I kept my goal at 50 again this year, and again I exceeded it! This year, I made it to a nice even 75! :)
I read a broader range of books this year, in an attempt to stretch my reading a bit. In some ways, it solidified my favorite genres, and in others, I was pleasantly surprised by some books. But overall, I consider it a fairly good reading year! :)
1. In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware // Leonora is invited for a weekend hen {bachelorette party} and she reluctantly agrees. She quickly feels out of place as memories from her past begin to unnerve her. Someone is dead, and she can't remember what happened. It was honestly hard to write a short synopsis because it was not an easy plot line to describe {the published one bears little resemblance to what was actually written, because this book was neither chilling or haunting}. Meh. Not my favorite start to the reading year.
2. Kindred by Octavia E. Butler // A time-traveling tale of a black woman in the mid 1970s; twenty-six year old Dana is suddenly wrenched into antebellum Maryland. She saves a young white boy from drowning, only to stare straight into the barrel of a shotgun. She inexplicably leaps back and forth through time, intertwined throughout the life of the young slave owner she once saved. And interesting concept, just a little long and drawn out.
3. Spare by Prince Harry // Curiosity got the best of me, and I got a skip-the-line copy from the library the week it released. I know very little of the royals, care little of the drama that has plagued them the past few years. But I did watch the infamous Oprah interview and was curious to hear "Harry's side." I have no idea what the truth is; few do. I can feel sympathy for Harry's circumstances, but I have to admit that he doesn't come across very sympathetic in his book. He comes across angry, entitled, and emotionally obtuse. The ringing theme for me throughout: immaturity. He is a traumatized little boy who has, in many ways, not ever grown up. Was he unprotected and uncared for by his family? Probably. Is he completely innocent in the circumstances? Probably not. From a human family standpoint, the whole thing is just so sad. But the phrase "What Paul says about Peter tells us more about Paul than about Peter" comes to mind...if you care about royal drama, you might enjoy this book. If you're looking for good writing, a relatable story, or deep insight, you can skip it.
4. Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka // This tells the story of a serial killer on death row, primarily through the eyes of the women in his life. I think I just expected this book to be something different? I don't know. The premise intrigued me, but I struggled to finish this book. It switched from the points of view of the women to the actual serial killer as he counts down the last hours before his execution. And it was super strange because it was him talking about himself using "you" words. I'm really confused why this book received so many high ratings.
5. The Office BFFs: Tales of the Office from Two Best Friends That Were There by Jenna Fischer & Angela Kinsey // I enjoy the show, so I enjoyed this book. Though, if you have listened to their podcast, there's not much new in the book. But if you're a fan of the show, you'll still enjoy this behind the scenes look at The Office.
6. Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri // The story of a young Iranian boy who flees with his family to Oklahoma. The author is a wonderful storyteller, and this book made me laugh, cry, gasp, and think. The first part was a little disorienting, as he walks through a lot of his family history, and it feels like a lot of rambling; I almost gave up because I was confused. But I am so glad I persevered on this one. Excellent read.
7. Still Life by Louise Penny // Book #1 in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series. A murder of an elderly artist in the small town of Three Pines, brings in Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. This was supposed to harken back to the Agatha Christa days of mysteries. While I can see a little bit of the similarity and charm, I was slightly disappointed in this book. It got a lot of great reviews, but it seemed very slow to me. Since it's the author's first book, I want to give her another try. But I will need to see a massive improvement to stick with the series.
8. The Winners by Fredrik Backman // I have read many of his other books, and his other books in the Beartown series. The locals of Beartown are struggling to overcome the past, all while big change is coming. This was a greater cross-section of Beartown characters, and it felt more heavy than the other books. But overall, it was a good read.
9. All My Knotted Up Life: A Memoir by Beth Moore // I don't 100% agree with Moore's theology and have been cautious of her studies. But in the past few years, I have appreciated her outspoken truth regarding abuse in the church and Christian Nationalism. Regardless of your opinion on the author and her ministry, I felt like this was a fairly well-written memoir. Her honesty and down-to-earth personality make it a warm and {mostly} comfortable read. I do feel like a lot was revealed, but it also felt like much was glossed over, which I guess is her prerogative. But it's troubling that her own experiences of abuse seemed to be swept under the rug. While I appreciate her forgiveness and grace, it's troubling that there was no accountability or consequences. It's hard to rate a memoir, as it's someone's telling of their own story.
10. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren // My reviews on this genre probably are not fair, since it's not typically one I enjoy. The premise was cute: unlucky twin is maid of honor at her lucky twin sister's wedding. In a twist of unfortunate events, the entire wedding party and guests get food poisoning, and Olive finds herself taking her twin's place on her honeymoon. Which would be great, except she is going with her sworn enemy: the best man. And surprise! They end up together in the end. The premise of a typical chick-flick. If you can get past the eye-rolling of how unrealistic the whole thing is, it could be cute. I just don't love this genre. There was too much "I hate him...but oh, his ABS!" and I just can't get past all of that to enjoy it.
11. How to Thrive as a Pastor's Wife: Practical Tools to Embrace Your Influence and Navigate Your Unique Role by Christine Hoover // I have had this one on my TBR shelf for over a year and finally sat down to read it. I appreciate Christine's humble honesty in sharing about the joys and struggles of serving as a pastor's wife. She offers encouragement and guidance, offering the reader ways to thrive in her roles as a wife, mother, church member, and friend. A good read for every pastor's wife {or anyone who wants to better understand and encourage their own}.
12. Holier Than Thou: How God's Holiness Helps Us Trust Him by Jackie Hill Perry // I appreciate Perry's raw honesty and bold challenge that believers actually practice what they preach. We often say that we trust God, but don't actually live our lives in a way that believes that. Too often we live in such a way that says that God can't be trusted. Perry conjectures that it's because we don't understand God's holiness. She argues that God being "holier than thou" is the best news and the key to trusting Him. She writes about a holy God with such reverence. A quick read, rich with solid truth.
13. The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray // A really well-researched historical novel. It's fiction, but I appreciated the historical accuracy and detail. The story of 3 women connected to Chateau Lafayette: Adrienne Lafayette, the famed wife of the Marquis {1774}; Beatrice, a New York socialite who takes on the challenge of convincing America to fight in France during WWI {1914}; and Marthe, an orphan who is a French school-teacher during the Nazi occupation of WWII {1940}. A really good read!
14. The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes // Maya's best friend mysteriously dropped dead in front of a new man Frank. Several years later, she comes across a video online that shows another young woman dropping dead in front of none other than Frank. It seemed intriguing at first, but then it dragged on, got weird, then ended in a really silly way. Do not recommend.
15. Breaking Free: How I Escaped My Father- Warren Jeffs- Polygamy, and the FLDS Cult by Rachel Jeffs // This is the story of one of the daughters of cult leader Warren Jeffs. She recounts her experience growing up in the FLDS, and how she ultimately left. This was difficult to read. There were graphic descriptions of her abuse. While it was brave to tell her story, it seemed like she was just recounting facts and circumstances, and there was not a whole lot of reflection or introspection. I believe the writing of this book could have benefitted from some deep counseling and more time processing what happened to her.
16. Celebrities for Jesus: How Personas, Platforms, and Profits are Hurting the Church by Katelyn Beaty // The author discusses the celebrity that is woven into the fabric of evangelicalism, identifying how fame goes awry and how we can unwittingly foster celebrity culture. If you have been paying attention to books, articles, and blog posts regarding the subject over the past few years, there isn't anything new presented in this book. But I still think it's an important read.
17. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell // A fifteen year old girl disappears. Ten years later, her mother Laurel is trying to find happiness again. Her new boyfriend's daughter looks almost exactly like her missing daughter, and it brings all the memories flooding back. Now Laurel tries again to find answers about what happened to her daughter. This was ok; it was interesting enough to finish, but was a pretty far-fetched plot line.
18. The German Wife by Kelly Rimmer // A German family caught up in the ambitions of the new chancellor as he rises to power in Germany. They don't share his views, but Jurgen's position in the rocket program forces them into many difficult decisions. Twenty years later, they make a new life in America and have to face the ghosts of their past. The multi-layered story that included a family from Texas {Lizzie} seemed a little odd and out of place. But overall, aside from that, it was a really great read!
