Current Reads

It seems like the current events of 2020 have me reading books about difficult times. Over the last few weeks, I have struggled to find the right books to read. I have started and stopped more books than I have in a long time. They just weren’t the right books for what I, and many others, are going through. 

Then I started picking up WWII books and other books about difficult times in history, and my reading took off. There is something about reading other people’s difficulties that make current difficulties not seem so bad. 

Or maybe it is just a reminder that we can do this. Others have been through much worse times. Reading how others overcame hard things gives me the encouragement I need to keep going right now. 

I know not everyone wants to read those types of books right now, but for me it is working. 

So that is what I am reading. 

Right now I am also reading from my to be read stack. I am sure I am not the only one. I have several stacks of books that I have wanted to read that I just haven’t. If nothing else my to be read pile will be smaller when all of this is over. 

The Tattooist Of Auschwitz – The Tattooist Of Auschwitz has been in my TBR pile for awhile. A friend read it and really liked it, so I bought it over a year ago. I picked it up last week and read it in two days. I loved it! I am picky when it comes to fiction, but this is based on a true story, and it reads like a true story. Many fiction books feel like a fake story, but this is one that reads like a true story. I will say that the end seemed to be a little rushed. I wished it had more details before it wrapped up. But over all this one was a great read for me. 

Home Fires – I started Home Fires a few months ago but never finished it. There was nothing wrong with the book, I just got distracted by other books. I picked it back up a couple of weeks ago and really enjoyed it. It is a bit academic in some parts, but it was a great reminder of the difficulties of women during WWII. We think we have it bad right now when it comes to groceries, shopping, and social distancing, but they had it much worse. It was just the reminder I needed. 

Made to Move Mountains – I have followed Kristen Welch’s blog for years and read one of her other books. When I read the description for Made to Move Mountains, I knew that I wanted to read it. There is nothing ground breaking in this book, but it is a great reminder that God gives us the strength to endure whatever he puts before us. Not everyone is called to do what Kristen has done, but we are all called to do something. We can accomplish whatever He has for us to do. 

 The Splendid and The Vile – I picked The Splendid and The Vile for my Book of the Month book, and I am so glad that I did. It took me about 100 pages to get into this book, but once I got into it I really enjoyed it. It has a lot of details in parts of it that can be a bit tedious to read, but the chapters are short and easy to read. It has taken me a little bit to read it because it is not a book that I feel like I can sit down and read for hours, but I am really enjoying it. I have a little over 100 pages left, and I hope to finish it this week. 

The Fountains of Silence – The Fountains of Silence is another book that I choose for my Book of the Month pick. It is also the first book by Ruta Sepetys that I have read. I started one of her other books but never finished it. So far I am enjoying this one. It is about Spain in the late 1950’s. I know very little about Spain during that time, so I am enjoying it. It does have some romance in it. So far, though, it has been “clean,” and I am hoping that it stays that way. It is labeled as YA, so hopefully it does stay clean. I am about half way through this one and hope to finish it this week as well. 

What have you been reading? What type of books do you find yourself picking up right now?