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The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunsvold

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In my last post, I shared my five-star reads from 2023 and concluded with choosing The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunsvold as my favorite book of 2023.  In today's post, I'd like to share the reasons why I loved that book most of all.  Let me start by giving you an idea about the story.  First, I would classify this story as Contemporary Women's Fiction. The main characters are Clara Kip, an elderly woman who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and is given only a short time left to live and Aidyn Kelley, a young newspaper reporter who seeks more job responsibility but ends up being tasked with writing an obituary for Mrs. Kip instead. From page one, the faith element in this story is strong, unashamed, and bold. Mrs. Kip might be dying, but she's not done ministering to those whom God places in her path. Aidyn becomes one of those people who is changed just by getting to know Mrs. Kip. Throughout the story we're also given flashback glimpses int
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My 2023 5-Star Reads

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It’s time to start talking about BOOKS!📚🤍 I’m trying to plan out a posting schedule for this blog. I’ll get there eventually, maybe. But in the meantime, I think I’ll just start with a quick post sharing the titles of my 2023 Christian Fiction 5-star reads! What does it take to get a 5 star rating from me? Well, I have to have absolutely loved the story. It’s excellent, IMO. It’s also a book I will definitely reread someday. And because of this book, I want to read more of the author’s work. Regarding Christian Fiction, there’s no unsound doctrine that isn’t corrected as an untruth within the story. If you want to know the rest of my rating system, go HERE .  To be clear, I won't be adding many of these books to my church’s library (for a variety of reasons), but they are all Christian-made fiction books I love.  And now, without further ado, here’s my list of 5-star reads from last year in the order I finished them.  *Blind Trust (The SNAP Agency #3) by Natalie Walters Paper Hea
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Equipped for the job

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Today, I'd like to share a few of the ways I see, looking back over the past several years, how God has prepared and equipped me to take on this role as church librarian.  First, I'm a Christian. Jesus is my Savior; I can't imagine living this life without Him. And I'm a church member in good standing, which is necessary when taking on any ministry leadership role at our church. Second, I'm a reader. Some might even call me an avid reader. I love a good story! A large percentage of what I read is Christian published and/or Christian-made fiction. (I do read Christian nonfiction too.) Reading as much as I do will definitely help me find the best books for our church! Third, I'm a homeschool mama. With my youngest in high school, I'm nearing the end of my homeschool career, but I've homeschooled my sons from the start (almost 20 years now). Most years, our curriculum of choice for history, reading, literataure, and Bible has been Sonlight, which is a liter
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On Curating a Church Library

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As I'm just getting started as librarian for my church, I've been contemplating what exactly it is I will be doing.  Besides the weekly tasks of reshelving returned books and collecting the library cards for checked out items (our church library is open pretty much any time the church is open), I'm also expected to choose which books to add to our library collection.  As Church Librarian, I will be the primary curator of materials for the edification of our congregation. In regards to our fiction collection, I will be a "Story Steward." (I love this term which I heard a couple years ago on an episode of the Fantastical Truth podcast). Careful curation for our collection is necessary. A church library is not a replacement for the local public library system. There is a wonderful selection of both Christian books and classics available there.  Here is my current list of criteria questions I will use to determine whether to consider adding an item to our church libra
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New Year, New Blog!

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A new year (almost) and a new "job" for me!  Beginning in January 2024, I will be the new volunteer librarian for my smalltown church. We have a well-curated selection of both nonfiction and fiction books for adults and children. I already have plans for adding more quality Christian fiction--especially for our teen and juvenile readers because those sections are in need of some updating.  I have been thinking about starting a book blog for a while, and this new position is the excuse I needed to actually start it up. I've already been "bookstagramming" on Instagram for 4 years (my handle is @mrs_booklove) where I've shared reviews and pretty pics of the books I love and/or have been reading.  This blog will specifically be focused on the quality Christian fiction and nonfiction books that our church library has as well as others that I recommend but, for one reason or another, won't make the cut to be added there. So welcome to my new blog! Happy readin
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