I upped my goal to 65 books this year, but I had a secret goal of making it to 75 again. I was just one book shy, but that's ok. I still had a good reading year.
Each year, I am amazed to look back at my book journey and all that I was able to read. And I am so grateful that I committed to falling back in love with reading again. I want to continue challenging myself to try new books and genres, to read widely and critically. But I also want to give myself the freedom to put aside things I don't enjoy and put more books on the DNF list. Because life is too short to be wasted on a terrible book.
1. Heidi Lucy Loses Her Mind by Gracie Ruth Mitchell // Heidi Lucy has a big secret. The problem is that she can't remember it because of a mysterious head wound. As she tries to retrace her steps and figure out what happened, one of her customers drops dead, and she is left wondering who killed her and if she's next. So this is the second in the "Happily Ever Homicide" series, a cross between Mystery and Romance; I liked the first book so was looking forward to reading this one. This definitely took a nose dive though; it leaned way too much into the silly romance genre, and I found myself rolling my eyes throughout the book. While the first book was cute, this one was annoying. Not for me.
2. The Woman They Wanted: Shattering the Illusion of the Good Christian Wife by Shannon Harris // This is the memoir of Shannon Harris, the wife of famed Joshua Harris, pastor and author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye. It's supposed to be her story of breaking free from Sovereign Grace Ministries, and the patriarchal world of Big Church. Memoirs are hard to rate. But this book was not written or edited well. It was choppy and disjointed and incomplete. It was not as introspective as I believe the author thinks she is being. And overall, it just made me sad; there is a huge lack of true insight or self-awareness. There are so many misrepresentations and dishonest takes in this book. I cannot argue her specific experience with her specific church; but she equates it with Christianity as a whole, and it's just not intellectually honest. For anyone reading this book, please understand that what Shannon describes {either before or after she leaves the church} is not at all what Scripture teaches.
3. The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager // As a recently widowed actress, Casey Fletcher has retreated to her family's lake house in Vermont to escape bad press. To pass the time, she spies on her glamorous neighbors across the lake, Tom and Katherine Royce, and she soon realizes that their relationship is not as perfect as it appears. When Katherine disappears, Casey begins uncovering dark truths and understands, more than most, that looks can be deceiving. Sounds intriguing, but I finished this book wondering, "what the heck did I just read??" The plot twists were not at all what I was expecting and were not for me. Meh.
4. I Still Do: Growing Closer and Stronger Through Life's Defining Moments by Dave Harvey // Mike and I walked through his first book {When Sinners Say I Do} when we were doing premarital counseling. In this one, Harvey seeks to look at life-defining moments in a post-newlywed marriage. With almost 40 years of marriage and 30 years of pastoral ministry experience, he is able to offer couples a lot of seasoned wisdom. A solid, biblical book on marriage.
5. The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris // This is the story of a Slovakian Jew who became the tattooist at Auschwitz and was able to use his position to feed himself and others, fall in love, and ultimately survive. While this is supposed to be a true story, it is still categorized as historical fiction. I honestly had a hard time with this book. Much of this book is really a love story, and the way that it was romanticized seemed grossly out of place given the backdrop. While some of the horrors of the camp were described, they almost seemed glossed over, and not in a masterfully written way that would think the character was fantasizing in order to survive his circumstances. It just felt out of place and, quite frankly, disrespectful. And then to find out that there were so many glaring inaccuracies within the book...I don't know. I just find that irresponsible, even in the name of creative license.
6. Sacred Seasons: A Family Guide to Center Your Year Around Jesus by Danielle Hitchen // This book helps walk through the liturgical calendar in a very accessible and family-friendly way. It walks the reader through each season of the church year and shows how to incorporate the rhythms and rituals needed to remember and celebrate God's work. There are easy guides, fun activities, delicious recipes, and meaningful liturgies. It's a great starter guide to the liturgical calendar. We have started incorporating many parts of it, and it is such a helpful resource! It also helps that it is a beautiful book :)
7. The Ballot and the Bible: How Scripture Has Been Used and Abused in American Politics and Where We Go From Here by Kaitlyn Schiess // This book explores how the Bible has been used {and misused} in American politics. It is well researched, and she encourages the reader to engage in political discourse with compassion and humility. The only thing I found lacking was that she did not clearly define or propose how Christians are to discern whether they are misinterpreting and/or misapplying Scripture in the moment. It should be clearly defined, so there is no doubt, because that's the whole problem of misapplication in history: so many so-called "Christians" thought they were applying Scripture appropriately, when they clearly {in hindsight or to a faithful few} were not. Without a clearly defined hermeneutic, history will inevitably keep repeating itself. But otherwise, this is a great call for Christians to leave behind their partisan ways and seek to faithfully apply Scripture in politics; a good conversation starter.
8. The Woman in Me by Britney Spears // This is Britney {supposedly} telling her story in her own words. From a humanity standpoint, I am saddened by her story. By all that she endured and the exploitation she experienced. It's incredible that she made it through at all. But I also find myself questioning a lot of it; the storytelling was inconsistent, and many of her stories have very little depth. She severely lacks the ability to see her own emotional immaturity. From a writing standpoint, this book was a mess. It reads like a little girl's diary, and it jumps all over the place, leaving large pieces of the story out. While I understand that probably reflects her stunted maturity because of what she endured, it makes me wonder if it should have been published at all. I didn't leave the book feeling like I knew the woman inside Britney at all. I left it feeling sad for the little girl who didn't get to be a little girl and grow into the woman she deserved to be.
