What I Read In The First Quarter Of 2024
A reading round-up
The first quarter of the year is past, and as I sit down to share this reading summary, I am a little disappointed in it. I was sure I read more than this in the first part of the year - but when I look at my stack of half-finished books, perhaps this somewhat short list makes sense. I'm quite late in sharing my quarter-one reads, so I'm just going to slap this round-up post on the blog even though I feel like I forgot a few books. Hopefully there will be more to share next quarter!
Drowning by T. J. Newman- I started this book the day I had my gum surgery as a distraction, and it was perfect! A plane goes down in the ocean, and a few passengers are trapped in the body of the plane underwater (this has been an actual nightmare I've had). This book is about the efforts to get them out, with the story of one broken family interspersed along the way. I was worried I wasn't going to like the ending, but it ended up being very satisfying. I definitely recommend! Content Notes: There is some bad language in this book, including the f-word, and many of the people from the plane die a gruesome death.
Stand: Christianity Vs. Social Justice by Jon Benzinger - This book is a wonderful rebuttal to the social justice movement from a Christian perspective. The author approaches everything with lots of Scripture, and gives great practical advice for how Christians can stand up against the unbiblical version of justice which is the social justice movement. There are also really thoughtful discussion questions at the end of each chapter, which makes it perfect for a group discussion setting. I highly recommend it for any Christian, whether you are currently facing issues in this area or not.
Advancing Christian Unity by Anthony Burgess - I am attempting to read a book written by a Puritan each month this year, and this was my read for January. Burgess does a great job of addressing Jesus's heart for the unity of the church, obstacles to unity, as well as defining what true unity looks like in the church (which does not exclude doctrine!). I highlighted so many pages and found this book so personally encouraging - I think it would also help someone to know how to handle situations where unity is being sinfully threatened.
Fallen by Tim Chaffey - This book is a deep dive into a passage of the Bible that has caused alot of puzzlement, Genesis 6. While the author speculated somewhat in this book, he was really upfront about what things he is drawing from Scripture and what things are just his own speculation. I wasn't sure I would put things quite like he did in some spots, and some aspects of the subject matter were disturbing, but it is rather a dark subject. His goal was to argue for the fallen angel view of Genesis 6 over the Sethite and other views, and I think this book was really persuasive on that front. Wouldn't necessarily recommend it unless you are already wondering about this passage, but if you are, I thought he did a good job of presenting his case.
Rules For Walking In Fellowship by John Owen - This was a great, short Puritan read that was packed with Scripture (I believe it's actually only a portion of a longer work). I thought this book gave alot of useful reminders of how we are to remain in fellowship with other Christians, and I really found it uplifting. It would be a great read to start with if you are new to Puritan writings!
Everywhere To Hide by Siri Mitchell - This book would be in the suspense/thriller category. Whitney Garrison suffers from face blindness, so when she is witness to a murder, she can't identify the killer. When she finds out the victim was actually waiting to meet her, the mystery deepens. Siri Mitchell's thrillers, including this one, are set in Washington D. C., and I think she does a good job of weaving in the political intrigue without being boring or too complicated. I enjoyed this one! Content Notes: Aside from the obvious violence involved in the plot, this was a clean book.
A Lady's Guide To Fortune Hunting by Sophie Irwin - This book is set in the regency era, and gave alot of Pride And Prejudice vibes - but from the perspective of the fortune hunter, which is usually the villain in Austen novels! This book was a fun and quirky romance that was perfect for an Austen aficionado like me. I loved it! Content notes: I think there may have been a couple mild curse words, and references to "ladies of ill repute", but it was otherwise clean.
The Biblical Case For Cessationism by Tom Pennington - In this book, Pennington argues the case for cessationism, which is the view that the miraculous gifts, such as tongues and miracles, were for the apostolic era and have now ceased. Alot of continuationists spin that to say that cessationists don't believe the Holy Spirit is working today, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I loved how Pennington gave the biblical arguments while explaining the gifts biblically, the reasons why we think tongues, etc, were important in the early church, and how the Holy Spirit works in the church today. Highly recommend no matter what side of the fence you are on.
Shipwreck At The Bottom Of The World by Jennifer Armstrong - I read this book to the kids for school, and it was a great one to read as winter is ending. This is the story of Shackleton and his ill-fated expedition to traverse Antartica. The most amazing part of the story of the Endurance is how every man survived! This book explains the grueling conditions that the crew suffered, and the tenacity and leadership of Shackleton as he led them to a rescue. A couple things that weren't covered extensively but were mentioned in this book are the faith of some of the men, and a mysterious event where three of the men, who were trekking across a brutal island in search of rescue, later found that they all kept thinking there was a fourth man with them - it reminds me of a certain Bible story. Content Notes: Mentions of millions of years, and a joke the men had about "wives and sweethearts" never meeting.
The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis - This was a re-read for me. In this book, Lewis imagines a group of tourists from Hell visiting the very outskirts of Heaven. I have found this book a bit confusing in the past as it is purely an imaginative interpretation of what such a scenario could be like, not based on any biblical arguments. So I wouldn't read this as any sort of doctrinal treatise. What shone through for me on this reading was Lewis’s insight into human nature and the sinful inclinations which keep a person from turning to God. As a sobering look into our sinful nature and choices that keep us from the truth, this book was very worthwhile - if you are looking for biblical accuracy on the afterlife, this isn’t that book, and I don’t think it’s meant to be.
Hoax For Hire by Laura Martin - I love reading middle grade fiction for a mental break, and this one was purely for fun! A family of hoaxers is secretly responsible for every strange story or legendary creature you’ve ever heard of, going back centuries - but 12-year-old Grayson wants out. He has plans to apply for a photography scholarship to a boarding school - until his dad disappears and his grandpa appears to be kidnapped by a competing hoaxing family. Grayson and his brother must figure out how to save his dad and grandpa, and the family’s livelihood. Content Notes: Quite a bit of parental neglect as the boys are mostly on their own, but it’s resolved in the end. Grayson’s brother is high-school aged, and “makes out” with his girlfriend or mentions it a couple different times.
What is the best book you’ve read so far in 2024?
A Brief Note: If you are new to my book review posts, I wanted to mention that I do include content notes to point out objectionable content - I’ve heard from friends that they really appreciate knowing what they are getting into before picking up a book, so that’s my aim in sharing those. Obviously, the notes will include things I find objectionable from my biblical, young-earth, Christian worldview - if you don’t agree that something should be noted in my content consideration sections, I’m not here to argue about that. That’s why I quit Goodreads. If you disagree with my reviews, I’m open to mutually respectful book discussions, but ultimately I encourage you to read the books yourself and write your own review!