Since my earliest memories, I have been a bookworm. Throughout my girlhood and teenage years I devoured pretty much any book I could get my hands on, and after high school I delved even deeper into topics that interested me. It was a wonderful form of self-education! But for several years after I became a wife and then a mother, I mostly laid aside my books. My time was now being claimed by others and it felt selfish to prioritize reading when there were so many other important things to attend to.
This mindset changed when I read an article (somewhere; unfortunately I can't remember the author) stating that reading is actually very unselfish because it equips us to be a more engaging conversationalist. Only when we continually feed our mind well will we have a rich feast to serve to others. For me,"others" includes friends, extended family, my husband, and my children - for whom I want to set an example of loving books and learning.
With this shift in perspective, I was so excited make reading a high priority in 2018 and to not just meet, but to
more than double my original goal of 24 books this year: I hit 60 total. YAY!
I've had quite a few people ask me lately how I make time to read this many books as a homeschooling, WAHM with 3 kids under age 6. Honestly, it all comes down to choosing how to spend my spare minutes. If I'm waiting in the car for a few minutes or send all the children out to run around the yard, I can opt to scroll FB, or I can grab a book (I keep several in progress titles handy around the house) and read a few pages. I've dealt with a lot of insomnia this year, so those late night hours sometimes let me get through quite a few chapters. I also try to get in at least a chapter or two a night after the family is in bed, sequestered in the bathroom where no one will bother me even if they do get up for something. ;) It's amazing how even a chapter a day has gotten me through a lot of books this year! Audio books don't work well for me, especially now with chronic illness that has made me extra sensitive to noises and such, but I know they have been a game-changer for many moms. Basically, if you want to read you can find a way to fit it in somewhere. I am so glad I have!
Without further rabbit trailing, here are the books that filled my reading list, along with Amazon affiliate links. I'll only take time to review the most notable titles here, but please do ask questions if you're wondering what I thought of any of these.
Biographies/Autobiographies/Memoirs
If I could only read a dozen books a year, I'd probably choose that 3/4 of them would be memoirs. I love the way they give an inside peek at another person's experiences - and, when well-written, they are harder for me to put down than fiction. I found some really excellent titles this year and am grateful for the ways they helped me think in new ways.
Unbroken is unquestionably the best of this genre that I read - just an incredible, nearly unbelievable story that is life-changing! We watched the original movie about it this fall, and I'm looking forward to the new one whenever it's our turn to get it from the library. This is a story of courage and faith that everyone should read.
I very rarely read any WW2 books because they are emotionally heart-wrenching, but
In Our Hearts We Were Giants caught my eye at the library and it was such a interesting read. I'd never really considered before how physical challenges would have made the concentration camps even more dangerous. This is an amazing story of a very brave family.
The Indifferent Stars Above is a memorable and detailed look at the Donner Party story. I found it very hard to put down, but it is definitely not for the faint of heart.
Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me is one of those rare books that had me literally laughing and crying in the same paragraph. I really appreciated the author's perspective and enjoyed his clever way with words.
Christian non-fiction
I spent a lot of time in this genre again this year, and found some really amazing books. Obviously I don't agree with all the ideas in all of these books, but each was worth the read.
Just Open The Door wins my Favorite Book Of The Year award for being very practical and convicting in the area of hospitality. She makes it seem doable for anyone, and does a great job addressing all the "excuses" that come up. It is a book I know I will pick up again and again, and I'd love to do it as a group read sometime for the accountability of application.
I also enjoyed reading three books by Angie Smith this year, and was especially encouraged by
What Women Fear: it was just what I needed.
I Will Carry You is also excellent, and one I would recommend to anyone going through a hard time.
Parenting and
Give Them Grace are both amazing books and though I might not agree on every tiny point they have done a lot to re-shape my view of motherhood. Highly recommended!
Fiction
I am pretty picky about fiction and generally choose to spend my reading time elsewhere. But this year, almost by accident, I discovered a new favorite fiction author, Michele Phoenix.
Of Stillness and Storm and
The Space Between Words are all that Christian fiction should be: thought-provoking, spiritually rich without being preachy, hard to set down, and memorable.
Also notable in this category is the
Noah trilogy written by an old friend of Joe's, which reminded me why I read so much Biblical historical fiction years ago - really good!
By Ways Unseen is a LOTR-ish fantasy story I was privileged to design the cover for, and one I really enjoyed reading. Looking forward to book two when it comes out!
Miscellaneous non-fiction
Some of these almost could have fit in the memoir/biography/autobiography category, but didn't seem to exactly belong there. Others are written by Christian authors and could possibly fit under the Christian non-fiction category, but I put them here since the content was not overtly religious.
The Read-Aloud Family was a bit of a disappointment to me, as I'd heard others review it so highly. I was left feeling like it made family reading times complicated and a "duty" rather than just a normal part of life as I'd always seen them. But I did glean a few helpful ideas.
I really enjoy keeping a clean house already (when I feel well enough to keep up with it!), but the two Dana K. White books on cleaning and decluttering were surprisingly helpful and insightful. I'd recommend them to anyone, and especially to those who find housework and clutter overwhelming. They're practical but also super fun and quick to read.
Long Chapter Books Read Aloud to the Children
I decided these should count towards my yearly total since I did read them, every word. :) It's been fun to read aloud to the children more this year since they are old enough to understand and appreciate full length stories! My illness kept this number lower than I wished, but hopefully we'll be able to do a lot more in the year ahead.
The most notable title here is
Little Pilgrim's Progress. It is a full-length retelling of the classic Pilgrim's Progress, in easy to read English, and with the main characters making the journey as children. Lukas hung on to every word and it opened the door for lots of great conversations about spiritual topics. He still keeps the book on the shelf by his bed because he likes it so much. :)
Have YOU read any of these books? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Looking ahead to 2019, I am hoping to tackle
this list - at least the committed level with 52 books, but hopefully beyond. Joe is planning to join me, and I'd love to have a bunch of you along for the ride as well! What are your reading goals for the new year?
