The folks at 5 Minutes For Books host What’s On Your Nightstand? the fourth Tuesday of each month in which we can share about the books we have been reading and/or plan to read.

I just realized Monday that the monthly nightstand post was scheduled for today rather than next week, since this is the fourth Tuesday of the month. My initial reaction: “Drat!” 🙂 Don’t get me wrong, this is one of my favorite monthly events, but I just finished two books and am almost done with another, and had planned to review them this week in anticipation of the Nightstand posts I thought were coming next week. It’s months like these that make me wish the Nightstand meme came at the end of the month instead of the fourth Tuesday….but, oh well. I’ll adapt. 🙂

Since last time I have completed:

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart, audiobook, not reviewed. The children come together for a reunion with each other and Mr. Benedict a year after their adventure in the last book, only to find that Mr. B. is missing. They each have to employ their special skills to help find him and learn the best times and ways to use those skills. Still a fun book though I didn’t like it quite as well as the first. The audiobook was read by an older man (maybe supposed to sound like a grandpa or Mr. B. telling the story? I don’t know). But since most of the dialogue occurs between the children, it seemed odd to hear them in an older voice which didn’t vary or try to sound differently from person to person, so that may have affected my perception.

The Chance by Karen Kingsbury, audiobook, review coming soon.

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas, also hope to review this soon, but I marked a lot of places in it, so it may take me a while.

Her Husband’s Crown by Sara Leone, a reader who graciously sent me a copy, not reviewed. Sara writes as a missionary and pastor’s wife to other pastor’s wives, but much of the 48-page booklet is applicable to any Christian wife. A great resource.

I’m currently reading:

A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken. Almost done with it. It’s mainly about his relationship with his wife, how they went from atheism to Christianity, her illness and death (no spoiler – this information is related up front), how he dealt with it, and his letters with his friend, C. S. Lewis, through much of it.

The Healer’s Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson, a sort-of retelling of Cinderella. Not enjoying it quite as much so far as the Beauty-and-the-Beast-inspired The Merchant’s Daughter (linked to my thoughts), but we’ll see how it ends up.

Lost and Found by Ginny Yttrup

Jennifer: An O’Malley Love Story by Dee Henderson

Granny Brand, Her Story by Dorothy Clarke Wilson. I read this years ago but had borrowed it through our ladies’ group library at another town and church, so when I wanted to reread it I found some used copies online. Evelyn Brand is the mother of Paul Brand, author of The Gift of Pain, which I’ve not read, but I have read a biography of his  called Ten Fingers For God by the same author, which I also ordered and want to read again some time.

Little Women for Carrie’s Reading to Know Book Club for November, one I’ve reread many times and love every time.

That looks like the least I’ve read in any given month in a long time, though Bonhoeffer was a very long book, so that took up quite a bit of time, and I’ve been spending time this month going through 31 Days of Missionary Stories. Most of the books I’ve referenced in that series I’ve read long ago, so I didn’t list them here, but I invite you to take a look. Missionary biographies have been a major influence on my own life and faith over the years.

Have you read any good books lately?