Dear Henry, Love Edith (& More February Reads)

I read five books last month, including Dear Henry, Love Edith by Becca Kinzer. Read on for my impressions of each book.

The 5 Books I Finished in February

• How to Get a Date Worth Keeping by Henry Cloud

  I often hear from singles asking for book recommendations on dating and marriage, so I’ve added a few to my reading list trying to find some titles worth passing on. Sadly, the one I read most recently probably won’t make that list — at least not without a huge caveat.

  In his 2011 best-seller, How to Get a Date Worth Keeping, Henry Cloud offers advice on improving faltering or non-existent dating lives. Written primarily for adults, many of his tips are practical and filled with good common sense; change your routine, go places you’ll meet lots of new people, make eye contact, be yourself, don’t play games. I found myself nodding along with much of what he wrote.

  However, I strongly disagreed with some of his other advice, including his stance on going out with non-Christians and dating multiple people at the same time, both which he views as no big deal. Granted, the author’s view of dating is different than mine: He views dating not so much as a method for finding a suitable marriage partner as a fun way to get to know a wide variety of people. And he provides a lot of qualifications for when it isn’t a good idea to date a non-Christian.

  But having seen many friends who took the just-for-fun approach to dating wind up falling for and marrying nonbelievers, and the heartache that inevitably ensued as a result, I would advise any serious Christian to steer clear of such a path by not even accepting a date with a professed unbeliever.

• Real Citizenship by Tim Echols

  We read a hard copy of Tim Echol’s Real Citizenship aloud on our way to Austin last month. It was part of the assigned homework Gabriel and Aiden had to do in preparation for TeenPact. We’ve been reading this same tattered copy of the book for years, every time another child is old enough to attend this 4-day government practicum in our state capital.

  Real Citizenship is a great little handbook. It’s a quick read, but full of solid advice for Christians wanting to be more involved in the political process and to make a positive impact on their culture.

  Sadly, I don’t think any paper copies of the book are currently in print, which is why I’m linking this title to the digital copy which is now available through the TeenPact website. 🇺🇸
  
  
  

• Dear Henry, Love Edith by Becca Kinzer

  I listened to Dear Henry, Love Edith by Becca Kinzer on Audible during a recent trip to San Antonio.

  After reading the first couple of chapters as part of a points promotion at My Reader Rewards, I was instantly hooked. And this, despite the fact it has been decades since I’ve read anything that could be even remotely classified as a romantic comedy.

  Billed as a tale of mistaken identities reminiscent of You’ve Got Mail, Kinzer’s debut novel certainly delivers lots of laughs. My 13-year-old daughter and I listened to it together while working a jigsaw puzzle.

  The book is delightfully clean — nothing physical beyond a couple of kisses — and is well-paced. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

• My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman

  I started this book before we moved last year.

  Then it got temporarily misplaced somewhere in the shuffle. But I’m happy to report that the book (eventually) resurfaced, and I was finally able to finish it a few weeks ago.

  My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry is a touching story describing the great lengths to which an extraordinarily unconventional grandmother goes to protect her precocious but frequently-bullied granddaughter. And while she’s at it, she fans the flame of her granddaughter’s giftedness, stores up a wealth of happy memories they’ll both always cherish, and introduces her to friends who will watch over her faithfully once grandma is gone.

  This slowly unfolding mystery contains quite a bit of mild language — some of it more offensive in Britain than America — but is otherwise an enjoyable read.

• Becoming Free Indeed by Jinger Duggar

  The final book I finished in February was Becoming Free Indeed by Jinger Duggar Vuolo.

  In it, the author re-examines many of the beliefs and practices she has embraced since childhood. She does so in an effort to disentangle man-made rules from biblical truth.

  I have a lot of thoughts about this book — too many to share this brief synopsis. If you’re interested in reading them, follow this link: On Becoming Free Indeed​

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

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