I have a fun little tradition of tracking everything I've read in a year. I'm one of those multitasking readers who like to read 2-3 books at once, usually a fiction and non fiction. Sometimes its hit or miss, but since last year I joined a book club I was even more disciplined to record the books that piled up by my nightstand. Readers are always looking for the next thing to read so I thought I would share! Click the title of the book for even more info, thanks Amazon (what would we do without you!?) Happy Reading!
Fiction
This psychological, sci/fi thriller, was not what I expected.
Don't let the genre scare you off if it's not your usual forte, this story will
suck you in. I actually look for books that will stretch me as a reader as I
tend to get stuck in a reading rut and this one fit the bill. Its main
character Jason Desser wakes up in a life that's not his own, but is strangely
familiar, in fact it's a life he once dreamed of. This new life is his “what
if’s” materialized, what his life would've looked like had he made one choice
over the other, prioritized career over family. Not that he was unhappy in his
other life, he loves his wife and son dearly, but he had not become the
celebrated physics academic he had set out to be. Although he thought this was
his dream the thrill of it wears off and soon he is frantically trying to
reconnect with his wife. He discovers that he is has somehow in an alternate
dimension of time and that there is an enemy with a malicious plan he must
outwit. This mind bending, fast paced, love story about choices and regrets,
family and dreams will keep you guessing until the very last pages. And you
will learn some pretty cool things about physics along the way.
I had no idea what this book was about when I started reading. It
was passed along to me by my mom so I stepped out on faith not knowing much about it. It
was a little slow to take off as the plot is being set up, but pretty soon I
found my self lost in the world of Rill Foss and her siblings. They are
abducted into what is supposed to be a children's home ran by Georgia Tann, one
of the most infamous child traffickers of the 1950s. The story alternates back
and forth between Rill’s time period and present day, then is all tied together
in redemptive fashion. Parts were hard to read, especially the conditions in
which the children were kept and how they were mistreated, but the author does
a wonderful job of keeping her descriptions clean yet vivid enough to capture
the depravity of the situation.
I kept seeing rave reviews for this
book online and although it's timely subject matter didn't have a personal
appeal to me I decided to give it a go anyhow and I'm so glad I did. I was
instantly charmed by the quirky family in this book who are struggling to raise
their young children. The youngest of five brothers is of particular concern
because at an early age he shows a propensity toward feminine ways. When asked
what he wants to be when he grows up his answer is “A girl.” He wants to dress
up in skirts and wear clips in his hair. He is confused by his gender and more
so are his family and friends. The story outlines the parent’s behind the scene
worries and decisions that they can only hope will be for the best. They want
to so badly to demonstrate acceptance to their child but are terrified that the
world around them will not. This book delightfully surprised me and will ring
so pertinent in the ears of every parent who has ever wondered if they were
making the right decision about their child. (So yeah, basically every parent.)
And more than that, I feel as though it educated me and opened my heart more
towards the gender issues that many grapple with.
I am extremely late to the party on this one. Written in ’99,
it's practically vintage. It was chosen for Oprah’s book club, a story she
admired so much she wanted to narrate the Audio edition. I feel so lucky having
found it in adulthood, I never would've appreciated it as a teenager. It’s
poetic lines, relatable truths and falsehoods had me dog earring several
pages. This book haunted me for weeks after I finished it. After reading
through several reviews for this well known novel, it was evident that this
story is effectual either for better or worse. Critics of the book call the language
melodramatic or flowery but to me the rawness of the story needed this
treatment. Then again, I realize I am drawn to some what gritty stories.
It follows the story of Astrid, daughter of a tortured artist
type mother whose been imprisoned, and her growing up in several different
foster homes. Each home features such rich characters and settings that they
almost feel like mini essays within themselves. Astrid learns in sometimes
disturbing and difficult ways about what love is and isn't. She experiences the
ins and outs of growing up, sex, drugs, religion and independence on her own
all while trying to quell the fear of being apart from her mother. She longs so
much for family and belonging that just always seem to be out of grasp. It is
heart wrenching and hopeful and just all around memorable. This is one book I
would read again, which is something I am not quick to do, however I would NOT
recommend the movie. Despite the wonderful actresses (Michelle Pfeiffer and
Renee Zellwegger) the story line just isn't the same, so for me this flick just
can't hold a candle to the book. Isn't that usually the case though?
(P.S. there are some explicit and provocative scenes in this
book, just FYI for sensitive readers)
This is the very last book I read in 2017 so it's still fresh in
my mind. Daniel Sullivan and his supporting cast of characters (and there's
many to keep track of) tell the story of a father and his blended family. His
life is suddenly turned on its head when he catches wind of something that
happened in his past unbeknownst to him at the time. He sets out on a quest to find the truth without telling his wife exactly what he is doing which, as one can imagine, causes quite a few problems. O’Farrell
creates multifaceted characters, vivid settings and has a vocabulary that had
me using the dictionary feature on my kindle often (any one else love learning
new words!?🤓)
One side note, this is not a book you can check out on, as it's told from
various perspectives and jumps around in time quite a bit. There were times I
had to re read or ask “wait, who is that?” but the story as a whole was well worth
the bit of confusion. I read this late into the night several nights, so
sleepiness may have also the been the culprit. Either way, the diverse characters in
this book are well thought out and portrayed imaginably. The author definitely plays to
her strengths.
