My BookStack, September & October

Historical fiction, strong women, and other good books I've read.

Nov 03, 2024

Hello friend,

Autumn is in full swing now, with football, Halloween costumes, and warm apple crisp filling our screens, social feeds, and bellies.

Oh, and then there’s that pesky little election. 🇺🇸 Perhaps after it’s over we’ll all have a little more brain space for reading. We might need an escape. Or at least a distraction.

If you’re looking for suggestions, here you go! I finished seven books in September and October, but you’ll find eight reviews below (I forgot to review one in July!). I only have ONE book to go to reach my goal of 36 books in 2024. Maybe I should go for 40! 🤷‍♀️

Looking back over this BookStack, I couldn’t help noticing the first three books I read were historical fiction, all with strong female characters at the center. I savored the history lessons and was reminded of the sacrifices our foremothers made, and of how far women’s voices have come. I’m thankful I live in a free America in 2024.

Let’s keep it going for our daughters (link to a timely and important documentary by Kristin Du Mez). And if you live in America, make sure you vote and let YOUR voice be heard!

Here are my ratings and brief reviews, which you can also find over on Goodreads. I’d love it if you’d friend me there!

BookStack, vol. 5, Sept-Oct, 2024.

Gilded Mountain (Kate Manning)⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommend. I read this for my Minnesota book club, even though I couldn’t attend the meeting. The novel takes place in the early 1900s in Colorado and is based on true stories of mine workers who were treated poorly by their wealthy company owners. The story follows Sylvie Pelletier through her teen years and into adulthood as she learns about injustice and fights for workers’ rights and unions. The story drew me in with several strong female characters, a little romance, and true human suffering and resilience. (Audiobook)

The Four Winds (Kristin Hannah) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Highly Recommend. This book has been on my shelf for quite some time and I finally picked it up. I’m so glad I did. Kristin Hannah brings the reader into the scene (Texas in 1934) with her vivid descriptions. I had heard of the Dust Bowl before, but now I can imagine it in all of its horror. The main character, Elsa Martinelli, despite a sad childhood, breaks away and makes her own life. In the face of family troubles, heart-wrenching decisions, and the extreme poverty of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl era, Elsa stays strong, sacrificing and fighting for a better life for her children. Warning: you might need your tissues! 😪 (Audiobook & Hardcover)

Lady Tan’s Circle of Women (Lisa See) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Highly Recommend. Last year I read and loved "Island of the Sea Women.” This year Lisa See has again opened my eyes to a new culture and historical period. Lady Tan is one of the first female doctors in China in the late 1400s. Though the cultural differences—e.g. foot binding, concubines, male dominance, and flogging—are striking and disturbing, the themes of women's health, family ties, friendship, and loyalty are still relevant today. The connection between emotional and physical health, the differences between men's and women's bodies, and the way relationships can change and grow over time produce a book I can relate to, despite the 600+ years that have passed. See's thorough research and brilliant storytelling make this a 5-star read for me! (Audiobook & Hardcover)

Meredith, Alone (Claire Alexander) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommend. Another summer book club read, I enjoyed Meredith, Alone. Through a series of life events, Meredith has decided she is most comfortable at home with her cat and occasional visits from her best friend and others. In fact, leaving her home brings on panic attacks, so she hasn’t left for 1,214 days. I thought this book did a great job of showing what caring friends, social service workers, and volunteer companions can do for a person struggling with depression caused by a difficult past and traumatic events. I enjoyed walking along with Meredith on her journey to healing. (Audiobook)

In His Steps (Charles M. Sheldon) ⭐️⭐️⭐️

You might like it, but it wasn’t for me. Our adult Sunday School class studied this book as part of our annual “Faith and Literature” series. In His Steps, first published in 1897, is a classic example of a Christian fiction novel. Charles M. Sheldon was the first one to coin the phrase “What Would Jesus Do?” as the characters in In His Steps are challenged by their pastor to make no decisions for an entire year without first asking the question, and then responding in the way they think Jesus would. While parts of the story were convicting and made me think about the priorities in my life (which are not always “holy”), the book was too dated and judgemental for my tastes. (Audiobook)

A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life (George Saunders)⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Highly Recommend *. Reading this book was like taking a class in Russian short stories with the master professor, George Saunders (at Syracuse University). It took me ten months to read it (I got it for Christmas), and a small group of friends to keep me accountable, but I finished! Thanks, especially, to Caryn Rivadeneira who stuck with me to the end. We loved Saunders’ entertaining and personable style that brought Chekhov, Turgenev, Tolstoy, and Gogol to life. *I highly recommend this book, especially for writers and avid readers who love to deconstruct and analyze old Russian texts (anyone?) 😉 But seriously, it was fun. (Paperback)

These Silent Woods (Kimi Cunningham Grant)⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Highly Recommend. Recommended by my friend, Deb Alexander, my husband and I listened to this on audio together and thoroughly enjoyed it. (Thanks, Deb!) The author's ability to bring a unique blend of characters to life in a secluded, woodsy setting pulled me in. Cooper has taken his young daughter Finch to the woods to escape the law, a past story that is gradually pieced together as the book goes on. Suspense builds throughout, and the book’s ending is unexpected and poignant. With an underlying story of redemption and sacrifice, I drew parallels to my Christian faith. This one will stick with you for days as you remember Cooper, Finch, and Scotland. (Audiobook)

The Book of Lost Names (Kristin Harmel)⭐️⭐️⭐️

You might like it, but it wasn’t for me. Based on this book's overall star rating, and that it's WW II historical fiction (something that typically draws me in), I thought I'd love it. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The main character, Eva Traube, was not believable. She spent much of the book wallowing in guilt and blaming herself for events she couldn't have prevented, while not giving herself credit for the many lives she was saving. Her mother's character was unbelievably mean until the very end when she made an abrupt turnaround that Eva only learned about secondhand. The mystery surrounding the antagonist was fairly predictable, and the love story and book's ending—a bit fantastical. The one entertaining aspect was the spunkiness and determination of the 84-year-old Eva which made me laugh out loud. (Audiobook)

Care to share with a friend?

And that’s the Stack!

What’s next? I have a couple of books waiting on my Kindle by some amazing writers. And I’d like to explore some books on women’s health and menopause. Stay tuned!