Books I Read in February + Join Us Live

February wasn’t as strong a reading month as January, but with Matthew’s book release and no travel, that didn’t really surprise me. That said, I still finished four great books and have a big stack to dive into for March.

Born a Crime: I cannot stop talking about this book. I think it is going to be my audio book of the year. Yes, I realize it is only February, but OH MY WORD. Please, please, please go download the audio version of this book immediately.
5 stars

Girl in Translation: I learned about this book from The Book Club Facebook group when it was recommended as being a good book club selection. I reserved it at the library and read it in two days. It is about a girl who immigrates with her mom from China and the challenges she faces as she straddles her new American life at school and her Chinese life with her mom, who works in a sweat shop. I found the story fascinating. The kindle version is only $1.99 today, so go download it right away.
4.5 stars

The Chaperone: This book had been on my to be read list for awhile. In it, readers are taken back to the 20s as they follow Cora, who chaperoned silent film star Louise Brooks to New York City just a few years before she became a silent film star. The summer changes them both in big and small ways. I found reading about the social norms and challenges of the time fascinating.
4 stars

Behind Her Eyes: After a week of trying to read another book and just not making any progress, I abandoned ship for this thriller. Part of Book of the Month’s February selects, early readers have been raving about this book with the crazy twist ending. They were right. I devoured it in about 24 hours and can’t stop thinking about it. Perfect for fans of Gone Girl and Girl on the Train, I’m telling everyone who loves thrillers to read this book.
5 stars

Join us for Facebook Live Tonight 

My favorite Facebook group is The Book Club, a private group that talks nothing but great books. Some of my best reads have come from that group and I love it SO much. In honor of Read Across America day today, Matthew and I are going to be chatting with the founder Mary on Facebook Live TONIGHT at 8:30 pm CST. This interview will be in the group, so join it today so you don’t miss our chat. We are going to discuss our favorite children’s books, how we encourage reading with our kids and share a bit about how When God Made You came to be. We will also have some fun giveaways. See you there!

When God Made You

Also, if you haven’t yet bought Matthew’s children’s book, When God Made You, what are you waiting for?! It sold out the first day on Amazon and hit #5 of ALL BOOKS ON AMAZON, but the publisher assures us more are arriving today (despite Amazon’s crazy notice of not shipping for 1-2 months). You can also find it here:

BarnesandNoble.com
ChristianBook.com
Walmart.com

Here are some of the kind words people have said about the book:

“It is so precious, I choked up trying to read it. Illustrations by David Catrow are absolutely stunning. This is everything we want our kids to know.”
Jen Hatmaker, Author 

[When God Made You] is perfect. I do not say that lightly. If your family believes in God you need to get this book. It is not preachy at all, it’s a beautiful ode to a child to be WHO THEY ARE. I adore its diversity, there are many different races and ethnicities illustrated as well as diversity in dress and age. This is a positive, uplifting, wonderfully inclusive book.
Allison McDonald, Author 

This book has come along at just the right time… When God Made You is a book that helps children discover their place in the world by understanding how their personalities, traits, and talents fit in.
Natalie Grant, Grammy award winning singer 

“You, you God thinks about you.
God was thinking of you long before your debut.
From the very beginning amid history and time,
you, little one, never left God’s mind.

I MEAN, right? Forget six year olds, this makes a 42-year old well up too! Who doesn’t want to be wanted and seen like that?? And the art, good gracious the art. THANK YOU Matthew Paul Turner for this gift to our kids and their grownups!”
Lisa-Jo Baker, Author

 

Happy Reading!