July Book List

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
It took me a little while to get into this book, but once I did, I enjoyed it as much as the rest of the Sarah Dessen oeuvre. :) Like all SD heroines, Mclean has a troubled family. After her mom's betrayal of her dad and their subsequent divorce, she moves from town to town with her dad, inventing a new personality for herself in each place, never getting too attached. But when they move to Lakeview, she finds a real home, real friends, and her own real self for the first time. I loved it!

So Long, Insecurity by Beth Moore
This book is life-changing and I'll probably have more to say about it in the future. I recommend it for ALL women (and men, if they want a better understanding of female insecurity). I had to return it to the library before finishing it the first time, so I bought my own copy and re-read from the beginning. Everything Beth says here is right on target, and I appreciate her honesty and straightforwardness!

90 Minutes In Heaven by Don Piper
My non-bookworm sister read and liked this, and asked me to read it too. I'm glad I did. In 1989, Don Piper was killed in a car crash and was legally dead for 90 minutes (trapped in his crushed car) before reviving. He had extensive injuries and a long, very difficult recovery. His memories of heaven are moving, but only make up a small part of the book - the rest of it is about his recovery from the accident, and how people have responded and been touched by his story. It's not Great Literature, but it's honest and insightful. I think anyone who's been through any sort of major crisis can relate to it. I'm often skeptical of memoirs about near-death experiences, but Rev. Piper's humility and genuine faith make me believe him.

The Sparrow and Children of God by Mary Doria Russell (re-reads)
The Sparrow is one of my all-time favorite novels, and I got even more out of it (and its sequel) this time than I have previously. It's just amazing. I want to give these books their own post soon, so I won't say more here.

Books for July: 5
2011 year to date: 45