So, in 2017, I (somehow) managed to read 133 books. And as you can imagine, some of them were better than others. And there were some that were THE best!!!! Well, here today, I’ve compiled a list of my very favorites from last year. Ya know, it’s only March. Better late than never.
My favorites, in no particular order:
My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
This book was utterly hysterical. And while it would have been awesome anyway, the audiobook was INCREDIBLE!! The narrator is just phenomenal. The story is loosely based on the very un-funny story of Lady Jane Gray who became queen for a total of 9 days and then was beheaded. Much liberty with history is taken. So many great puns. I adored this one. And I was exceedingly mournful when it ended. And I am SOOOO looking forward to the sequel, which is coming out in June. You better believe I have the audiobook pre-ordered.
The Entitlement Trap By Richard and Linda Eyre– This book has literally changed my life. I heard about it from a blogger. She was talking about how to do a family economy (?) which they pulled almost completely from this book. So I read it to find out more about the family economy. And while that was definitely discussed in great detail, to me it was about how to create an amazing family culture. I have been thinking a lot lately about family culture. This was the handbook!! I forced Jonathan to read this and I am totally a groupie of the Eyres now. And yes, we totally do the family economy. And it has been INCREDIBLE! Although it has been a bit of a learning curve for all parties.
7- An Experimental Mutiny against Excess by Jen Hatmaker
I loved this book so much. Jen is a Christian writer. Her husband is a pastor. One day, Jen got this crazy idea to reign in the consumerism of her life by going to the opposite extreme of living on seven things per month. She chose one ‘fast’ per month for seven months. The result: 7 foods. For a month (kill me now). 7 items of clothing. For a month (is that even possible. And by the way the answer is yes, and it’s hilarious.). Jen is hilarious and somehow deep at the same time. I literally alternated between laughing and crying. After completing this one, I subsequently binged on all of her books.
Beartown by Frederick Backman
This is a book that I absolutely loved, but I can’t recommend to everyone. #1- there is a LOT of language #2- there is a sexual assault. And in fact it is a major plot point around which the rest of the book hinges. That being said, while it is a major plot point, I felt like the book itself was mostly focused on the town and their relationships. I feel like this was a book about what it means to be part of a small community: all the interconnected relationships and the history. Honestly, it was masterful. It was a story that was much bigger than the book. If that even makes sense….. This also has a sequel coming out in June!!
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
This book is one that I think everyone should read. We don’t talk about terminal illness, aging, dying and death. Ever. Because it’s uncomfortable. But we need to. Especially because everyone will be impacted by these things! Loved ones will die. You will die. Not talking about these topics is to our detriment. We just become anxious and afraid. And worse, we are unprepared. The thesis of the book, to me is something like this: Quality of life, control, autonomy, and dignity are almost more important than survival because these are the things that make life worth living. Boom. Jonathan and I listened to this on a road trip, and it provided an excellent opportunity for us to discuss things like advanced directives and our end of life wishes. Strangely enough, after reading this, I honestly felt more hopeful.
Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
A book told from the perspective of two sisters who lived in German-occupied France through WWII. Being a WWII book, it wasn’t terribly cheerful. But it was incredible. Vianne and Isabel are incredibly different people, which has caused some friction in their past. Their paths and struggles throughout the war are also super different. But they are both strong, incredible women in their own way. I actually read this on my own and then for book club later in the year, and it was such an awesome and interesting discussion.
Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel
This book is set in post-apocalyptic USA. But it is so different from any other book in the genre that I’ve read. Unlike the Hunger Games and Divergent, etc. etc. this book paints a picture of an apocalypse that actually feels plausible. It was about normal people trying to salvage a good life from a world that they don’t quite know how to live in. The plot was fairly minimal, it was very focused on the characters and the atmosphere. I loved that. You could really feel what it was like to be there. And the characters were interesting and dynamic. In the case of some, you got to see how they lived both before the flu hit and (if they survived) after. Loved this, way more than I was expecting based on the synopsis.
These is my words By Nancy E. Turner
Oh this book. So good. I recommended it to my sisters, and they loved it too. It is about a family that is trying to homestead in the 1880s and thereafter. And I will say, the first 30 pages or so, were pretty rough going. It kinda felt like they hit every single possible calamity. Fortunately, I had been warned about the rough start, and so I persevered. And I’m so glad I did. The rest of the book totally redeemed it. And then some. It made me want to bake bread and get chickens.
Of Mess and Moxie by Jen Hatmaker
Ok. I’m a total Jen Hatmaker groupie. But seriously, I loved this one too!! She speaks to my soul. And in the midst of a move when I have questioned myself and my personality a lot, this one especially got to me. It was a very powerful (and needed) reminder that there is no “right personality” and there is no “wrong personality”. And that I need to calm the heck down and just live my life the way that I want to.
So there ya go. I’ve got about 20 books already under my belt for 2018. And I gotta say, I haven’t read any yet that would make it on my list of ‘favorites’ for this year. Here’s to hoping the rest of the reading year is a little more satisfying.
