Come Read With Me!
Hello Dear Readers! I am writing to share some of my favorite books.
Like you, I am a busy lady, so I have to get creative in how I read AND am selective with what books I am willing to spend my time.
I am also on a budget with money AND storage space. For these reasons, I love finding FREE books that can be enjoyed electronically. There are even many FREE audio books! Much wisdom and pleasure can be gleaned from authors who have walked before our present generation, and much of their work can be found in the public domain. Past that, the local library is a great resource for FREE reading. My local library even has 2 electronic apps in which I can check out more recently published electronic and audio books (Libby and Hoopla). I bet yours does, too! Yes, I do purchase books occasionally, but I track down all free resources first.
Like you, I am a busy lady, so I have to get creative in how I read AND am selective with what books I am willing to spend my time.
I am also on a budget with money AND storage space. For these reasons, I love finding FREE books that can be enjoyed electronically. There are even many FREE audio books! Much wisdom and pleasure can be gleaned from authors who have walked before our present generation, and much of their work can be found in the public domain. Past that, the local library is a great resource for FREE reading. My local library even has 2 electronic apps in which I can check out more recently published electronic and audio books (Libby and Hoopla). I bet yours does, too! Yes, I do purchase books occasionally, but I track down all free resources first.
Here are my 2 favorite websites to access Free books:
- Project Gutenberg (e-book)
- LibriVox (audio)
My Reading List -- Subject to grow...and after #1, not in any particular order
The Bible
It would be inexcusable for me not to list this as the most important book that I have ever read. Here is a link to the Tree of Life Version (TLV) on Bible Gateway. If you are looking for a daily Bible study / reading plan, I recommend Seeking Scripture. Just make me one promise...begin at the beginning...in Genesis.
Timeless! If you've seen one of the movies and think that's enough...think again. There is just no replacement for reading this book. Follow the lives of the four "March Sisters" through beautiful and difficult times, and see that they persevere by their faith in God, commitment to family, and with the support of true friends. There is a reason that this book has endured.
If you loved Little Women, you will likely love Little Men. Jo begins a school for boys, and readers learn to love these "Little Men" just as much as the March Sisters. Beautiful writing, inspiring life stories, and much adventure await.
Jo's "Little Men" grow up! Follow the boys on to adulthood and see how the influence of Mr. and Mrs. Behr shape this ragtag bunch of boys into young men. This may be my favorite of the series💙
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire e-books audiobooks
You may be amazed at the parallels of the fall of Rome and other cultures that are more...say...nowish. Read it, or repeat it. You choose.
This is quite possibly the most relaxing book I have ever read. It is part of a trilogy in which each book stands independently. If you love the midwest, you will love this book. If you don't love the midwest, you just might love it once you've finished this book. Sway along with the tall prairie grasses as you breath in this story of a land and her people.
Christmas in Ritual and Tradition Christian and Pagan e-book
This book is divided into parts, with the second part being the most informative, in my opinion. It details the pagan traditions long associated with winter and the solstice and illustrates how these practices were gradually woven into the Christian celebration of The Savior's birth. This account has been so enlightening to me personally. Highly recommend.
The Chronology of Ancient Kingdoms e-book
This is an ancient history book amended by Sir Isaac Newton...yep, it's old. I have found this to be of real value in helping me understand some of the ancient historical context written about in the prophetic books of the Bible. Just last year, I had been praying about understanding the concept of the "Assyrian tree," and then I ran across this book. Guess which page I randomly flipped to? Yep, it was the page about that Assyrian tree. It is not an inspired book, but The Father did use it to help me understand His inspired book. For that, it makes the list.
Strategy for life.
The Rob Roy on the Jordan e-book
I LOVE this book! There are e-copies of this book floating around (pun intended), but this is one that I like to hold in my hands. If you read this book, you may also want to have your bible nearby. This author makes SO MANY great bible connections and references, that I made notes throughout my bible as I followed John MacGregor down the mighty descender...The Jordan River...in his kayak, The Rob Roy. This is a book that I will read again and again. Troy even bought me an original copy as a gift. That gets him some pretty major points💕! Because...I LOVE this book!
This book is one I will read again and again -- not because it is the most pleasant book I've ever read -- but because it carries a message that must be remembered. Don't surround yourself by "yes" friends who convince you that you deserve to sit on a pedestal. That has been the downfall of many people. This book helps one face his/her true reflection and evaluate him/herself. I think this book is also important because it shows what can happen if we "receive" the secrets of others. Don't ever let anyone tell you where they've hidden the proverbial bodies. It never bodes well for the hearer.
Surreal, becoming more so with each turn of the page. Another of GK Chesterton's great surprise endings!
The Scarlett Pimpernel e-book
This book is an historical fiction set during the tumultuous French Revolution, as seen through the eyes of the aristocracy. It is the first in a series, and the author keeps things interesting, and given the subject matter, more lighthearted than one might conceive. Lighthearted thought it is, there are some "real" elements to this telling of the revolution. For example, the "Committee of Public Safety" was a real thing. If that sounds like a group that keeps folks safe, think again. The Committee of Public Safety was the group that was in charge of the guillotine during the "Reign of Terror." This is one of those books that makes me want to read history. That's always a good read in my opinion. There is a free audio version of this book, but it is one of the worst audios I have ever heard. I couldn't listen to it. However, my local library came to the rescue with an audio version with a wonderful reader.
