"Not Knowing is Half the Fun"

Anyone out there get my Big Bang Theory reference in the title?

I don't remember the storyline of the episode, but Penny tells Sheldon, "Not knowing is half the fun!"  His reply: "Was that the motto of your community college?"

Hilarious.

Anyway, I picked up this book because the title reminded me of that scene.

Nonsense: The Power of Not Knowing



Jamie Holmes nailed it with the title and his book did not disappoint.  Holmes makes a somewhat difficult topic easily accessible to anyone with his down-to-earth writing style.  He appeals to enthusiasts of psychology, art, education, history and science in one fell swoop.

The two highlights of this book for me were the chapter about Waco and his applications for educators, the former because I didn't realize how little I knew about the events in Waco and the latter for obvious reasons.

This review is intentionally vague because Holmes covers so much ground in a little over 200 pages.  You just need to read it for yourself.

And, I would argue that if Holmes had been in the room with Penny and Sheldon, he would have said, "not knowing is ALL the fun."

***I received a copy of this book from www.bloggingforbooks.com in exchange for this review.***

Hot 100: All the Books I Read in 2015

This time one year ago I made a New Year's Resolution to read more.  I've always loved to read but college, grad school, and work distracted me...a ten year black hole in which I hardly read for pleasure at all.

I set what I thought at the time was an unrealistic goal of reading 52 books in 2015 -- averaging one per week.  If you'd told me then that I'd hit my goal the first week of July I wouldn't have believed it, but here we are on December 31 and I have read 100 books.  100 books!

Below is a list of all the books I've read this year, categorized as best I can.  I've also listed my top 5 fiction and non-fiction, although I must say it was hard to choose.  I didn't enjoy all the books I read this year, but there were certainly more than 10 great ones.

(Also, I apologize for not including links/pictures on this list....I thought about it but it would take so much time.)

**I'd also like to point out that this list does not include books read to babies, textbooks, Bible study workbooks, and cookbooks.

Christianity/Religion

1. Every Bitter Thing is Sweet by Sara Hagerty

2. Breaking Free by Beth Moore

3. A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson

4. The Envy of Eve by Melissa Kruger

5. Recapture the Wonder by Ravi Zacharias

6. Depression: Looking Up From the Stubborn Darkness by Edward T. Welch

7. Jesus the King by Timothy Keller

8. He Chose the Nails by Max Lucado

9. Sabbath by Wayne Muller

10. Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis by Lauren Winner

11. United: Captured by God’s Vision for Diversity by Trillia Newbell

12. For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards by Jen Hatmaker

13. Grace For the Good Girl by Emily P. Freeman

14. Simply Tuesday by Emily P. Freeman

15. Out of Sorts: Making Peace With an Evolving Faith by Sarah Bessey

16. Messy Grace by Caleb Kaltenbach

17. My Name is Hope by John Mark Comer

18. Lord Willing? by Jessica Kelley (to be released in 2016)

19. Jesus in the Present Tense by Warren Wiersbe

20. The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp

21. Ms. Understood by Jen Hatmaker

Memoir:

22. Shakespeare Saved my Life: Ten Years in Solitary with the Bard by Laura Bates

23. A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet by Sophie Hudson

24. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling

25. Yes, Please by Amy Poehler

26. Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

27. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

28.Nobody’s Cuter Than You by Melanie Shankle

29. Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker

30. 7 by Jen Hatmaker

31. Call the Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy and Hard Times by Jennifer Worth

32. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehesi Coates

33. Cold Tangerines: Celebrating the Extraordinary Nature of Everyday Life by Shauna Niequist

34. Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

35. Bossypants by Tina Fey

36. Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman

Other Non-fiction:

37. Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain

38. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

39. Something Must be Done About Prince Edward County by Kristen Green

Self-Improvement:

40. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

41. The Fringe Hours by Jessica Turner

42. The Nesting Place: It Doesn’t Have to be Perfect to be Beautiful by Myquillyn Smith

43. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo

44. The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to be and Embrace Who You Are by Brene Brown

45. A Million Little Ways: Uncovering the Art You Were Made to Live by Emily P. Freeman

46. The Heart Led Leader by Tommy Spaulding

Historical Fiction:

