I finished reading eleven books in the month of April, including the delightful first installment of The Penderwick series, by Jeanne Birdsall.

Our family did a good bit of traveling this month, so the majority of these titles were ones I listened to on Audible — which is one of my favorite ways to multi-task. I listen while driving, crafting, folding laundry, etc.

Want to try it for yourself? If you aren’t already an Audible member, you can use this referral link for a free 30-day trial. In the meantime, read on for my impressions of all my most recent reads (and listens)!

11 Books I read in April

The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli

A friend of mine gave our family a copy of The Door in the Wall for Christmas, but I didn’t finish reading it aloud to my homeschoolers until April. Set in the Middle Ages, it tells the story of a young boy who is struck ill and consequently loses the use of his legs.

Through his many trials, the main character remains hopeful and willing to adapt. He rejects self-pity in favor of grit. Rather than focusing on all the things he can no longer do, he applies himself to learning new skills he can develop despite his need for crutches.

As his mind and body grow stronger, he finds himself in a position to help his countrymen in their darkest hour in a way few boys his age would dare attempt, lame or not. His story is both heartwarming and inspiring.

The Cancer Industry by Mark Sloan

After reading Cancer: The Metabolic Disease Unravelled back in February, I decided to read another two more books by the same author, beginning with The Cancer Industry.

This book makes a lot of scary claims, which it backs up with scientific studies, though most of them are decades old and may be outdated. I’m glad I did not read The Cancer Industry before having surgery to remove my breast tumor, or it might have frightened me out of what I truly believe was, for me, the right decision.

Likewise, I would hesitate to recommend this book to anybody who has already undergone radiation or chemo, as reading it might cause undue stress and anxiety over decisions that cannot be undone.

Red Light Therapy by Mark Sloan

Mark Sloan’s Red Light Therapy another book I listened to on Audible last month. It provides a nice overview of clinical studies and other research done to examine the effectiveness of red and near-infrared light on belly fat, wound repair, acne, bone density, cancer, and a host of other problems and conditions.

I kept seeing ads for Lumebox several years back when every other social media influencer seemed to be hyping red light therapy. I waited for it to go on sale (50% off) then invested in one myself, which I’ve used intermittently on ailments such as back pain and eczema, but this book really opened my eyes to a lot of benefits I’ve been missing by not using it more regularly–and made me resolve to change that fact!

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

My daughter read the first book in the Penderwick Series aloud to me–partly for school, but mostly for pleasure.

Subtitled A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy, this endearing story follows a widower and his four young daughters as they go on vacation, meet up with some very interesting people, and have more than their fair share of adventures (and misadventures).

If you enjoyed Little Women, you will likely love The Penderwicks, as well.

Uglies by Scott Westerfield

When I spotted Uglies in the Audible catalog, I recalled my daughter reading and telling me about the book several years ago, so I decided to check it out myself.

Tally is counting the days until her 16th birthday when she will finally get the long-awaited, appearance-transforming operation that will allow her to move from Uglyville to New Pretty Town. But after one of her friends runs away the night before both girls turned 16, the authorities refuse to make Tally pretty until she tracks down the fugitive and turns her in.

Tally agrees, but the assignment changes her in unexpected ways. What’s more, she starts to suspect the surgery not only alters teens’ bodies, but also their brains. She doesn’t like that idea, but is she willing to live with the alternative–remaining ugly forever?

Pretties by Scott Westerfield

Pretties, the second of Scott Westerfield’s four-book Uglies series, picks up shortly after the first book ended, with Tally having undergone plastic surgery and now living in New Pretty Town. She seems glad to be back with her old friends, but can’t shake the feeling somebody is watching her… or that she’s forgetting something.

I didn’t like this installment as well as the first. Uglies felt like an indictment against purely superficial standards of beauty, whereas Pretties also takes aim at faith systems, using broad strokes to paint all religious beliefs as backwards. And Tally cohabits with a friend of the opposite sex in New Pretty Town, as well. There is no direct mention of anything beyond kissing, but it made clear that the two share a bed.

The Greatest Sentence Ever Written by Walter Isaacson

Since America will soon celebrate her 250th birthday, this seemed a fitting time to read Walter Isaacson’s The Greatest Sentence Ever Written. It’s short (a mere 80 pages or 88 minutes on Audible) but powerful, just like the statement to which the title refers: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” Isaacson dissects this sentence word-by-word, noting the various editorial changes imposed upon Thomas Jefferson’s original statement before it was unanimously adopted by the second Continental Congress.

Taking God at His Word by Kevin DeYoung

Kevin DeYoung’s Taking God at His Word made it onto our family reading club list this year, and it coincided nicely with sermons my husband and I enjoyed at both of the churches we attend on Sundays.

DeYoung systematically examines what the Bible says about itself, how Jesus viewed the Holy Scriptures, and evidences we have that God’s Word is knowable, necessary, and sufficient for doctrine, for reproof, and for training in righteousness.

This slim, easy-to-read volume is perfect for Christians and non-Christians alike who want to know more about the Bible and why we can confidently trust what we read inside its covers.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

After learning that my daughter-in-law finished 15 Agatha Christie mysteries in three months this year, I asked her to recommend one for me, a complete newbie, to begin with. She told me to try The Murder of Roger Ackroyd .

I was in no way disappointed. The plot kept me guessing all the way to the end of the book. Just when I thought I’d solved the case, new evidence would come to light that seemed to implicate somebody else entirely. So many characters had a plausible motive!

I’m not sure I’ll ever catch up to my daughter-in-law, but this will likely not be the last Agatha Christie novel I read!

Tactics by Greg Koukl

My husband and I listened to Greg Koukl’s excellent book, Tactics, on our way to and from Louisiana last month. In it, the author shares practical strategies for discussing your Christian convictions with people who do not share them.

He provides a roadmap for doing this in a naturally amicable and gracious way by asking lots of questions to clarify points of disagreement.

He advises readers not to become flustered or defensive. Our goal should be to “put a stone” in the other person’s shoe, meaning to give him something solid to think about. If anyone storms away from the conversation angry, Koukl says, you lose.

When Culture Hates You by Natasha Crain

While we were in New Orleans last month, I stayed busy while Doug was in class by crocheting this sweater and listening to Natasha Crain’s When Culture Hates You on Audible. ←that’s an aff. link for free 30-day trial

Crain begins by explaining the scriptural basis for why culture is at odds with Christians, then examines half a dozen particularly divisive topics that you’ll likely encounter in the public square (and, sadly, even in the congregations of some churches).

She provides a solidly biblical response to each of these issues and encourages readers to continue boldly and faithfully engaging unbelievers with truth spoken in love. An excellent read (or listen)!

Do you love to read as much as we do? I’ve gathered all my best resources for bibliophiles onto this page, or you can read more of my book reviews by following this link .

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