15 New Books You Need to Read This October + November
October is here! Which means a fresh round of books. There are so many interesting books coming out this month that it was incredibly hard to choose 10. I decided not to and instead chose 15. I don't normally highlight one book above the rest, but I do want to draw your attention to Cady Patterson's book, Her Grief Was Heard: Diary From A Young Widow’s Heart. I lived in Victoria, TX for a short stint. That's when I first heard of Cady from a friend in town. That friend was the best friend of the husband that Cady writes about. From every story that I've heard, they are the real deal, from the pain and tears of their situation to believing in an incredible God and his mighty sovereigns. I am thrilled that she penned her story so that we can all journey along with her. I hope you pick it up.
If you’re looking for a book that you can already get your hands on (because waiting for books is really exciting but really hard too!), feel free to check out the last edition for August + September here or the entire series here.
Coming in October 2019 + Ready for Preorder
October 1 – Her Grief Was Heard: Diary From A Young Widow’s Heart by Cady Morgan Patterson
Do you feel like you are alone in your grief? Her Grief Was Heard is a unique approach to a devotional using diary entries from Cady's journal after she lost her husband at age 24. The author doesn't shy away from hard questions she struggles with during her grief process. The candid dialogue between the young widow and God are not only emotionally validating for any reader, but also show that no emotion is too dark or ugly for God. Don't be surprised if you see chapters titled by questions you wanted to ask God but felt too afraid to say them. As Cady vulnerably wrestles with her questions and raw emotions, she finds one thing that is irreplaceable- hope. We believe you will too. Each chapter is woven in Scripture that will tenderly comfort your grieving soul. And in each chapter, you will find that there is only One who can pick up the pieces of your broken heart.
October 1 – Becoming Us: Using the Enneagram to Create a Thriving Gospel-Centered Marriage by Beth McCord + Jeff McCord
Do you ever feel baffled by the person sleeping beside you? What if your spouse came with an instruction manual? Beth and Jeff McCord, founders of Your Enneagram Coach, have helped over 250,000 people discover their unique personality type and apply that knowledge to their relationships.
ever feel baffled by the person sleeping beside you? What if your spouse came with an instruction manual? Beth and Jeff McCord, founders of Your Enneagram Coach, have helped over 250,000 people discover their unique personality type and apply that knowledge to their relationships.
Becoming Us pulls back the curtain on marriage and weaves the Enneagram through the lens of the Gospel to reveal why you and your spouse behave in different ways. Beth and Jeff will explain how you can:
Answer the question, “What is my spouse thinking?”Defuse conflict before it starts, especially the same old argumentsStop assuming each other’s motives and make communication workAffirm each other in meaningful ways that matterEnjoy your spouse all over again, even if you’ve loved each other for years
Whether you are preparing for marriage or celebrating a 50th anniversary, Becoming Us will revolutionize the way you view yourself and your spouse. Let Beth and Jeff guide you through the Enneagram and transform your marriage into the powerful relationship that God intended.
Yes, you really will understand your spouse better after you read this book.
October 8 – Born to Shine by Ashley LeMieux
Born to Shine is a story of loss, resilience, and the life-changing lessons found in the darkest seasons of life.
When Ashley LeMieux and her husband lost their children in an adoption battle, it sent her into a tailspin that, ultimately, taught Ashley how to soar. Most people live with constant fears, burdens, and pains. Born to Shine shares Ashley’s message of hope for women brave enough to say that everything is not okay. The message is also for those who want the courage to believe they are not done yet―the unique message that acknowledges the overwhelming truth that even when life is in ruins, people can still shine. Born to Shine tells the LeMieux’s story in installments with alternating chapters and practical applications in between. It shares stories, lessons, and practical tools to help women shine despite the darkness, to press forward one day at a time even when there is no end in sight, and to turn their most painful moments into their greatest teachers and signposts to true, deep, unassailable joy.
October 8 – The Girl Who Reads on the Métro: A Novel by Christine Féret-Fleury
For fans of Amélie and The Little Paris Bookshop, a modern fairytale about a French woman whose life is turned upside down when she meets a reclusive bookseller and his young daughter.Juliette leads a perfectly ordinary life in Paris, working a slow office job, dating a string of not-quite-right men, and fighting off melancholy. The only bright spots in her day are her métro rides across the city and the stories she dreams up about the strangers reading books across from her: the old lady, the math student, the amateur ornithologist, the woman in love, the girl who always tears up at page 247.
One morning, avoiding the office for as long as she can, Juliette finds herself on a new block, in front of a rusty gate wedged open with a book. Unable to resist, Juliette walks through, into the bizarre and enchanting lives of Soliman and his young daughter, Zaide. Before she realizes entirely what is happening, Juliette agrees to become a passeur, Soliman’s name for the booksellers he hires to take stacks of used books out of his store and into the world, using their imagination and intuition to match books with readers. Suddenly, Juliette’s daydreaming becomes her reality, and when Soliman asks her to move in to their store to take care of Zaide while he goes away, she has to decide if she is ready to throw herself headfirst into this new life.
