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. You can learn more about it by clicking the link or the button.

These months in which the fourth Tuesday is not the last Tuesday catch me unawares! But here is what I’ve finished since last time:

The Way into Narnia: A Reader’s Guide by Peter Schakel, reviewed here. Excellent. I had checked this out of the library but then bought my own copy before I turned it back in so I could transfer my sticky tabs.

A Heart Most Worthy by Siri Mitchell, reviewed here, about three very different Italian immigrant girls making their way in 1918 Boston. My first book by this author, and I immediately bought another.

She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell, reviewed here, about a young debutante during the American Gilded Age who finds society life is not all it’s reputed to be.

Blue Skies Tomorrow, the third of Sarah Sundin‘s Wings of Glory series about three brothers during WWII, reviewed here. Loved this series.

Learning by Karen Kingsbury, the continuing story of Bailey Flanigan as she struggles facing life on her own, not reviewed.

A Big Little Life by Dean Koontz, a memoir (and a little philosophizing) about his dog, Trixie, not reviewed. I’ve never read any of Mr. Koontz’s books before, and, honestly, I bought this because I was looking for books for my mother-in-law to read, it was in the bargain section, and she likes dogs. I liked his humor and pathos, but unfortunately it doesn’t look like his other books are in genres that I’d like.

I’m currently reading:

Masquerade by Nancy Moser.

Beyond Suffering: Discovering the Message of Job by Layton Talbert.

Gospel Meditations For Men by Chris Anderson and Joe Tyrpak, with my son.

Next up…decisions, decisions…probably:

Coffee Shop Conversations: Making the Most of Spiritual Small Talk by Dale and Jonalyn Fincher, recommended by Lisa.

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger. It seemed like everyone was reading and talking about this a while back and I am just now getting to it.

The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner.

Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World edited by C. J. Mahaney. I’ve had this on my literal nightstand for weeks and want to get to it. Worldliness is one of those difficult concepts: as Christians we know the Bible warns us away from it, but everyone has a different idea of exactly what it is.

Boyhood and Beyond: Practical Wisdom for Becoming a Man by Bob Schultz. I’m thinking about going through this with Jesse.

That should keep me busy for a while! What are you reading?

In She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell, debutante Clara Carter finds that society life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be in New York City circa 1891. Even the snow was grimy from passing through smoke and soot, making the carriage drives to a ball not “as sparkly and festive as they always seemed to be in novels” (p. 135).

But Clara isn’t given much choice. The De Vries heir is back in town, and it has been determined that Clara must catch him in order to save the family’s honor. With the determination of a drill sergeant and the zeal of Mrs Bennet, Clara’s aunt does her best to train Clara for her debut, while Clara would rather be studying or reading Byron. Both her natural good humor and budding social conscience are quashed with propriety, To complicate matters, Clara’s best friend, Lizzie, is debuting at the same time with the same goal.

At first She Walks In Beauty seems like a light-hearted romp as Clara learns the “rules” and foibles of “the game,” but it takes a more serious and darker turn as Clara discovers that even her father is not the man she thought he was, and the falseness and temptations of the life her family is pushing her toward weigh on her conscience. When someone tells her God knows her and loves her as she really is, she doesn’t know whether to believe it at first: no one seems to love anyone just as they are. But a glimmer of that kind of love is reflected in one man, drawing her heart yet highlighting the conflict between duty and reality.

I empathized with the conflict Clara experienced as her eyes were opened more and more. I loved where she ended up on her journey. And I loved that in both books I’ve read by Siri, the dresses on the cover have significant roles in the book!

(This review will also be linked to Semicolon‘s Saturday Review of Books.)

Blue Skies Tomorrow is the third of Sarah Sundin‘s Wings of Glory series about three brothers during WWII, and Sarah has managed to hit it out of the ball park once again. A Distant Melody, the first in the series, was one of my top ten favorite books of 2010 and its sequel, A Memory Between Us, is one of my favorites of 2011 so far.

Each book focuses on one Novak brother: in this book, Ray is the peacemaker of the family, and his aversion to having to kill someone has kept him Stateside as a flight instructor. But he wrestles with whether he wants to avoid combat for those reasons or cowardice. A series of events lead him to the desire to prove himself in actual combat.

Helen Carlisle is a war widow actively involved in several volunteer projects with her church and the war effort. Though she puts up a brave front, a dreadful secret she tries to keep hidden threatens to undo her and her blossoming interest in Ray.

The main characters here as in the previous novels are realistically flawed yet sympathetic and very likeable. I was conflicted between wanting to rush to finish the book and see what happened and wanting to slow down and make it last longer so the story wouldn’t be over so quickly. I’ve so enjoyed getting to know the Novaks and I’m a little sad to see the series end!

(This review will also be linked to Semicolon‘s Saturday Review of Books.)