Book Lover

May Reading Update: Beach Reading!

~ Allison ~ Leave a comment

I read 14 books this month! 14 books! In May!

This is in no small part thanks to a week at the beach and several days spent proctoring AP tests.  That and the fact that I’m a speed reader…

Non-fiction:
Every Bitter Thing is Sweet by Sara Hagerty
Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker
7 by Jen Hatmaker
Breaking Free by Beth Moore
A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson
The Envy of Eve by Melissa Kruger
Recapture the Wonder by Ravi Zacharias
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Depression: Looking Up From The Stubborn Darkness (Edward T. Welch)
Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that can’t Stop Talking (Susan Cain)
The Fringe Hours (Jessica Turner)
Jesus the King (Timothy Keller)
A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet (Sophie Hudson)
He Chose the Nails (Max Lucado)
Shakespeare Saved My Life: Ten Years in Solitary with the Bard (Laura Bates)
Sabbath (Wayne Muller)
Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis (Lauren Winner) – this book resonated with me far more than I expected it would.  There were many times I felt Lauren had copied my own journal directly into her book.  I borrowed it from the library but plan to buy my own copy.
Is Everyone Hanging out Without Me? (Mindy Kaling) – just a funny and enjoyable read
In Cold Blood (Truman Capote) – I read this because a good friend and coworker had her AP English class read it this year.  I read it thinking it was fiction and once I found out it was supposed to be non-fiction, my thoughts on it changed a bit.
Fiction:
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Alan Bradley)
Big Little Lies (Liane Moriarty)
The Magician’s Nephew (C.S. Lewis)
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)
The Good Girl (Mary Kubica)
The Invention of Wings (Sue Monk Kidd)
The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag (Alan Bradley)
Year of Wonders (Geraldine Brooks)
Three Wishes (Liane Moriarty)
Orphan Train (Christina Baker Kline)
The Things we do for Love (Kristin Hannah)
Angels Walking (Karen Kingsbury)
A Red Herring Without Mustard (Alan Bradley) – It’s not a month without Flavia de Luce
The Next Always (Nora Roberts) – beach reading at its finest.
The Rosie Project / The Rosie Effect (Graeme Simsion) – I loved the first one; could have down without the second, but it wasn’t terrible.  Simsion created some very interesting characters.
The Outer Banks House / Return to the Outer Banks House (Diann Ducharme) – I chose these because I was at the Outer Banks and like the series above, loved the first and was disappointed with the second.  I honestly wish I hadn’t read the second at all because the plot took a turn that still makes me mad when I think about it.  I wanted only happily ever after books for my beach reading.
Summer Island (Kristin Hannah) – it was fine; not my favorite from this author
Attachments (Rainbow Rowell) – I LOVED this book.  Highly recommend.  So sweet.
Speak (Lauren Halse Anderson) – this is a YA classic and I am glad I read it. Anderson makes the school counselor seem pretty useless and oblivious so I found that both annoying and convicting.  It definitely gave me something to think about.
The Last Anniversary (Liane Moriarty) – Another great one from Moriarty.  The tone of her books is also light and funny, but she brings attention to some dark topics at the same time.  This one is about post-partum depression – I feel like it’s important to know that before reading.
Chasing Sunsets (Karen Kingsbury) – the sequel to Angels Walking; I will continue to read the series but I’m starting to get frustrated with this author’s overly sappy and predictable stories.  Maybe if she hadn’t signed a contract that has her publishing multiple books year they’d be better……
On Deck:
Orthodoxy (GK Chesterton)
The Girl on the Train (Paula Hawkins)
Yes Please (Amy Poehler)
Just Mercy (Bryan Stevenson)

Total Finished as of May 31, 2015 – 41
Somehow I think getting to 52 is going to happen sooner than December…..

April Reading Update

~ Allison ~ Leave a comment

One third of the way through the year….over halfway to achieving my goal of reading 52 books!  Without further ado, here’s the entire list, with the ones I read in April in bold.

