November Reads

November was a weird reading month for me. I didn't finish very many kid books but I got through a lot of adult books.

GROWN-UP READS
📖 Bible study: This is strange but I was super excited about Bible study yet didn't actually do ANY! I spent all of my November my Bible study time preparing my new Bible study binder. I'm so excited about it though!
📖 1% Better (Christian, nonfiction, memoir)... This was an interesting book about the first person with Down Syndrome to complete an Ironman race. There were a few things I didn't love but it was an overall good read. It did contain a few curse words.
📖 The Aging Brain (Christian, nonfiction, health)... Having just lost one of our parents to dementia in the last year + two grandparents before that, I'm extra aware of how badly we'd like to avoid dementia/Alzheimers. We want to be our best selves for as long as possible and this book was so full of powerful research to help us out with that. I sometimes do worry about how much damage was done to our young bodies & brains in the 90s and 00s but I do my best to make the healthiest choices for us now and trust that it's at least prolonging anything it won't prevent.
📖 All That We Carried (Christian,  fiction)... I only chose this book for its autumnal setting but it was exactly the kind of deep, rich, character-driven family dynamic story I love! 

📖 Pocketful of Pinecones (Christian, fiction)... This one will mostly just appeal to fellow idealistic homeschool moms with a Charlotte Mason focus. I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading the next one.
📖 Praise Her at the Gates (Christian, nonfiction)... I joined a book club in my new church and this was the November read. Not one of us liked it. 

📖 These Tangled Threads (Christian,  historical fiction, time slip)... I need to give trigger warnings for this one but wow, I really liked it! I am ready for lots more time slip now. 

📖 When I Fall in Love (Christian, fiction)... This is book 3 in the Christiansen family series and I loved it! I am very excited too Casper and Raina's story next. 

📚 Plus applicable sections of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding and The Wonder Weeks

YA & MIDDLE GRADE READS
(Why was November such a terrible month for these?!) 

 📖 The Grand Teton Stampede (secular,  fiction)... This one was fun, and especially because I've been to the Grand Tetons and had the most beautiful picnic at Jenny Lake. :)

📖 Horse Diaries: Black Cloud (secular,  middle grade, fiction)... Part of this made me pretty sad but I was fine with my daughter reading it.
📖 Paper Bag Christmas (Christian, YA, Christmas, fiction)... This was a very moving book I'll definitely pass along to my kids as young teens.  

*I also read part of Stella by Starlight as a buddy read with one of my kids and we all worked through The Ology, Atlas Adventures, and Home Ec for Everyone in homeschool (along with our regular subjects). 

PICTURE BOOKS WE LOVED: God Gave Us Thankful Hearts