Books - January & February

This is going to be a long one.  I start with two books I finished at the end of December (which maybe I wrote about already?), followed by three I read in January, and one finished and one in progress for February.

1.  Dance Stand Run by Jess Connelly - This was a good book.  I can see why it was super popular.  My favorite part was the beginning declaration.  After that I got a little bored.  Good book, not my thing.  Maybe I read too much of this genre over the last couple years.  

2.  Church of the Small Things by Melanie Shankle - she's just hilarious!  A great book for me to read.  We are so bombarded with messages asking us women what big things we are doing.  If we aren't starting a ministry or a fashion line or have thousands of followers on social media, we just aren't doing enough.  Whether that be in life or for the Kingdom.  She focuses on stories of small things in her life that her family, friends, and she have done or experienced and points out how important they are.  Do small things with great joy, be faithful in the small things, because those things matter.  Those things make an impact.

Now on to January reads.

3. Silence of the Grave by Arnaldur Indridason - this is a series of books by an author from Iceland.  My father-in-law gave me the first book and it was great.  This is the next one in the series.  The main character is Detective Erlunder and two of his detectives.  They work on a cold case in this book and it's a page turner.  Highly recommend if you like mysteries and detective stories. 

4.  The Stones You Can't Put Down by Joe Stewart - A great book about how a relationship with Jesus and putting Him first can change even the hardest of hearts.  This is a quick read by a friend and the missions pastor at our church.  

5.  Fever Dream by Preston & Child - Another detective mystery, another series.  I've read a bunch of the Pendergast books over the years and they are always full of action, quirky detectives, and mystery.  This one gives a little more insight into Detective Pendergast.  I liked it!

Here we go into February!

6.  All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda - The story of Nicolette who left her small town 10 years ago after her best friends goes missing and hates going back.  But now she has to go back and take care of her dad's house.  All the town mysteries come back when another girl goes missing.  I stayed up until 1am one night because I couldn't put it down.  So good!

7.  Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan - I am in the middle of this book and it's a light and fluffy read.  It's about Polly who goes through a break up and losing a business and moves into a dumpy flat and turns to baking.  Of course I'm going to like it - it's about baking!  Not sure if I'll finish it this month or not, but it's delightful.