9. None of This is True by Lisa Jewell // A chance encounter on a 45th birthday leads Alix to begin interviewing Josie on her podcast. As she shares her story and reveals dark secrets, Josie begins living in Alix's home. And as quickly as she comes, she disappears, and Alix finds herself in the middle of a true crime of her own. It has been awhile since I truly felt thrilled by a thriller. This one actually kept me turning the pages and wondering what. the. heck. was. going. on. It was a "fun" read.
10. Aging With Grace: Flourishing in an Anti-Aging Culture by Sharon W. Betters // With the culture's obsession with glorifying youth, this book offers a biblical view on aging. It seeks to help women experience the gospel in a way that is big enough and good enough for every stage of life, specifically focusing on our later years. While this book does offer a biblical view on aging {which is needed and helpful}, I had a hard time with this book. Perhaps it was the format of storytelling, perhaps it was the stories themselves, but this book felt very heavy. According to these elderly saints, "aging with grace" seems to involve a lot of "this is hard and painful and lonely and sad, but God is still good." And that's true {amen!}; but that's not just a truth about aging. I was saddened that there wasn't a lot of "aging with grace" that involved more purpose and meaning and service and fullness and joy and contentment, and, well, flourishing. I feel like some of those thoughts were sprinkled in amid all of the heavy stuff. They did talk about being life-givers instead of life-takers, and about not aging into bitterness. Maybe the balance was just off for me. While this book offered a lot of true things, it wasn't quite what I expected {or hoped for}. I might try to read it again in a few years, and see if my perspective/age changes things.
11. How to Stay Married: The Most Insane Love Story Ever Told by Harrison Scott Key // I will say right off the bat that the tagline is misleading. It's not "the most insane love story ever told." Their story is not {unfortunately} unique, though their ending might be {as most infidelity ends in divorce, and theirs did not}. The world might think it's "insane" that they stayed together, but Christians won't. But I'm not wholly sure who this book was written for. Because while God and faith were mentioned throughout, it didn't feel like that was the main reason they stayed together. The author has a witty and engaging writing style, and I found myself wanting to hear the rest of his story. But when I stepped back, it didn't feel introspective or restorative. I found myself wondering how his wife felt, having her dirty laundry aired. Not that I support her choices, regardless of his shortcomings in the marriage; I don't. But at the end, this book almost felt like this was his payback for all she had done to him. And that felt a little icky.
12.
Acts 13-28 For You by R. Albert Mohler Jr. // An overview of the last half of the book of Acts. This was the companion book to our women's Bible study that continued into the spring. {I read the first book back in the fall-
#61}. Again, it's like a commentary, but reads a little more casually. It's a good overview of chapters 13-28 of the book of Acts.
13. Tom Lake by Ann Patchett // A novel about three daughters who beg their mother to tell them the story of the actor with whom she shared a stage and romance with one summer at Tom Lake {a theater company}. It's a story of youthful love and the lives that parents live before their children are born. This book is beautifully written and I listened to the audio book read by Meryl Streep, which was lovely. But despite how romantic the writing/storytelling tries to be, there were just some holes for me. Despite the fact that these daughters have heard this story repeatedly over their whole lives, they still act as though they've never heard it before. And the emotions seemed sort of flat to me in the end, considering all that actually happens. Maybe the Covid setting feeling romanticized seemed too strange for me too. So while I think it's worth the read, I think it could have been so much better.
14. Woven: Nurturing a Faith Your Kid Doesn't Have to Heal From by Meredith Miller // This is an example of a book where you should "chew the meat and spit out the bones." I appreciated this book because it encourages parents to nurture a faith that provides a framework beyond moralism. She offers the very helpful idea of centering our teaching of Scripture on the character of God, rather on the character of the biblical heroes. She provides practical tools and ideas that challenge a lot of non-gospel centered teaching, moving teaching away from moralism, providing our children with a web of faith that can be questioned and flexible for each family. My caution with this book is that I don't think it is organized well enough for immature believers to fully understand the terminology and ideas. I would caution that some might see a license to create a good faith for ourselves, forgetting that God still has standards and commandments for us and our children to follow. But if you can walk in wisdom and biblical maturity, understanding the balance of obedience to God and not man, then I think there are some valuable thoughts in this book. It's not one I would recommend to the masses.
15. Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference Edited by Tim Keller and John Inazu // This is a compilation of personal essays written by different authors. They write about living like Jesus in a deeply divided culture. I picked it up based on some of the authors listed. Because of the format, the book itself was not exactly cohesive, and is rather disjointed {it makes me think that these authors didn't set out to write this book together, but rather their separate essays were just compiled in one place}. While I can read their personal experiences and walk away with some things to consider, we all know that we are to be humble and patient and kind. I was disappointed in how few Scripture references were used, and how highly American these perspectives were. Just not what I was expecting, I guess.
