Tuesday, January 5, 2021

Top Book Recommendations from 2019/2020

I've always loved to read, but into adulthood I fell into the trap of thinking "I didn't have time." Turns out, I just wasn't making it a priority. About 6-7 years ago, I became an avid reader again &LOVE sharing (& receiving) some good book recommendations. I have read more books than just those on this list, but some of them I didn't like/don't recommend so they didn't make the cut. ;) I have other blog posts with book recommendations too, but here is my list from the past two years. (Some of these I re-read. We also haven't read all the Max & Liz series yet, but have read the first in the series and it was amazing! We can't wait to read the rest! Jenny Cote is an incredible author.)


Honestly, I spent more time reading aloud to my kids than personally reading this year. Just being totally transparent, getting my kids to do school most days is a struggggle. BUT, they all LOVE to be read to, & I've read the academic outcomes of children who are read aloud to are much better. So, I roll with it. And I keep reading when they beg (which they do), even when it's way past everyone's bedtime. ;) It has created some awesome opportunity for conversations, and some of these recommendations have some deep content & I've been amazed at how they "get it."

For me, I typically listen to books on Audible while I'm doing things around the house so I can continue to fill my mind with good stuff. Makes laundry and dishes and cleaning and cooking go by faster. Multitasking for the win!

Here are some of my top recs. Hope you ENJOY!! (P.S. Would love to hear some feedback if you read any of them!)

Kids:

**Pilgrim's Progress (So good! Age appropriate story of John Bunyon. We followed up by watching the DVD.)

**Warrior Kid Series:(cannot recommend these enough! My boys were obsessed & they even motivated me. So many important character lessons throughout.)

Way of the Warrior Kid: From Wimpy to Warrior the Navy SEAL Way

-Way of the Warrior Kid 2: Marc's Mission

- Way of the Warrior Kid 3: Where There's a Will

- Way of the Warrior Kid 4: Field Manual

**The Amazing Tales of Max & Liz Series: (These are SO much fun! They provide Biblical accounts through the perspective of the animals. I always read them with the fun accents. They are big books and it takes a while to get through them, but they are so captivating and thought provoking.)

The Ark The Reed and the Fire Cloud (Was SO good! Took us a couple months to read it, but we loved it! It made us all think & I considered some things logistically about the ark I had never preciously considered.)

The Dreamer, The Schemer, & The Robe

The Wind, The Robe, & The Way

The Fire, The Revelation, & The Fall

The Voice, The Revolution, & The Key

The Declaration, The Voice, & The Spy

The Prophet, the Shepard & The Star

**Secret of the Hidden Scrolls Series 

**Chop Wood Carry Water (my boys listened to this on Audible. 7 year old especially loved it was about a samurai, but had great character lessons too.)

AWESOME Advent Series: (I enjoyed these so much & could barely put them down myself! You HAVE to order these and read them with your kids. We are still reading them now even though Christmas is over.)

Jotham's Journey

Tabitha's Travels

Isthar's Odyssey

Bartholomew's Passage

Easter:

Amon's Adventure (I legit cried reading this. SO good!)

**The Prince Warriors Series (full disclosure- my kids listened to these on Audible so I didn't read them)

The Prince Warriors

- The Prince Warriors:  Unseen Invasion

- The Prince Warriors: Swords of Rhema

- The Prince Warriors: The Winter War

**Hinds Feet on High Places (Probably my top recommendation of all, for both kids and adults. Thank you to my friend Tiffany for recommending! I actually cried multiple times reading this one too & I;'m not even super emotional. Don't let the pictures or first chapter throw you off- read to the end. Everyone I've shared it with fully agrees.)


Parenting:

**Strong Fathers Strong Daughters (I know it's for men, but I read it too after having our first little girl and it was SO good. Definitely buy a copy for your husband if you have a daughter)

**Raising Men Not Boys (I taught this in a group study & all of the videos are recorded if you'd like to be added. If you're a boy mom, would love to have you in our FB group (Raising Boys Not Men). 

**Mother & Son: The Respect Effect (This will be our next study in the boy mom group. Two of my mentors recommended it a while back and I just got around to reading it. This book convicted my heart and made me feel a little bit like a loser, but also inspired me with some practical tools in my toolbelt so I can be a better mother to my sons.

**The 5 Love Languages of Children (One of my all-time fave parenting books. Helped me better understand my children and how I need to show them love.)

**Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles (I've listened to this twice. Convicting & challenging, but great reminders of how to keep the main thing the main thing in parenting!) 

**60 Promises to Pray Over Your Children (Short & sweet, but specific prayers to pray over your children. I love specific Scriptures and ideas of things to pray.)


Business/Mindset: (These are all excellent if you're looking to grow you mindset or step up your game professionally.)

**The 10X Rule

**H3 Leadership

**Secrets of the Millionaire Mind

**The Compound Effect

**The Magic of Thinking Big

**Necessary Endings

**Make Your Bed


Other: 

**Fasting (This is a MUST read! It taught me so much about fasting and gets me excited to fast each year...until I actually start the fast anyway. Then reality hits. Lol! But fasting is such an important aspect of spiritual health! This breaks down the what, the how, the why, and backs it all with Scripture.)

**Uninvited (Listen, even if you don't think you've ever been "left out," read this anyway.)

**Rhythms of Renewal (Thank you so much to my friend Megan for gifting this to me! I'm 1/3 of the way in and enjoying it!)

**The Delusion Series (I hardly ever read fiction, but I couldn't put these down. They gave me a very different perspective on spiritual warfare.)

- The Delusion

- The Deception

**Dirty Genes (This is FASCINATING! So eye opening about the role of genetics, environment, etc .)

**The Little Things (Short, easy read with impactful reminders.)

**True Woman 201 (I taught this study in my FB group formerly called Godly Wife and now renamed to "Woman After God." The videos are still live in there if you'd like to go back and watch as you follow along in the book. The study is so relevant, practical, and impactful in pointing women back to God's calling for our lives.)


Disclaimer: These are Amazon affiliate links, meaning if you order, our family may be compensated a very small amount. If you have the ability to check them out from your library or shop at a small, locally bookstore, I always recommend that.