19. His & Hers by Alice Feeney // A story told from 3 points of view: his, hers, and a mystery person. Multiple murders and hidden family secrets. The book was full of twists and turns, and the who dunnit reveal at the end was genuinely surprising! I would want to read more from this author, because I thought it was an exciting read, and I loved that the end was NOT predictable.
20. Raising Emotionally Strong Boys by David Thomas // The author sheds light on common emotional struggles for boys, including anger, anxiety, and depression, and he shares practical ways to help. He focuses on raising boys to be resourceful, aware, resilient, and empathetic. We have definitely implemented some of these strategies, and I plan to refer back to this resource often. Highly recommend if you have sons.
21. Unmasked: My Life Solving America's Cold Cases by Paul Holes // A memoir from the detective who found The Golden State Killer. I found this so interesting! I liked the perspective of the detective who spent decades searching for a serial killer. It was sad, but not surprising, the toll that it took on him from a personal standpoint. He didn't dive too deep into that, other than saying his career and personal obsession ruined 2 marriages, but it was interesting how he was evaluating his life at the end of his career.
22. Growing Together: Taking Mentoring Beyond Small Talk and Prayer Requests by Melissa Kruger // A book on discipleship. This book gave an overview of how to start and what a discipleship relationship could look like, and it is meant to walk through in a discipleship relationship. It covers topics such as prayer, contentment, temptation, church, etc. and would be a good tool to generate discussion within a mentoring relationship. I think it's a great resource and plan to use it myself!
23. Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney // Amber is in a coma. Her husband doesn't love her anymore. And sometimes she lies. Told in first person in past and present time, this thriller fell flat for me. It read pretty slowly, and I feel like I saw the "twist" at the end from page one. Meh. I might try another by this author, simply because several people have raved about her, but it's going to have to be an amazing book...
24. The Star and the Shamrock by Jean Grainger // Book #1 in The Star and the Shamrock Series. In Germany, Ariella Bannon had to put her two small children on the Kindertransport and send them to a distant relative in an effort to save their lives. In Ireland, Elizabeth Klein had lost her husband and unborn child and doesn't feel like she can ever love again. But now she has two small children to care for in the middle of a world war. This was a simple but good story. The "danger and intrigue" that the blurb described is a little bit hyped, but overall it was a good book. I wanted to continue the story to see what happened with the characters :)
25. The Emerald Horizon by Jean Grainger // Book #2 in the Star and the Shamrock Series. While the first book follows the story of Elizabeth learning to care for two small children, this second book more closely follows the story of Ariella, the children's mother. It follows her harrowing journey to hide in Nazi-run Germany and make it out to reunite with her children. The parts that described life in Ireland with Elizabeth and the children were pretty slow and repetitive, but otherwise, it was still a good book.
26. Becoming Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear by Jinger Duggar Vuolo // I read this book out of curiosity. I was fascinated with the Duggars at the very beginning, but only watched a couple of seasons. But I was curious to hear Jinger's story of moving away from the faith she grew up in. The good: I appreciate the journey she has been on to disentangle the lies she grew up with in the IBLP. She gently laid out her beliefs and how they have matured/changed since leaving her childhood religious teachings. It seems she is trying to seek Scripture and truth. The not so good: this book felt more like an outline of her new theological beliefs and how they contrast to the IBLP, rather than an actual memoir. But that theological outlines was very poorly written. It was basic and repetitive, and used a bunch of words to say the same things over and over. I did not learn much more of her personal story, and I think she has too easily overlooked and oversimplified the deep damage that the IBLP beliefs can cause. As I have mentioned before, memoirs are hard to rate. However, I don't think you should automatically get a pass, just because you write a memoir. I personally don't think she was ready to write this book.
27. Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto // A sixty-year-old tea shop owner finds a dead body in her store and decides to investigate on her own. This was a cute and quirky story. It's a cozy murder mystery with a handful of lovable characters. Recommend!
28. Habits of the Household: Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Family Rhythms by Justin Whitmel Earley // Earley encouraged readers to re-purpose your built-in habits for worship and discipleship in your home. He writes about being intentional in how we create the culture in our homes. This book was filled with grace and transparency. I found this book both encouraging and challenging. I will refer back to it again in the future.
