alltheradreads's Reviews (1.9k)

I never thought I would ever read (much less LOVE) a book that's categorized as Christian fiction, but this one just shatters every stereotype I had about the genre and makes me almooooost want to read more of it.

You can't help but absolutely adore and feel for Michael in his relentless pursuit of a wandering woman, and you can't help but see yourself in Angel as she runs from the very man who loves her and desires intimacy and a relationship with her. Every time she flees and fights back, I see myself in her. Every time Michael chases after her, I see the Lord and how He loves my restless, distrusting heart. I couldn't love these characters more.

I have been vegan for a few years now, but I admittedly haven't done the kind of reading about veganism that I need to. This book was so enlightening, so thorough, so informative, and just a really great read, too. I didn't agree with everything in this book, but it definitely solidified and also challenged my own beliefs and habits. Be aware, there is cussing in this one, there are many very strong opinions, and the authors don't take things lightly when it comes to how animals are treated. I strongly encourage everyone to read books like this especially if you aren't vegan, but know it's not for the faint of heart! If I hadn't already been vegan, this book would have made me one in seconds for sure.

A coworker of mine recommended this one to me and I'm SO glad he did. I'm still thinking about this one days later-- the characters are all so mysterious and quirky and I'm still trying to figure them out, the location is unreal and described so well, the animal life is written about beautifully, it's all just so other-worldly and bizarre that you can't put this one down. The narrator is unreliable (I still cannot be sure of what I think happened...) but in the best, most engaging way, not in a frustrating way. This one wasn't what I expected at all, but if you're a fan of things that leave you wondering, READ THIS ONE. It's worth every one of my 5 stars.

To be honest, after seeing the cover and reading the description, I wasn't interested. It didn't seem to be the kind of book I would like (Christian fiction rarely interests me, with the singular exception of Redeeming Love) but I have not stopped hearing about this one from several friends I really love and trust. I finally put it in my stack of books to read this summer, and let me tell you: I AM SO GLAD I READ THIS. I legitimately loved it. The book is the story of Dinah, a woman who is scarcely mentioned in the Bible although her family is extremely popular in its pages (her dad is Jacob, who married Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah). This book was beautifully told, and a fascinating look at what it could have meant to be a woman in those days. It was a little slow to get going, but as I kept reading, I fell in love with Dinah and wanted to follow her story to the end, through all the tangled family relationships and heartbreak and struggles of being a woman in that time. Her story (although fictionalized here, I know) is a stunning one, and I can't recommend this book enough.

I am a personality type nerd, for SURE. I find them so fascinating and helpful. I've long been interested in the Myers-Briggs types (INFJ over here!) and have become so intrigued by the Enneagram after seeing more and more of the bloggers I follow talking about it. I had read a few articles about it and had a sense of what I thought my type was, but this little book (I had it on my Kindle app on my iPad!) was SO helpful in really dialing in my type and diving deeper into what it means. (I'm a Type 1, wing 2!) So, so, so much more to learn here, but this is a great start and a resource I highly recommend if you're just starting to dig into the Enneagram. Good stuff here!

I have recently fallen in love with all things Krista Tippett does (mainly her On Being and Becoming Wise podcasts-- must listens!) so when I saw this on Audible, I jumped on it. I will confess, I am NOT a auditory learner and really not a fan of audiobooks (I have since canceled my subscription to Audible, ha) but her voice and her thoughts are lovely to listen to. I instantly added this book to my Amazon cart, because it's definitely one I want to revisit and highlight the heck out of. She talks about faith and our lives in a way that is so thought-provoking (but in a gentle, inviting way) and brilliant. She is a masterful interviewer and just wonderfully captivating. I loved this one, everything about it.

I read this one so fast because I just didn't want to put it down. There are SO MANY WWII books out right now but this one still had me swooning. You can't help but love these sisters and root for Emmy as she defies the adults around her to chase her dreams (even when tragedy strikes). There's also the spin of the modern scholar interviewing the main character and then the story being told through her flashbacks that makes this one different, and I really, truly loved the way it was told. I appreciated how this one ended, too, which isn't always the case with books about this time period.

This is one of my all-time favorites, and this was my third time reading it through. I'm still just as in love with it. Lewis is just one of the greats. No matter where you are in your faith journey, there are amazing things to be learned from this one, and I can't recommend it highly enough. Love.

This book is one of the ones that just felt like such a gift to me -- one that left me feeling SO much less alone and less insane for feeling the way I do about the world around me. It's so well-researched, really accessible, incredibly interesting and helpful, and really a fascinating guide to how to live in the world as somebody who is highly sensitive. If you think that might be you at all, I can't recommend this one enough. (And there are quizzes throughout to help you understand yourself better!)

I didn't think anything could top The Kitchen House... but this did. Incredibly written, powerful, moving... just wonderfully done. Can't rave highly enough. Start with The Kitchen House and make sure you have this one ready as soon as you're done. SO GOOD.