47. The Invention of Wings (Sue Monk Kidd)

48. Year of Wonders (Geraldine Brooks)

49. Orphan Train (Christina Baker Kline)

50. The Outer Banks House by Diann Ducharme

51. Return to the Outer Banks House by Diann Ducharme

52. The Lost Wife (Alyson Richman)

53. The Nightingale (Kristin Hannah)

54. March (Geraldine Brooks)

55. The Other Boleyn Girl (Philippa Gregory)

56. Cutting for Stone (Abraham Verghese)

57. Life After Life (Kate Atkinson)

58. The Dressmaker (Kate Alcott)

59. The Boston Girl (Anita Diamant)

60. Toward the Sea of Freedom (Sarah Lark) *to be released in 2016

61. Go Set a Watchman (Harper Lee)

For the Young at Heart:

62. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Alan Bradley)

63. The Magician’s Nephew (C.S. Lewis)

64. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)

65. The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag (Alan Bradley)

66. A Red Herring Without Mustard (Alan Bradley)

67. If I Stay (Gayle Forman)

68. I am Half-Sick of Shadows (Alan Bradley)

69. Speaking From Among the Bones (Alan Bradley)

70. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches (Alan Bradley)

71. The Curious Case of the Copper Corpse (Alan Bradley)

Christian Fiction:

72. Angels Walking (Karen Kingsbury)

73. Chasing Sunsets (Karen Kingsbury)

74. Bridge to Haven (Francine Rivers)

75. Covenant Child (Terri Blackstock)

76. One More Wish (Robin Jones Gunn)

All the Rest:

77. Big Little Lies (Liane Moriarty)

78. The Good Girl (Mary Kubica)

79. Three Wishes (Liane Moriarty)

80. The Things We Do For Love (Kristin Hannah)

81. The Next Always (Nora Roberts)

82. The Rosie Project (Graeme Simsion)

83. The Rosie Effect (Graeme Simsion)

84. Summer Island (Kristin Hannah)

85. Attachments (Rainbow Rowell)

86. Speak (Lauren Halse Anderson)

87. The Last Anniversary (Liane Moriarty)

88. The Girl of the Train (Paula Hawkins)

89. Her Husband’s Secret (Liane Moriarty)

90. Eyes on You (Kate White)

91. Still Alice (Lisa Genova)

92. What Alice Forgot (Liane Moriarty)

93. The Royal We (Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan)

94. Afterwards (Rosamund Lupton)

95. Salvage the Bones (Jesmyn Ward)

96. The Language of Flowers (Vanessa Diffenbaugh)

97. Luckiest Girl Alive (Jessica Knoll)

98. The One and Only (Emily Giffin)

99. The Giver (Lois Lowry)

100. The BIBLE (NIV) -- I'm pretty proud of this one. I know I've read the whole Bible before but I don't remember ever sticking to a one-year plan.

Top 5 Fiction (in no particular order):

The Royal We

The Rosie Project

The Invention of Wings

The Nightingale

Go Set a Watchman

Top 5 Nonfiction (in no particular order):

Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis

Out of Sorts: Making Peace with an Evolving Faith

Just Mercy (it's going to be a movie--so pumped!)

Nobody's Cuter Than You

Jesus the King

So what's ahead for 2016? I haven't decided. I will certainly continue reading and posting about it, but I have no goals for a total. This was fun though. :)

When Grace gets Messy

There's been a lot of talk in Christian circles lately about how to address issues like same-sex marriage.  For those of us who realize protests and posters of Bible verses is only creating more problems, we must walk a fine line of holding true to what we believe and loving others with the love of Christ.

Enter Caleb Kaltenbach.  Now a pastor in California, Caleb was raised by gay parents and participated in gay pride parade.  He experienced his own "coming out" when he shared with his parents that he'd become a Christian.  In his book, Messy Grace, he offers a unique perspective about how Christians should engage the LGBT community.

If you're looking for a black and white how-to, you'll be disappointed.  However, Caleb does give the reader a lot of issues to consider and pray about and always, always, returns to Scripture.

**I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review.

What I Read in November

November seemed like a slow reading month, but as I look at the list I realize my perception was wrong.  I actually did quite well.  The list below brings my total for the year to 87.  One more month to go.  Can I make it to 100?



