The Month in Reviews: June 2026

Introduction

We are in the midst of a heat wave with high humidity and temperatures in the mid-90’s. But the books of this past month have been like a cold glass of iced tea! Tish Harrison Warren’s newest (pictured above) was truly refreshment for the soul. I loved the writing, voice, and story of I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger, an author I stumbled upon serendipitously. Nothing Can Separate Us gave me another dose of the rich writing of Howard Thurman. Good theology always refreshes me and so Robert Letham’s in-depth study, The Eternal Son, abounded in insights on the wonder of the second person of the Trinity. Amy Peeler’s Ordinary Time was indeed timely. Then Agatha Christie and Terry Pratchett both make for some great light reads. There are twenty-one review here in all. So, I hope you might find something that is your cold glass of tea!

The Reviews

From the Outrageous to the Scandalous, Robert H. Woods Jr. and Mark Allan Steiner, eds. Integratio Press (ISBN: 9781959685333) 2025. A collection of essays reflecting on Christian scholarship 30 years after Marsden and Noll’s books. Review

The Universal Baseball Association, Inc., J. Henry Waugh, Prop., Robert Coover. New York Review of Books (ISBN: 9798896230182) 2026 (first published in 1968). An accountant creates a fantasy baseball league that takes over his life. Review

Nicaea for Today, Coleman M. Ford and Shawn J. Wilhite. B & H Academic (ISBN: 9781430091547) 2025. The history, meaning, and contemporary significance of the Nicene Creed and how it may be used in churches today. Review

Mrs. McGinty’s Dead (Hercule Poirot, 29), Agatha Christie. William Morrow Paperbacks (ISBN: 9780063376915) 2025, first published in 1952. Superintendent Spence doesn’t think the man he helped convict in Mrs. McGinty’s murder is guilty and asks Poirot’s help. Review

What Grows in Weary Lands, Tish Harrison Warren. Convergent Books (ISBN: 9780593728840) 2026. Lessons for the weary from the desert fathers and mothers on practices that cultivate resilience and renewal. Review

Love in a Time of Climate Change (Revised edition), Sharon Delgado. Fortress Press (ISBN: 9798889837206) 2026, first edition 2017. Uses the Wesleyan Quadrilateral to discern a faithful Christian response to the realities of climate change. Review

Hard Feelings, Daniel Smith. Simon & Schuster (ISBN: 9781982103903) 2026. We are inclined to suppress negative emotions but if we listen to what they are saying about ourselves, we gain wisdom. Review

Did Jesus Really Say He Was God?, Mikel Del Rosario. IVP Academic (ISBN: 9781514011010) 2025. Using methods of historiography, demonstrates that Jesus opponents believed him to be claiming divinity. Review

Nothing Can Separate Us (Plough Spiritual Guides), Howard Thurman, edited by Myles Werntz, Introduction by Vincent W. Lloyd. Plough Publishing (ISBN: 9781636081731) 2026. The inner work of transformation through which God works to bring reconciliation, justice, and hope. Review

The Eternal Son, Robert Letham, foreword by Ian Hamilton. P & R Publishing (ISBN: 9781629958637) 2025. A Christology focused on Christ’s Person, his eternal sonship, and Incarnation, as clarified in councils and more recently. Review

Early Autumn, Louis Bromfield. Open Road Media (ISBN: 9781504073394) 2022, first published in 1926. Olivia Pentland, in a loveless marriage in a rich old family, faces choices as the early autumn approaches when she turns 40. Review

Story Work, GG Renee Hill. Broadleaf Books (ISBN: 9798889832652) 2025. How telling and reframing our stories in writing not only leads to self-discovery, but also to finding our voice and calling. Review

I Cheerfully Refuse, Leif Enger. Grove Press (ISBN: 9780802165190) 2025. In a dystopian America, Rainy and Lark carve out a joyful life until tragedy sends Rainy on a Lake Superior odyssey. Review

When God Seems Distant, Kyle Strobel and John Coe. Baker Books (ISBN: 9781540905321) 2026. How God’s path of growth takes us into the desert, the way it exposes our self-will, and how we abide in God’s love. Review

Heaven and Hell, Edward Donnelly. Banner of Truth. (ISBN: 9781800405325) 2025, first published 2002. A discussion of the traditional doctrines of hell and heaven that we might flee hell and embrace the hope of heaven. Review

Race, Class, and Affirmative Action, Julie J. Park, foreword by Liliana M. Garces. Harvard Education Press (ISBN: 9798895570456) 2026. The effects of SFFA v. Harvard on efforts to advance diversity in college admissions and what may be done. Review

Ordinary Time (Fullness of Time Series), Amy Peeler. InterVarsity Press | Formatio (ISBN: 9781514009680) 2026. The significance of Ordinary Time within the church calendar and how it has been practiced and what it can mean for us. Review

Remember the Sweetness, Polly Giantonio. Rootstock Publishing (ISBN: 9781578693993) 2026. A debut poetry collection capturing memories of beauty, loss, love, and family, both ordinary and profound. Review

Pyramids (Discworld, 7) Terry Pratchett. HarperCollins (ISBN: 9780063393332) 2025, first published 1989. Prince Teppic, having completed Assassins training, returns to be Pharoah of Djelibeybi, ordering the building of a huge pyramid. Review

Woven Tales of Greek Mythology (no publisher link available), Michael D. Clark. Covenant Books (ISBN: 9798894854540) 2025. A rendering of Greek mythology from creation to the odyssey with parallels to Judeo-Christian texts. Review

Power and the Pulpit (The Center for Pastor Theologians Series) edited by Gerald Hiestand and Joel Lawrence. Cascade Books (ISBN: 9798385247554) 2025. A theology of preaching grounded in God’s word and Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered preaching with humility. Review

Best Book of the Month

Tish Harrison Warren’s What Grow’s in Weary Lands addresses what it means to make it through the weary “middles” of life–those periods when the walk of faith is more a slog, and God seems distant. Along the way, she acquaints us with the wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers through her rich prose. Hands down, the best of the month.

Quote of the Month

It is really a simple comment at the beginning of Amy Peeler’s Ordinary Time:

“Jesus’ life would have included many ordinary days, days in which he was simply walking from one place to another.”

I had not thought before how much of Jesus’ life was lived in the ordinary, nor how much encouragement I can gain from that.

What I’m Reading

So, I finally landed on my America 250 reading: Jill Lepore’s We The People, which explores the history of amendments to our constitution and why we haven’t had any in over fifty years. The Red and the Green by Iris Murdoch explores the loves and passions of a connected group of people caught up in the Irish uprisings of in 1915. Then, Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace is a wonderful reflection, phrase by phrase of the prayer attributed to St. Francis. Reading the Bible on Turtle Island is written by two indigenous North Americans, exploring what their own cultural heritage brings to the reading of the Bible. Finally, The Gospel After Christendom is an essay collection I’m just starting on cultural apologetics.

For my readers from the United States, Happy Independence Day as our country celebrates its 250th birthday.

The Month in Reviews is my monthly review summary going back to 2014! It’s a great way to browse what I’ve reviewed. The search box on this blog also works well if you are looking for a review of a particular book. So, thanks for stopping by and feel free to share this with others!