Welcome to day six of Five Fall Favorites — the annual autumn celebration of all things bookish!
How have we reached the end of the week already? I’ve so enjoyed reading through all of the posts this week, and adding so many new books to my TBR. I’m already looking forward to next year.
If you’ve read my previous posts (Day #1, Day #2, Day #3, Day #4, and Day #5) this week, feel free to skip on down to today’s theme. And if not, here’s a brief recap for our final post!
Every day this week (6 days in all – this is our last!), I and a group of other book bloggers will be sharing posts centered around certain bookish themes, and packed full of some of our favorite book recommendations from the past year. I’ll link to a number of those blogs at the end of this post, but for even more links and information, you should check out our hosts’ sites!
Five Fall Favorites is hosted this year by Katja at Little Blossoms for Jesus and Kate at Once Upon an Ordinary (click on their blog names, or the graphics below to visit their blogs). Thank you both so much!
Giveaway
In addition to book recommendations, there’s also a giveaway again this year!
Two winners will be drawn (one international, and one in the U. S.), and contacted after today. Check out the prize graphics below to see what you could win! Today is your last chance to enter!
To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is click HERE!
FREEBIES
Lastly, every day this week, certain participating bloggers have been sharing freebies of their books! These books are only free for a couple of days at most, so be sure to snag your copies right away! A list of the freebies each day will be available at either of our host’s blogs (HERE or HERE).
Today’s Theme
I’m so excited for the recommendations today — all books that I’ve loved the very most since the last Five Fall Favorites!
This year has included more non-fiction reads than recent previous years, but I’m so excited to have stumbled across some that I really, really enjoyed. Or at least appreciated, if enjoyed isn’t quite the right word, considering the tougher subject matter of some of them. I’ve already shared all of these books with people in my life, so I’m happy to share them with you today too!
All the books I share this week are ones that I’ve either read in the past year, or are currently reading/re-reading, so please feel free to leave any questions you might have about the books below, and I’ll do my best to answer.
Also, I’ve reviewed many of these more thoroughly on Goodreads, so if you’re interested in reading my thoughts – and other reviews – you can find the Goodreads link under each book, or by clicking on each book’s title. I’m slightly behind in my reviews, but hoping to catch up in the next week!
Let’s hop in!
FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY BROKEN
Author: Sydney Anne Bennett
Genre: Christian Non-Fiction Memoir
Target Audience: Chronically ill/disabled Christians
What Stuck Out to Me: Most of this recommendation is just going to be quotes I loved because this book touched me almost too much for me to be able to describe well. The author writes beautifully, so honestly, with grace and humor, about her journey with faith and her own health when she became chronically ill/disabled. As someone in a similar (but thankfully much milder) situation, this ministered so deeply to me. I highly recommend it.
“Suffering yearns for a witness. We ache to be seen in our pain – not pitied or fixed, but known. To have someone sit beside the jagged edges of our existence and say, “I believe you. This is real. It sucks.” Sometimes all we want for people is to acknowledge that what we’re carrying is heavy. That it matters.”
“When you push away help because you’re afraid of being a burden…you rob others of the blessing of helping you.”
“So often we think the beauty has to come after the redemption. After the symptoms cease. After the healing is final and undeniable. But that is not how God works. The beauty begins now. Not because the relapse is beautiful – not because the pain is good – but because your Redeemer is already at work, even here.”
“True faith is not demeaning our awareness of pain but being so acutely aware of the wrongness of that pain that we must turn to God and fix our eyes on glory. Heaven is meaningless to those who have not grieved. Pain awakens us so that even with eyes filled with tears, our hearts cry out to God and say: “One day, this wrongness will end. But not yet. Not yet.”
“This is what we know because we are in Christ: Broken things don’t stay broken.”
I’d Recommend It To: Readers dealing with discouraging physical ailments, and seeking honest encouragement and biblical truths from someone who’s been there.
Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!
MAKE BELIEVE
Author: Mac Barnett
Genre: Non-fiction
Target Audience: Adults interested in children’s literature
What Stuck Out to Me: I’m just finishing this book, and it’s been such a good one! Even though I’m not officially a children’s book author, I’m so fond of children’s books and think they’re very important and unfortunately often overlooked and underappreciated. This is a great dive into the topic.
The author has written many children’s books himself and is passionate about the idea that children deserve honest and truthful books too, and I couldn’t agree more. They deserve to be written to with integrity. He explores many aspects of children’s books, but focuses on the general idea that they are important, then discusses many of the reasons why.
I’m so passionate about telling stories that are enjoyable and fun, but also honest and real about the challenges of life, but I don’t always hear that same sentiment directed toward children’s books, and I appreciated it here.
Another point the author explores, which I love, is that children are real people (not always treated like the case), and deserve to be taken to and written to seriously. There’s absolutely wrong with light, fluffy, or easy children’s books (he goes into that too), but they shouldn’t be limited to bright colors and shallow messages just because they’re children. He could explain all of this so much better than me, so what I’m saying is you should read it, haha.
I’d Recommend It To: Adults who either write children’s books or read a lot of them to children, who think highly of children and want them to receive good stories.
Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!
ON GETTING OUT OF BED
Author: Alan Noble
Genre: Christian non-fiction
Target Audience: Tired Christians in hard situations
What Stuck Out to Me: I read this one right after Fearfully and Wonderfully Broken included one of its quotes, which I really liked. It didn’t disappoint! It’s not an easy read by any means, and joins the ranks of the few books that has made me cry, but it was a really impactful one.
