Spring Reading
Spring Reading: Books with Flowers on the Cover
By: Brittany Shields
Spring is officially and finally here!
If you are going to miss the snow, check out my list of books with snow HERE.
But I am ready for green grass and flowers blooming. Some of you live in warmer climates and know not of this snow-filled winter and some days I envy you!
To celebrate spring, let’s read a book with flowers on the cover!
This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi
Genre: Fantasy/YA
Goodreads Summary: Clashing empires, forbidden romance, and a long-forgotten queen destined to save her people—bestselling author Tahereh Mafi’s first in an epic, romantic trilogy inspired by Persian mythology.
This made it on my list of Most Anticipated Books of 2022!
I haven’t gotten a chance to read it yet, but I have read her Shatter Me trilogy.
Gospel-Centered Motherhood by Stefanie Boyles, Daily Grace Co.
Genre: Christian Living
“In God’s economy, when His people empty themselves for His sake, they are filled with His presence which leads to purpose, joy, and satisfaction.”
A short and encouraging book for mothers that covers so many important topics like: the calling of motherhood, Bible reading, discipleship, dying to ourselves, guarding our marriages, mom guilt, perseverance, prayer, words, emotions, and more.
Broken (in the best possible way) by Jenny Lawson
Genre: Memoir/Humor
“Do you want to hear a story about how I almost went blind because of diarrhea rats? Of course you do.”
If that piqued your interest, you’re on the right track with checking out this book.
If you are already a fan of Jenny, I’m assuming you will find this book to enjoyable. If you, like me, are a Jenny-Lawson-newbie, here’s a brief summary of her niche: She deals with mental and physical illnesses of many forms including severe anxiety, agoraphobia, rheumatoid arthritis, pre-diabetes, and some memory loss (among others—don’t worry, she’ll tell ya about it; she says she “collects diseases like other people collect Beanie Babies”). She writes books and finds the humor in her ailments. Considering all that she has gone through, it’s an amazing feat that, like she says, is necessary to her survival. She is very transparent and honest and throughout the book she intersperses more meaningful and sober meditations on life, health, pain, and identity.
In His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His Character by Jen Wilkin
Genre: Christian Living/Theology
It’s a great book for studying God and His Word together and spurs lots of good conversation. It’s a book you need that you may not even realize yet.
Seeking to address the question- ‘What is God’s will for my life?’ Wilkin responds by posing a different question. Instead of trying to figure out what we should DO, we need to ask ‘Who should I BE?’ “our sanctification is not simply that we would make better choices, but that we would become better people.” And the way we do that is by looking at who God calls us to be in His image.
The Marriage Code by Brooke Burroughs
Genre: Romance/Fiction
“Rishi couldn’t hide his real life from his parents forever, and doing so had potentially ruined the one thing he’d ever had that was real.”
The Marriage Code is a love story based mostly in India and is partially representative of the author’s own love story—she (an American) met her husband in India and lived there for 3 years.
In short: The love boat that is two IT coworkers from different parts of the world is tossed to and fro by the waves of initial mutual hatred, tradition, an I’m-going-to-find-you-a-wife mission, you-are-the-air-I-breathe lust, culture, and straight up you-lied-to-me drama. Can their relationship, with all its ups and downs, weather the storm of their worlds colliding?
The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth
Genre: Psychological Thriller/Mystery
“Sisterly relationships are so strange. The way I can be mad at her but still want to please her. Be terrified of her and also want to run to her. Hate her and love her, both at the same time. Maybe when it comes to sisters, boundaries are always a little bit blurry. Blurred boundaries, I think, are what sisters do best.”
Fern and Rose. Twins. With a close sisterly bond forged in a traumatic childhood. Plus a pretty cute relationship between one of the sisters and a stranger that resembles ‘Where's Wally?’ (aka Waldo-this is set in Australia) who lives in a big orange van. But there is a foreboding cloud hovering over all of them.
You’ll probably finish this in one day— two tops.
Sally Hepworth’s newest book The Younger Wife also has flowers on the cover…
The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
Genre: Mystery/Fiction
“Twelve minutes ago, they breezed into my office— glamorous, affluent, enviable. The golden couple. Now the underlying tarnishes they’ve never allowed the public to see are already beginning to show.”
Avery, a therapist who recently lost her license, has publicized her breakthrough ten session plan sure to fix whatever issues you have. The golden couple, Marissa and Matthew Bishop, have come to repair their marriage after Marissa admits to infidelity.
But things are not what they seem and everyone has a secret. Or two.
And the secrets are eerily entangled more than they realize.
Oh also— the Bishops are definitely not seeing Avery by mere coincidence.
Even If: A Study of Habakkuk by Kristin Schmucker, Daily Grace Co
Genre: Devotional/Theology
“Instead of being angry that things were going the way he wanted, Habakkuk had learned to walk by faith and not by sight. And the book of Habakkuk reminds us to do the same. It calls us to stop saying, ‘What if?’ and start saying, ‘Even if.’ Even if the worst possible thing happens in our lives, we have the Lord and in Him we have all that we need. This is the hope of Habakkuk.”
I appreciated this study that brought context to the book and the entirety of what the prophet Habakkuk faced.
Habakkuk is such a valuable book to study. It’s short but rich with truths we need every day. We are no strangers to suffering and confusion as to what God is allowing in our world. This study will realign your faith in the person of God
(See what I did here…rose… ? You’re welcome.)
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery
I read Quinn’s The Alice Network and I found this book far more enjoyable. I’ve always found the breaking of the Enigma code intriguing and the characters in this book were much more likable.
Like The Alice Network there were two storylines: 1947 post-war and then 1938 as the war was beginning. Unlike The Alice Network, both storylines were intriguing and purposeful.
The earlier storyline follows three soon-to-be friends— Osla, Mab, and Beth— as they each play their roles breaking/translating the code at Bletchley Park, keeping secrets, and navigating relationships. The later storyline tells us that at some point these friends have a severe falling out.
It’s intriguing, inspiring, and mysterious. You see a different side of the WWII drama. There’s suspense, love, heartache (I cried), victory, and a bunch of historical knowledge. What else could you want in a historical fiction book?
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