Sisters' Favorite Bright Winter Books

In January and February, Charity and I took part in the Brighter Winter Reading Program. We've done this every year since it began, and it is one of the highlights of our winter. Not only do we get stretched a bit out of our comfort zone, we also love connecting with other readers over books and discovering new-to-us books.

We are each sharing three of the favorite books that we read for Brighter Winter this year. 

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Charity-

1. Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L. Sayers 

(Classic by a female author, book from my unread shelf)

A masterpiece of Golden Age detective fiction, this mystery was everything I love about Sayers. She didn't just write a murder mystery but included the humor and depth of human character that all her books contain. Sayers worked in the advertising world in the early 1900s, which makes the setting of an ad agency all the more realistic. This is one of my favorites so far in the Lord Peter Wimsey series.

2. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tezmach Lemmon 

(Book set in Asia, book that features clothing or sewing)

The Taliban has gained control of Kabul and all women are suddenly thrust into a new way of life. The city is ruled by fear--don’t say the wrong things, talk to the wrong person, and, if you’re a women, become invisible. Suddenly countless Muslim women working to support their families find that those jobs are almost all illegal for women to hold. This is the story of Kamila, a young women who becomes a successful business owner, risking much to support her family and provide jobs for other women. This true story had me marveling at how God made humans to be incredibly resourceful and creative even in the most oppressed situations. 

3. Miriam’s Kitchen by Elizabeth Ehrlich (book by an author of Jewish heritage)

This memoir combines Elrich’s family story and her mother-in-law's memories of the Holocaust, intertwined with Jewish food. The author explores her Jewish heritage and her journey back to the kosher lifestyle of her grandmothers and mother-in-law.  It is a book I won’t soon forget, and it may be a favorite of 2025!

Gina -  

1. Under a Silent Sky by Claudia Lehman 

(Two books by the same author, book from my unread shelf)

I've had this book on my shelf for years but somehow never read it. I find books about persecution hard to read, even though I know they can inspire deeper faith. Set in the 1200s in a Waldesian community, this historical fiction asks questions about following God even when He appears silent. Quote: "There's no truer worship than to honor Him for who He is when everything He's doing disappoints you."

2. Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman 

(Book mentioned in another book)

I love reading time management books, but this one is unlike most. Burkeman begins with the fact that our time on earth is fleeting (only four thousand week, give or take a few). He shows the futility of thinking that we can control time and the flawed goal of productivity. Though Burkeman doesn't approach life from a Biblical perspective, he had a valuable perspective that I needed.

3. By Searching by Isobel Kuhn 

(Book about someone converting to Christianity)

A teen enters college, where her parent's religion is scorned by her professor, so she rejects God and lives for the next party. When she finds that her fiance is cheating on her, she becomes so depressed she plans her suicide. This may sound like the story of a modern teen, but it happened over one hundred years ago, in the 1920s. In By Searching, Isobel tells of her spiritual journey and how God led her from a depressed college student to missionary to China. God's leading in her life is inspiring.

Sisters' Reading Plans in 2025 - 

For the last four years, Charity and I enjoyed sharing the Sisters' Reading Challenges. It has been fun to have some of you join us, and we enjoyed stretching ourselves to read different books. We always enjoyed discussing the books we read and laughing during a bookish photo shoot. You can find all the past reading challenges and books reviews on the Book Tab on the Home Joys blog. 

But since Charity is busy with two little ones, we do not plan to set any reading challenges for 2025.  But we know that we will still be reading, and we always love talking about books, so we plan to do a post once a month or so and chat about books we are reading and give book recommendations.

So here is a question for you...

What kinds of books would you like us to discuss? 

Are you looking for middle grade fiction, memoir, picture books, gardening books, or ??? Let us know and maybe we can put it on our list of topics. 

And as always, we'd love to hear what books you are enjoying. What was one of your favorite books that you read this winter?