Thinking of having an affair? Don't do it. The end.
I am forever grateful to my friend KG for motivating me to finish this book. It's long folks. It's raw and real. Sometimes I wanted to scream warnings to the characters. Sometimes I wanted to put it down. However, the flow of the natural world, the inner monologue of the characters, the stern warning about "greener grass," and the information about pre-revolution Russia were worth the effort. And honestly, this book contains a lesson that young and old need to hear. The grass is never greener on the other side, and sin hurts more than just the sinners involved.
The Threshold Covenant e-book
The Blood Covenant e-book
The Covenant of Salt e-book
I am listing these books together, as they are by the same author and cover similar subject matter. If you want to understand your bible better, learn about these 3 ancient covenants. What was Israel doing at Passover? The threshold covenant. Why were David and Jonathan so close? The blood covenant. What was going on the 2 times the salt covenant is mentioned in the Bible? Read these books to find out!
If you think that great tribulation has not yet happened, you may change you mind after reading this book. If you're a Believer, you may be interested in this very early church history (340 A.D.).
This is a light read with several great surprise endings leading up to the greatest surprise ending of them all. If I tell you any more, I might spoil the fun! The word "queer" is used as "strange" in this book.
What is the mysterious hound that haunts the Baskerville family out on the moors of England? This is a classic Sherlock Holmes "whodunit!"
Join Joshua Slocum as he sails the Seaspray around the world during the 1880s. Slocum outwits pirates, meets many interesting people, and survives to return home even though a goat ate all of his ocean charts (that was my favorite part!). While reading about the water and the lands visited were very interesting, it was the people who drew me in...including Slocum himself. Obviously he survives the journey to pen his memoirs about the trip, but several years later, Joshua Slocum sent out in his Seaspray and was never seen again....
The Bronze Bow - I am not aware of a free e-book, but I guarantee your local library has this one
This prize-winning classic by Elizabeth George Speare is a delightful historical fiction about a young man, Daniel, growing up in Israel at the time of Yeshua's earthly ministry. Daniel and his friends are looking for a revolutionary to raise an army against the Romans. And why not? The scriptures promise a Deliverer. But through the pages of the book, Daniel learns that there are worse things than the physical presence of the Romans, and that the gentle Yeshua may just be the man for deliverance after all. Daniel understands that sometimes, just like bending the bronze bow, the seemingly impossible, can become attainable, through love and faith.
This is a beach book that includes lots of history and time travel. It contains enough logic, history, cynicism, and adventure to keep one engaged all the way through. I prefer this book in audio form, and a good reader makes ALL the difference. The Librovox recorded version read by John Greenman is the ONLY way to go, and it's FREE on the LibriVox app. Greenman voices it just right. Must read/listen.
The "man bun" is a new take on an old thing, "Mother Earth" is explained for who she really is, and more interesting things await in this look at ancient Germanic society and culture.
Christian Heroes: Then & Now Series, by Janet & Geoff Benge
I found these books when I began homeschooling. This husband/wife team has written many biographies of Christian missionaries. They are written for families to read together, so both children and adults can enjoy. These are books that I have purchased in print. I find them at resale shops, homeschool conventions, on amazon, and in bookstores. Reading these books always makes me want to dig a little deeper, and I find that most missionaries have written their own books that are often in the public domain. Missionaries from this series that we have read and enjoyed:
Amy Carmichael
Gladys Aylward
William Carey
David Livingstone
Nate Saint
Mary Slessor (Abby's favorite!)
George Muller
Cameron Townsend
These people were not perfect and did not have easy lives or easy work to do in the Kingdom of God. I am always encouraged, however, to read of the eternal victory that their service brought to the promotion of the good news of the Kingdom of God to the world. YHVH was faithful to them. Even unto death. Faithful. HallaluYAH!
This is a beautiful historical fiction of the time when Russia was at war with the French under the leadership of Napoleon. There is something for every reader in this book: Coming of age and all that goes with; Family; Society; War; Romance; Death; Marriage...it is a story of perseverance. Life is hard, but beautiful, and for those who survive, it goes on. If you enjoy history, you may enjoy Tolstoy's retelling of the war, his opinions of the military leaders, and the descriptions of the cities. It was hard to let these characters go at the end, but it was easy to imagine how their lives would continue...a sign of a good book!
This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read! It starts out "Jane Austen" and ends "Leo Tolstoy." -- Meaning, it has style and depth 😉
This was one of those books that affected me for a few days after completing it. It ended while the characters were still quite young, so it has been fun to imagine all the different scenarios that may have taken place within their fictional world. There were times when I had to remind myself that this book was published in 1876. Why? Because the author (George Elliot) correctly predicted a major future event. MAJOR. To say much more than that would really give too much away. While this is certainly not a religious book, I think it will be my Bible reading friends who enjoy it the most. This is a long one, but one of my favorite reads to date. I will revisit this book again and again.
Son of Hamas
This is a book that I listened to using my library's Hoopla app. Otherwise, it can be checked out in print or purchased from your local book retailer. It was written in 2010 by the son of a top Hamas leader, Mosab Hassan Yousef. He relates his experiences of growing up as a Palestinian youth, spying for Israel's Shin Bet, and discovering Jesus after being invited to a Bible study. Yousef currently resides in The United States and speaks out against terrorism.
I am still reading, so this list will keep growing. Come Read With Me again soon! Debbie :)
Come Seek With Me!
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