Books

A book is a view into another world, or simply another way of viewing the world. There is so much to learn from reading! These are a few of the most life impacting books I have read:

1.  C.S. Lewis has to be the first one on this list. It all started with The Chronicles of Narnia when I was in fourth grade. Every book authored by him has been either thought provoking, a time-capsule, or both!

2.  Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery was introduced to me at a young age. My middle name is “Anne with an e” after the heroine and namesake of the story, so of course I have to include it. I’ll never forget the “carrots scene” and Anne’s rash action of “solution.” Being named after her, I don’t think it’s so strange that I had a similar attitude toward life as a child.

3.  Captivating by John and Staci Eldridge transformed right before my eyes what it means to be a woman. Grace poured through every page and compelled me to read on, unlike countless other Christian womans’ self-help books.

4.  In my pre-teen years, I picked up the first book in the Christy Miller series by Robin Jones Gunn. Many (or actually most) of the author’s books have been devoured since then and I’ve made multiple “forever friends” from their pages. They always include a realistic, fun storyline and relatable characters. They also always point to the reality of having a relationship with God.

5.  The Giver by Louis Lowry introduced me to a whole new world. Moral themes were strong in the first book of the series and deteriorated with each of the next three books in the series (Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son). Still, entrance into the different, fictional culture(s) was an engaging experience that I count among my favorites.

6.  Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer taught me what a relationship with God looks like. It became normal for me to pick out fantastic quote after fantastic quote as I read.

7.  The Lineage of Grace series by Francine Rivers brought Bible characters into real existence for the first time when I was in middle school. I still appreciate how the books helped me connect with Ruth and other women in the Bible.

8.  Named after a now-deceased Christian teen girls magazine, the Brio Girls series was about a diverse group of teenagers, which even included a guy. Each book in the series had a different viewpoint as it focused in on one of the unique members of the “club.”

9.  Many of these books have been geared more toward females. Sorry about that, it’s just that I am a female.. But I do have to include the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan. It took my brother years to convince, err force, me to read past the first book. Once I did though, the adventurous story had me hooked. There is humor, an education in Greek Mythology, and lots of fun parallels between an unreal god/ demi-god existence and the one we humans know so well.

10. No Graven Image by Elisabeth Elliot is a fantastic book about a missionary woman who went to Ecuador to share the Gospel with mountain Indians. Elliot is so good at introducing the hardships and eases of being a new missionary, as she was one. The book also explores the sovereignty and character of God in an engaging way.

This list is sadly lacking in classics. The reason for that is I have a hard time recommending classics because they’re usually so depressing. Every book has an impact on the reader but classic literature carries an even stronger weight. One of my favorite classic authors is Nathaniel Hawthorne, particularly Rappachini’s Daughter. 

I hope you will find a good read in this list. If you read one of these books, let me know what you think!

What are some books you recommend I read?