On Shabbos as I powered through a sweet middle-grade novel, I realized that I can basically divide my reading habits into weekday and Shabbos reading. Weekday reading is mostly non-fiction of the self-help variety, the kind that I skim, or dip into, think about, write about, sometimes blog about…while Shabbos reading is all about good stories that engage me for hours. It seems obvious to me now but it hadn’t been and I’d run into trouble in the past trying to do my weekday reading on Shabbos (probably from a halachic standpoint as well). Now that this is clear to me, I can more consciously prepare my Shabbos reading, while taking the pressure off myself to engage with my weekday reading the way I do my Shabbos reading, as I now recognize the difference.
This year (not a goal not a goal) I want to come into Shabbos prepared with a good story to read. A friend is inspiring me to do this, too — she recently shared that part of her Shabbos expenditures is to buy new books. Though I’m a library girl myself, I love the idea of preparing books to read over Shabbos. Will you join me?
If you like Nothing Else but Miracles, I suggest reading A Place to Hang the Moon (also by Kate Albus). I LOVED A Place to Hang the Moon and found it charming, quaint, and heart-warming. I waited with bated breath for her next book (Nothing Else but Miracles) to come out, and then it didn’t meet my (admittedly-quite-high) expectations. Oh well. 🙂
What else have you been reading on Shabbos? I’m always on the lookout for easy, enjoyable books.
Oh wow, I put A Place To Hang the Moon on hold at the library! I’m currently reading The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer (adult) – will let you know how it is!
Update: The Wishing Game was due at the library and I couldn’t renew it so I’ll have to pick it up again later!
I’d love to hear what you’ve picked up for “Shabbos reads” over the past few months. 🙂
I read A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus (but actually preferred Nothing Else But Miracles :-)), the five Penderwicks books (LOVED these, especially the first three), and a popular adult novel I hated so won’t even name lol. I’ve been averaging about a book a week. I have The Dragonfly Pool by Eva Ibbotson out of the library (because it was loved by Batty Penderwick, PLUS Ibbotson grew up in Vienna and I read a pile of her books before my trip so, warm fuzzies).
Thanks! Gonna check these out. Always looking for feel-good books. 🙂