Non fiction
I found this author through his podcast “the Liturgist” where he
is known as “Science Mike.” I wish this guy could've been my science teacher
because I just geek out listening to him explain how science and faith are intertwined. Even
more so, I enjoy listening to his story and his journey through the
deconstruction of his own faith. Deconstruction is just a fancy word for taking
down and rebuilding the belief system we were raised with; we may keep some of
it and let other parts of it go as we learn and grow as individuals. Of course,
this looks different for everyone, and for this author, it took him through
atheism and back. As a deacon and Sunday school teacher in his church, he lived
a double life for some time before confessing his doubts about Christianity.
This memoir follows his struggle to believe, the people he met along the way,
plus fascinating scientific perspectives mixed in. This book will be a
companion for the skeptics and jaded
believers or really anyone going through a rough patch in their spirituality.
If you had anything to do with the 90’s WWJD religious sub
culture you will identify with this story. If you have baggage with church
people you will be able to relate. If you have ever stepped out on faith and
feel like you got screwed, read this asap. Not to say you will like or dislike
the author’s treatment of these experiences, but it's good to not feel alone
one way or another. This memoir chronicles the ins and outs of Addie Zierman’s
try hard, religious fervor as a teen and what happens when the bottom falls out
of your faith in adulthood. Personally speaking, Addie’s story helped put some
language to my own experiences growing up in a similar background. It's not
that these experiences are anything uncommon or tragic, but that her words
capture how it feels to be consumed by your passion for God. It tells how in
our youth we are so zealous and ready to save the world before we even know
much about it. I used to be deathly afraid of losing my excitement for God, but
I've learned now that, like any relationship, there is life after the honeymoon
phase. There is a deeper and steadier, albeit less excitable, connection. I'm
looking forward to diving back into this book with my book club soon, so I won't
expound much more about this one just yet.
I've been a follower of Brene Brown for awhile now. She never fails to strike a cord with me. In this book she leads us
through braving the wilderness that is our own truest selves, both accepting
what we find there and bearing it to others, no matter the cost. It circles the
fact that you can only feel like you belong when you feel at home with yourself. As someone who typically likes to
go with the flow, this was such a good reminder for me to speak and let my
voice be heard even when I worry about how others might perceive me. It let me
know that it's ok to not be everyone's favorite as long as I am being honest
with my inner workings. Reading this will inspire compassion for yourself as you
go about the daily work of giving compassion to others. I also read “Gifts of Imperfection” this year
and struggled which one to put in this list, as both are helpful when you're
needing to do a little emotional work.
I have been a fan of the Enneagram as a self awareness tool for a
couple years now and this is the book I always point people to if they want to
learn more about it. The book walks you through the nine personality types and
helps identify which one a reader relates to. I am number 9 with a 1 wing,
which tells me that I intuitively blend well with many other personality types.
The downside to this is that 9’s can often lose themselves in other people's
identities. I am also peacemaker which
can be helpful when it's kept in check, but can become a downfall when it comes
to setting healthy boundaries or working through confrontations. Understanding
this about myself has helped me gain insight into my relationships with pretty
much everyone in my life. Not to mention how insightful it can be to have
family members find their own type. This
is a must read if you're into personality typing and self awareness. Also good
to know: the authors have a podcast by the same name where they interview
different numbers and dive deeper into the Enneagram.
I can say for sure this is the only parenting book I have
willingly finished. Undoubtedly, the idea of minimalism has swept the airwaves
of the media. While I’m not ready to move into a 500 square foot tiny home or
pare my wardrobe down to 5 items, applying the concept of simplicity to
parenting is refreshing. The book touches on four realms to focus on
simplifying: Our home environment (you can stop being a toy manager!), daily
rhythms, schedules outside the home, and screen time. Every parent I talk to
can use help in these areas. Most of all, what I liked best about this book is
that after turning the last page I felt empowered to make changes in all these
areas. I didn't feel guilty or like these goals were not attainable. I got
insane joy from ruthlessly purging toys and books. I started a toy “library”
with what I kept so that we could rotate toys that were kept up and ones that
were kept out. I also took charge of the Christmas lists and asked for
carefully selected, quality items our homeschool would benefit from. Now of
course, there were still toys and of course things gets messy and strewn about,
but it just feels easier when there's not multiple baskets of playthings
everywhere. We also cut down majorly on screen time and I vowed I would get us
into nature more even in the frigid winter. Right now as we're ringing in the
New Year, I'm looking forward to having a bit more of a routine established and
will go back and reread the section about creating predictable rhythms that
children find security and comfort in. This is one of the most helpful and
practical books on crafting a family culture that is peaceful and less
complicated. Raising kids is anything but simple so I am going to put energy
into the few things I do have control over. The author, Kim John Payne,
M.ED, is highly credible as he has been
a school counselor, educator, consultant, researcher, and a private family
counselor for twenty seven years.
Hope you find something good for your mind and soul on this list! I'd love to know what you are reading or your favorite book from last year. Thanks for being here fellow reader!
Jenna