The One and Only by Emily Giffin - it's a book about football so I liked that part....but whoa.  I don't want to give it away but the plot made me crazy and the ending made me uncomfortable.


One More Wish by Robin Jones Gunn - way too young for me but I simply must read anything that continues the story of Christy and Todd.


The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant - This is a fictional memoir of a Jewish immigrant living in Boston in the first half the twentieth century. I listened to it on audio and loved it.


I am Half-sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley - definitely my least favorite in the Flavia de Luce series but I'm determined to keep pressing through.  The first three were awesome.  This one seemed to be missing something.  I've already gotten book 5 in the series from the library so on we go.


Simply Tuesday by Emily P. Freeman - surprisingly, this wasn't my favorite of her books (I was surprised anyway). I think it would be a great book for a SAHM.


Out of Sorts: Making Peace With an Evolving Faith by Sarah Bessey - one of my favorites for the year.  I love Sarah's heart.


Messy Grace by Caleb Kaltenbach -- I will be posting a separate review of this one in the next couple days..

18 Inches

18 inches.

That is the length of the journey from our heads to our hearts.  In Tommy Spaulding's latest release, The Heart-Led Leader.

Now that I am in this educational leadership program, the topic of leadership is one I see everywhere. I picked this up because I was intrigued by the tag "How Living and Leading from the Heart Will Change Your Organization and Your Life".  I want to be a great leader and hoped to find some immediately applicable tips.

In the book, Spaulding uses stories of great leaders he's met to describe 18 qualities of a heart-led leader (one for each inch).

All in all, I found the book to be inspiring but a little bit fluffy.  It's certainly good reading for someone who hopes to be a better leader, or for already great leaders looking for some renewed motivation.

***I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review.***

What I Learned in October & a Long-Overdue Reading Update

Another month has come and gone!

Today I am linking up with Emily P. Freeman's "What We Learned" series.

Here's some of what I've learned in October.

1. I can do anything for a month.

I just finished my first successful "Write 31 Days" challenge. I didn't write the most beautiful posts, but I set a goal and accomplished it.  I'm hoping this means I can translate it to the next 30 day challenge I've set for myself -- No SPEND November starts tomorrow!

2. My mom knows me well.

She introduced me to my new favorite game app -- Word Bubbles.  She told me I would love it....and I do :)

3. Fitbits can be great accountability tools.

In my September post I mentioned I need accountability in order to be successful, especially when it comes to healthy eating and fitness.  I got a Fitbit about 5 weeks ago and it's really helped me step it up in terms of exercise (pun totally intended).  My favorite feature are the friend challenges - I don't need to win them, but it helps to have encouragement and a little competition.  We're all in this together.

And for what I've read in the past two months:

Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll
A Million Little Ways: Uncovering the Art You Were Made to Live by Emily Freeman
Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling
Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman
The Heart Led Leader by Tommy Spaulding

Clearly my reading has slowed a bit now that I am in this principal training program, but this still makes 80 books for the year.  

 

 

Celebrities Are People, Too!

Shocking, right?  But really. They are...they're just like us.  Well, Mindy Kaling is at least.

I just finished reading Mindy's second book, Why Not Me? and I found myself laughing out loud through most of it. I loved her first book so I was very much looking forward to this one, but recently I've found myself rather disappointed by a few author's sophomore releases so I did have some doubts.

I didn't need to worry, though. Mindy picks up right where she left off in Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, which concluded with her role on "The Office."  Now considered established in her career, Why Not Me? chronicles her journey as executive producer of "The Mindy Project" as well as her experiences in dating.

I will say that there were portions of this book that were a little tedious for me. She writes at length about work and it's not nearly as funny or interesting to me as the rest, but I'm willing to credit that to personal differences. I doubt she would enjoy each one of my blog posts either.

I think my favorite part of this book was the section on relationships. Mindy is just like the rest of us. She doesn't want to be alone and has a WILD imagination (I won't give it all away, but my favorite chapter is called, "A Perfect Courtship in my Alternate Life". Hilarious and relatable.)  She writes with a beautiful blend of self-deprecating humor, vulnerability, and heart and after reading this book, I really just want to be her friend.  And find my soul snake. 

