NON-FICTION
Educated 5/5
Wow. This book. I couldn’t stop reading it, and when I finished it (about 36 hours after starting it…) I couldn’t stop talking about it! The story is painful and the writing is beautiful. I honestly think it is one of the best (hard to say about such a hard story…) books I’ve ever read, and is definitely the best book I’ve read this year. There is a reason it has won almost every award! Tara grows up in Idaho with fearful parents who keep her and her siblings completely isolated. Having never received any sort of education, Tara creates a new life for herself and forms a new path no one in her family has taken. I also have never thought so much about the writing of a book while reading it. The way she shares her processing of the world, the way the style of writing increases in complexity as she ages…all of it is incredible.
The Hiding Place 5/5
I first read this book in middle school and my sister loaned it to me this past month. Her exact words were “read and be encouraged”, and encouraged I was! Corrie Ten Boom’s story of leading the underground movement in Holland during WWII is truly amazing. Her faithfulness to the Lord and devotedness to prayer and scripture is so inspiring. In a year like this this book was heavy, yet a breath of fresh air.
Mercies Like Morning 5/5
I want to buy this book for every woman I know! It is all about why it’s important to deeply study the Bible and how to do it. That honestly is my very favorite topic and one of the things I am most passionate about in life, so this was right up my ally. I learned a lot and was really inspired by both per passion and her story. It also has really helpful guides on how to use Blue Letter Bible (my favorite resource). I learned how to use it in my high school Bible class and it such an amazing tool!
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry 5/5
This book!! If you are someone with a busy life or a fast moving brain- read this book. It’s definitely going into the “constantly re-reading” rotation for me. I would also say it is just a really important conversation for our generation. Can’t recommend enough.
God Has a Name 4.5/5
I kind of went on a John Mark Comer kick this year (I’ve actually read even more of his books, I’m just saving some for another post haha!). Let me tell you, this guy can teach! The content of this book was top notch! I found it a little harder to follow than his other books, but worth every second spent focusing on it and I’m probably going to re-read this one as well.
Building A Story Brand 5/5
If you are a business owner – read this book. I’m trying to limit the amount of business books I read this year (because I have a tendency to over-read and under-implement) but I can firmly say this one is WORTH THE READ. It flipped my view of marketing on it’s head!
Chasing Vines 2.5/5
K, I’m just gonna be honest here. I know a lot of people have LOVED this book, but it just wasn’t for me. There were some really wonderful quotes or paragraphs, but the book as a whole was not my favorite and I found myself struggling to get through it.
FICTION
Where The Crawdad’s Sing 5/5
I can see why this book gets so much hype. It was phenomenal. While I can’t say I actually looooved the plot (anyone else with me here?) the writing was beautiful and I was engrossed in the details and storytelling. My mom, sisters and I all read it around the same time and couldn’t stop talking about it.
Harry Potter 1, 2, 3, & 4
I’ve mentioned this a few times in my monthly favorites, but I re-read the first 4 Harry Potter books over Christmas and New Years. If you haven’t read them in a while I would highly recommend digging back in. Curling up in the evening with a cup of tea and an illustrated copy of Harry Potter is the perfect medicine. I plan on picking back up with the 5th-7th over Christmas this year!
Eligible 4/5
This book was adorable! Lighthearted and a quick read! It is a modern retelling of Pride & Prejudice and I loved it!
Cooking For Picasso 3.5/5
This book had me dreaming of a vacation to Italy! I thought it was cute and would make a great summer vacation read. There were parts of the plot and characters that annoyed me, but for the most part I still enjoyed it!
Royal Holiday 4/5
Another fun girly read! I would consider this one like a Hallmark Christmas movie in a book. I read it on our cruise just before Christmas and it was perfect! I think I was happy the whole time I was reading it!
Anonymous Girl 4/5
This is a thriller that gets you sucked in from the beginning! I read it so fast! I will say, it didn’t end up being quite as creepy as I first thought it would be (a good thing in my mind) and had a very satisfying ending.
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