Summer would not be summer without a copious amount of reading time: from lazily extending morning coffee by reading a few more pages, to snatching a few minutes outside on a sunny afternoon, or extravagantly staying up all night to finish a particularly good novel. This summer, I’ve been taking part in a Book Bingo, set up by the Woman Alive Facebook group. It is a great way of finding out about different books to add to the tbr pile, with a variety of recommendations from others taking part. I’ve just completed a row, so here’s my round-up of those five books, with reviews of my other summer reads to follow soon!

1. A Book about a Hobby: One More Croissant for the Road, by Felicity Cloak.

Food writer Felicity Cloak’s funny, fast-paced, food-focused tale of her bike ride through France reminded me how much I love both cycling and Europe. This book inspired me to do more of what I love when I can – even if that’s only a quick bike ride with the children or a coffee and a croissant on my way to work. Cloak also reminded me how much I enjoy a good bit of armchair travel and left me hungry for more, if you’ll pardon the pun.

2. A Book about Faith: The Irresistable Revolution, by Shane Claiborne (a re-read)

I first read this years ago as a young, idealistic university student and it was pretty formative. Reading it now, in my thirties, was both intensely challenging and also uplifting. Claiborne describes how he increasingly began to question the expressions of Christianity he grew up with in middle class, Conservative Tenessee. The Christian culture that Claiborne saw around him was commercialised, patriotic, judgemental, insular and wealthy. The Jesus he saw in the Bible led a sacrificial, humble, loving life and called others to do the same. Claiborne felt that something was missing from the Church: Jesus. Claiborne began to search for him, and this took him not only to Bible college, but also to befriending and advocating for the poor and homeless in Philadelphia; to then setting up a community in the poorest part of Philly; to spending time with sick and dying people, meeting Mother Teresa and staying in a leper community in India; to going to Iraq whilst his own country was bombing there; to campaigning against execution in the US, and to other places and people, too. This book is political and ideological and passionate, but it is also full of stories that are relational, joyful and hope-filled. It encouraged me to re-think pretty much EVERYTHING. Claiborne’s community is called The Simple Way, and as he explains, the way of Jesus is not always easy, but it is simple. We simply, relentlessly, bravely, and often sacrificially, keep choosing peace, grace and most of all love in every circumstance. Claiborne recalls the words of Dr King – “where are the extremists for love and grace?” – and also those of Mother Teresa “we cannot all do great things, only small things with great love”. This book will challenge your thoughts on everything, including church, money, community, war and justice, but more than that it presents you with a way of life that is full of unlikely but beautiful friendships, meaningful activism, supportive community, humour, celebration and most of all love.

3. A Book with Reflection Questions at the end of each chapter: The Way of Abundance by Ann Voskamp

Where do I start with this book? With her usual blend of raw honesty, poetic word play and depth of insight, Ann Voskamp explores what it means to live a life that is broken and given. She gently challenges us to find the true abundance of God in the places of pain and sacrifice. I was so glad I was reading this, especially in the times when I had to dig deep to offer love. I am a fan of Kindle’s highlighting function, and used it often with this book: so many profundities to allow to sink in to my heart, so that I could live with more heart. What was unusual was to find myself highlighting so many of the reflection questions. Voskamp writes these so well; they are often extra insights in themselves and they not only provoke thought but also inspire action and change.

4. A Book about a Journey: Walking Back to Happiness, by Penelope Swithinbank

Another tale of a trip through France, this one told by Penelope Swithinbank, who walked from coast to coast with her husband. Having been through a tough few years – the loss of parents, leaving a job, marriage difficulties – the Swithinbanks’ story is a tender, very human one of refinding each other and their own strength. Penelope’s Christian faith is a central part of her journey and, as I read, it felt companiable to be alongside another Christian figuring things out and finding hope and strength in God.

5. A Debut Novel: Cuckoo in the Nest, by Fran Hill

I read this in one sitting. From the outset, I was rooting for teenage Jackie, who moves in with a foster family, who have the best intentions but also a considerable amount of their own chaos. Jackie is a great protaganist: funny, kind, tough and resilient. I liked how the characters all had their own struggles, flaws and positive qualities. It was reassuring to read about a family who can sometimes get things rather wrong, and who sometimes let each other down and get in a mess. I loved how, despite their chaos, their story was full of warmth, hope and heart.

What have you been reading?