29. How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success by Julie Lythcott-Haims // The author exposes the harms of helicopter parenting and how it has created entitled, ill-equipped adult children. While I agree that this parenting style has created a generation of adults unable to cope in the world in the same ways that previous generations have, I struggled with how this was presented. It revolved too much around college admissions, and therefore seemed to be targeted toward wealthy, Ivy League-minded families. There was definitely good information to glean; but it was repetitive and was not universally applicable.
30.
She Deserves Better: Raising Girls to Resist Toxic Teachings on Sex, Self, and Speaking Up by Sheila Wray Gregoire, Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach, & Joanna Sawatsky // In this book, the authors want moms to have the tools they need to raise confident daughters who know their worth and are not subjected to harmful church teachings on sexuality. I read Sheila Gregoire's previous book {
The Great Sex Rescue- review
here}, so was interested in reading this one. This is definitely a reaction to Christian purity culture and the negative effects that some of its teachings have had on the church. While I appreciate that these women desire to give their daughters a healthier upbringing, I struggled with how things were presented in the book. It didn't feel like it was grounded in Biblical truth, and I have a lot of questions about the survey results {correlation does not equal causation...I feel like they made A LOT of assumptions in their data}. Some of the messages are good and important, but read with caution and discernment.
31. The Third to Die by Allison Brennan // Book #1 in the Quinn & Costa Series. Detective Kara Quinn is on leave from her work as an undercover cop with the LAPD when she discovers a body in her hometown. She ends up assisting the FBI with the investigation and joining Special Agent Mathias Costa's Mobile Response Team. Fast-paced, suspenseful, and I liked the characters. A fun new mystery/thriller series. Reader warning: language.
32. Tell No Lies by Allison Brennan // Book #2 in the Quinn & Costa Series. I enjoyed the first book so much, that I immediately checked out the next one! This case takes the Mobile Response Team to Arizona, where a college intern turned activist ends up dead. I like the dynamic between Quinn & Costa, and while I don't usually like romance {especially in a mystery/thriller}, I found myself rooting for them to get together and figure out their relationship demons. Reader warning: language and intimate scenes {not overly graphic, but there and not from a Christian worldview}.
33. The Wrong Victim by Allison Brennan // Book #3 in the Quinn & Costa Series. The team heads to San Juan Islands to investigate a bomb that kills several passengers on a sunset cruise. I think part of why I like this series is that the cases are ALL different, not the same case with different names {like most books in this genre}. Same warning.
34. Seven Girls Gone by Allison Brennan // Book #4 in the Quinn & Costa Series. I figured I might as well finish what's available! The team is now in the bayous of Louisiana, investigating the disappearance of several women. The relationship dynamic between Quinn & Costa made me roll my eyes a little bit, but I look forward to more books in this series! It was kind of fun to read through several books, one right after another.
35. Girl, Expendable by Blake Pierce // Ella Dark FBI Suspense Thriller #9. After reading through the Quinn & Costa series, I decided to see if there were any more available in the Ella Dark series. Ok, listen. These books are not literary genius, and are basically book candy. A quick beach read. The plots are all the same, the characters are flat, and yet, I can't stop reading them! I feel like the serial killer cases are all the same {and Ella is convinced she has her killer at least 8 times in every book}, but there's enough of the Dark/Ripley relationship that I want to follow, and I wanted to see what happened with Tobias Campbell {which finally resolves in this book}.
36. Girl, Escaped by Blake Pierce // Ella Dark FBI Suspense Thriller #10. Again, I can't stop, don't judge me. All the taglines are the same: serial killer taunts Ella, stakes have never been higher, will she solve it in time or be bested by a diabolical mastermind? But in this one, Ripley has retired and now Ella is no longer the rookie, but has a new one of her own- Paige Ellis. Didn't like the new partner. Will still read the next book haha.
37. Girl, His by Blake Pierce // Ella Dark FBI Suspense Thriller #11. I had to wrap it up with what is available {more will be out later this year}. New day, new serial killer. Ella is starting to unravel at the seams/ Ripley makes another appearance. The cliffhanger ending will push me to read the rest of these ridiculous books haha.
38. Every Woman a Theologian by Phylicia Masonheimer // The first book we read for our summer book club! This book was fantastic! Masonheimer believes every woman should be a theologian, knowing what we believe, why we believe it, and be able to communicate it graciously {love that mission!} She walks through several core doctrines of Christianity, and I think she did a great job of representing several differing viewpoints and interpretations. A really great intro to and overview of theology, but still very thorough and well-written. Highly recommend.
