Recap Book Chat

Rock Paper Scissors is a mystery with a thriller twist by Alice Feeney, whose trademark as a writer might be having untrustworthy narrators tell the tale. Readers meet Adam Wright, a playwright who suffers from face blindness, and his wife, Amelia, who won a trip from work to a getaway in Scotland. The accommodations are far from five star! Creepy, dark, and cold describes the out of the way locat...

Joyous Leadership is an authentic, memorable, life changing read. It is chalked full of nuggets, insight and wisdom that will help you live your best life. In this episode we were able to interview author John Mark Watson. He was as delightful and engaging to talk to as his book was to read.   In this conversation, Mark Watson discusses his journey of writing 'Joyous Leadership,' inspired by the c...

Kate and Sheila introduce part 1 of  Les Misérables a.k.a. ‘The Brick’ by Victor Hugo. These episodes are dedicated to our dear friend, Matt Green, who passed from this life in 2024. His love for this story inspired us to tackle the Brick, thank you Matt! The Bishop is the first character we meet. He inspired us greatly with words such as… “I was not put in this world to protect lives but to save...

Please join us as we recap Joe Beam’s book, Seeing the Unseen (Preparing Yourself for Spiritual Warfare). The dedication reads, “For my wife, Alice, If it had not been for her unquenchable love, I surely would have lost my spiritual war.” Satan’s strategies haven’t changed because they are still effective. First, he distorts the truth, next comes a hardening of the heart, then sensitivity is lost...

Please join Kate and Sheila as they recap the second book in their chronological reading of the Bible this year. Genesis is such an amazing book, keeping readers in awe of God from creation to Joseph in Egypt!  God has a plan, yet when man loses focus and strays (as we tend to do) God is not derailed. He is patient, loving, just and forgiving throughout the valleys and mountaintops of faithlessnes...

Do you and your kids enjoy WW 2 books? If so, you are in luck! Join us as we discuss The Bicycle Spy by Yona Zekdus McDonough with our special guest!  The opening line draws the reader in…“A gust of wind cut across Marcel’s face as he cycled furiously down the street.” Twelve year old Marcel dreams of someday competing in the Tour de France as he races through the streets of France making bread de...

“All of life is a battle against fear. We fight it on one front, and it sneaks around to our flank.” S.D. Smith’s book, The Green Ember, wonderfully weaves a tale of adventure, family, friendship, betrayal and conquering fear. We meet Picket Longtreader and his sister, Heather, as they are forced to go on the run after they return home to find it on fire and their parents and baby brother missing....

In this episode of the Recap Book Chat, Kate and Sheila dive into Rachel Norman's book 'If Mama Ain't Happy,' discussing the importance of self-care, setting boundaries, and the role of authenticity in relationships. They explore the difference between treating oneself and genuinely taking care of one's needs, emphasizing that self-care is essential for overall well-being. The conversation also to...

Kate recaps Rachel Norman’s book, If Mama Ain’t Happy which stresses the need we all have of setting healthy boundaries. Rachel’s wake up call came when her cancer doctor told her that she couldn’t keep doing what she was doing and survive. “Simplifying makes life less stressful.” Join us as Kate highlights some of the high points of this remarkable book that will benefit anyone trying to ‘white k...

Have you walked through the struggles in the book of Job? God describes Job as blameless, however his friends did not get the memo. In the midst of severe loss Job’s friends lambast him with all the wrongs they think he must have done to end up in the shape he’s in. (Note to self: Give grace instead of advice, everyone is struggling with something.)  As Kate mentioned, the friends waited in silenc...

In Episode 172, we learned the difference between IQ (Incorrect questions) such as “Why did he cut me off?”, and QBQ (Questions that are positive and productive) like, “What can I do to help you out ?”  QBQs focus on action. How can I improve myself? How can I provide value to you? Action requires courage; inaction is fueled by fear Action builds confidence; inaction builds doubt Action even when...

Happy New Year!!! May your reading continue to thrive in 2025!!! Join Kate and Sheila as they very carefully recap The Nature of Fragile Things  by Susan Meissner while striving to withhold all the plot twists and jaw droppers. This roller coaster of a read begins in 1906 just before the San Francisco earthquake. We meet a young mail order bride, Sophie. She is an Irish immigrant who answers an ad...