16. The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness by Meghan O'Rourke // Chronic illness affects tens of millions of Americans. These invisible illnesses often go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, untreated or mistreated, and their sufferers are left reeling in their wake. The author shares her own personal health journey and suffering with chronic illness, as well as the extensive research she conducted into the world of Western illness. I saw so much parallel to my own journey: the frustration with a system that treats the symptom and not the root cause, that just wants to throw a pill at you instead of truly understand what's wrong. The frustration of not being taken seriously by medical professionals. The machine of insurance and big Pharma and all that entails in patient {non} "care." I applaud all of her bravery and hard work. The book could have benefitted from some editing, as the repetition made it difficult to stay engaged. And I think that there has to be an acknowledgement of the privilege of care she received {same as I have received}.
17. With All Your Heart: Living Joyfully Through Allegiance to King Jesus by Christine Hoover // Christine is such a faithful writer of truth, and this book is no exception. She presents false "kings" that we {wrongly} place on our hearts {like anxiety, approval, comfort, image, escape, power, accumulations, self-sufficiency, supremacy, shame}, whose lies we too often listen to and allow to hinder our spiritual growth and infect our relationships. She challenges her readers to turn over our heart's allegiance fully to King Jesus instead, so that we can live our lives in full joy, honoring Him in the ways He created us. It's definitely a countercultural message: that the joy of experience God's blessings is found in submitting to the rule of King Jesus. This book caused me to think about where my true affections lie, whether I am listening to lies or believing the truth.
18. The It Girl by Ruth Ware // A dark academia thriller. It's been 10 years since Hannah found her roommate dead in their Oxford room. 10 years since her testimony put John Neville in prison for her murder. He has now died in prison, but a journalist has come around, convinced that he was innocent. Entertaining enough, but felt long. I'll still read this author haha.
19. Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane // I have never seen the Leonardo DiCaprio movie. But the story has intrigued me so I thought, "why not read the book?" ;) U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and his partner Chuck Aule have come to Shutter Island, home of the Ashlecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to investigate the disappearance of a patient. A huge hurricane is bearing down on them as they search for a multiple murderess. Nothing is as it seems on Shutter Island. If you like thrillers, this is a good one! Creepy and crazy and "makes you jump" and stay up at night, and when you finish it, you think "what the heck just happened?!?" {in a good way} :)
20. Yellowface by R.F. Kuang // Athena Liu is a rising star author. June Hayward is a nobody author. When June witnesses Athena's accidental death, she makes a decision to steal her just-finished masterpiece. She edits. re-brands, and passes it off as her own. She justifies it by convincing herself that the story {about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers during WWI} should be told. It becomes a NY Times Bestseller, but June can't get away from Athena's shadow. And she has to figure out how far she is willing to go to keep what she thinks she deserves. For me, I think this book was overhyped. It started off well, but it just didn't carry through the whole book, and the drama of whether or not her secret would be discovered drug on too long. The social media exchanges were nauseating to read. I'm just not ever going to enjoy that in a book, no matter how culturally relevant it is.
21. The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life's Final Moments by Hadley Vlahos // I randomly found Hadley on instagram and have followed her as she shares her experiences as a hospice nurse. In her book, she shares her experiences with varying patients in their last moments before death. She shares her own personal growth journey, and she shows how she graciously and kindly cares for people and their families in their final days. It was a beautiful and heart-wrenching read. It does touch on matters of faith and the after-life; Hadley respects the religious beliefs of all her patients. I wouldn't call this an overtly faith-based book, even considering that the author still has her own questions in matters of faith.
22. The Women by Kristin Hannah // Twenty-one year old Frankie McGrath joins the Army Nurse Corps determined to make a difference during the Vietnam War. She quickly becomes one of the brave, broken, and lost. And she soon discovers, like the men, that coming home to a divided America is the bigger battle. This is the story of one woman who went to war, but it shines light on all the women who put their lives on the line and were too often forgotten. It was well written and I didn't want to put it down! A great historical fiction novel.
23. Worthy: Celebrating the Value of Women by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick and Eric M. Schumacher // A book that helps walk through Scripture and how God used women in Israel's history, and how Jesus redeemed the treatment of women. They highlight how Scripture affirms equal value and worth on women, as they are created in the image and likeness of God. God not only values women, but He empowers and works through them in His redemption story. While this might seem plainly evident, this book is necessary, as it speaks to many of the abuses and misinterpretations within hyper-complementarian circles. I appreciated the voices of both a woman and a man, as well as the "digging deeper" questions for reflection.
24. Home is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose // Three estranged siblings reunite at their childhood home after the death of their mother. While going through their parent's belongings, they stumble upon a video that cuts to a scene of their father covered in blood, a dead body, and a pact from their parents to hide it. Now they have to decide if they're going to leave the past in the past or uncover dark family secrets. A quick, interesting read.
25. Raising Worry-Free Girls: Helping Your Daughter Feel Braver, Stronger, and Smarter in an Anxious World by Sissy Goff // Our Family Ministries team recommended this book. Childhood anxiety rates are rising, especially among girls. The author provides practical suggestions on how to instill bravery and confidence in your daughter. I found it Biblical sound, completely practical, and very reasonable to implement. Definitely recommend.