39. The Hard Way Home by Jean Grainger // Book #3 in the Star and the Shamrock Series. Since I was on a series kick, I decided to round out this trilogy :) This focuses on Liesl, the now grown child from the first books. She is off at university, trying to figure out her future while reconciling with her past. A chance encounter with an old family friend sparks some long-buried emotions, and she will have to discover for herself if she can really truly go home.
40. The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Timothy J. Keller // In this short read, Keller explores how the gospel shapes our view of ourselves. He argues that a truly gospel-humble person is not self-hating or self-loving, but is instead self-forgetful. Worth the quick read.
41. Why I Still Believe: A Former Atheist's Reckoning with the Bad Reputation Christians Give a Good God by Mary Jo Sharp // I was intrigued by the premise of this book. In it, the author shares her experience as a skeptical believer who still holds to her faith despite wounding in the church. It's part memoir, part {sort-of} apologetics. I say "sort-of" because I don't think it was presented very well. I appreciate her honesty and sharing her story, but it ended up not being what I expected.
42. I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney // Actress Aimee comes home and discovers her husband is missing. As she tries to keep her life together, her past comes back to haunt her. I finished it thinking, "what the heck just happened?" ...and not in a good way. Totally bizarre and completely unbelievable.
43. The Secular Creed: Engaging Five Contemporary Claims by Rebecca McLaughlin // The second book we read for our summer book club! The author presents some of modern culture's major tenants and walks us through disentangling the beliefs Christianity gladly affirms from those we cannot embrace. I appreciated how she walked through what the Bible says Christians should be for, rather than simply vocalizing what they are against. I found her arguments biblical {mostly}, but in some cases, lacking. There were many sides of some of these arguments missing, and I wish she had brought more solutions to the table. It was obvious this was written to "conservative Christians" who simply don't understand "progressives" or "liberals." Take this book for what it is: an introduction to addressing some hard cultural topics, a staring point in fostering discussion.
44. The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard // Twelve year old Eve Black was the only member of her family to survive a serial attacker known as the Nothing Man. As an adult, she is obsessed with identifying the man who destroyed her life. I thought it was a fun twist that the protagonist is writing her true-crime memoir, and the killer himself is reading it. I liked this book because it was different than all the rest in this genre.
45. Distress Signals by Catherine Ryan Howard // I liked the author's last book {#44}, so I decided to try another one. Adam's girlfriend fails to return home from a trip, so he goes in search of answers to figure out what happened to her. This one wasn't quite as good or cohesive, but still kept me interested.
46. Girl, Lured by Blake Pierce // Ella Dark FBI Suspense Thriller #12. I'm committed at this point. I have no idea how long the series is supposed to go, but I'll have to call it quits soon if we're not close...
47. The Trees by Percival Everett // So many have called this brilliant and masterful, and I think I'm just not smart or clever enough for this book. The book opens with a series of brutal murders in rural Mississippi. At each crime scene, there is a second dead body: that of a man who resembles Emmett Till. It's supposed to be a provocative book that takes direct aim at racism and police violence. It probably speaks more to my own lack of education that I missed many references.
48. 8 Great Smarts: Discover and Nurture Your Child's Intelligences by Kathy Koch // The third book we read for our summer book club...and I really struggled with it. Her main premise is that we are all smart, that we have more than one intelligence. The question is not if we are smart, but rather how. She walks through Dr. Howard Gardner's 8 intelligences and helps you identify how your child fits. My first complaint is how poorly this book is written. It does not flow well and the constant short exclamation sentences are strange. I found myself constantly responding to her claims with "but what about this?" or "where in the Bible is this even emphasized?" or "this is terrible advice." This book was written from and to privilege. And it is incredibly off-putting how she claims practically all 8 of the intelligences... My second complaint is that nothing is cited in this book. So much of it is anecdotal {experience from her own life, family or friends}, and there is zero research. It is pseudo-science; everything is purely conjecture. Plus, Gardner's theory {the only "study/research" cited in the book} has been widely criticized, so it's just poor scholarship. But my major complaint is how this book is presented from a "Christian" perspective, with hardly any Biblical reference. My problem is not her ideas of wanting to help kids feel smart. My problem is that she is taking a fairly worldly idea/premise {reinforcing the idea of being "smart"} and sprinkling in some Christian ideas into it. I just cannot recommend this book. I want better for my children than this.
