The War That Saved My Life

The War That Saved My Life, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

25/60 | Started 05.03.26 • Finished 05.08.26 | 5 stars

Set in WWII, during the London's evacuation of its children to the countryside, this book follows nine-year-old Ada and her younger brother, Jamie. Born with a club foot, she is abused by her mother and longs to escape her circumstances. With courage and determination, when Jamie leaves one morning for the evacuation, she goes with him. When they are not chosen by anyone, Mrs. Thornton places them with a single woman named Susan Smith, who doesn't want them. Susan owns a horse named Butter, which provides Ada with more opportunities to exhibit her courage and resilience. The ensuing story is full of adventure, danger, and emotion. I simply loved it. My book club agreed, though we all thought that with its themes of abuse, war, and death, it might be a bit much for some young readers. Have recommended it to several people, one of whom has already picked it up and enjoyed it to the tune of five stars. I plan to move on to the follow-up book, The War I Finally Won, as soon as I'm done with the next book club read.

Colossians & Philemon For You

Colossians & Philemon For You, by Mark Meynell

24/60 | Started 08.18.25 • Finished 05.08.26 | 4.5 stars

This commentary-ish book is incredibly accessible for the lay reader. While it provides information and insights on each verse of Colossians and Philemon, it avoids getting bogged down with overly technical wording or highly confusing topics. Instead, Meynell lays out what different takes are espoused on certain difficult passages, and leaves the reader to decide to pursue them further. His writing is clear and his explanations are saturated with supporting scripture. I really like this series from The Good Book Company and would recommend it to anyone looking for an easy supplement to their Bible reading or study.

The Penderwicks

The Penderwicks, by Jeanne Birdsall

23/60 | Started 03.27.26 • Finished 05.08.26 | 5 stars

"This is the best book ever!!!!

This book is about four sisters: Rosalind, Skye, Jane, and Batty. For summer vacation they went Arundel cottage where they met a boy named Jeffrey, in an unexpected way. They become friends and go on many adventures together. There’s also Churchie, Mr. Penderwick, Mrs. Tifton, Dexter, Cagney, two rabbits named Yaz and Carla, and a dog named Hound. My favorite part of the book was when Jeffrey showed up as the Penderwicks were leaving and told them he didn’t have to go to Pencey."

Carolyn, age 9