alltheradreads's Reviews (1.9k)

I was bummed by this one. A friend asked why I gave it 2 stars, and here's what I said: "I love Lewis. (No secret.) But.... I could NOT get into that bio. It just wasn't really very engaging, it wasn't terribly interesting, and I just STRUGGLED to keep reading it. I've been "reading" it for probably like 3 months, and only got about half way... which should tell you a lot considering how much I read and how fast I read. I just really couldn't get into it. I'm planning to revisit it at a later date (I often think timing/life/etc can affect a book's reading) but it just really wasn't as great and fascinating as I had hoped. Don't not read it because of me! You might love it. Just wasn't what I was hoping it would be or expecting it to be." SO, that's that.

I am a HUGE fan of the Hamilton craze that's sweeping the nation. I can't get enough of the soundtrack, and I'm slowly making my way through the Chernow biography, but was so excited to see this book pop up! It's a perfect read for any Hamilton fan (or anyone who wants to know what this whole Hamilton thing is all about) -- witty, fast-paced, conversational, informative and entertaining at the same time, and really well-written. I didn't want to put it down! If the huge bio intimidates you, this is a perfect book for you. It isn't your typical stuffy and boring biography, but really a fun, fresh twist that includes many of Hamilton's own maxims alongside awesome biographical content. Loved this one!

I am a major Henri Nouwen fan. I've read several of his books (browse through all the reviews of them here!) and always adore the thoughtful, humble, honest way he writes about life and faith. He never pretends to be without struggles, but instead vulnerably shares them and in doing so, beautifully points people to the cross and to Christ. Reading this book of letters was such a fascinating insight into more of Nouwen's life, struggles, feelings, and journey of faith. This book was so thoughtfully arranged and so thoroughly researched-- every letter came with a preface about the context of who he was writing to, what his relationship with them was, where he was and what he was doing in life when he wrote it, etc. It's broken into three sections by chunks of time, and it flowed effortlessly. I never found myself lacking in context as I read these letters, although I often wished I could read the other side of things and see what people had written to him, just because the responses from Nouwen were so intriguing! There were so many segments and sentences that I highlighted and wanted to memorize-- Nouwen has such a way with words and I loved discovering that his voice is truly his voice both in his books and in his conversations with dearly loved friends. This is a gem for all those who have read and appreciated Nouwen, and a great read even for those who haven't and who just want to dive deeper into the background of a the life of a wise and humble believer. High praise for this one!

Some days, you just need to sit and read through a little book of poetry. This is always a good one for days like that -- you can't go wrong with Emily Dickinson. This book is tiny so I read it quickly (but still savored it, because poetry is meant to be savored) but loved it.

Shauna, I just love you. I've always loved you. I'm convinced you can write no wrong. This was as beautiful as all of your other books, and so applicable to probably everyone's life, too. Props on writing such a great book on such a relevant topic and making it heartfelt and honest the whole time. This book follows her typical writing style of a collection of essays more than a chapter-based book with a particular flow or outline, but that's what I love about her. The threads weave well throughout all of the pieces, but it's also easy to read in chunks. I did miss a little bit of her typical food-talk, but the focus of this one was different, and I appreciated that. This one just feels refreshing and real.

I've heard of Rilke probably a million times, but never read anything. I loved this one. It was a perfect cozy coffeeshop read-- such a beautiful marriage of poetry, prayers, and praise. I'll reread this one many times, without a doubt.

I've long been a fan of She Reads Truth-- their app, their reading plans, their Advent and Lent books, their beautifully designed social media graphics... all incredible. I preordered this one and was so excited to read it. It's full of great stories from both Amanda and Raechel (who take turns with chapters) and there's so much Scripture woven throughout the book in a really intentional and thoughtful way, but I was a little lost on the main theme or focus of the book. I guess if I had to say what it's about, it would be about two women's lives of faith and how Scripture played into it all, but there wasn't a super strong takeaway for me. I kept wishing for their to be a strong message, but I guess in hindsight, the message is really just about how relevant and meaningful and powerful the Bible is in our lives... so maybe that is enough. If you're a SRT fan or someone less familiar with Scripture, I would definitely recommend picking this one up!

I didn't know what to expect from this book at ALL. I had seen Anne Bogel talk about it on her blog (and maybe on the podcast?) and to be honest, the cover design turned me off a little bit. But, I grabbed it from the library and decided to pick it up the other night and was so pleasantly surprised by it. The writing is poetic and beautiful and so incredibly moving-- it's the story of the death of the author's husband, and it's powerful and humbling. It reads like absolutely gorgeous poetry and I didn't want to put it down. I can't relate to anything about the story, but I loved reading about their love and marriage and Alexander's process of healing after loss. It's a must-read memoir.

Mary Oliver... I love you. Your writing is just stunning. This was the perfect book to read on a chilly Saturday with blankets and candles and coffee. I felt rejuvenated, challenged to live my life in a better and truer way, and left thinking about life and my beliefs in new ways. Her writing is poetic and powerful and just so, so worth reading. If you're less into poetry, grab this one from Oliver for sure!

I started the Readathon with this one and soon realized I had never read it (I think I only read 3 of the Narnia books as a kid!) which made it even more fun. I love that the Pevensie siblings were back and that Aslan again played a role-- this quote just sums up all that is beautiful and powerful about the Narnia world Lewis has created: “Aslan," said Lucy "you're bigger."
"That is because you are older, little one," answered he.
"Not because you are?"
"I am not. But every year you grow, you will find me bigger."