Who should read this book? Women with a sense of humor (or ones who wish they did) or anyone looking to escape their own reality for a while.

**I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

What I Read in August

Is it wrong to be posting this on the last day of the month? I suppose in theory I could read another book before minute, but it's really not going to happen.

I surprised myself by reading 9 books this month.  Granted, in terms of page counts, they were much shorter reads, but seven were nonfiction, which I tend to read more slowly.  In fact, on August 15th I'd only completed 2 books! Somehow I caught back up.  It's nice having met my goal already - I don't feel the pressure anymore.  This is all bonus.  I even stopped reading a book halfway through (not listed) because I just didn't like and didn't want to waste my time.  I could have powered through to add a book to the list, but I honestly didn't care to find out how it ended.

Also, I think this is the first month in which I haven't read something set in the 1940s.  Go me.

And so here they are....latest in bold.

Non-fiction:

Every Bitter Thing is Sweet by Sara Hagerty

Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker

7 by Jen Hatmaker

Breaking Free by Beth Moore

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson

The Envy of Eve by Melissa Kruger

Recapture the Wonder by Ravi Zacharias

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Depression: Looking Up From The Stubborn Darkness (Edward T. Welch)

Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that can't Stop Talking (Susan Cain)

The Fringe Hours (Jessica Turner)

Jesus the King (Timothy Keller)

A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet (Sophie Hudson)

He Chose the Nails (Max Lucado)

Shakespeare Saved My Life: Ten Years in Solitary with the Bard (Laura Bates)

Sabbath (Wayne Muller)

Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis (Lauren Winner)

Is Everyone Hanging out Without Me? (Mindy Kaling)

In Cold Blood (Truman Capote)

Yes Please (Amy Poehler) 

Just Mercy (Bryan Stevenson)
Brown Girl Dreaming (Jacqueline Woodson)
United: Captured by God's Vision for Diversity (Trillia Newbell)
Nobody's Cuter than You (Melanie Shankle)
Call the Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times (Jennifer Worth)
Something Must be Done About Prince Edward County (Kristen Green) - talk about conviction. This is a true story about a county not too far from me that SHUT DOWN their public schools in order to avoid desegegration. This is several other books this year are causing me to question my worldview.
For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards (Jen Hatmaker) - A breath of fresh air. Relax and laugh at yourself. We are all broken and Jesus died to save us. I wish Jen was my friend.
The Nesting Place: It Doesn't Have to be Perfect to be Beautiful (Myquillyn Smith) - this is a home decorating book of sorts.  Really, it's about contentment. Recommend.
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing (Marie Kondo) - I'm all for purging. I've done a lot of it this year. But my possessions are not people so I am not going to look at my socks and say, "How would you like to be folded?" or at my books and say, "Which shelf would you like to call home?"  For the Love.
The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to be and Embrace Who You Are (Brene Brown) - this is a book about courage, vulnerability, and wholehearted living. I love Brene's style and point of view.  She's also a sociologist (my first love).  I plan to read more of her work.
Between the World and Me (Ta-Nehesi Coates) - Coates writes a lengthy letter to his son about being black in America. This was hard to swallow, but important for the sake of empathy and understanding. There is so much I cannot understand, but I want to for the sake of reconciliation.
Cold Tangerines: Celebrating the Extraordinary Nature of Everyday Life (Shauna Niequist) - I adored this collection of essays.  The author truly finds the beauty in the mundane and has cultivated a life of gratitude.

Fiction:

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Alan Bradley)

Big Little Lies (Liane Moriarty)

The Magician’s Nephew (C.S. Lewis)

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)

The Good Girl (Mary Kubica)

The Invention of Wings (Sue Monk Kidd)

The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag (Alan Bradley)

Year of Wonders (Geraldine Brooks)

Three Wishes (Liane Moriarty)

Orphan Train (Christina Baker Kline)

The Things we do for Love (Kristin Hannah)

Angels Walking (Karen Kingsbury)

A Red Herring Without Mustard (Alan Bradley)

The Next Always (Nora Roberts)

The Rosie Project / The Rosie Effect (Graeme Simsion)