2024 Recap Book Chat Awards…Please join Kate and Sheila to see if you agree or disagree with their choices : ) Most Whimsical - ? Grittiest - ? Most Unique Format - ? Best Opening Line - ? Most Unpredictable - ? Most Intense - ? Most Impactful in Society - ? Most Creative - ? Best Leading Lady - ? Best Leading Man - ? Best Ending - ? Changed Our Lives - ? Stands the Test of Time - ? Overall Best B...

“Knowledge is something given bit by bit. In life, there are few things that must be done the first time around.” I’m so thankful for God’s grace! Let's join together and strive to learn and grow into the women that God designed us to be. We are all at different places on the road of life, some of us are on bumpy roads while some are smooth sailing and others experiencing dangerous hairpin curves!...

Episode 168 - A Christmas Carol What caused the miser, Scrooge, to choose his path? Was it his absence from home or his father’s wrath? He chose his master passion, Gain- over his intended, Belle,  She released him with a heart full of love for the man she once knew so well. He grew self-absorbed, uncaring, and oh so tight, He might never have changed without his visitors each night. The ghost of...

Please join Kate and Sheila as they continue discussing Created to Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl.  Part 2 recaps how God encompasses all the kinds of men mentioned in part 1:  Mr. Command, Mr. Visionary, and Mr. Steady. We learn that our reactions define us because they are not premeditated so they show what is in our hearts. Luke 6:45…out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  2 Cor.10...

Probably the most impactful and challenging book we’ve read besides the Bible, CREATED TO BE HIS HELP MEET by Debi Pearl takes us back to God’s Word for a closer look on women’s role. To say this book is countercultural is stating the obvious. Society tells us (Happy wife, happy life)  women are above men and deserve to be served, however that robs us of our true God-given role. “A good help meet...

This nonfiction account of our nation's 20th president will knock your socks off.  Destiny of the Republic, A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard gives readers an amazing glimpse into the past. We get a front seat to the election of a man who did not want to be president but was willing to get out of his comfort zone for the good of the country, appealing to...

Greetings dear listeners! Please join Kate & Sheila as they review some of their favorite books from A to Z! A-All the Light You Cannot See & A Tree Grows in Brooklyn B-Brothers Karamazov  C-Count of Monte Cristo D-David Copperfield & Dracula E-Everything Sad Is Untrue F-Forest of Vanishing Stars & Frozen River  G-God’s Smuggler & Giver of the Stars H-House Rules & Habits o...

In this episode we discuss the awesome book Living Fearless by Jamie Winship! We delve into the exploration of themes such as fear, truth, identity, and the importance of confession. We discuss how fear can hinder creativity and relationships, and the transformative power of honesty and seeking God. Here are some of the key takeaways we found in Jamie's book... Fear shuts down creativity and the r...

“Reading is the act of listening and speaking at the same time, with someone you’ve never met, but love…” Join Kate and Sheila as they embark on Daniel Nayeri’s tale of an unbelievable but true journey, in Everything Sad is Untrue. The story describes how Daniel’s mother and her children had to flee Iran after  converting to Christianity. The miraculous and harrowing road to freedom is beautifully...

What do journaling, camaraderie, resilience, bravery, faith in God, and a cowboy from Texas have in common? Bram Stoker cleverly brought them all together in his masterpiece, Dracula , published in 1897. He uses journals, letters, news clippings, captain’s log, and telegrams (epistolary format) which invites the reader to join the characters on their journey. We become vampire hunters along with:...

”Memory is a wicked thing that warps and twists. But paper and ink receive the truth without emotion, and they read it back without partiality.” Please join Kate and Sheila as they recap,  The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon.  Martha Ballard, a midwife in Hallowell, Maine in 1789, was thrown into a murder investigation when a body was found in the river. She was called to do an autopsy and later disc...

“It’s not how much you have, but what you do with it that counts.” “Every challenge is an opportunity for growth.” “We find what we are looking for, if we look hard enough.” “In the face of adversity, never give up.” There are a plethora of inspiring quotes like these from Wilson Rawls’,  Summer of the Monkeys ! Join 14 year old Jay Berry in the Ozark Mountains of Oklahoma as he and his faithful h...

This amazing story is told through the eyes of Reuben Land (aka Rube), the middle child in a motherless family living in the cold Midwest. He suffers greatly from asthma, adores his older brother, Davy (16 years old) and his younger sister, Swede (8+ she has a birthday– definitely one of the coolest siblings we’ve ever met from the pages of a book). Jeremiah Land is a father raising three kids on...