12 Great Books, 3 Binge-Worthy Shows

Looking for great books? Binge-worthy shows? I’ve been reading and watching! I’m excited to share my favorite picks from May’s entertainment, but first…

I know you’re all wondering if I got lost. Or perhaps hospitalized? Gave up writing? Went on trip around the world?

None of the above.

I have been sick, and I have had several doctor’s appointments. However, I did feel as though I fell into Alice’s Rabbit Hole, the rabbit hole known as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation).

You don’t even want to know. Trust me.

The long and short of it is that I’ve been studying regulations and lawyers’ interpretations of regulations, making modifications to my site, and learning more about data security and cookies than I ever thought I would need to know. So…

It is with great fanfare (and a profound sense of relief) that I direct you to my brand spankin’ new Privacy Policy. (Cue Rocky-on-the-steps-of-Philly-Museum-of-Art-victory-music!)

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Now…let’s talk great books and binge-worthy shows!

I have a little something for everyone here: children’s literature, fiction, non-fiction, Christian non-fiction.

Children’s Books

The Flimflam Man by Darleen Bailey Beard is a chapter book, and you need to read it! It’s fiction based on a real life event from 1950. The town of Wetumka, Oklahoma still holds an Annual Sucker Day because of the actions of the Flimflam Man. I can’t wait to read this story to my grands over Skype!

Theater Shoes by Noel Streatfeild. Okay, I’ll be honest: I was so excited to find this book at the thrift store solely because Kathleen Kelly references it in You’ve Got Mail. Because I’m deep like that. Anyhow, it was a cute story. WWII presumed orphans find their lives upended when their grumpy, uninvolved grandfather caretaker dies and they’re sent to live with their scatter and slightly famous aunt. She enrolls them in a theater and dance school and they learn to make their way in this new environment. Do any of them have hidden potential? Streatfeild wrote an entire series of “Shoes” books. I haven’t read the rest, but here’s a link.

 Annie Glover is Not a Tree Lover by Darleen Bailey Beard. Imagine you’re in elementary school and you just want to fit in. Now imagine your grandmother is an activist who frequently and noisily espouses causes. Across the street from your school. Oh boy.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. This timeless children’s classic is a lovely story of the transforming power of affection, fresh air, gardening, and Magic. The author’s use of Magic reminds me of Aslan’s Magic in C.S. Lewis’s classic Narnia books.

Fiction Books

The Midnight Line: A Jack Reacher Novel by Lee Child. This was my first Lee Child book; my Daddy recommended it to me. The story sucked me right in. Jack Reacher stumbles across a woman’s West Point ring in a pawn shop and begins a search to find its owner. Twisty, turny, and full of surprises.

Wedding Cake Murder and Banana Cream Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke. You probably know I love a good mystery. I’m also a lover of clean, family-friendly books. And a lover of cookbooks. Joanne Fluke’s ‘Hannah Swensen’ series wins on all counts! My sister put a copy of the first in this series in my Christmas stocking one year, and there was no turning back! These are quick, fun, “Beach” reads, and they are addictive. Hannah owns a bakery, so the story lines are full of bakery activity and best of all–recipes! I’ve tried several recipes from these books, and they’ve all been outstanding. I highly recommend the series! Here are more Hannah Swensen titles.

Non-Fiction Books

The Wardrobe Wakeup: Your Guide to Looking Fabulous at Any Age by Lois Joy Johnson. I enjoyed this book full of tips, tricks, recommendations and hacks for building a flattering wardrobe especially geared toward the forty and over crowd. It’s full of good ideas on camouflaging figure trouble spots, where to be thrifty and where to splurge, wardrobe must-haves and things to avoid.

 The Capsule Wardrobe by Wendy Mak has all the information needed to build a basic capsule wardrobe with specific instructions and ideas for mixing and matching. The general info is good, but the specific recommendations are geared toward the professional woman. In no world do I need five blazers. Or even one blazer. But it was still a great read.

Travel Memoir

 At Home in the World by Tsh Oxenreider. What if you could sell most of your belongings and store the rest, except for enough items to fill five backpacks for you, your husband, and your three children? And what if you took off and traveled the world for nine months, living from said backpacks? The Oxenreider family did just that, and this memoir catalogues this monumental undertaking and the lessons gleaned from it. A beautiful, thought-provoking, stay-up-too-late-reading kind of book. Highly recommended.

Christian Non-Fiction

Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds by Jen Wilkin. This call to seriously study the Bible teaches the Five Ps of Sound Study: Purpose, Perspective, Patience, Process, Prayer. Full of valuable instruction and resources, I recommend this book to every Christian woman.

Embrace Grace by Liz Curtis Higgs is an encouraging devotional full of Scripture and heart. If your past holds onto you with a vise grip, if you continue to allow your past to define you, then this book is for you. Liz Curtis Higgs is one of the most encouraging Bible teachers I know, and yet her tender heart is firmly grounded in God’s Word.

Binge-Worthy Shows!

Who else is always on the prowl for a new Netflix series? In addition to Netflix, we have a Digital Antenna, Roku with a Sling subscription, which allows us to watch everything we’re interested in seeing without the expense of cable tv.

Here’s what we’re binge-watching these days!

Baked in Vermont–Food Network

Gesine left a high-powered Hollywood job, moved to Vermont, purchased a farmhouse, and opened a cooking school. Just like that. Her obvious love for baking and her calm demeanor are relaxing to watch. She also has a book out, which I just discovered on Amazon! Oooooo…..

Good Bones–HGTV

 This mother-daughter duo can flat out get the job done! It’s fun to watch the family dynamics as they renovate their much-loved neighborhood one junker at a time.

Death in Paradise–Netflix

DI Richard Poole hates the sun, the sand, and the sea, so he’s not exactly thrilled when he’s sent to a tiny island in the Caribbean. This is a murder mystery series, but it has a humorous, light-hearted feel. He’s a bumbling, disorganized detective with limited people skills, but he gets the job done. He reminds me a bit of Columbo. Give this series a try if you like mysteries!

There we have it: 12 Great books and 3 Binge-Worthy Shows! Now it’s your turn to share what books and shows you’re loving right now. Share in the comments below or in any of my social media post!

Want more book recommendations? I’ve got you covered! Click here or here. Enjoy!