June Reads

The Fox Hunt | Al Samawi: A young Muslim Yemeni starts dialoging with both Jews and Christians, trying to foster peace and understanding, and eventually found himself in a lot of danger because of it.  I was on the edge of my seat for much of the book.  (Spoiler: No, this isn't a story of a Muslim becoming a Christian.  Just an interesting perspective from someone born and raised in the Middle East.)

Inspired You | Parsons: This was a great read!  I first came across her blog, Miss Mustard Seed, several years ago and really loved her painted furniture, but didn't realize she was the author when I checked the book out from the library.  She has so many great pictures and an absolutely delightful style (I would love to tour her home!).  She talks about seeing potential in things others have discounted, using the creativity God gives us, and about contentment in our homes and lives in general.  Loved this one and would definitely read it again.

Taste of Persia | Duguid: A fun cookbook with lots of great photos and good stories.  I was inspired to start buying more fresh herbs and to experiment with different salads.

From a House to a Home | Mills: About two paragraphs into the intro, I began to suspect this book wasn't written by an American.  Sure enough, it was published in the UK.  It had a charming British flavor, which made me somewhat nostalgic for when I was taking courses from a correspondence school in England.  My little place already feels very much like home to me, so I'm not sure this book had much practical value, but I did enjoy it for its nostalgic feel.  I was also struck with the refreshing simplicity in both clothing/styles and in home decor that is found somewhat less often in the US.

Lagom | Dunne: Written by a Brit who married a Swede and has been living in Sweden for over a decade.  Lagom is a Swedish word that means "just the right amount; not too little, not too much", and it describes an overarching approach to life.  While I feel no sudden to desire to move to Sweden or adopt the lifestyle described, I did find this book to be a fascinating (and easy to read) look into another culture.

After the Boxes are Unpacked | Miller: This was easily one of my favorite books this month!  I wish I would have read it years ago; it would have been so helpful in my moves.  The author is the kind of older lady who wants to sit next to you on the porch swing, listen to your story, and give you a big hug when you need it.  There were a few Scriptures I thought were perhaps misapplied (or misappropriated?), but overall her tone was one of encouraging her readers to find contentment and to embrace where the Lord has us for now.  I'd highly recommend it.

The Made from Scratch Life | Norris: Missed the mark for me.  It felt kind of preachy and I had a hard time following how her stories connected to the life lessons she was trying to share.

Ditch the City and Go Country | Hessler: I'll always have a special interest in country life, although I have no particular intention to up and move there.  The author and her husband moved to the country and the book is full of lessons they learned along the way - everything from what to avoid in buying old farmhouse to country etiquette.  One thing she repeatedly emphasized (and I really appreciated) was how people need each other more in small communities, so it's important to be kind to everyone and not avoid or write off those you might not immediately click with.  What a revolutionarily mature way to approach relationships!

Bring It! | Rosen: Recipes for potlucks - a new kind of potluck.  Not a table full of overheated casseroles, but dinner parties (or picnics or whatever) where the all guests contribute to the meal.  The photos are lovely (a personal must in cookbooks!), the recipes looked tasty, and she has lots of practical tips for transporting/reheating/serving/etc. the food.  I did have to laugh at how often she used the word umami or said something "didn't have to be boring."

Home Made Simple: Essentially a crash course in home economics.  Well-formatted, easy to read, lots of pictures.  Content didn't feel particularly relevant to me personally, but it wasn't a bad read.

Detroit Hustle | Haimerl: Growing up, I read books that were mostly set long ago or far away (or both).  This book was written in 2016 and set in a city not too far away from my current home, and I've only recently realized how much I also enjoy that.  It's the story of the author and her husband moving to Detroit, buying a house in need of major repairs, and getting to know their new community.  One small side note: her language is less than pristine at times.  Overall, though, I really enjoyed the story.

The Home Decluttering Diet | Lifford: Most of the organizing books I've read lately assume such a large degree of chaos going into the process that I sometimes find myself tuning out a bit early.  However, this is probably most useful book of this type I've read recently.  I gleaned a helpful strategy that I plan to employ with a few projects over the summer: prepare (i.e. gather any needed supplies), empty the space, sort through the items, clean the space, organize the items to keep by "zones" (e.g. in the kitchen you might have a food storage zone, a food prep zone, a dishes/silverware zone, etc.).  One small caveat: the font is super small and so reading isn't the easiest on the eyes.

One Year to An Organized Life | Leeds: There were a few potentially helpful tips, but overall the tone of the book just felt really weird to me.  She has her organizational plan broken down by weeks (so there's new tasks for each week), which I like the idea of - but again, the tone was just too weird and irrelevant for me.

The Simple Home | Hetzel: Written by an Australian, which gives a refreshing-but-not-radically different perspective on home management.  Topics covered include: budgeting, food planning and prep, organizing, gardening, laundry and cleaning, sewing, health, and holiday traditions.  She advocates a more eco-friendly, locally-grown approach to shopping and cooking, but I didn't feel like I was being preached at.  There were good-quality pictures, and she has a pleasant, easy-to-read style.  A number of recipes for scratch cooking were included.  I enjoyed it and might even read it again.