Books I’m Reading
by Steph Beth Nickel
I’m one of those odd ducks who like to have several books on the go at any one time. Below are some of those I’m actively reading and whether I would recommend you grab a copy.
Nonfiction
Matthew: Pray Like This by Barb Roose
This is a unique six-week study of the Lord’s Prayer and how to use it as a springboard for the reader’s personal prayer times. It is a combo study and workbook, and I would recommend it for those interested in deepening their prayer life. Rather than completing the book in the recommended six weeks, readers may want to take a couple of days on each chapter, making it a twelve-week study.
The Plan: Managing Your Time Like a Lazy Genius by Kendra Adachi
January seems like the perfect time to (re)read this book by the host of the podcast The Lazy Genius, who encourages us to “be a genius about things that matter and lazy about things that don’t.” The Plan is a unique time management book written by a woman for women, taking into account our individuality and encouraging us to make plans based on our personal priorities. This isn’t a cookie cutter approach, and I highly recommend it to women of all ages.
Gazing at God by Sharon Hodde Miller
Immediately after completing this 40-day study, I began again. This book is a follow-up to the author’s earlier work Free of Me. I highly recommend both of these books, which I will be reading once every year or two. I recommend them to those who, while not neglecting or demeaning themselves, want to move from being self-focused to being God-focused.
Fiction
Tailored Realities by Brandon Sanderson
This is a collection of the author’s short pieces. So far, they have all qualified as science fiction rather than fantasy. As is often the case with a collection of writings, it’s likely readers will enjoy some more than others. That’s what I’ve found with this book. Still, there are far more stories that I would recommend than those I wouldn’t. If you enjoy Sanderson’s writing, especially his sci-fi, I encourage you to grab a copy.
The Wild Card by Emma St. Clair
While, of course, I have my favourites, I pick up every book by this author. One of the things I like best about her series is visiting “old friends.” While each book in a series features a different couple, those readers have met before are secondary characters or, at least, make an appearance. The Wild Card is a clean rom-com that takes place in the imaginary town of Sheet Cake, Texas. I suggest reading the other books in the series before picking up this one. I recommend Emma St. Clair’s writing to those who enjoy a lighthearted read, yet one that doesn’t shy away from real-life issues.
Lightshed by Crystal D. Grant
This book is the second in The Gateway Trilogy. The Amazon description of the first book, Shadowcast, reads as follows: “After witnessing the brutal death of his brother at the hands of the Steward Knights, Mason Grey turns to vengeance . . . Seria Gayle longs to be seen as more than the town washerwoman. When she finds an injured [man] in the woods, she welcomes the chance to use her healing skills and hopes it will earn her some respect. But as she nurses the sullen stranger back to health, she discovers he is nothing like the knights she has long admired . . .” This trilogy is a study of good and evil and asks the question, “Is redemption available to one who is blinded by unforgiveness and bent on vengeance, one who can control the minds of his adversaries and is allied with evil?” I look forward to completing Lightshed and then reading the last book of the trilogy, Darkend.
Happy reading, all!
As an editor, Steph Beth Nickel has the honour of coming alongside writers to help them polish their work. As the coauthor of Paralympian Deb Willows’s memoirs, Steph has been blessed to work with this amazing woman. And as a future self-published author, with the Lord’s help, Steph has taken brave steps toward publication.
If you would like more information about her services, you can contact her at stephbethnickelediting@gmail.com.
You’re invited to visit her website: http://stephbethnickeleditor.com/.
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