Reading is one of my favorite hobbies. I love getting good recommendations and sharing mine with you when I have them. I often share books I enjoy throughout the year with my subscribers to my weekly email. You can sign up here if you are interested. You’ll receive some encouragement, sometimes a song I am loving, and a few things that are brightening my days (like good books!).
This year, I read 76 books. I read most of these by audiobook because I can listen during my commute, walks and while I’m cleaning or cooking around the house. I also re-read a few favorites from years past.
*Fiction*
The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker – I think I am a fan of a good story set in Alaska (I also loved The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah several years ago). A women visits modern-day remote Alaska to spend some time with her long-estranged father, who owns a charter plane company. This book is touching and funny, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Happiness Falls by Angie Kim – This was a four-star read for me. I was hooked by the story of a father who goes missing while on a hike with his son who cannot speak or communicate due to a rare genetic condition. In the aftermath of his disappearance, surprising clues led to even more surprising revelations.
The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand – I loved this novel about a food blogger with a seemingly perfect life whose husband dies unexpectedly, leaving her to pick up the pieces of their life with her daughter. She arranges a weekend trip for her and four friends who each have their own issues going on. Mishaps and chaos ensue in this story about friendship and love.
The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry – This was another novel I thoroughly enjoyed! The storyline alternates between when two sisters were children forced to evacuate from London during WWII and twenty years later for one of the sisters. The book was so endearing!
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman – This was a reread of a long time favorite in preparation for it being released out as a movie with Tom Hanks last January. Ove is such a gruff, but lovable, character and I love the story of finding family in unlikely people. I have to give a suicide warning if you are sensitive to that.
Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid – This was another reread in preparation of the TV series that came out on Amazon Prime. I loved this (audio)book this year just as much as the first time I read it. It is the story of a 1970s band that rose to fame and then fell apart. I loved the interview format for this novel.
*Nonfiction*
All My Knotted-Up Life by Beth Moore – I LOVED Beth’s memoir and think it may be the best memoir I have ever read. She has such a beautiful way with words. The thread of God is woven throughout Beth’s life in amazing ways. She has overcome some truly difficult things and wrote gently, but vulnerably, about those times. This book was awesome–maybe my favorite of the year!
I Take My Coffee Black by Tyler Merritt – I enjoyed Tyler’s book so much! His writing was humorous but impactful. His story is revealed in an authentic way, highlighted by both the good and bad decisions he has made. This book encouraged me to treat others with empathy and compassion first, not immediately jump to conclusions.
How to Stay Married by Harrison Scott Key – This book was interesting. It was about his marriage struggles, including his wife’s infidelity, but he told it with a spin of humor. The title is a little misleading, but the journey was worth reading.
Feeding the Mouth That Bites You by Kenneth Wilgus – I thought Dr. Wilgus shared so much wisdom about parenting adolescents/teenagers in this book. He lays out boundaries and tips to move in intentional ways toward “planned emancipation” for our teens. I enjoy the podcast, too, if you don’t want to read the book.