Big-hearted, funny, and gloriously zany, The Girl Who Reads on the Métro is a delayed coming-of-age story about a young woman who dares to change her life, and a celebration of the power of books to unite us all.
October 8 – Faker by Sarah Smith
Debut author Sarah Smith nails this fun and sexy rom-com where two office foes hammer out their differences to build a love that will last....
Emmie Echavarre is a professional faker. She has to be to survive as one of the few female employees at Nuts & Bolts, a power tool company staffed predominantly by gruff, burly men. From nine to five, Monday through Friday, she's tough as nails--the complete opposite of her easy-going real self.
One thing she doesn't have to fake? Her disdain for coworker Tate Rasmussen. Tate has been hostile to her since the day they met. Emmie's friendly greetings and repeated attempts to get to know him failed to garner anything more than scowls and terse one-word answers. Too bad she can't stop staring at his Thor-like biceps...
When Emmie and Tate are forced to work together on a charity construction project, things get...heated. Emmie's beginning to see that beneath Tate's chiseled exterior lies a soft heart, but it will take more than a few kind words to erase the past and convince her that what they have is real.
October 15 – Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years by Julie Andrews
In this follow-up to her critically acclaimed memoir, Home, Julie Andrews shares reflections on her astonishing career, including such classics as Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, and Victor/Victoria.
In Home, the number one New York Times international bestseller, Julie Andrews recounted her difficult childhood and her emergence as an acclaimed singer and performer on the stage.
With this second memoir, Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years, Andrews picks up the story with her arrival in Hollywood and her phenomenal rise to fame in her earliest films--Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music. Andrews describes her years in the film industry -- from the incredible highs to the challenging lows. Not only does she discuss her work in now-classic films and her collaborations with giants of cinema and television, she also unveils her personal story of adjusting to a new and often daunting world, dealing with the demands of unimaginable success, being a new mother, the end of her first marriage, embracing two stepchildren, adopting two more children, and falling in love with the brilliant and mercurial Blake Edwards. The pair worked together in numerous films, including Victor/Victoria, the gender-bending comedy that garnered multiple Oscar nominations.
Cowritten with her daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton, and told with Andrews's trademark charm and candor, Home Work takes us on a rare and intimate journey into an extraordinary life that is funny, heartrending, and inspiring.
October 15 – If Only I Could Tell You: A Novel by Hannah Beckerman
A secret between two sisters.
A lifetime of lies unraveling.
Can one broken family find their way back to each other?
Audrey’s dream as a mother had been for her daughters, Jess and Lily, to be as close as only sisters can be. But now, as adults, they no longer speak to each other, and Audrey’s two teenage granddaughters have never met. Audrey just can’t help feeling like she’s been dealt more than her fair share as she’s watched her family come undone over the years, and she has no idea how to fix her family as she wonders if they will ever be whole again.
If only Audrey had known three decades ago that a secret could have the power to split her family in two, and yet, also keep them linked. And when hostilities threaten to spiral out of control, a devastating choice that was made so many years ago is about to be revealed, testing this family once and for all.
Once the truth is revealed, will it be enough to put her family back together again or break them apart forever?
October 15 –Be the Bridge: Pursuing God's Heart for Racial Reconciliation by Latasha Morrison
A leading advocate for racial reconciliation offers a clarion call for Christians to move toward relationship and deeper understanding in the midst of a divisive culture.
With racial tensions as high within the church as outside the church, it is time for Christians to become the leaders in the conversation on racial reconciliation. This power-packed guide helps readers deepen their understanding of historical factors and present realities, equipping them to participate in the ongoing dialogue and to serve as catalysts for righteousness, justice, healing, transformation, and reconciliation.
October 15 – Mary Magdalene Never Wore Blue Eye Shadow: How to Trust the Bible When Truth and Tradition Collide by Amanda Hope Haley
Tradition suggests Mary Magdalene was a prostitute and Jesus was born in a barn. But what does the Bible really say? Armed with her theology degree, archaeological experience, and sharp wit, Amanda Hope Haley clears up misconceptions of Bible stories and encourages you to dig into Scripture as it is written rather than accept versions altered by centuries of human interpretations.
Providing context with native languages, historical facts, literary genres, and relevant anecdotes, Haley demonstrates how Scripture—when read in its original context—is more than a collection of fairy tales or a massive rule book. It’s God’s revelation of Himself to us.
