KDanae Reads

What an interesting novel! I had heard of The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin numerous times from the What Should I Read Next? podcast with Anne Bogel (the brilliant mind behind Modern Mrs. Darcy). So I added it to my list (and my bookshelf) and this first weekend of our campus' fall break seemed like the right time to pick it up. And well, I finished it in less than 8 hours thanks to some quiet hours of reading after the boys I was babysitting went to bed and staying up until 1am myself. At first, I wasn't sure I was going to get into it. It seemed very choppy, staccato-like and I couldn't quite keep track of how things were going to fit together. But then about three chapters in, I figured out the storyline, the pattern, and was lost in the pages for the rest of the night. The oldest boy I was babysitting kept checking in on how far I was getting and he could not believe how fast I was reading (I should note that while I was reading, he was curled up on th

"I have a secret for you: Nobody is okay, fine, great.   But goodness, we are all tired of trying to pretend we are."  I have had Jennie's latest book, Nothing to Prove, on my bookshelf since the day it came out last spring. And if I'm being honest, I have been afraid of picking it up. You see, Jennie's books have a tendency of breaking me in some way when I read them. They tend to crack open my heart, make me see the ugliness of my sin, embrace the beautiful grace of my Savior and set me on a path of living differently (mostly in quiet, unseen ways). And well, this one followed suit as expected. Jennie has this amazing ability through her words to make you feel as though you are a part of her world and that she is a part of yours. She makes it clear that while she leads a growing ministry, authors books and teaches the Bible alongside other major giants of the faith, she wrestles with the same things you and I do. Feelings of not being enough or too much.

In Jessi Connolly's words, her new book Dance, Stand, Run  is "for women who want their lives and their faith walks to feel purposeful. It's written for women who know there is something more out there, but they're not sure what it is." And since I have now read it from beginning to end (twice), I can honestly tell you the book is that and oh so much more! Jessi has written a book that will bring you to your knees in prayer and confession one minute. Then the next minute, pull you to your feet in proclamation of the holiness and grace you can claim as a woman of faith, as well as the holiness of the God who is drawing us near to Him. She has threaded her personal story of struggles, confessions and triumphs with solid teachings from Scripture that pull you in and help you see how your own story is one that can be used to bring others into holiness. And each chapter ends with a set of questions to help you not just read, but to soak in the truths she is speakin

I haven't done one of these Top Ten Tuesday posts from the Broke and the Bookish in, well, years. But today's topic was intriguing and while these are really more my favorite male characters than boyfriends, I wanted to share them with you. So, without further ado... here are my top ten favorite male characters (or book boyfriends)! 1. Laurie Laurence from Little Women. I fell in love with his curly headed, mischievous, big-hearted self. And he proved to be loyal even in the face of heartache and rejection. 2. Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings. I loved him first when Vigo Mortenson played him in the movies. But then I loved him even more when I read the books. 3. Almanzo Wilder from Little House on the Prairie. Who doesn't love Almanzo and the way he rode through the blizzard to bring Half-Pint home?? 4. Fitzwilliam Darcy. Do I need to explain this one? Really? 5. DJ from Weddings by Bella. I love his southern gentleman charm. 6. Peta from Hunger Games.

Are you a Fierce Hearted woman? Would you say that you are a woman who "looks life in the face and says, 'You can't beat me''? Or a woman who "chases Jesus with a tender, world-changing wildness"? Maybe your answer is "YES! That's me!" or maybe it's "No, I'm the opposite of Fierce Hearted." Either way, either answer, Holley Gerth's new book (that launched today by the way!) is for you. Trust me.  Holley has this sweet voice that she uses to write, but at the same time it's not so sweet that you can ignore her challenging you to live with a fierce heart. I really appreciate that about her writing. Sweet and to the point, while being fierce and heart-changing.  In Fierce Hearted, Holley walks us through some of her own personal stories to show us how we can live lives that are free and full of joy, purpose, courage and perseverance. All while pointing us to the One who created us to be strong, fierce hear