49. Hey, Hun: Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing by Emily Lynn Paulson // The author's experience working through the ranks of direct-marketing sales; a fairly detailed polemic on the inner workings of her specific MLM. I didn't personally learn anything new about how MLMs operate, but it could be eye-opening for some. She offered some humor in her account that kept it light, but it kind of left me with an icky feeling {kind of how MLMs do in general}. While she eventually left her MLM, she still stayed for a very long time, benefitting from all that she was criticizing about it. And she moved to what is, in my opinion, just a different version of an MLM. She also makes the leap of connecting MLMs with white supremacy, and while I am not arguing that's something she experienced in her particular circumstance, I think she failed to show the direct link. She basically just said that they're overwhelmingly white, but didn't explain the link between MLMs and white supremacy. I think I just wasn't the right audience for this book.
50. Truth Over Tribe: Pledging Allegiance to the Lamb, Not the Donkey or the Elephant by Patrick Keith Miller and Keith Simon // These pastors exhort us to reject political tribalism and instead pledge our allegiance to the Lamb. In it, they lay out the issues with tribalism and how relationships are fracturing across America because of it. While I may not agree with the authors on every theological point, and I feel like there were some missed opportunities for more depth and detail, this is a good primer to open conversations. Would recommend.
51. Discipling: How to Help Others Follow Jesus by Mark Dever // A concise guide on how to help others become more like Christ; an introduction to discipleship: what it is, and how to do it. I appreciate that it was not "Dever's Steps to Discipling" and that he pulled from Scripture, but as someone looking for ideas I would have hoped for more practical steps. I would recommend this book as a starting point, but would probably look elsewhere for something more in depth.
52. The Chaos Machine: The Inside Story of How Social Media Rewired Our Minds and Our World by Max Fisher // I kept having to re-check this one out at the library, but I am glad I persevered and finally finished it! This is the story of how social media networks {Facebook, twitter, YouTube, etc.} have preyed on psychological frailties to create algorithms that drive users to extreme opinions and increasingly extreme actions. We have all seen it play out over the last few years, but it was interesting to see it all laid out in this book. It's probably nothing new, but I thought it was an interesting read.
53. Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys by Stephen James and David Thomas // I was kind of disappointed with this book. It's marketed as a Christian book, but there was hardly any Christian or biblical advice given. Lots of stereotypes are presumed throughout the book. Too much emphasis on parenting through movies was given, which is just a bit odd to me. While I feel like there are parts of the book that could be helpful, overall, I can't see myself applying too much of this to my own parenting, and I definitely won't be recommending this book to others.
54. Uncultured: A Memoir by Daniella Mestyanek Young // The author was raised in the religious cult The Children of God, also known as The Family, and was the daughter of one of the highest-ranking members. At 15, she escapes to Texas, joins the military and determines to build a better life for herself. This book wasn't at all what I expected. Most of the book was about after she escaped and joined the U.S. military, and how she found parallels between the cult she was raised in and her time in the military. I wasn't expecting that. It was also fairly graphic and crass in places.
55. Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church by Nijay K. Gupta // The author wants to bring light to the women who played key roles in the early days of the church. I appreciate his desire to highlight the importance of women; Jesus did and that is no small thing. He has done a lot of historical research regarding the Roman empire that could have made it possible for women to lead, but what I struggled with in this book was how much conjecture he made. He made a lot of assumptions about the roles these biblical women might have played based on the culture around them, not necessarily based on the biblical text. And while cultural context is important, I felt like he was forcing it in a lot of places.
56. A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them by Timothy Egan // A historical thriller that tells the story of the charismatic charlatan D.C. Stephenson, who was elected the Grand Dragon in Indiana. The story shows how the Ku Klux Klan's message spread through church pulpits, family picnics, and town celebrations. But it was through the deathbed testimony of Madge Oberholtzer that would ultimately bring the Klan down. I don't think I was familiar with this story, so I found this book fascinating.