Non-fiction:
Every Bitter Thing is Sweet by Sara Hagerty
Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker
7 by Jen Hatmaker
Breaking Free by Beth Moore
A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson
The Envy of Eve by Melissa Kruger
Recapture the Wonder by Ravi Zacharias
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Depression: Looking Up From The Stubborn Darkness (Edward T. Welch)
Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that can’t Stop Talking (Susan Cain)
The Fringe Hours (Jessica Turner)
Jesus the King (Timothy Keller)
Image result for a little salty to cut the sweet
A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet (Sophie Hudson) – this is such a fun memoir.  Sophie has another book that I can’t wait to read.
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He Chose the Nails (Max Lucado) – I do love the devotional and contemplative style Lucado uses in his books.
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Shakespeare Saved My Life: Ten Years in Solitary with the Bard (Laura Bates) – I must confess that I skimmed this one.  I checked it out from the Library on my Kindle and couldn’t renew it so I had to read it in a day.  I may revisit it soon.
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Sabbath (Wayne Muller) – I would have been fine with only reading the first half of this book.  The second half got a little too meditative and new age-y for me.  
Fiction:
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Alan Bradley)
Big Little Lies (Liane Moriarty)
The Magician’s Nephew (C.S. Lewis)
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)
The Good Girl (Mary Kubica)
The Invention of Wings (Sue Monk Kidd)
Image result for the weed that strings the hangman's bag
The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag (Alan Bradley) – this is the second book in the Flavia de Luce series.  I just love them — entertaining and an easy read.
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Year of Wonders (Geraldine Brooks) – historical fiction is quickly becoming my favorite genre.  This one did not disappoint.  It’s about the Black Plague so it’s sad – don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Image result for three wishes liane moriarty
Three Wishes (Liane Moriarty) – I actually listened to this one on Audible.  I didn’t like it as much as Big Little Lies.
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Orphan Train (Christina Baker Kline) – by far the BEST book I read in April.  It’s probably second only to The Invention of Wings.

Image result for the things we do for love
The Things we do for Love (Kristin Hannah) – enjoyable.  Definitely a beach read that I wasn’t reading on the beach.
Image result for angels walking karen kingsbury
Angels Walking (Karen Kingsbury) – it was fine. 
On Deck:
Still by Lauren Winner
A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? By Mindy Kaling

Total Finished as of April 30, 2015 — 28

So I really am going to the beach later this month.  What should I be sure to bring with me?

52 in 2015: Update

~ Allison ~ Leave a comment

Now that we are about one quarter of the way through the year I thought I’d do a quick update about the books I’ve been reading.  I’ve definitely made some progress in the past six weeks, and am still ahead of schedule, but am going a little more slowly now.  I read one book a week.

The entire list is below, with the books read since the last post in bold with some brief comments.

Non-fiction:
Every Bitter Thing is Sweet by Sara Hagerty
Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker
7 by Jen Hatmaker
Breaking Free by Beth Moore
A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson
The Envy of Eve by Melissa Kruger
Recapture the Wonder by Ravi Zacharias
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Depression: Looking Up From The Stubborn Darkness (Edward T. Welch) – I think I will write a post just on this book.  It gave me a lot to think about, though I didn’t agree with everything.
Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that can’t Stop Talking (Susan Cain) – a little dry but fun for an introvert to read.
The Fringe Hours (Jessica Turner) – enjoyable but not life-changing (for me, anyway. I can see how others might be wowed.)
Jesus the King (Timothy Keller) – a study of the book of Mark.  I learned a ton and saw some stories I’ve heard since childhood in a whole new light.

Fiction:
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Alan Bradley)
Big Little Lies (Liane Moriarty)
The Magician’s Nephew (C.S. Lewis)
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis) – I read the entire Narnia series as a child and plan to work my way through them this year as well.  This time I through I find myself paying less attention to the plot and maybe more attention to the deeper meanings and parallels.  I found The Magician’s Nephew particularly beautiful in this regard.
The Good Girl (Mary Kubica) – this book was on a list of recommended reading for those who enjoyed Gone Girl.  It wasn’t nearly as good (in my opinion) but did hold my interest and I read it quickly.
The Invention of Wings (Sue Monk Kidd) – I finished this one today.  AMAZING.  Really.  Get it now and read it.  This is a historical fiction novel and tells the story of Sarah and Angelina Grimke, two early abolitionists and feminists who grew up as slaveholders in Charleston.  It is fantastic.  I never read Sue’s other book, The Secret Life of Bees, but plan to now.
Currently Reading:
Sabbath (Wayne Muller) – reading through this one slowly, as the chapters are brief and meant for contemplation.
He Chose the Nails (Max Lucado) – I plan to read (and finish) this during Holy Week
Year of Wonders (Geraldine Brooks)

Total Finished as of March 28, 2015 — 18.

Please leave comments with book recommendations!!!

52 Books in 2015

~ Allison ~ Leave a comment

I’ve had a lot of time to read lately….more on that in another post.  A lot of time.

I saw that several other bloggers (ones with more than four followers) were trying to read 52 books in 2015, which, for those of you who didn’t know, means one per week all year to stay on track.

It’s mid-February and I am a little ahead, which is awesome because it seems like my work gets busy in the spring and I don’t have as much time.

Below are lists of what I’ve read so far and what I’m currently reading.  Yes, I have more than one book going at once.

Non-fiction:
Every Bitter Thing is Sweet by Sara Hagerty
Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker
7 by Jen Hatmaker
Breaking Free by Beth Moore
A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson
The Envy of Eve by Melissa Kruger
Recapture the Wonder by Ravi Zacharias
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Fiction:
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Alan Bradley)
Big Little Lies (Liane Moriarty)

Currently Reading:
Depression: Looking Up From The Stubborn Darkness (Edward T. Welch)
Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that can’t Stop Talking (Susan Cain)
Three Wishes (Liane Moriarty)