Lose Yourself
in a Good Book

This happens to be my 5th book on grief and suffering this year alone, which definitely shaped how I experienced it. Coming off some heavier, more academically dense, and emotionally grueling reads on the subject, Free to Weep felt distinctly different. It’s probably the most "juvenile" of the stack I've read.

I wanted to love this book so badly. When October hit, Slewfoot was at the absolute top of my TBR. I had seen it everywhere (BookTok, Goodreads lists, spooky recommendation videos) and everyone kept describing it as the ultimate dark fantasy/folk horror read for fall. A witchy tale set in 1666 New England, complete with Puritan paranoia, an ancient forest spirit, and full-color artwork by Brom himself? Say no more.

Last summer, I felt a quiet but persistent nudge in my spirit: a compelling pull to do a comprehensive study on the full life of David. I pulled out my Bible, flipped between the accounts in Samuel, cross-referenced the Psalms, and tried to map out his journey from the quiet sheep pastures of Bethlehem all the way to the throne room in Jerusalem.