The Outer Banks House / Return to the Outer Banks House (Diann Ducharme) –

Summer Island (Kristin Hannah)

Attachments (Rainbow Rowell)

Speak (Lauren Halse Anderson)

The Last Anniversary (Liane Moriarty)

Chasing Sunsets (Karen Kingsbury)

The Girl on the Train (Paula Hawkins)

Bridge to Haven (Francine Rivers) 

If I Stay (Gayle Forman) 

Her Husband’s Secret (Liane Moriarty) 

Eyes on You (Kate White) 

The Lost Wife (Alyson Richman)

The Nightingale (Kristin Hannah) 

March (Geraldine Brooks)
The Other Boleyn Girl (Philippa Gregory)
Cutting For Stone (Abraham Verghese)
Life after Life (Kate Atkinson)
Still Alice (Lisa Genova)
The Dressmaker (Kate Alcott)
Covenant Child (Terri Blackstock)
What Alice Forgot (Liane Moriarty)
The Royal We (Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan) - In a word: HYSTERICAL.  This is basically Will and Kate fan fiction and I loved.every.page.
Afterwards (Rosamund Lupton) - This author came highly recommended to me but I'm not sure I picked the best book to start with.  Didn't love it.

Total as of August 31, 2015 -- 73

What I Read in July

Another month has come and gone and I've exceeded my 2015 goal.  For a few days I entertained the notion of trying for 100 books this year, but  I've decided not to press my luck.  The rest of the year will just be my victory lap.  I'm starting a new job, getting two nieces, and going back to school to earn my school administration endorsement (maybe some textbooks will end up on this list) -- I might not be able to keep up the pace.

Here's my list, newest in bold (as always)

Non-fiction:

Every Bitter Thing is Sweet by Sara Hagerty

Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker

7 by Jen Hatmaker

Breaking Free by Beth Moore

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson

The Envy of Eve by Melissa Kruger

Recapture the Wonder by Ravi Zacharias

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Depression: Looking Up From The Stubborn Darkness (Edward T. Welch)

Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that can't Stop Talking (Susan Cain)

The Fringe Hours (Jessica Turner)

Jesus the King (Timothy Keller)

A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet (Sophie Hudson)

He Chose the Nails (Max Lucado)

Shakespeare Saved My Life: Ten Years in Solitary with the Bard (Laura Bates)

Sabbath (Wayne Muller)

Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis (Lauren Winner)

Is Everyone Hanging out Without Me? (Mindy Kaling)

In Cold Blood (Truman Capote)

Yes Please (Amy Poehler) 

Just Mercy (Bryan Stevenson)
Brown Girl Dreaming (Jacqueline Woodson) - Love. Love. Love. A memoir in poetry form. Just read it and practice walking in someone else's shoes.
United: Captured by God's Vision for Diversity (Trillia Newbell) - I read this (very short) in a couple hours, hoping for a how-to on racial reconciliation.  It's not - Newbell is just sharing her vision for what she hopes will one day come to pass, but it's beautiful.
Nobody's Cuter than You (Melanie Shankle) - One of my new favorites.  Shankle is hilarious and this is a precious book about friendship.  I laughed, I cried, and then bought it for a friend.
Call the Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times (Jennifer Worth) - this memoir is the basis of the BBC series with the same name.  I watched the first season of the show on Netflix and found it boring but the book was great.

Fiction:

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Alan Bradley)

Big Little Lies (Liane Moriarty)

The Magician’s Nephew (C.S. Lewis)

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)

The Good Girl (Mary Kubica)

The Invention of Wings (Sue Monk Kidd)

The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag (Alan Bradley)

Year of Wonders (Geraldine Brooks)

Three Wishes (Liane Moriarty)

Orphan Train (Christina Baker Kline)

The Things we do for Love (Kristin Hannah)

Angels Walking (Karen Kingsbury)

A Red Herring Without Mustard (Alan Bradley)

The Next Always (Nora Roberts)

The Rosie Project / The Rosie Effect (Graeme Simsion)

The Outer Banks House / Return to the Outer Banks House (Diann Ducharme) –

Summer Island (Kristin Hannah)

Attachments (Rainbow Rowell)

Speak (Lauren Halse Anderson)