57. All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung // Nicole Chung was born prematurely, placed for adoption by her Korean parents, and adopted by a white family. She tells her story of searching for her biological roots, which coincides with the birth of her own child. A really heartfelt and raw story of uncovering family secrets. An important read for anyone who has ever struggled with figuring out where they belong.
58. Homegrown: Timothy McVeigh and the Rise of Right-Wing Extremism by Jeffrey Toobin // An interesting look at the Oklahoma City Bomber and how he wanted to start a movement and how his timing {pre-internet and pre-social media} is really the only thing that kept him from making a larger impact. The author tries to connect Timothy McVeigh's actions with the January 6th riots, stating that the violence was able to escalate to the point it did because of social media. It's definitely an interesting theory. The book was interesting, but long.
59. The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede // The story of when planes were diverted out of the skies after the twin towers were hit on September 11, 2001. Many were diverted to Gander, Newfoundland. This was just a sweet story of how one town managed the chaos of that day and all of the passengers that unexpectedly flooded their small town. Great book. Incredible story.
60. Counting the Cost: A Memoir by Jill Duggar Dillard // It's another sister's turn to share her story. I read Jinger's book earlier this year {#26}, and now it's Jill's turn. It's definitely a different take; while Jinger's book outlined how she disentangled the beliefs of her childhood, Jill shares more specifically about what it was like to grow up with cameras in her life. She held both her parents and her brother accountable for their actions, while still doing her best to honor and respect them {I know there are varying opinions on that, but she did not disparage them}. She kept it to her story, being careful not to make it a "tell all" of her family's dirty laundry. The writing itself was mediocre, and it seemed a little disjointed; the editing could have been better. She still has a lot of healing to do, but I appreciated that this book was her voice.
61. Acts 1-12 For You: Charting the Birth of the Church by R. Albert Mohler. Jr. // An overview of the first 12 chapters of the book of Acts. This was a companion book to our women's Bible study this fall. It's kind of like a commentary, but reads a little more casually, more like a sermon, which I have appreciated, since we haven't actually had a teaching portion of our study this time. A good overview of chapters 1-12 of the book of Acts. I look forward to reading the second book over the second half in the spring.
62. Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call For Evangelical America by Russell Moore // Moore calls evangelical Christians to a hopeful vision for the future of the church, to look past the division and culture wars and politics and tribalism. The altar call is one of repentance and a fresh start; he challenges readers to realize how lost we have become so that we can find our way forward. When we lose our religion, we can be amazed by grace again. I so appreciate Dr. Moore's kind and gracious wisdom. Does he answer all of the American evangelical church's issues? No. But he's not afraid to raise the hard questions and dig at evangelical America's idols, and I appreciate that.
63. The Only One Left by Riley Sager // Lenorah Hope was the sole survivor after her entire family was murdered. She lived under the shadow of everyone believing she did it. She never spoke publicly about it and never stepped foot out of her family's mansion. Kit McDeere now finds herself as Lenorah's new caretaker, and she can't help but wonder about the legends and rumors about her now-elderly and wheel chair-bound client. It was a fairly interesting plot that held my attention. There was enough mystery and suspense to keep me turning the pages, but it was slow in some places. Overall, though, the writing was mediocre.
64. Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica // Two couples, two close friends, one missing husband. The characters were flat and the plot was weird. I kept hoping something interesting or real would happen, and it never did. I really disliked reading the inner dialogue of these characters. Not a fan.
65. Happiness Falls by Angie Kim // When a father goes missing, it causes a family to question everything they know about him and each other. So much is touched upon in this book regarding family dynamics, race, disability, and human connection. It's a bigger story than just a family looking for a missing loved one. Personally, I just didn't love Mia, and she was the one who told most of the story. She was unlikeable to me and seemed to interrupt the story too much for me. I probably would have preferred it told in third person, rather than Mia's first person. It would have made it a little less tedious and more enjoyable.
66. Five Lies of Our Anti-Christian Age by Rosaria Butterfield // In this book. Butterfield uses Scripture to confront five lies our culture often promotes regarding sexuality, faith, feminism, gender roles, and modesty. She uses her own personal story to help readers see the beauty in biblical womanhood, marriage, and motherhood. One thing I appreciate about the author is her boldness in addressing controversial topics; she does not shy away, and addresses hard topics with courage and truth, with what seems like genuine care and love for people. She does seem to be very convicted in how she feels these issues should be addressed, and has some harsh criticism for those that might handle it differently, and that is where she seems to lose her charity. I didn't give this book a higher rating because it felt more anecdotal and personal than a carefully crafted biblical argument.
67. Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson // Ernest Cunningham #1. I was drawn by the title, and it was a fun read. A fun new twist on a mystery thriller. Something a little different in the genre, which I appreciate! I'll read the second book :)
68. Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates // This was basically a slasher mover and was awful. And it was beyond predictable. If I could give it zero stars, I would. I don't know why I kept reading or why I finished it. Terrible book. Not for me.
69. Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva // Charles Dickens' publishers give him an ultimatum: either write a Christmas book or they will call in his debts and he could lose everything. This was a fun Christmas read! A twist behind the writing of A Christmas Carol.
70. Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Book About a (Really) Big Problem by Kevin DeYoung // This book was worth the read; I appreciated the author's wrestling with our culture's issue with busyness. But since it was so short, it really didn't go very deep, and really didn't say much that helped. It didn't offer much in terms of practical help, but to be fair, the author did say at the outset that he was writing the book to figure things out as he went. I guess I was looking for more. For such a short book, he spent too much time telling me how busy he was {and still is}, so while I could nod along in agreement with the problem, I just didn't find it overly helpful.
71. Guarding the Treasure: How God's People Preserve God's Word by Linda Finlayson // This was actually part of the kid's Bible curriculum, but I found it enjoyable {and I read it out loud to the kids}, so I decided to count it on my list. It was just a good history lesson on how the varying Bible translations came to be. Lots of interesting facts presented in an engaging way. A great resource for families.
72. Dear Martin by Nic Stone // Justyce McAllister is at the top of his class and headed to an ivy league school. But that means little to the police officer who puts him in hand cuffs. When he is driving around with his best friend Manny with the music too loud, he has an encounter with a white off-duty police officer. Words are exchanged, shots are fired. There is a media fallout, and Justyce is the one under attack. In all of it, Justyce starts a project of writing letters in a journal, addressed to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., seeking answers to all of the issues of race that he is facing. I liked the premise of this book so much more than the actual execution. And I recognize that it's YA Fiction, but I just don't think that means it should get a pass for poor writing. Still a good book, I just think there were so many missed opportunities with the letter writing {he wrote to Dr. King mostly about surface level things}. I hope to see this author develop in future writings.
73. Dear Justyce by Nic Stone // This sequel follows Quan, a childhood friend of Justyce, who grew up with a more troubled background. He finds himself in prison awaiting trial for the shooting death of a police officer and begins writing letters to Justyce. This book attempts to look at the plight of African American boys in the American justice system. This book just fell flat. I appreciated Quan's letters better than Justyce's in this book, but again, there was just SO much missed in this book. It did not give a realistic view of incarcerated black youth at all, and the ending wrapped up way too neatly. I want to see this author develop, but I feel like this book was too rushed.
74. Juniper Bean Resorts to Murder by Gracie Ruth Mitchell // Juniper Bean is a romance writer who has plans to wade into the murder mystery genre. When she and her new roommate stumble upon a real-life dead body, she finds herself in the middle of a mystery that is tied to her past. This is a cross-over genre: a romantic mystery? A mysterious romance? Not sure, but I actually found this read kind of fun. It was different, but it made me laugh and kept me reading, and I look forward to checking out the author's next book.
75. Raising Tiny Disciples: Actual Advice to Enjoy the Process and Enjoy Your Kids by Phylicia Masonheimer // I found this to be a great resource. It's a quick read, and a great primer to developing a discipling rhythm in your home. I would recommend this for moms with little ones {babies/toddlers}, as it would be good to start developing these rhythms early, but there are great tips for all parents.
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Books I started but didn't finish:
- Chasing the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar // This was marked as a New York Times and USA Today bestseller. It had rave reviews by Stephen King and Harlan Coben. It's the fictional story of a serial killer that is meant to read like a true crime and a memoir. And yet...this was so. incredibly. boring. I just couldn't finish it. I kept hoping it might get better, but many reviews kept saying it never would, so I decided to abandon the cause.
There were probably a few more I shouldn't have finished, but did anyway. I guess I was feeling a bit more generous this year ;)
