Best Christian Writing – The Third Annual Karissa Reads Books Literary Awards

Hello and welcome back! Christian writing is a new category for the Karissa Reads Books Literary Awards and not one that everyone will be that interested in. It does, however, make up a not insignificant portion of my reading and it's one of the categories that I really did make an effort to continue to…

What I Read – June 2020

READ: Drifts - Kate Zambreno (Riverhead Books, 2020) On the Beach - Nevil Shute (Vintage Books, 2009) Uncommon Ground - Timothy Keller & John Inazu (Nelson Books, 2020) Becoming Mrs. Lewis - Patti Callahan (Thomas Nelson, 2018) The Doctor of Aleppo - Dan Mayland (Blackstone Publishing, 2020) Etched in My Memory - xwu'p'a'lich Barbara Higgins…

Book Review: Uncommon Ground ed. by Timothy Keller & John Inazu

Uncommon Ground - Timothy Keller & John Inazu (Thomas Nelson, 2020) Timothy Keller is probably my favourite living Christian theologian. I greatly appreciate his balanced and Biblical perspective on life in North America in the 21st century. So I was intrigued to learn about this latest book Uncommon Ground, a collection of essays he edited…

What I Read – May 2020

READ: They Said This Would Be Fun - Eternity Martis (McClelland & Stewart, 2020) The Penguin Book of Mermaids - edited by Cristina Bacchilega and Marie Alohalani Brown (Penguin Books, 2019) Behind the Scenes at the Museum - Kate Atkinson (Picador, 1995) Hold on to Your Kids - Gordon Neufeld & Gabor Mate (Vintage Canada,…

Book Review: Jesus the King by Timothy Keller

Jesus the King - Timothy Keller (Penguin Books, 2016) Timothy Keller is my favourite contemporary Christian writer. His exploration of the life of Jesus doesn't disappoint and even though it seems simple, Keller does an excellent job of looking at the story from multiple angles. Taking the Gospel of Mark, Keller examines who Jesus was.…

What I Read – June 2019

Read: Shut Up You're Pretty - Téa Mutonji (VS. Books, 2019) How She Read - Chantal Gibson (Caitlin Press, 2019) Original Prin - Randy Boyagoda (Biblioasis, 2018) Dissident Doctor - Michael C. Klein (Douglas & McIntyre, 2018) Positive Discipline - Jane Nelsen (Ballantine Books, 2006) Jesus the King - Timothy Keller (Penguin Books, 2016) Rue…

What I Read – May 2019

Read: Carry Me - Peter Behrens (Anansi, 2016) Boys: What It Means to Become a Man - Rachel Giese (Patrick Crean Editions, 2018) Crow - Amy Spurway (Goose Lane, 2019) Celebration of Discipline - Richard J. Foster (HarperOne, 2018) Chop Suey Nation - Ann Hui (Douglas & McIntyre, 2019) A Prayer Journal - Flannery O'Connor…

What I Read – November 2016

Station Eleven - Emily St. John Mandel (Harper Avenue, 2014) At the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness - Andrew Peterson (Water Brook Press, 2008) Swimming Lessons - Claire Fuller (House of Anansi Press, 2017) Prayer - Timothy Keller (Dutton, 2014) I Capture the Castle - Dodie Smith (Red Fox, 2001) A Grief Observed…

What I Read – October 2016

The Autumn season is prime book-reading time. The rainy and cold weather means I want to stay inside and read and there seem to be so many books to read. The autumn is when many new books are released (leading up to Christmas) and many of the major literary prize winners (and shortlists) are announced.…

Beyond the Fire

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent. Two years ago, I wrote this post to mark Ash Wednesday. It was a time of great personal sorrow in my life. When I was really struggling with the question of, Why would God allow this to happen? Lent isn't exactly the answer to…