Ah. A tall sliding ladder, shelves upon shelves upon shelves, a window seat and cozy cushions, a hot cup of coco, a cookie or two… A whiff of musty, bookish air, the crease of paper and binding, the caress of worn pages and words. Sometimes, there’s no place I’d rather be.

Although I admit a journey in a hot air balloon sounds rather nice right now, the scene above sounds amazing too. If you’re a book girl (or guy) you know. You know the joy and pain, wisdom and love and learning of reading. You know the magic of words on a page, of story in your hands and heart. If you don’t know, than all I can say to you is: pick up the right book and you will. Books speak for themselves.

I promised a book list a few weeks ago and I mean to keep my word. At first, I excitedly planned to throw a giant one hundred book recommendation at you… Then after drowning in a sea of ‘how do I describe all my books? How can I possibly do them all justice? What genre is this? And how in the world am I going to have time to type one hundred + book synopses’ I changed my mind. Instead, you get ten books of mixed genres that get me through any time of boredom, loneliness and book needing.

Anne of Green Gables~ Lucy Maud Montgomery

Oh, my dear Anne. I think that red headed, dramatic, imaginative Anne Shirley is my kindred spirit. Anne has a way of teaching us how to live, that gets so utterly lost in the mundane of everyday. She brings light and perspective and that ever present, ever inspiring gift: imagination to each moment. ” I’d like to add some beauty to life” said Anne dreamily, “I don’t exactly want to make people know more… though I know  that is the noblest ambition… but I’d love to make them have a pleasanter time because of me… to have some little joy or happy thought that would never have existed if I hadn’t been born.”.   — Anne Shirley 

Persuasion by Jane Austen:

This one is a new favorite. Who can beat Jane Austen for beauty, character diversity, wit and wisdom? The heroine of this novel is the sweet and wise Anne Elliot. A character to love, befriend and look up to, the reader follows Anne as she copes with a less than loving family, weather’s the trials and tragedies of her friends. Also a love story Anne has never stopped loving the good Captain Wentworth, even though it’s been eight years since they last saw each other. Anne’s gentle and beautiful spirit reaches out and befriends your own.

The Chronicles of Prydain Lloyd Alexander

Lloyd Alexander has been called by some a fantasy master. Yes, these next books belong in the fantasy genre!

You know the saying never judge a book by its cover? I think there should also be one: never judge a book by its synopsis. I did both and was deprived for several more weeks of these amazing books. The back of the book might say that it is about Taran, the assistant pig keeper and his quest- NO DON’T STOP READING! But what it’s really about is: friendship, adventure, failing and learning, the worth of all people, and of course swords and narrow escapes! Each book gets increasingly better and when you reach the fifth and final one part of you will be lost in Prydain forever.

The Viking Quest Series Lois Walfred Johnson

Some books you never outgrow. Set in medieval Ireland and Norway these are the breathtaking, captivating stories of Bree, a Irish girl who is captured from her home in Ireland and taken on a Viking Ship into the sea. Can Bree find a way to escape her captors, will she have true courage- courage to win? Can God still be with her, miles from home and surrounded by strangers? These books. My Mama read them to my older sister and I when I was ten and I still love them with all my heart. 

Emily of Deep Valley: Maud Hart Lovelace

 Emily of Deep Valley is the book I go to read when I feel lonely, peevish or restless. It’s the simple story of Emily, graduating highschool, unable to go to college because she cares for her aging grandfather, never fitting in with her crowd of friends, falling into depression and getting pulled back out again by two little Syrian boys with their mischievous smiles, frogs for sale and by the new teacher, Jed who doesn’t seem to look down on Emily’s passion or differences. It’s not what you go to when you want a thriller, but rather when you need a simple, dear truthful story. 

The Green Ember: S. D. Smith

A captivating, hopeful and imaginative take of rabbits with swords, The Green Ember is a book for all ages. This was another family read aloud of ours. I admit at first I was very doubtful I would enjoy a series about rabbits. Once again, I judged wrongly. S. D. Smith put such beautiful and mature truths and characters into exciting, suspenseful plots in the land of Natalia. I never would have guessed that I would enjoy a story about animals so much. Because the rabbits are every bit human in their characters and actions the plot is only intensified by the fact that they are animals. I mean, having wolves and raptors for villains is pretty cool. I highly recommend these books for reading aloud to siblings or with your family. They not only captivate with plot, but encourage and inspire with truth.

The Crown and Covenant Series: Douglas Bond 

   Douglas Bond is an excellent Christian, historical fiction author. The Crown and Covenant Series begins with Duncan M’Keefe, a boy in Scotland under the persecution Scottish Covenanters (Christians). Duncan badly wants to be able to fight against Prince Henry and his evil dragoons, he is given the chance and what follows is a edge-of-your-seat story of  adventure, bravery, and tried faith. 

Hinds Feet on High Places: Hannah Hurnard 

   Hinds Feet on High places is the beloved allegory of Much Afraid as she leaves her home in the Valley of Humiliation and begins her long, arduous journey to the High Places, where ‘perfect love casts out fear’. This book will forever remain on the very top of my favorites list. It has helped me through so many hard times. Maybe part of it’s beauty for me is how much I am like the character, Much Afraid. It is a book that so beautifully portrays the Good Shepherd’s heart of love. 

To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

Set in the deep South in the early 1900s, To Kill A Mockingbird is a deeply moving story of love, hate, prejudice, acceptance, bravery, ugliness and beauty. Classics are classic for a reason, and this book is no exception. Told through the eyes of Scout, it is the story of a certain town in Alabama, a certain colored man falesly accused, a certain lawyer who did the unthinkable and defended him and a certain burning truth to be realized. This is one of the books that speaks for itself. I do warn that there is a mature theme to this book, so I don’t recommend it for anyone before highschool, use your own judgement.

God’s Smuggler, by Brother Andrew

I recently read this one for the first time. It is the true and incredibly inspiring story of Brother Andrew, God’s Smuggler as he brings Bibles and encouragement to the suffering Christians behind the iron curtain. This book encouraged me in my faith so much! It also opened my eyes to want to pray more and more for our brothers and sisters who are being persecuted all over the world. It is not a long read, and well worth the time! I would greatly recommend it.

Well, that sums it up for today! Pick up a book, weither one I suggested or one of your own and be ready to be pulled into another world and surrounded by glorious truth and best friends just waiting to be met!

For the mending, Josie