26. You Shouldn't Have Come Here by Jeneva Rose // Overworked New Yorker books an Airbnb on a ranch in Wyoming. The owner is a handsome, mysterious man. She has no cell service. There's a missing woman. A thriller about opening your heart and home to a total stranger. I enjoyed #24, so I decided to try another by this author...and it was terrible haha. I cringed throughout this whole book. Not for me. {I really hate that! When you really like one book by an author, and then another book totally bombs. What are you supposed to do with that??}
27. Everyone On This Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson // Ernest Cunningham Book #2. Ernest Cunningham is invited to a crime-writing festival aboard a train, and he hopes he can find some inspiration for his second book. But when a participant is murdered, the authors have to play detective to solve the crime. {I loved a marketing tag for this book: how can you find a killer when all the suspects know how to get away with murder? Haha- classic whodunit}. I think I enjoy the author's snarky tone and how he invites the reader to enter into the mystery-solving process. This one was a bit slower than his first book, and there were a lot of characters to keep track of, but I still enjoyed it.
28. Grumpy Mom Takes a Holiday: Say Goodbye to Stressed, Tired, and Anxious, and Say Hello to Renewed Joy in Motherhood by Valerie Woerner // The author shares her own experiences with choosing joy in her motherhood journey. She tries to offer a better way forward to be the mom God made you to be. In many ways, this book felt relatable; what mom hasn't felt grumpy, stressed, tired, anxious? She offered some good encouragement at times, and I think was well-intentioned. But it felt more like self-help than true gospel-centered encouragement. The gospel was actually never explicitly mentioned in this book. So there was a lot of "Christianese" and not a lot of biblical support. So while there were a few nice takeaways, I wouldn't recommend this book.
29. The New Neighbor by Carter Wilson // Aidan Marlowe has been playing the same lottery numbers for 15 years and has never won. Until now. On the day of his wife's funeral. As he copes with the two extremes of the sudden loss of the woman he loves and the winning of wealth beyond his imagination, he moves to a brand new city with his twin children for a fresh start. But it's not long before threats to his family and new fortune begin, and his dark past comes back to haunt him. Meh. The characters were flat and the story just never got better.
30. The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and Life by Julie Bogart // I'm trying to make my way through some of the popular homeschool books, and this one is on a number of lists. The author encourages parents to leave room in their homeschooling for fun and surprise and adventure. She argues that allowing children to explore new hobbies and interests encourages learning, which can lead to a life of curiosity, joy, and the courage to take risks. She offers practical tips for creative learning. Just know that it's one approach to homeschooling, and it is based on her own family's experience.
31. How to Tell the Truth: The Story of How God Saved Me to Win Hearts - Not Just Arguments by Preston Perry // This is the author's personal story of how God saved Him and then shaped him into the evangelist he is today. He shares his experiences with sharing the gospel with different people and how the Lord taught him that it's more than just winning arguments, but it's about winning hearts. He shares his own successes and failures of engaging people with the gospel in both truth and love. I honestly loved this book. Highly recommend.
32. A Father's Story by Lionel Dahmer // This is the memoir of Lionel Dahmer, father of famed serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. I found this book really interesting, but also confusing. It's a rare view of an evil man through the eyes of a loving parent. This is a father grappling with when and where and what went wrong. The way he traces his son's evolution and attempts to identify the "one thing" that turned him, caused him to become what he became. In one sense, I felt for this father. The way he presented himself, he was a father who seemingly loved his son, did his best with what he knew, and just didn't see it all coming. And yet, as he was presenting all that happened, you can't help but see all the signs that were plainly evident and wonder how this parent was so blind, and I couldn't help but wonder if he was painting himself in a better light so as to avoid any blame for helping create {or at the very least, not containing} the monster he was supposedly trying to understand.
33. The Preacher's Wife: The Precarious Power of Evangelical Women Celebrities by Kate Bowler // A sociological look at American evangelical culture, specifically the role of the preacher's wife. There's no question that the author has done some extensive research across many American evangelical denominations, but she seems to focus most of her attention on prosperity theology ministries. I struggle with books/commentators like this that lump all of "American evangelical culture" together and call it "Christianity," especially when there aren't any specific definitions given, just assumed. That pet peeve aside, it still probably speaks to the {now assumed} celebrity culture and megachurch machine that is described within its pages. How these wives, who are traditionally banned from ordained ministry, carved out their own unofficial positions of power and ministries. An interesting, though disheartening, read. Not a guidebook for me, but a good description of how my unbelieving neighbors might view me before they know me {and for the record, not the celebrity part, just the preacher's wife part haha} ;)
34. American Girls: Social Media and the Secret Lives of Teenagers by Nancy Jo Sales // The author crisscrosses the country to interview teenage girls and give us a glimpse into the lives of what it means to be a teenage girl in America in 2016. Her goal is to shock readers with the knowledge that there is a new era of adolescence, one dominated by new social and sexual norms, where much of life and identity and relationships are magnified on social platforms. Do I think adolescence has changed by social media? Yes. Do I think many teenage girls live the "shocking" {read: promiscuous, self worth determined by boys and likes/swipes} lives that are described in these pages? Yes. Do I think porn plays a major factor in all of it? Also yes. But this book was over the top with the stories of how little these children respect themselves and others, and I was left wondering, where are all the adults?? Who is raising these awful kids?? Who is telling these girls that they are worth more than this? That they don't have to find their worth and value in their social media feed? That it's not empowering to sleep with whoever whenever? Who is raising these inappropriate boys? Why are the adults allowing these children to consume this filth?? I realize this is a bigger conversation, but this book made me depressed. As far as the book and its writing: while I think it highlights an alarming reality in our society, I do think her interviews were limited and biased {read: privileged, money}, and she was definitely going for a shock value more than actual research and solutions. Transitions were terrible, it was super long, and there was no actual resolution. There are better books on this topic. This should have been a DNF for me, but I gave it 2 stars on Goodreads because I feel like parents need to wake up and understand the dark side of social media. But it made me feel icky after I finished it and made me want to keep my kids little forever haha.