The Last Anniversary (Liane Moriarty)

Chasing Sunsets (Karen Kingsbury)

The Girl on the Train (Paula Hawkins)

Bridge to Haven (Francine Rivers) 

If I Stay (Gayle Forman) 

Her Husband’s Secret (Liane Moriarty) 

Eyes on You (Kate White) 

The Lost Wife (Alyson Richman)

The Nightingale (Kristin Hannah) 

March (Geraldine Brooks)
The Other Boleyn Girl (Philippa Gregory) - For some reason I find the whole Henry VIII saga so fascinating and this did not disappoint.  I know this book is old news (and so is the movie) but I'd not read or watched it.
Cutting For Stone (Abraham Verghese) - This was another audiobook for me.  It's the story of identical (formerly conjoined) twin brothers growing up in Ethiopia during the 1950s and 60s.  The book reads beautifully and balances the story with an in-depth look at the political and cultural climate of Ethiopia during that time.  I feel smarter now.
Life after Life (Kate Atkinson) - I highly recommend this book.  I don't want to give much away - it's unique.  I will say that like most of the books I've read this year, it's set during World War II.
Still Alice (Lisa Genova) - I read this in Italy.  Another book turned movie but since I apparently never watch movies I of course haven't seen it.  It was just a tearjerker...
The Dressmaker (Kate Alcott) - I checked this one out from the library because it was about people on the Titanic.  Then, I almost didn't read it because it was about people on the Titanic.  Spoiler alert: it sinks.  I wouldn't necessarily recommend the book, but I did enjoy it and learned a few things.  The bulk of the plot focuses on the congressional hearings following the survivors' arrival in the USA.  I also appreciated that the "unsinkable" Molly Brown played a role in this book.
Covenant Child (Terri Blackstock) - another one that I think I've read before.  I like this author but this book isn't her best.
What Alice Forgot (Liane Moriarty) - Hilarious. I am continually impressed with the way Moriarty addresses difficult topics in a way that is funny, upbeat, fanciful, and thought-provoking all at the same time.

Total as of July 31, 2015 -- 64

June Reading Update

The year is halfway over and I am ONE BOOK away from meeting my goal of 52 books in a year! Wow!

When I first started this "project" in January I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to do it.  I've always loved to read (so much so that my mom once grounded me from reading for a whole week as a punishment because she knew how much it would hurt), but got out of a habit of reading for pleasure sometime in the last several years.  The thought of reading a book a week intimidated me.  But, just like riding a bike, the more I read the more I wanted to read.  It was as if I'd rediscovered an important part of myself that I didn't know I'd lost.  Interestingly enough, this has also led to me feeling more inspired to write....

I just want to read ALL THE BOOKS!

Here's the updated list, newest in bold :)

Non-fiction:

Every Bitter Thing is Sweet by Sara Hagerty

Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker

7 by Jen Hatmaker

Breaking Free by Beth Moore

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson

The Envy of Eve by Melissa Kruger

Recapture the Wonder by Ravi Zacharias

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Depression: Looking Up From The Stubborn Darkness (Edward T. Welch)

Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that can't Stop Talking (Susan Cain)

The Fringe Hours (Jessica Turner)

Jesus the King (Timothy Keller)

A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet (Sophie Hudson)

He Chose the Nails (Max Lucado)

Shakespeare Saved My Life: Ten Years in Solitary with the Bard (Laura Bates)

Sabbath (Wayne Muller)

Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis (Lauren Winner)

Is Everyone Hanging out Without Me? (Mindy Kaling)

In Cold Blood (Truman Capote)

Yes Please (Amy Poehler) – I could have lived without reading this.  It’s too crude for my taste, especially compared to Mindy Kaling’s book.

Just Mercy (Bryan Stevenson) – This gave me so much to think about…and is such a timely issue.  I highly recommend.

