Casts // Radio Public // RSS // Spotify // Stitcher 

General show notes page 

Fiction- Episode 57: If You Liked That, Try This // The Witnesses by Robert Whitlow // Baxter Family series Above the Line // Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury // Baxter Family Bailey Flannigan series // Voice of the Ancient by Connilyn Cossette // Wandering with Stacy YouTube channel

Nonfiction- Teatime Discipleship by Sally Clarkson

Children's- Extraction: A Song for Emma by Christian Cross (YA) // The Secret at Pheasant Cottage by Patricia St. John (middle grade)

How to keep in touch: blog // YouTube // Goodreads // Pinterest // Twitter 

Bookish links- September 2023

September new releases I'm excited about: The Legacy of Longdale Manor // The Light on Halsey Street // Race to Krakatoa // The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass // The Wings of Poppy Pendleton

Karen Kingsbury's new merchandise... I love the mug and tshirt! 

Would you pay your kids to read? 

Christianbook.com has their $.99 clearance event going on right now! My recommendation: Breaking Free  

Sad, Jesus Calling author Sarah Young has passed away

Homeschool mamas- take literature and grammar outside!

Blast from the past: WWII nonfiction for children and adults // A cup of tea and a good book // Myers-Briggs and Moms

Love this autumn watercolor project- candle on stack of books 😍 

Currently reading: Psalms // Green Smoothie Revolution // The Powerful Purpose of Introverts // Leaving // The Race to Krakatoa // and The Very, Very Far North as a read-aloud with my kids 

Recent reads

I haven't been keeping up with my mini reviews very well lately, have I? 

Cold Pursuit by Nancy Mehl* (Christian, suspense)... This is my second Nancy Mehl novel (the other was Mind Games) and this lady can turn out a good suspense! If I'm being honest, I have thought both books were excellent but also had nightmares from both because I'm a pretty sensitive reader these days. Even still, I recommend Nancy Mehl for fans of suspense and especially for fans of FBI stories.

Fearfully and Wonderfully (Christian, nonfiction, science)... I am forever in awe of the human body and this book was so awesome! I also learned a lot about his work with leprosy. Didn't quite agree with a few things but overall found this so powerful and so fascinating!

Kabul* by Jerry Dunleavy (nonfiction, political science)...  This was my first foray into political science. The book was well-written and seemed to tell the story well. This just isn't my typical reading interest and I don't imagine I'll read another but it will be a good read for anyone with a political science interest!

Kingstone graphic novel Bible, volume 1... Initially LOVED using this but at the end of the day I'm a word girl. Glad to have this as a visual companion though.

Woven* by Meredith Miller (Christian, nonfiction, parenting)... This parenting book talks a lot about moralism (think legalism). It's a fine line to walk. I didnt agree with everything 100% but it made me think and reflect which is always a good thing!

The Ruby Moon (Christian, middle grade)... Book 2 in this series and I liked it. Intriguing for sure and I think this one had more faith content than the first (f I'm remembering right). Really having a hard time finding book 3 at a reasonable price though 😒 

Take Three and Take Four (Contemporary Christian fiction)... These were the last two books in the Above the Line series, another series in the Baxter Family saga. I enjoyed seeing them play out and I'm looking forward to the Bailey Flannigan series next!

A Time to Die by Nadine Brandes (Christian, dystopian, YA)... Good faith content, exciting + fascinating dystopian story that will intrigue fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent. Does contain violence.

Vanished (Christian, middle grade)... This Faithgirlz read was great, exciting and twisty. I wasn't expecting the way things panned out which is always fun. I put it in our 7th grade shelf. Will definitely try book 2!

* I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.