35. The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt // Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt describes the epidemic of mental illness plaguing teens and says that the decline of a "play-based" childhood and the rise of a "phone-based" childhood is to blame. He presents a clear call to action, challenging readers that this is a clear collective societal problem, from government to tech companies to teachers and parents. This was an excellent book. Well-researched, well-argued, well-presented. And I appreciated more than anything that he had clear, actionable {and reasonable} solutions. I pray for these type of changes for our children's futures. Highly recommend.
36. All Who Are Weary: Finding True Rest By Letting Go of the Burdens You Were Never Meant to Carry by Sarah Hauser // Our first summer book club read! The author shares parts of her own story and how she struggled with depression and grief, and through that she invites the reader to bring their heavy burdens to the feet of Jesus and take the light burden He offers instead. She walks through nine soul-crushing burdens: worthlessness, condemnation, worry, self-sufficiency, insecurity, comparison, perfectionism, insignificance, and despair. Even when our world is falling apart around us, because of the gospel, we can live lives of joy and endurance and rest. It reads fairly quickly, and I found myself wishing she would go a little deeper. But it was a good book club pick, because we were able to go deeper in our book club discussion. Would still recommend.
37. Sociopath: A Memoir by Patric Gagne // What to say about this one...it's the {supposed} memoir of a sociopath haha. While she shares her story of discovering her diagnosis, she is also trying to convince you that she's not a monster and can live a normal life just like you. I found this book intriguing, but there was always a nagging feeling that I was being manipulated and lied to the whole time. It felt very self-aggrandizing, as the author seemed to care more about the shock factor of declaring she was a sociopath than actually helping people understand her diagnosis and dispel some of the common misconceptions. So while it was entertaining enough to read about a "sociopath trying to convince you she isn't that bad or scary," it didn't actually help to dispel any of the common misconceptions in the end.
38. All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers // Margot Davies was six years old when her friend January went missing and was found dead in their small town in Indiana. When Margot returns home to care for her sick uncle, another young girl goes missing, and the past seems to be repeating itself. A slower thriller with some twists and turns. I didn't love the ending, but would give this author another try if she wrote another book.
39. The Four-Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life by Durenda Wilson // This book was poorly named. It was not at all a book about how to successfully homeschool in 4 hours a day. Like at all. While I knew that this was written by a Christian author, I think that a secular homeschooler would have been mad picking this one up. While there are certain aspects of homeschooling that I agree with {parents know their children best and can provide a more customized education, homeschooling allows the opportunity for more family connections, particularly in the early years, you can help develop a love for learning rather than teach to tests}, her overall approach to schooling her children didn't seem to align with mine {which isn't necessarily wrong, just different}. I just think it was not the book I was expecting. If you're new to homeschooling, this could be a good place to start learning about one approach, but even then, I think there are better books out there.
40. Mystic River by Dennis Lehane // The lives of three childhood friends are changed forever when one gets into a stranger's car and the others don't. Twenty-five years later, one is a detective, one is an ex-convict, and one is just a shell of a man, never quite recovering from that day. Their lives come together again when the ex-convict's daughter is brutally murdered, and the detective is put on the case. Many reviews said this was supposed to be better than Shutter Island, and I just don't see that. It's supposed to be a psychological thriller, but it read so slow, and the characters were so flat and unexciting. I didn't like this one; it only got the stars it did because he is a good writer and I guess he still gets credit from Shutter Island.
41. Drowning by T.J. Newman // A commercial jetliner crashes into the ocean and sinks to the bottom with passengers trapped inside. So here's the deal- this was fast-paced and exciting, kind of read like a movie script. So it was a book I couldn't put down! But because it read like a movie script, there were definitely parts of it that were completely implausible and edge-of-your-seat, last-minute miraculous. You're not emotionally attached to the characters, because we have zero background on 98% of them, which I think is just lazy writing. I hope this author grows in that area {but let's be honest, these books are already bestsellers as is, so that's unlikely}. So read the book knowing what you're getting :)
42. You Are A Theologian: An Invitation to Know and Love God Well by Jen Wilkin and JT English // Our second summer book club read! This is a fantastic primer for theology. It takes some of the foundational theological terms and makes them easily digestible. I would highly recommend this as a starting place for those who want to dive into theology.
