What's On Your Nightstand - December & January

Again, I missed the Nightstand from last month which I'm blaming on Bloglovin' which quit updating the blogs I read and forced me to switch to another blog reader. Between Christmas vacation and not getting the 5 Minutes for Books in my blog reader it passed by without my knowledge. But again it could be just old age creeping up on me, or maybe it's because my life is busy with teenagers,  homeschooling, and trying to keep my sanity that blogging isn't a priority right now. Anyways, I missed it so here it is!! (My Nightstand for February is a little slim since I can't figure out what I want to read so I'm going to keep it short and sweet.)

For February's Nightstand:

 

From November's Nightstand post I read:

• Outlaws of Time: The Legend of Sam Miller by N.D. Wilson - N.D. Wilson comes up as a favorite for kids' books though my kids didn't care for 100 Cupboards. I was in the library and this book was sitting on the shelf so I grabbed it. I guess my kids didn't fall too far from the tree, because I didn't care for this story at all. I am not a fan of fantasy though I have read some that I've enjoyed, but this story was just too far out there for me.
• Giant Pumpkin Suite by Melanie Heuiser Hill - This is another book that came highly recommended, but I felt it fell short of the mark. Why I finished is beyond me. I guess I was waiting for the book to get better.
• The Life-Giving Table by Sally Clarkson - I need a lot of help when it comes to a life-giving table since cooking isn't my forte. I found this an encouraging read, but I probably need to have it on a perpetual reading schedule to keep me encouraged.
• Reading In the Wild by Donalyn Miller - I really enjoyed The Book Whisperer by Mrs. Miller, but it is definitely written for the classroom teacher. I was hoping this book would be more user friendly for parents, but I found this book even more inclined for the classroom teacher which is too bad because she is so passionate about getting kids to read.

I also read:

• Everything I Need to Know About Christmas I Learned from a Little Golden Book by Diane Muldrow - I have seen these (this one and the ones listed below) book around, but I actually picked up one and read it. These are such fun reads! The story line goes with a different pictures taken from a Little Golden Book. Very original and interesting!
• Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Disney Little Golden Book by Diane Muldrow - see above
• Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Little Golden Book by Diane Muldrow - see above
• Norms and Nobility: A Treatise of Education by David Hicks - I read this throughout all of 2017 with a book club on the Ambleside Online. Wow, this is one tough book to read and digest. I don't know how much I got of it, but I feel pretty accomplished. This is a book that will have to be revisited.
• The Mindset of Organization by Lisa Woodruff - Here is another ebook that I've been reading off and on throughout the year. I found the beginning interesting, but then it just seemed dull.
• Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery - Here's another book that I started reading with an online book club, but I ended up getting way ahead. I was so close to the end I decided to just finish it and end my year on a high note, because you never can go wrong with an Anne book.

In January I read:

• A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles - I really, really enjoyed this slow paced story about a man who lives in a hotel for 30 years. Highly recommended! (Side note: This is not a story about Russia. This is a story about a man and the relationships he forges.)
• The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill by Julie Klassen - I haven't picked up any Christian fiction for a while, but I found this sitting on the shelf at the library so I grabbed it. I have enjoyed other Julie Klassen books and thankfully this one didn't disappoint.
• The Ladies of Ivy College by Julie Klassen - The sequel to the previous book. My only disappointment is that this book just came out and I have to wait a long for the next book in the series.
• King Alfred's English by Laurie White - This was an interesting book about where we got our English language from. I really enjoyed it.
• Hello Mornings: How to Build a Grace-Filled, Life-Giving Morning Routine by Kat Lee - Mornings are not my favorite. I appreciated the author's passion for encouraging women have successful mornings with a focus on prayer, health, and planning. I can see this being a great book to give to mom's with young kids--that's when you need to extend yourself all that grace. By the time the kids are teenagers you're an old pro at extending yourself grace (especially in certain areas).
• A Mother's Heart: A Look at Values, Vision, and Character for the Christian Mother by Jean Fleming - This was a re-read. I remember really loving this book when I read it the first time. I can't say it was as meaningful this time, but again I am at a different place in life. That being said I still get a few jewels to apply right now.
• Sparkling Green Earrings: Catching the Light at Every Turn by Melanie Shankle - I have had this book on my Kindle for years. Last year I started listening to The Big Boo Cast Podcast and Melanie Shankle is one of the co-hosts. I decided to check out this book. When I opened the book I had at one point in my life read the first 10 chapters, but that had been all so I set out to finish it. An enjoyable and funny memoir. Not deep, but still fun.

I listened to:

• At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon (December) - I love to buckle down and listen to audio books during the Christmas holidays so I picked a book I was already familiar with. I absolutely love these books. I have never been a fan John McDonough as a narrator, but I have to admit he does a great job with the Mitford books.
• A Light in the Window by Jan Karon (December) - same as above
• Who's Body? by Dorothy Sayers (January) - I ended up picking this book since I could download it immediately from the library. This is another re-read, but I did still very much enjoy it. Sayers mysteries have a more sophisticated feel to them compared to a Christie mystery.
• Your Best Year Ever by Michael Hyatt (January) - I'm always looking for ways to have my best year ever. Who knows?  Maybe this will be the year! Ha-ha! On a serious note though there are some very great points that I need to work implementing in my life.