Tag Archives: 21st Century

The Third Floor by Judi Loren Grace

Synopsis: It’s 1962 and a 15-year-old girl is spending the next 4 months in a home for unwed mothers, waiting to give up her baby. Review: The Third Floor was an emotional read for me. As a mom my heart went out for Judi and her struggle. I can’t imagine having to give up my child. And then as a mom of daughters I would just hope that if I were ever faced with this situation I would handle it better than Judi’s family did.…

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See Me Naked: Stories of Sexual Exile in American Christianity by Amy Frykholm

Synopsis: Biographical essays about people whose stories didn’t follow the script they were given by their parents and their American evangelical churches. Review: I read See Me Naked after the thoughtful review in Christianity Today’s Her.meneutics blog. I think the very premise will make people uncomfortable and that’s a good thing, because evangelical kids get exposed to a lot of really messed up stuff. Anyone who works with Christian teens really ought to read this book and see that not everyone’s challenges can be met…

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Bewitching by Alex Flinn

Synopsis: A 500-year-old teen witch crosses paths with a reverse-Cinderella. Review: Bewitching is Alex Flinn’s latest fairy tale retelling and I just loved it. She sets the Cinderella story in a Miami middle school, then frames it with the story of Kendra, a girl who became an eternal witch during the plague of 1666. Kendra tells us two stories of her own, both fairy tale retellings that can stand alone as lovely and poignant tales, and also shed light on the larger story. Structurally it’s…

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Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer

Synopsis: An exploration of a murder committed in the FLDS community of polygamists becomes an exploration of the history of Mormonism and the paradox of the many outward virtues of its followers, and the murders and massacres that have marked its development into a major world religion. Review: This is my second time reading Under the Banner of Heaven, and I got so much out of it this time. The importance of Mormonism on the history of the American West is something that I never…

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Your Custom Homestead: Awakening a Fresh Vision of Homesteading by Jill Winger

Synopsis: A step-by-step guide to making your homesteading dreams come true, no matter how big or small. Review: I live in an apartment in New York City and so I might seem like the last person to be drawn to a book called Your Custom Homestead. But actually it was perfect for me. Sure, I’m never going to have acres and goats, but I’ve got big dreams for my balcony garden and know that someday I will own chickens. Jill’s ideas and suggestions are helpful…

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One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler by Tsh Oxenreider

Synopsis: Simplicity guru Tsh Oxenreider helps you transform your life one step at a time. Review: I love Tsh. Love her. I am inspired every time I read her blog or listen to her podcast. Her book Organized Simplicity just makes the kind of life I want seem so effortless. Here, in One Bite at a Time, Tsh breaks it down into easy pieces. What I love about this book is that it’s a great reference. I am already pretty organized, my home is pretty…

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The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King (Dark Tower, Book 4.5)

Synopsis: On their way to Calla Bryn Sturgis, Roland and his ka-tet take shelter from a starkblast, and Roland tells the story of his first quest after killing his mother, and within it tells a fairy tale about a brave boy who tangles with a demonic trickster. Review: Oh, my, and it was good to hear Roland’s voice again, you say true and I say thankya. With the series complete, King didn’t need to add to his Dark Tower saga, but The Wind Through the…

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Stolen Innocence: My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride, and Breaking Free by Elissa Wall

Synopsis: Elissa Wall escaped polygamy and the FLDS after being forced by the prophet Rulon Jeffs to marry her first cousin at the age of 14. Review: I seriously can’t stop reading about Mormon fundamentalism. Stolen Innocence told yet another story of a girl’s life ruined by the out-of-control men who get to do whatever they want with impunity.

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Escape by Carolyn Jessop

Synopsis: A true story of a woman who escaped polygamy with her eight children, despite being the plural wife of one of the most powerful men in the FLDS. Review: Carolyn Jessop’s story is fascinating and inspiring. As a mom myself, I was moved by her love for her children and her tenacity at making the system work for her. In Escape, she takes readers through her harrowing journey from true believing sister wife to crusader for justice.

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After You Believe: Why Christian Character Matters by NT Wright

Synopsis: Theologian NT Wright’s powerful exploration of the dynamism of sanctification. Review: After You Believe just blew my mind. I never thought much about sanctification beyond feeling like I’m a failure because the fruit of the Spirit don’t come naturally to me and I suck at following the rules. According to Wright, a British theologian, I’ve fallen prey to a very common error. I really can’t do justice to the depth of this book in a short blog post, but basically he says that we…

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