You Bet Your Stretch Marks (& More August Reads)
I finished seven books in the month of August. That includes an advanced-reader copy of Abbie Halberstadt’s new book, You Bet Your Stretch Marks, which I had the privilege of discussing with the author last week on her podcast. If you’re interested in listening in on that conversation, you can watch it here or tune in on your favorite podcasts:
Meanwhile, scroll down for my impressions of this book and all the others I read last month (arranged in the order I finished the books).
7 Books I Read in August:
Family Unfriendly by Timothy Carney
Written by a Catholic father of six, Family Unfriendly describes the myriad ways our culture has made raising kids harder than it has to be (hence, the subtitle of his book). It offers lots of good food for thought, and I found myself nodding in agreement to many – though not all – of his observations and suggested solutions.
As birth rates around the globe continue to plummet, many countries are trying to encourage their citizens to procreate in every way they know how– including cash incentives, tax breaks, government-funded maternity and paternity leave, subsidized childcare, etc. But despite their best efforts, such measures have failed to make a significant difference. This author explains why.
Big Dumb Eyes by Nate Bargatze
My son Samuel introduced me to the hilarious humor of Nate Bargatze. He’s famous for playing a dead-pan George Washington on Saturday Night Live. But we’ve all laughed until our sides ached at Nate’s stand-up comedy.
So when I noticed he’s written a book called Big Dumb Eyes, I bought it without reservation.
The book is filled with the same clean humor that makes this man’s comedy so family-friendly and personally-appealing. But he shares several serious stories in the book, as well, which I really enjoyed reading and provided insight as to how he got where he is today.
If you’ve never before heard of Nate Bargatze, look him up on YouTube. And if you find him as funny as we do, you may want to get his book, as well.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
A middle-school science teacher awakes from a coma to find himself stranded alone in deep space on a mission to save Earth… but with no immediate recollection of how he got there.
Our family first heard of Project Hail Mary when we saw a trailer for a sci-fi movie starring Ryan Gosling (release date: March 20, 2026), and we wanted to read the book before watching the film….We downloaded the audiobook before a recent roadtrip, but Andy Weir’s storyline is so compelling and Ray Porter’s narration so captivating that we tuned in every chance we got and finished the 16-hour listen long before it came time to drive home.
By the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder
It was such fun to re-read By the Shores of Silver Lake after having visited the Ingall’s homestead in DeSmet, SD, in person a couple of years ago. Every time Laura described the buildings and floor plans and furniture, I could picture it exactly, having seen so much of it myself.
My daughter and I read this book together over the summer. We somehow skipped it when reading straight through the series, but circled back to pick it up once we realized our mistake.
The book covers the period of time Pa Ingall’s was working for the railroad and searching for a suitable homestead where he could settle and raise his family near enough to a town where the girls could attend school, just as he had promised his wife, Caroline, they would do.
You Bet Your Stretch Marks by Abbie Halberstadt
I think Abbie Halberstadt’s You Bet Your Stretch Marks is her best book yet — well deserving of the bestselling status it has already achieved! 🐅
Every chapter is jam-packed with life-giving, soul-nourishing, biblically sound wisdom and encouragement for bone-weary mamas who find themselves wondering whether they’ll ever see any fruit from their parenting efforts. Is the all the hard work and personal sacrifice really worth it?
The title of this book is Abbie’s resounding answer, backed by tons of scripture and underscored by testimonies from more than a dozen faithful, older moms whose own experience likewise bears out the truth of that claim.
Zoobreak by Gordon Korman
The gang of middle school friends are at it again, trying to rescue a kidnapped monkey from a floating zoo run by a callous, negligent, and money-hungry businessman. They break onto the boat after hours to reclaim the beloved family pet.
But when they see the condition of the other animals being held in the adjacent cages, they decide to free and re-home them all. Will “the man with the plan” be able to pull this heist off? Can they take care of the rescued animals until a legitimate zoo can take over their care? Will their parents discover what they’ve been up to and put their foot down?
Discover the answer to all these questions and more in Zoobreak, Book 2 in Gordon Korman’s Swindle Mystery Series.
The Complete Guide to Fasting by Jason Fung, MD
The Complete Guide to Fasting showed up in my recommended reading list from Audible, probably because my initial response to last year’s cancer diagnosis was to begin an extended fast (coupled with lots of prayer). Since that time, I’ve read more and more research that points to fasting as a way to treat/ reverse a whole host of diseases.
The author of this book reports on many case studies and clinical trials that highlight the effectiveness of using controlled fasts as a way to combat obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other maladies common to people who consume a standard American diet. A very enlightening and informative read!
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