Name: ICHE Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-06-05T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-06-07T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Bourbonnais, IL

Tagged: books for mom, leisure books for mom, leisure reading books for mom, Leisure reading for mom

This topic has 14 replies, 13 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 8 months ago by April.

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)

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August 28, 2016 at 12:56 am
Amber
Participant
I need to read something great for myself. Not a mom how to book but a great literary piece of work to enjoy. A few books I remember loving: Where the Red Fern Grows, Pride & Prejudice, To Kill a Mockingbird.
I was thinking of trying a Nicholas Sparks book. Is he good? Any other suggestions?
August 28, 2016 at 5:19 am
Tristan
Participant
The Giver
Little Women
Anne of Green Gables
Emma
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom (This is actually my favorite book ever beyond scripture.)
August 28, 2016 at 5:49 am
Karen
Participant
I think I’ve read two Nicholas Sparks books in my life. If I remember correctly, they are good stories, but rather descriptive of love/romance scenes. I can’t remember how much cursing there was in his books. I do remember that I cried so much I had a headache the next day. Definitely tear- jerkers.
My favorite for-fun reading has been Eat Cake by Jeanne Ray, Zorro by Isabel Allende, the Knights of Arrethtrae series (young adult books).
If I want candy-type books, I reach for a Dee Henderson or Mindy Starns Clark (tho I think she’s a bit less twaddly than Henderson), or a John Grisham or David Baldacci book.
Right now I’m enjoying Mr. Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson.
August 28, 2016 at 7:30 am
AFthfulJrney
Participant
The Awakening of Miss Prim by Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera
I’ve also enjoyed books by Lynn Austin, Francine Rivers, and Sarah Sudin. They all write mostly Historical Fiction.
August 28, 2016 at 1:20 pm
LeAnn
Participant
I’ve been trying to read some of the classics I somehow missed! I recently read 1984, which was sobering but certainly worth reading! I just started the audiobook of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which is just beautiful. I recently finished the Narrative of an American Slave by Fredrick Douglass. I am also reading The Screwtape Letters, which is great (another difficult but worthy read!).
August 28, 2016 at 6:10 pm
Cynthia
Participant
I love Defending Jacob by William Landay. It is pretty serious (crime, courtroom drama), but so interesting! Couldn’t put it down.
August 28, 2016 at 8:22 pm
Amber
Participant
I have read The Giver. That would be worth another reading. I started The Awakening of Miss Prim last night. I think I will read Uncle Tom’s Cabin, also. I started that one but never finished it.
August 28, 2016 at 8:41 pm
Karen
Participant
I just remembered – I read a thrilling, couldn’t-put-it-down non-fiction book recently. The title was The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson.
It was so interesting and really made connections between the Chicago World’s Fair and a particular crime and Edison, other inventions, etc. I have the rest of Erik Larson’s book on my “To Read” list.
August 29, 2016 at 1:01 am
missceegee
Participant
The Help was quite good. Author escapes me right now. It was easy to read, but quite insightful.
My all time favorites:
Ishmael and Self Raised by E. D. E. N. Southworth
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

August 29, 2016 at 6:22 am
Brianna
Participant
I really enjoy non-fiction essay forms, especially Wendell Berry and Gene Logsdon. They truly tie our responsibilities of conservation and ecological farming to the spiritual (Berry is a pastor in Kentucky). I also enjoy Barbara Kingsolver (Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is a good one to start with) to broaden my perspective.
Does anybody utilize Goodreads?
August 29, 2016 at 6:33 am
Melanie32
Participant
Have you read the Mitford series by Jan Karon? They are wonderful!
I am finally getting around to reading some of the Miss Read books and I am enjoying them very much.
I love Pride and Prejudice as well and have also enjoyed Emma and Sense & Sensibility by Austen.
Jane Eyre is another favorite of mine.
Anne of Green Gables is one of my all time favorites so lately I have been working my way through Montgomery’s other novels on my kindle. While none of them compare to Anne IMO, I do love her style of writing and find myself wanting more every time I finish one of her books.
I also really like Janette Oke, Beverly Lewis, and Francine Rivers for some more modern writers of Christian fiction type books. Janette Oke is one of my go tos when I just want comfort reading. I’ve read her books over and over through the years.

August 29, 2016 at 7:24 pm
Ruralmama
Participant
I sometimes have trouble getting through Dickens but even I read quickly through David Copperfield and Oliver Twist. The books are a lot more Christian and redeeming than any of the movies. For a peaceful light Christian read try Rose Among the Thistles or Lady with the Sun lamp by Jean A Rees. They are out of print but amazon or Abe books has them. They are Godly, peaceful and funny.
August 29, 2016 at 10:02 pm
sheraz
Participant
Recently really enjoyed A Tale of Two Cities by Dickens, which surprised me since I didn’t think I was all that crazy about Dickens. Now I want to read more of his works and see if I appreciate him now that I am not in high school. LOL
Laddie by Stratton Porter. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was completely delightful on so many levels for me.
If you like mysteries, I enjoyed Josephine Tey’s book Daughter of Time. Don’t forget Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers.
Inspirational fiction:
The O’Malley Series by Dee Henderson (a few others, like Danger in the Shadows)
Jan Karon’s Mitford books are great.
For historical fiction series (both are Christian authors):
Prelude to Glory by Ron Carter – Revolutionary War
The Zion Chronicles by Brock and Bodie Thoene – WWII
I also enjoyed reading the book called How the Heather Looks, a book about a family as they tracked down the places written about in books by Kenneth Grahame, Beatrix Potter, A.A. Milne, and others. Just fun to read and imagine.

August 30, 2016 at 9:29 pm
totheskydear
Participant
Little Women
Anne of Green Gables
August 30, 2016 at 9:55 pm
April
Participant
I second Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I actually enjoyed all her books and highly recommend them.
No Compromise: The Life Story of Keith Green is a powerful book that may not be a literary work, but a must read in my opinion.
The Small Woman by Alan Burgess
Zion Covenant series and Zion Chronicles series by Brock and Bodie Thoene are such wonderful living history books.
The Veil by Diane Noble
Silent Tears by Kay Bratt
Daughter of China, Across the China Sky, I’ll Cross the River by C. Hope Flinchbaugh are wonderful books.
All these books have been page turners that I can’t put down. Hope you find some great reading ideas.
Happy reading!