This month, The Arc team is back to school with our new reading lists! Find some inspiration for your TBR or library list with the ideas below.
Christine
Chasing Shadows by Lynn Austin
Though I am highly selective (aka picky) when it comes to fiction, I have a soft spot for WWII novels. So far this latest installment from Lynn Austin has not disappointed. Based in Holland during the Nazi occupation, the storyline follows three women—a mother, a daughter, and a Jewish friend—and the decisions they each face as evil pervades their society and threatens to destroy their freedom, their loved ones, and their very lives. Though it’s easy to look back on this era of history through a black-and-white lens, Austin explores tough questions from the vantage points of the three characters, with all the nuances of their individual circumstances. Thankfully our world today is free from the Nazi regime, but evil continues to infiltrate governments and society, and the challenges the heroines of this story faced are not so unimaginable. Within the safety net of this story, I’m asking myself the hard questions of how I would respond in similar circumstances.
To Read: Under the Magnolias by T.I. Lowe
Bethany
Writing Magic by Gail Carson Levine
This month, I’m listening to the audiobook version of Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly. What I find especially delightful about this particular book on writing is how it’s read by the author, Gail Carson Levine. For those of you who are nostalgic for the 1990s and early 2000s, Levine is also the author of the bestseller and Newbery Honor Book Ella Enchanted. Although her nonfiction book Writing Magic is written for kids and young teens; it offers great writing tips for all ages. You can tell that Levine has a lot of experience with teaching at workshops. Both her written and audible voice are very personable, confident, and inspiring. All in all, I have been finding this sweet, little 3-hour-long audiobook to be a fun one!
To Read: Your Story Matters by Leslie Leyland Fields
Isabella
Jude: Contending for the Faith in Today’s Culture by Jackie Hill Perry
Everything! This Bible study by Jackie Hill Perry is becoming a personal favorite. Jude’s letter to the church urges believers to contend for the faith, and this message is just as relevant today as it was when it was first written. Jackie unpacks Jude’s words, pointing out how we contend for the faith, identify false teachers, and submit to the authority of Jesus as Lord. It’s a detailed read. After 30 minutes, I often find myself only halfway through one day of the study. It’s partially because Jackie references different passages of scripture across the Old and New Testaments, and partially because the questions often require reflection. If you (like me) benefit from a little structure in your morning quiet time, consider trying a Bible study. If you (like me) want a deep dive into how we fight for Biblical truth in today’s culture, consider trying this one. I’m recommending it to everyone I know!
To Read: Holier Than Thou: How God’s Holiness Helps Us Trust Him by Jackie Hill Perry