I’ve read a lot of conflicting opinions on this. People either seem to really appreciate it, or really not care for it, and I can see why. Some of the author’s views are pretty blunt and if not taken with a grain of salt, could seem uncaring. But I actually appreciated the reminders that even if things feel hopeless, even if I can’t fathom anything changing, that there are still things I can do, that the Lord is with me through it, and in the end, Heaven waits. I wish I’d found this years ago.
Here are some quotes that especially touched me:
“Whenever your mind turns against you and you begin to doubt the value of your live, remember those around you. Your life is precious for the very same reason their lives are.”
“If your existence is a good creation of a loving God, then you honor God by caring for that creation.”
“Whatever state you are in, however you might be suffering, there is a way for you to love others right now. There are responsibilities you can handle. However small they might be, take them up.”
“Whatever you are suffering, it will only last a little while. That little while may be a week, or it may be your entire life. How is that comforting? Because the ending is already written: you will overcome, Christ has redeemed and will glorify you, including your flawed and, in some cases, ill mind.”
I’d Recommend It To: Readers seeking biblical truths, encouragement, and some hard reminders about living when it’s hard.
Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!
PROJECT HAIL MARY
Author: Andy Weir
Genre: Science Fiction
Target Audience: Adults
What Stuck Out to Me: Amaze amaze amaze!
Like many people this year, I read this after seeing (and loving) the movie, and even though this is a rare case where I think I actually do prefer the movie, this is a very strong story in either format. I’m glad to have experienced both now!
I often have a hard time getting into space science fiction, as my brain just has a hard time keeping up with all the technical specifics, but even though most of space/engineering talk flew right over my head, I was still fascinated by it! And I could understand enough at least to follow the main story line.
The audiobook in particular is a lot of fun (specifically the way they produced Rocky’s voice). Rocky is my favorite, Dimitri is close behind, and Grace is a really strong protagonist that I related to and rooted for. I was also very pleasantly surprised by the ending of the story. I’m not sure what it says about me that I was expecting complete tragedy, but I’m so glad to be wrong.
One of the main strengths of this one for me is the close friendship between Grace and Rocky. Rocky was more than just an adorable sidekick – they were truly equals, both with missions bigger than them, and I love how they were able to rely on one another. The themes of sacrifice, courage, and brotherly love are really touching. And I do love how honestly the story portrayed Grace. If I’d been in his shoes, I would have been horrified at the thought of going on that space mission too. Overall, such a compelling story.
Tricky Content: Some fairly strong language, sexual/crude references, frequent peril, injuries, heavier emotional themes
I’d Recommend It To: Older readers who enjoy space adventures, books with close friendships, danger, themes of courage and sacrifice, and lots of technical science elements.
Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!
TRESS OF THE EMERALD SEA
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Fantasy
Target Audience: YA (Young Adult)
What Stuck Out to Me: I absolutely adore this book. I’ve already listened to the dramatized audio version twice this year because it was too good not to re-read again. The book by itself is very good too, but if you get a chance to listen to the audio drama, I highly recommend. It adds a really fun layer to the narration.
From the witty and often hilarious narrative voice, to the memorable and likable characters, I have a hard time putting this one down. If, like me, you love: humor, pirates, adventurous quests, clever twists, fantastical settings, sweet, fairytale-esque romance, disability representation, and The Princess Bride vibes, this might be the book for you!
Also, boats that sail on deadly spores? The worldbuilding here is so imaginative and I want to read more books set in this world. It’s been a while since a book sucked me into its setting so vividly, and I could picture everything so well.
I’ve been intimidated by Brandon Sanderson’s books for a while, and even though I’ve been informed this isn’t much like his others, I’m so glad I finally tried it.
Besides the unique, memorable, and likable characters, which are always my favorite elements of a story, for me this book’s largest strength is in it’s voice. It’s one of the first fiction books I want to take a highlighter to — there are so many good lines! I can’t even count the number of times a line made me laugh out loud. Such a fun mix of laughs and sweet, thought-provoking moments.
Tricky Content: Brief and mild language, a couple instances of gore/injuries described a bit more than I’d have liked, fantasy violence, a couple suggestive jokes
I’d Recommend It To: Readers 13+ who enjoy seafaring adventures, imaginative and immersive fantasy worlds, sweet romances that center on friendship, and strong found family vibes.
Here’s the link to add it on Goodreads!
Because there are so many bloggers participating in Five Fall Favorites, we’ve been split into teams! There’s no competition – only the opportunity to ensure everyone’s posts are shared.
I’m part of Team Mouse (see the adorable graphic below), and I highly encourage you to check out the rest of my teammates’ posts for their recommended books today. That’s where I’m headed!
Here’s the list of bloggers in Team Mouse (click each name to visit that site):
- Kate @ Once Upon an Ordinary
- Meagan @ Blooming With Books
- Skai @ Inspirational Skai
- Virginia @ Books by Virginia
Thank you so much for joining me — and all of us — and for sticking with us this entire week! Five Fall Favorites has become such a beloved annual tradition for me, and I’m once again so thankful for the lovely bookish community of bloggers. I’m so happy you could join us!
Have you read any of the books I shared? What are the best books you’ve read so far this year? I’d love to hear from you, so drop a comment below!
See you again for the party next year!
(Remember to go enter that giveaway HERE!)