She teaches you to…
understand how the books of the Bible were written, transmitted, and translated
recognize the differences between genuine Scripture and popular doctrines
boldly seek God in His own words, ask questions of tradition, and find answers in the texts
grow in your understanding of God and appreciation of the Bible’s intimate and complex revelation of His nature
It’s time to abandon the gods of tradition, and meet God in His Word.
October 15 – The Less People Know About Us: A Mystery of Betrayal, Family Secrets, and Stolen Identity by Axton Betz-Hamilton
In this powerful true crime memoir, an award-winning identity theft expert tells the shocking story of the duplicity and betrayal that inspired her career and nearly destroyed her family.
Axton Betz-Hamilton grew up in small-town Indiana in the early '90s. When she was 11 years old, her parents both had their identities stolen. Their credit ratings were ruined, and they were constantly fighting over money. This was before the age of the Internet, when identity theft became more commonplace, so authorities and banks were clueless and reluctant to help Axton's parents.
Axton's family changed all of their personal information and moved to different addresses, but the identity thief followed them wherever they went. Convinced that the thief had to be someone they knew, Axton and her parents completely cut off the outside world, isolating themselves from friends and family. Axton learned not to let anyone into the house without explicit permission, and once went as far as chasing a plumber off their property with a knife.
As a result, Axton spent her formative years crippled by anxiety, quarantined behind the closed curtains in her childhood home. She began starving herself at a young age in an effort to blend in--her appearance could be nothing short of perfect or she would be scolded by her mother, who had become paranoid and consumed by how others perceived the family.
Years later, her parents' marriage still shaken from the theft, Axton discovered that she, too, had fallen prey to the identity thief, but by the time she realized, she was already thousands of dollars in debt and her credit was ruined.
The Less People Know About Us is Axton's attempt to untangle an intricate web of lies, and to understand why and how a loved one could have inflicted such pain. Axton will present a candid, shocking, and redemptive story and reveal her courageous effort to grapple with someone close that broke the unwritten rules of love, protection, and family.
October 29 – The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World by John Mark Comer
Who are you becoming? That was the question nagging pastor and author John Mark Comer. By outward metrics, everything appeared successful. But inwardly, things weren't pretty. So he turned to a trusted mentor for guidance and heard these words: "Ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life. Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life." It wasn't the response he expected, but it continues to be the answer he needs.
Too often we treat the symptoms of toxicity in our modern world instead of trying to pinpoint the cause. A growing number of voices are pointing at hurry, or busyness as a root of much evil. Within the pages of this book, you'll find a compelling emotional and spiritual case against hurry and in favor of a slower, simpler way of life.
Coming in November 2019 + Ready for Preorder
November 12 –Full Circle: From Hollywood to Real Life and Back Again by Andrea Barber
She grew up in front of the world on the beloved sitcom Full House, but then actress Andrea Barber abruptly left Hollywood. Why did she leave and what did she do for twenty years out of the spotlight before returning to television? This is her funny and inspiring memoir of fame, heartache, resilience—and the reboot of a lifetime . . .
When Kimmy Gibbler burst into the Tanners’ home on Full House in 1987, audiences immediately connected with the confident and quirky pre-teen character, played by ten-year-old actress Andrea Barber. During an eight-season run on one of the most popular series of the ‘80s and ‘90s, Andrea came of age in front of millions. But she was as far removed from her character as a girl can get. The introverted young star was plagued with self-doubt, insecurities, and debilitating anxieties that left her questioning her identity after the show’s cancelation. Andrea wouldn’t return to the public eye until 2016, for Fuller House. So what happened in those intervening decades that Andrea jokingly calls “the lost years”?
For starters, Andrea never stopped working. But it was on a series of life-changing transitions: earning a college degree, then a Master’s, building a career in international education, getting married, and starting a family. She also faced some unforeseeable transitions: navigating a sudden divorce after nearly twelve years of marriage, and second-guessing her capabilities as a single mother. But it was her devastating bout with post-partum anxiety and depression that derailed Andrea’s life—and became a crucial turning point.
Full Circle is a raw, refreshingly honest look into the life of a celebrity who has never been fully comfortable in the spotlight. Here Andrea shares her deeply personal struggles with mental health in a way she has never done before. She opens up about fighting her way back and finding solace—while finding herself—all before her life came full circle with her costars and lifelong friends on Fuller House. Sharing her journey from child star, to champion of mental health, and back to stardom, Andrea writes in a way that feels like catching up with an old friend.
You’ll laugh, reminisce, and finally get to know the woman behind the zany next door neighbor.
November 12 –When Less Becomes More: Making Space for Slow, Simple, and Good by Emily Ley
In her newest book, bestselling author and founder of Simplified® Emily Ley brings a revolutionary exploration of how to live a life of more in a world that often overwhelms to the point of burnout. Emily empathizes with readers in the throes of exhaustion and provides tools for nourishing their spirits and achieving a life where less becomes more.
