September 2023 Reads

I have been loving reading lately, and I found myself finishing a few that had been sitting on my bedside table for a while!

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

I enjoyed the writing style of this classic, although the actual plot did not captivate me as much as I thought it would. I was fascinated by the premise; of a young woman wearing a red A on her clothes, ostracised from her town due to having a child outside of marriage. I thought the themes of guilt and repentance were explored well. 3.5 stars.

Living Well on One Income by Cynthia Yates

This was an entertaining non-fiction that explores finances and Christianity. Most of this wasn’t new information, but I find it helpful to read books like this to put the topic on my mind and keep me motivated. It reminds you that the way you live, or want to live, is helpful and achievable. 3.5 stars.

Little House on the Prairie and Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

I absolutely love these books, and I’m excited to continue the series. There are so many gems to take away from these books; how to be content with what you have, how to work well and live well. I’ve seen people online explore lessons they’ve learnt from these books, and after reading them, I was tempted to write my own! 5 stars.

The Writer Laid Bare by Lee Kofman

This is a book I’ve been slowly making my way through about a writer and the writing process. I loved how this book contained personal experience amongst writing advice, and discusses every aspect of it. Writers’ block, the editing process, first drafts, retreats; this book covers all writing ground. Some of it I was unfamiliar with; such as, writing as a mother. But other information I did know somewhat, such as feeling like the writing isn’t working but realising everything we don’t write can still be used. This was equally motivating and informative, even as I didn’t agree with everything the author writes about. 4 stars.

Deep Nutrition by Catherine Shanahan

The big one, the ultimate health book that has made its way through my family. While I didn’t fully understand all of the science behind everything, I was already on board with the whole don’t-eat-sugar, don’t-eat-canola-oil. I’m more disturbed by how this information isn’t easily accessible and that it isn’t common knowledge. 4.5 stars

Eat Real Food by David Gillespie

Apparently I was on a roll with the no-sugar-thing, so I followed Deep Nutrition with this bad boy. Again, because I already believed what he was saying, there were sections I skim-read. This book is slightly easier to consume, however, in terms of how the facts are written and the length of the book. I like reading books like this just to reiterate the importance of them. 4 stars.

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

This was a light read for my lunch breaks at work. An interesting mix of fantasy, mystery and history, this series explores a policeman who uses magic to help understand, and solve, his cases. I don’t think it was the best written story, but I’m currently reading the second novel and I have to say it’s growing on me. 3 stars.

Sarah xx