43. Pastors and Their Critics: A Guide to Coping with Criticism in the Ministry by Joel R. Beeke // No particular reason I picked up this book, other than the fact that we are in ministry! I found this book really helpful and refreshing. The author provided Biblical examples of leaders who handled criticism and then practical examples of how to cope with criticism. All the while he emphasized humility and grace. There were also sections about how a pastor should give criticism, as well as how a seminary student can prepare to face criticism in ministry. Overall, I think this is a practical and helpful book.
44. The Story of the World Vol. 1: Ancient Times by Susan Wise Bauer // We wrapped up our history curriculum over the summer, and I am totally counting this book in my reading list since I read the whole thing out loud haha. And honestly, I actually enjoyed it! It was a good overview of ancient times, and it kept all of us engaged. You definitely need to supplement in order to fully round out your history education, but it's meant to only be a spine anyway. I felt like this book covered a lot of ground in a fairly unbiased way {she seems to make both secular and Christian readers mad...that seems about right to me!} We will continue with Volume 2: The Middle Ages.
45. Jesus Through the Eyes of Women: How the First Female Disciples Help Us Know and Love the Lord by Rebecca McLaughlin // Our final summer book club read! I really loved this book. There were parts where I felt that she was stretching things {simply because the information is not in the Biblical text}, and I wish that TGC editing didn't require a set number of pages because I often feel like their books are cut off and some thoughts are not fully fleshed out. But those editorial choices aside...I appreciated how she walked the reader through each of the women in the Gospels and how we could see Jesus through their eyes. It was beautiful and meaningful, and it makes me wonder how some men have so utterly missed the mark on how much Jesus values women. Highly recommend.
46. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas // I have mixed feelings on this book. The author is a good storyteller, and I definitely got swept up in the story he was telling of Bonhoeffer. And there's no doubt that Bonhoeffer was an interesting person {the author's storytelling aside}! But he was also a complex person. The problem is that Metaxas applied too many American evangelical terms to describe a 20th century German pastor. You could tell fairly quickly that he didn't quite understand the historical context in which Bonhoeffer lived. If a reader doesn't understand this historical context either, they could easily get swept up in the narrative and miss the errors. Read with caution.
47. The Hidden Story of Narnia: A Book-By-Book Guide to C.S. Lewis' Spiritual Themes by Will Vaus // In anticipation of our fall reading of the Chronicles of Narnia for school, I found this book to read on the spiritual themes found in Lewis' books. It's a quick and simple read, but the author helps the reader walk through some of deeper Biblical references throughout the Narnian stories. I loved how it referenced many of Lewis' other works.
48. Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth // Three sisters raised by a foster mother on an idyllic farming estate. Their childhood was not the fairytale that so many thought it was, and now as adults, the sisters are forced to face their past. A body is found under the house where they grew up, and now they are forced to face the questions that have lingered for years. Deals with abuse and trauma. The characters seemed somewhat flat and basic, considering their trauma, but the story kept a decent pace to keep me reading.
49. Even if He Doesn't: What We Believe About God When Life Doesn't Make Sense by Kristen LaValley // I was not familiar with the author's story before picking up this book. By sharing her own story of suffering and struggling to make sense of hard things, she is able to provide deep compassion and biblical truth for fellow believers walking difficult roads. There are no trivial Christian platitudes here. She helps to dispel lies that we often believe about and during suffering. I appreciated her raw honesty and ability to point readers to God's truth and faithfulness.
50.
James by Percival Everett // I decided to give this author another try, and it was definitely an improvement from the last book I read {
#47 from last year}! This is the story of Huckleberry Finn, written from Jim's perspective. The content is heavy, dark, and at times violent. And I still struggle with how this author's books are labeled as "ferociously funny," but overall, I was able to see more of the author's talent.
51. The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman // Thursday Murder Club #4. It has been awhile since I have read this series, so it was fun to pick it back up. An old friend in the antiques business has been killed, so the Thursday Murder Club springs into action. There's no shortage of art forgers, online fraudsters, and drug dealers, which of course are hold no candle to our group. I just appreciate this cute series, but this one was a little more emotional.
52. Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic- and What We Can Do About It by Jennifer Breheny Wallace // Wallace seeks to investigate the deep roots of toxic achievement culture. She draws from interviews with families and educators, concluding that society overall is sending a message that children do not have value outside of their accomplishments. While I applaud her efforts and her overall message {we should be telling kids that they matter regardless of what they achieve}, this book felt "off" to me. Structurally, it could have been much shorter; so much was repeated. Otherwise, it felt like it was written to a very small subset of elite privileged families {think ivy leagues}. It bothered me that she talked a lot about how getting into top tier schools isn't everything, and yet the experts she cites were all from top tier schools. I just think there are better books out there that address this topic.
53. All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker // This book spans over 25 years and follows 2 friends from their teenage years through adulthood. There's a small town tragedy, a missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller, and a love story. It's definitely more of a slow, character-driven drama, but overall, I really enjoyed reading this book {though the topics were tough}.
54. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid // Hollywood legend Evelyn Hugo is ready to tell her truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. She chooses Monique, an unknown magazine reporter, for the job, and Monique can't figure out why. As she listens to Evelyn recount her life of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and forbidden love, Monique begins to feel a connection with the star. The way the author writes makes this book compulsively readable. Evelyn keeps hinting at things to keep readers turning the pages, but it turns out to just be a cheap writing trick. The characters hold no real emotion, conversations are stiff, and "the twist" was embarrassingly predictable. In the end, I just felt icky and insulted when the book was done. There were no redeeming qualities to the characters, no true love was actually described, and there were too many loose ends. I'm not naive to think that all books have to be sunshines and rainbows, but it's not like this was a masterfully written villain story. Clearly, this book was not for me; my fault for not doing more research before reading.
55. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis // Chronicles of Narnia #1. We walked through the wardrobe! We're reading the Chronicles of Narnia series with the kids this year for our family read-alouds, so I am totally counting these on my list. I loved having some background on the stories before re-reading the classic stories. I think this one is, by far, my favorite {as it is for most people}, but I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series {in publication order}.
56. The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant // Emlyn lives a simple and quiet life as a fishing and hunting guide. She is starting over, rebuilding her life. But when her ex-boyfriend shows up with the news that her friend Janessa is missing, her efforts to forget her past go out the window. This had the potential to be good. The book was atmospheric, and the author was very descriptive, but it was too slow to be a good thriller. Some of the plot line was overly obvious. Many reviews say that a previous book was better, so I will give it a try.
57. Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis // Chronicles of Narnia #2. We were back in the land of Narnia, but this time it is 1300 years later. Men are ruling, and talking animals are in hiding, trying to survive. Peter, Edmund, Susan, and Lucy are summoned back to Narnia, in an effort to help Prince Caspian, the true king of Narnia. This one was fun and exciting with the talking animals {badgers, mice, and even dwarves}, but the language and storyline was a bit more difficult for children. There were a few times we had to read back over a section or clarify what words meant. But overall, we still enjoyed this one.
58. The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley // Jess goes to stay with her brother in his Paris apartment, but when she arrives, he's not there. She finds his neighbors to be an eclectic bunch, and the longer he is missing, the more questions she has. This book was so. stinking. slow. Nothing happened for 80% of the book. And then I guess the majority of the story happened in the last 20%, but even that was crammed in awkwardly and meant to be "shocking" and was just executed so poorly. Very disappointed in this book. Should have been a DNF.
59. Raising Critical Thinkers: A Parent's Guide to Growing Wise Kids in the Digital Age by Julie Bogart //
Bogart attempts to teach parents to help their children digest information and think critically. There seemed to be a lot of practical ideas of helping students learn, but there was no real definition of critical thinking, so this book seemed unfocused to me. I appreciated parts of this book, didn't quite agree with others. I just think this author may not be for me; she's revered in the homeschooling community, but I just don't seem to resonate with her.
60. These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant // For eight years, Cooper and his young daughter Finch have lived in an isolated cabin in the Appalachian woods. As she has grown older, Finch has started pushing back on the sheltered life Cooper has built for them. This is the first year their friend Jake has not shown up with supplies, and a stranger has wandered into their woods. Cooper is forced to make some hard choices and face his past. I really enjoyed this one. A story of survival and sacrifice, and how far a father will go when faced with losing it all.
61. Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit by John E. Douglas // Retired FBI Special Agent writes about his time in the elite serial crime unit. I guess this book was just not what I expected. I expected more insight into behavioral science and how it was used to profile serial killers, but it was more of a memoir. It would have been a DNF if it hadn't have been such a short, quick read.
62. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis // Chronicles of Narnia #3. King Caspian travels on the Dawn Treader to find the seven lords. Edmond, Lucy, and Eustace journey along on an epic quest toward Aslan's country. This one feels less Narnia-ish, but is definitely full of adventure and fun!
63. We Solve Murders by Richard Osman // We Solve Murders #1. The first in a new series by the author of the Thursday Murder Club. Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does a little bit of investigative work, but prefers his simple routine of pub quizzes, his favorite bench, and his cat. His daughter-in-law Amy Wheeler is the adrenaline-seeker. As a private security officer, she is currently on a remote island keeping a world-famous author alive. But a dead body, a bag of money, and a killer now after Amy has her sending for Steve's help. This was another fun one. I like this author and this new book didn't disappoint.
64. The Inmate by Freida McFadden // Brooke Sullivan is the new nurse practitioner at a men's maximum security prison. No one knows that she has a connection with one of the inmates; Shane Nelson was her high school sweetheart, and her testimony is what put him in the prison. Ok. So now reading back over the summary, I should have known better. But I wanted to read something by this author while I wait to read the much-praised The Housemaid {I have been waiting since July, and am still 215th in line haha}. But this was the dumbest thing I have read in a long time. The plot was dumb. The protagonist was dumber. And the writing was awful. Do not recommend.
65. Exiles: The Church in the Shadow of Empire by Preston Sprinkle // The author urges Christians to see themselves as foreigners in the country where they live. He seeks to call his readers to recenter their politics on the Bible, rather than American culture, and to truly live as exiles. The strength of this book is that it challenges Christians to carefully read the Word to see how it both affirms and runs against our politics. But the application portion is the weakest point. While it has some good things to take away and consider, he doesn't fully flesh out his ideas and theories. Part of what was missing from this book, is that he simply needed to tell Christians to love Christ more than politics. So while this book has some good thoughts, it's just not complete. I would also advise being a good Berean in how he views the Bible through a political lens.