Statistics don’t lie. People today are more fatigued, burned out, and overwhelmed than ever. Smartphones constantly ping and alert and demand our attention. And social media can eat up hours of our days with mindless scrolling and tapping while leaving many feeling empty and lonely. Add to that family commitments, work that is accessible around the clock, and overscheduling, and you have a life that can feel unmanageable and frantic . . . even running on empty.
Emily Ley, author of bestselling Grace, Not Perfection and A Simplified Life, is here to tell you that there’s more—so much more. In this book, Emily Ley takes readers on a journey out of that empty place and shows them how to fill their wells with the nourishment that only true connection can provide. She also presents some radical concepts that push against the tethers of modern life, with the promise that more of the good stuff comes when we say yes to less of what keeps us empty:
Less Rush, More Rhythm
Less Liking, More Loving
Less Noise, More Calm
Less Distraction, More Connection
Less Frenzy, More Soul Rest
Less Fake, More Real
Less Fear, More Community
Less Great, More Good
Less Chasing, More Cherishing
Less Stuff, More Treasures
Getting to more might require some outside-the-box changes, some unraveling of the patterns readers have adopted, some reworking of the day-to-day so that they can build a life based on their core values instead of slipping into a life dictated by society or what’s “normal.” Because we weren't made for normal. We were made for more—for a life of fullness, dreaming, and lasting joy.
November 19 –Nothing Wasted: God Uses the Stuff You Wouldn’t by Kasey Van Norman
We all have past experiences we wish we could redo, undo, or hide altogether. In Nothing Wasted, counselor and teacher Kasey Van Norman shares how God revealed his specific plan for her life through the most unlikely, embarrassing, and painful seasons of her past. Her vulnerability invites you to discover God's personal and purposeful design for your future, not in spite of your story, but through it.
What if the pain and mistakes of your past are exactly what God wants to use to redeem your future?
A difficult childhood, public infidelity, and a fight with cancer - Kasey Van Norman has walked a rocky road of regret and loss. Shockingly, God would take her back to move her forward, uprooting her undealt-with wounds, secret shame, and intimacy-sabotaging patterns of behavior. No longer running from her past, but instead, allowing herself to be defined by it, Kasey discovered a God more intentional and loving than she'd ever believed him to be. Today, she shares the truth that no part of our life story is wasted - but purposefully designed and used by God to shape who we are meant to be.
With vulnerability, sound doctrine, and humor, Kasey unfolds the brokenness in her own life, reminding us that a holy, sovereign God lovingly works, not in spite of our past, but through it. In this book, Kasey invites you to look at the most unlikely, shocking, and painful experiences of your past in order to embrace them as the necessary setup for your future. No experience or relationship has been a mistake. You are no mere byproduct of random events, and you do not need a do-over! Join Kasey, and take God up on his offer to weave together every confusing, disjointed scrap of your past in to his beautiful story of redemption.
Finally: an introduction that captures the excitement of the early Christians, helping today's readers to think like a first-century believer while reading the text responsibly for today.
The New Testament in Its World is your passageway from the twenty-first century to the era of Jesus and the first Christians. A highly-readable, one-volume introduction placing the entire New Testament and early Christianity in its original context, it is the only such work by distinguished scholar and author N. T. (Tom) Wright.
An ideal guide for students, The New Testament in Its World addresses the many difficult questions faced by those studying early Christianity. Both large and small, these questions include:
What is the purpose of the New Testament?
What was the first-century understanding of the kingdom?
What is the real meaning of the resurrection in its original context?
What really were the Gospels?
Who was Paul and why are his letters so controversial?
As twenty-first-century people, how do we recover the excitement of what it was like to live as Christians in the first or second centuries?
In short, The New Testament in Its World brings together decades of ground-breaking research, writing, and teaching into one volume that will open readers' eyes to the larger world of the New Testament. It presents the New Testament books as historical, literary, and social phenomena located in the world of Second Temple Judaism, amidst Greco-Roman politics and culture, and within early Christianity.
Written for both classroom and personal use, the benefits of The New Testament in Its World include:
A distillation of the life work of N. T. Wright on the New Testament with input from Michael Bird
Historical context that situates Jesus and the early church within the history, culture, and religion of Second Temple Judaism and the Greco-Roman world
Major sections on the historical Jesus, the resurrection of Jesus, and Paul's chronology and theology
Surveys of each New Testament book that discuss their significance, critical topics like authorship and date, and that provide commentary on contents along with implications for the Christian life
Up-to-date discussions of textual criticism and the canonization of the New Testament
A concluding chapter dedicated to living the story of the New Testament
Available Video and Workbook companion resources to enhance learning and experience the world of the New Testament
Illustrated with visually rich pictures, maps, charts, diagrams, and artwork; plentiful sidebars provide additional explanations and insights
