Book Talk: New Reads for This Month

Book talk is one of my favorite topics. During COVID I all but stopped reading for a bit. I think my brain couldn’t process anything else. But the last few months have been full of books, and I am so glad to be back to being encourage, inspired and entertained by the words on the page.

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Here’s what I read this month: (Don’t miss the last one; it’s my favorite!)

Prayer book of the month: The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartin

Every month this year I’m reading a book about prayer, and it felt good to be focused on daily reading of prayer with a familiar friend. I started this year with The Power of a Praying Woman which was great. I have also read this book a few times over. (Seeing my old notes was very encouraging!) Focusing on praying for my husband was a true gift this month and I loved every minute of it.

Something I loved: It was so good for me to be challenged in ways to love my husband on a deeper level. Praying for him, even though he knew nothing about it, made me feel more connected to him.

Slightly twisty fiction: The Guest List by Lucy Foley

Every once in awhile I crave a book with a bit of mystery. Foley’s story set over the course of one weekend wedding on an island in Ireland provided just that. Every single character kept me engaged and curious, each with their own secrets coming to light. (Note: It had a few moments that made me uncomfortable, but I was able to skim and those and keep with the story.)

Something I loved: The varied characters and each of their stories kept me turning pages late into the night. I wanted to understand each of them, flaws and all.

A book I’ve been meaning to read for years: Wild at Heart by John Eldredge

It’s been a decade (or more) since I received this book, told it would help me understand my son and husband better. Now that my boy is in his teens, it was the perfect time to read this. While it is geared toward men and how God made them, I left with a better understanding of how to encourage and love the men in my life well.

Something I loved: “I want to love with much more abandon and stop waiting for others to love me first. I want to hurl myself into a creative work worthy of God.” For my husband, for my son, and even for myself: YES & AMEN!

The book that made me think and question: You’re Not Enough (and That’s OK) by Allie Beth Stuckey

This book challenged my thinking in so many ways. I can’t say I agreed with everything, but it made me ponder what I believed about who I am, and more importantly, who God is in me. Breaking from the feel-good, have it all type of faith, Stuckey reminds us of our true purpose and how to live fully in God instead of focused on ourselves.

Something I loved: God’s love is far more important than any self-love I can muster. “The solutions to our problems and pain aren’t found in self-love, but in God’s love.”

The book I want to give everyone I know: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

A beautiful story that made me feel seen, understood and loved, this is the perfect book to give as a gift. The simple illustrations and text are part of the beauty of the story, offering hope to anyone who reads it. If you want to know who you are, remember you are loved or be given permission to be yourself, this is the perfect book.

Something I loved: “‘What’s the bravest thing you’ve ever said?’ asked the boy. ‘Help’, said the horse.”

This quote (and so many more) still linger.

Author: Rebecca Hastings

Rebecca is a writer and speaker encouraging women to find real faith that works in real life. A wife and mother of three in Connecticut, she can often be found typing words, driving her kids places or wherever there is chocolate.

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