Recap Book Chat

‘The Brick’ is finally finished! Kate and Sheila discuss Les Miserables in its entirety… (spoiler alerts galore-avoid if  surprises you adore) …it has taken us a bit, but so totally worth it! Victor Hugo shows readers that, “Heroes come in all shapes” from the unbelievable bravery of young Gavroche to the mysterious motives of the misunderstood Jean Valjean.  Hugo can bloviate like no other author...

In this conversation, we delve into Brant Hansen's book 'Unoffendable', exploring themes of anger, forgiveness, humility, and the importance of love in personal growth and relationships. Mom and I share personal reflections and key takeaways from the book, emphasizing the need to practice an unoffendable mindset in everyday life. The discussion also touches on cultural Christianity and the call to...

Andy Crouch gives readers a plethora of ways to put technology in its proper place in his book, The Tech-Wise Family. "To be a child, teenager, or young adult these days is to navigate a minefield of potentially life-altering choices." His daughter wrote in the forward explaining "...the best part of tech-wise parenting is focusing on something older and better than the newest thing. The key word...

Greetings dear reader! Please join us as we recap Leviticus and Numbers a.k.a. In the Wilderness (in Hebrew). The focus is God’s holiness and His desire for His people to be holy. It’s a bumpy road but we see the steadfast love of God through it all. Leviticus is mostly God talking to Moses. Lev. 11:44 -  “Be holy, for I am holy.” Sin is costly. We have many lessons and blessings in these books. A...

Join Kate and Sheila as they dive into the book of Exodus! God rescues His people from Egyptian bondage through 10 plagues defacing things the people of Egypt worshipped. Things get worse before they get better, as Pharaoh keeps saying no to letting God's people go.  In this riveting book we meet Moses and follow him from the palace for 40 years, to desert for 40 years, where he encounters God who...

What an amazing journey from dysfunction to dynamic! Join Kate and Sheila as the recap  Here Be Dragons (Treading the Deep Waters of Motherhood, Mean Girls, and Generational Trauma) by Melanie Shankle! There are SO many quotes! Here’s a sampling: “Sometimes the best teacher is the consequence of bad decisions.” “You can’t lead someone to a place that’s beyond where you’ve been able to go yourself....

Greetings Readers! Join Kate and Sheila as they share time-tested, foolproof reading practices! Marcel Proust penned, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” Lets endeavor to have “new eyes” as we discover how we can up our reading game. True reading is active, we are conversing with the author, asking questions, and making meaning. This acros...

Today, April 15, takes us back to 1912, when the ‘unsinkable’ Titanic met its match and sank with only 705 souls surviving. Join Kate and Sheila as they recap Jennifer A. Nielsen’s gripping tale, Iceberg, told from the viewpoint of 12 year old Hazel who is forced to become a stowaway because she doesn’t have enough money to buy a ticket. One word describing Hazel would be curious. A wise passenger...

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” This verse is not only on a  necklace but its meaning is woven throughout Charles Martin’s heartwarming novel, When Crickets Cry . God crosses two paths, Reese, the former heart surgeon, who is hiding from his painful past and seven year old Annie who is selling lemonade and giving away sunshine and smiles. She has a failing hea...

Please join Kate and Sheila as they discuss parts 2 & 3 of Victor Hugo’s unforgettable tale of woe, Les Misérables. Today we meet the young girl, Cosette, who was left with the cruel innkeepers. The Thenardiers have taken money from Cosette’s young mother under false pretenses. They make Cosette work tirelessly, and use money sent from her mother for themselves.  Jean Valjean is at last free t...

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...