66. Carnegie's Maid by Marie Benedict // Clara Kelley is at the right place at the right time. She ends up serving as a lady's maid in the household of Andrew Carnegie, and she must learn her place and keep up the ruse in order to secure her future and save her family. This historical fiction book tells the story of the brilliant woman who may have inspired Andrew Carnegie's transformation from ruthless industrialist to the world's first true philanthropist. I thought this was a fun, imaginative read. The history is well-researched, and the characters were interesting to read about. I look forward to reading more from this author.
67. The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis // Chronicles of Narnia #4. Eustace and Jill are called back to Narnia to save Prince Rillian. There are owls and giants, and the lovable character Puddleglum. The kids loved this one, but it wasn't really my favorite of the series. Puddleglum salvaged it, for sure.
68. Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire // With the movie coming out, I wanted to see what the book was about. I knew that it was dark and not like the musical, but what I was not prepared for was the explicit sexual scenes throughout the book. It was awful and pervasive, and not at all contributory. It really was written for shock value alone, and added nothing to the storyline or development of the characters. Aside from that, the story was disappointing. How could a beloved musical come from this? I even detached from the musical and tried to see what the author was trying to convey, but it was not even written well, nor the message clearly articulated. This is a case where the book was absolutely NOT better than the movie/play/musical. Do not recommend.
69. The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict // I enjoyed #66 so much, I decided to try another by the same author. Most 20 year olds are married by now, bu Mitza Maric has always been a little different. Now studying physics at the elite Zurich university, she knows that math is an easier path for her than marriage. And then fellow student Albert Einstein takes an interest in her, and they must figure out if there's enough room for two geniuses in one relationship. This is the story of Einsten's wife, a brilliant physicist in her own right.
70. Fallen Mountains by Kimi Cunningham Grant // I enjoyed another book by this author {#60}, so I thought I'd try another. Transom goes missing. Possum could have done it. Laney would have wanted to keep him quiet. Chase feels betrayed. Red is trying to figure it out. It's convoluted and boring, and I just don't understand the "gripping" reviews. The twist wasn't enough to save it either. Wasn't for me.
71. The Pastor's Wife: Strengthened by Grace for a Life of Love by Gloria Furman // I really like this author. Her books are saturated with Scripture and biblical truth. And this book is no exception, as she highlights who we are in Christ. However, I was a bit disappointed, simply because of the title. I picked this book, hoping for pastor's wife-specific information, and that is not what was provided. Was it filled with good, solid, biblical reminders and encouragement? Yes, absolutely. Was it written specifically for the role of the pastor's wife? Meh, not really.
72. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson // A high school murder suicide. Five years later, Pip decides to do her senior project on the case, because she is convinced the case was never solved. I mostly enjoyed this one. I just wish that you couldn't tell that these were young adult books. And not just because they're set in high school. But because of how they're written. It's like authors think young adults should be written down to, and I hate that. And I hate having to suspend belief. That a high school girl solves an entire murder suicide {and people just give her information like it's nothing} and the police can't? I don't know, at least make her mature and collaborative like Nancy Drew. It was ok, not great.
73. Little Christmas Carol: The Illustrated Edition by Charles Dickens // The Christmas classic adapted with woodland characters and settings for families. We read this with the kids, and it was not exactly what I expected. It is definitely closer to the original Dickens' classic than I realized. I had expected a little more adapted language for kids, so be forewarned that you will need to explain a lot of big, lesser-used words and concepts. The pictures and familiarity with the story helped. The kids still enjoyed the book, though I don't know if this will be the beloved version of the classic I had hoped for.
74. The Gift of Limitations: Finding Beauty in Your Boundaries by Sara Hagerty // In this book, the author talks about how our good heavenly Father puts boundaries in place for us, not as hurdles to overcome, but as loving ways to teach us more about Himself. While we too often see our limitations as frustrating and confining, the author helps us to slow down and see them more for the gift they are to help lead us toward growth and contentment. Normally, her prose may have bothered me {she writes closer to the same vein as Ann Voskamp}, but I guess I read this book at the right time and was able to look past it. I really appreciated her chapter on grief {for obvious reasons}, and the prayers at the end of each chapter.
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Books I started but didn't finish:
- She is Yours: Trusting God as You Raise the Girl He Gave You by Jonathan and Wynter Pitts // This wasn't a bad book, but I just couldn't get into it. It felt like a "coffee-cup Christianity" book, and while there were true statements in it, it felt like there was nothing new, or even anything specific to daughters. A pass for me.
- How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question by Michael Schur // I never watched the show {The Good Place}, but I came across this book another way and thought I would give it a try anyway. It wasn't necessarily bad, and maybe I just wasn't in the right mood for it. But I just wasn't feeling it, so it was a DNF for me.
- Ephesians For You by Richard Coekin // I started this to read alongside our Bible study, and I just didn't get around to finishing it. There was nothing wrong with it, we just used a study guide by a different author. So I ended up skimming this one, and didn't feel it was right to mark it as fully read. Maybe I'll have a chance to read it in the future, but for now, it will go back on my shelf as a resource.