Fiction:

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Alan Bradley)

Big Little Lies (Liane Moriarty)

The Magician’s Nephew (C.S. Lewis)

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)

The Good Girl (Mary Kubica)

The Invention of Wings (Sue Monk Kidd)

The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag (Alan Bradley)

Year of Wonders (Geraldine Brooks)

Three Wishes (Liane Moriarty)

Orphan Train (Christina Baker Kline)

The Things we do for Love (Kristin Hannah)

Angels Walking (Karen Kingsbury)

A Red Herring Without Mustard (Alan Bradley)

The Next Always (Nora Roberts)

The Rosie Project / The Rosie Effect (Graeme Simsion)

The Outer Banks House / Return to the Outer Banks House (Diann Ducharme) –

Summer Island (Kristin Hannah)

Attachments (Rainbow Rowell)

Speak (Lauren Halse Anderson)

The Last Anniversary (Liane Moriarty)

Chasing Sunsets (Karen Kingsbury)

The Girl on the Train (Paula Hawkins) – this book is along the same vein as Gone Girl and it was a captivating read, although not quite as well written.

Bridge to Haven (Francine Rivers) – Rivers wrote one of my favorite Christian fiction books ever, and so I was excited to see she’d written something new.  This was a good read, but I didn’t love the happily ever after ending.  It seemed far-fetched.

If I Stay (Gayle Forman) – A YA book that got its own movie.  Didn’t like it.

Her Husband’s Secret (Liane Moriarty) – I can’t get enough of Moriarty’s style; an enjoyable read.

Eyes on You (Kate White) – got this as an audiobook through the library and listened while cleaning and knitting.  It held my attention but it’s not a must-read.

The Lost Wife (Alyson Richman) – This one is so precious and I shed a few tears.  Loosely based on a synthesis of a few true stories, this World War II novel offers a different, and difficult, picture of Jews in Nazi Europe.

The Nightingale (Kristin Hannah) – This is another World War II novel and focuses on the role of two sisters in the French resistance.  The best book by Kristin Hannah I’ve ever read.  So much substance.

March (Geraldine Brooks) – I realized about halfway through this book that I’d read it before...I kept reading anyway because I remembered that I enjoyed it the first time.  It combines two things I love – the book Little Women and the Civil War. Brookes writes in the midst of Alcott’s novel and gives the reader an idea of what Mr. March experienced while away at war.  One word of warning: if you don’t want to view your favorite literary characters as real, flawed people, don’t read this.

On Deck:

Orthodoxy (GK Chesterton) – working my way through this slowly

Cutting For Stone (Abraham Verghese) – this one is LONG….I’m a little over halfway through. 

Total Finished as of May 31, 2015 – 51

May Reading Update: Beach Reading!

I read 14 books this month! 14 books! In May!

This is in no small part thanks to a week at the beach and several days spent proctoring AP tests.  That and the fact that I'm a speed reader...

Non-fiction:

Every Bitter Thing is Sweet by Sara Hagerty

Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker

7 by Jen Hatmaker

Breaking Free by Beth Moore

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson

The Envy of Eve by Melissa Kruger

Recapture the Wonder by Ravi Zacharias

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Depression: Looking Up From The Stubborn Darkness (Edward T. Welch)

Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that can't Stop Talking (Susan Cain)

The Fringe Hours (Jessica Turner)

Jesus the King (Timothy Keller)

A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet (Sophie Hudson)

He Chose the Nails (Max Lucado)

Shakespeare Saved My Life: Ten Years in Solitary with the Bard (Laura Bates)

Sabbath (Wayne Muller)

Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis (Lauren Winner) – this book resonated with me far more than I expected it would.  There were many times I felt Lauren had copied my own journal directly into her book.  I borrowed it from the library but plan to buy my own copy.

Is Everyone Hanging out Without Me? (Mindy Kaling) – just a funny and enjoyable read

In Cold Blood (Truman Capote) – I read this because a good friend and coworker had her AP English class read it this year.  I read it thinking it was fiction and once I found out it was supposed to be non-fiction, my thoughts on it changed a bit.

Fiction:

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Alan Bradley)

Big Little Lies (Liane Moriarty)

The Magician’s Nephew (C.S. Lewis)

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)

The Good Girl (Mary Kubica)

The Invention of Wings (Sue Monk Kidd)

The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag (Alan Bradley)

Year of Wonders (Geraldine Brooks)

Three Wishes (Liane Moriarty)

Orphan Train (Christina Baker Kline)

The Things we do for Love (Kristin Hannah)

Angels Walking (Karen Kingsbury)

A Red Herring Without Mustard (Alan Bradley) – It’s not a month without Flavia de Luce

The Next Always (Nora Roberts) – beach reading at its finest.

