Below are some of the books I’ve been reading this month; note that the following may contain spoilers:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J. K. Rowling – The seventh in the Harry Potter series finds Harry, Ron, and Hermione in a race against time to try and defeat the Dark Lord, Lord Voldemort. Armed with a few seemingly useless helps given them by Albus Dumbledore, the reader cheers them on in this adventure of restoration and healing. The reader meets Aberforth Dumbledore and learns more about his and his brother Albus’s past. Old faces from earlier in the series return to play integral parts. The climax of the series, it takes the reader through a gamut of emotions. It is a good read aloud, but there are some scary bits (death plays a very large part) and a few choice words and phrases, so I would read it beforehand to make sure it is appropriate for everyone listening.

The Word in the Wilderness: A Poem a Day for Lent and Easter, by Malcolm Guite – I have a new book to add to my rotation for Lenten readings. This is such a beautiful collection of poetry, some of which is written by the author. Guite gives stunning voice to his thoughts on each poem and how they help us better understand Scripture. There are also a few poems and commentary for certain holy or feast days that fall within the Lenten season.