The Rosie Project / The Rosie Effect (Graeme Simsion) – I loved the first one; could have down without the second, but it wasn’t terrible.  Simsion created some very interesting characters.

The Outer Banks House / Return to the Outer Banks House (Diann Ducharme) – I chose these because I was at the Outer Banks and like the series above, loved the first and was disappointed with the second.  I honestly wish I hadn’t read the second at all because the plot took a turn that still makes me mad when I think about it.  I wanted only happily ever after books for my beach reading.

Summer Island (Kristin Hannah) – it was fine; not my favorite from this author

Attachments (Rainbow Rowell) – I LOVED this book.  Highly recommend.  So sweet.

Speak (Lauren Halse Anderson) – this is a YA classic and I am glad I read it. Anderson makes the school counselor seem pretty useless and oblivious so I found that both annoying and convicting.  It definitely gave me something to think about.

The Last Anniversary (Liane Moriarty) – Another great one from Moriarty.  The tone of her books is also light and funny, but she brings attention to some dark topics at the same time.  This one is about post-partum depression – I feel like it’s important to know that before reading.

Chasing Sunsets (Karen Kingsbury) – the sequel to Angels Walking; I will continue to read the series but I’m starting to get frustrated with this author’s overly sappy and predictable stories.  Maybe if she hadn’t signed a contract that has her publishing multiple books year they’d be better……

On Deck:

Orthodoxy (GK Chesterton)

The Girl on the Train (Paula Hawkins)

Yes Please (Amy Poehler)

Just Mercy (Bryan Stevenson)

Total Finished as of May 31, 2015 – 41

Somehow I think getting to 52 is going to happen sooner than December.....

April Reading Update

One third of the way through the year....over halfway to achieving my goal of reading 52 books!  Without further ado, here's the entire list, with the ones I read in April in bold.

Non-fiction:

Every Bitter Thing is Sweet by Sara Hagerty

Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker

7 by Jen Hatmaker

Breaking Free by Beth Moore

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson

The Envy of Eve by Melissa Kruger

Recapture the Wonder by Ravi Zacharias

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Depression: Looking Up From The Stubborn Darkness (Edward T. Welch)

Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that can't Stop Talking (Susan Cain)

The Fringe Hours (Jessica Turner)

Jesus the King (Timothy Keller)

A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet (Sophie Hudson) - this is such a fun memoir.  Sophie has another book that I can't wait to read.

He Chose the Nails (Max Lucado) - I do love the devotional and contemplative style Lucado uses in his books.

Shakespeare Saved My Life: Ten Years in Solitary with the Bard (Laura Bates) - I must confess that I skimmed this one.  I checked it out from the Library on my Kindle and couldn't renew it so I had to read it in a day.  I may revisit it soon.

Sabbath (Wayne Muller) - I would have been fine with only reading the first half of this book.  The second half got a little too meditative and new age-y for me.  

Fiction:

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Alan Bradley)

Big Little Lies (Liane Moriarty)

The Magician’s Nephew (C.S. Lewis)

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)

The Good Girl (Mary Kubica)

The Invention of Wings (Sue Monk Kidd)

The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag (Alan Bradley) - this is the second book in the Flavia de Luce series.  I just love them -- entertaining and an easy read.

Year of Wonders (Geraldine Brooks) - historical fiction is quickly becoming my favorite genre.  This one did not disappoint.  It's about the Black Plague so it's sad - don't say I didn't warn you.

Three Wishes (Liane Moriarty) - I actually listened to this one on Audible.  I didn't like it as much as Big Little Lies.

Orphan Train (Christina Baker Kline) - by far the BEST book I read in April.  It's probably second only to The Invention of Wings.

The Things we do for Love (Kristin Hannah) - enjoyable.  Definitely a beach read that I wasn't reading on the beach.

Angels Walking (Karen Kingsbury) - it was fine. 

On Deck:

Still by Lauren Winner

A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? By Mindy Kaling

Total Finished as of April 30, 2015 -- 28

So I really am going to the beach later this month.  What should I be sure to bring with me?