We got home from our Christmas celebrations late last night, and
I have not had time to think or transfer pictures or anything else. So, rest
assured I have not forgotten Christmas, but I just need another day or two to
sort through the pictures!
MEANWHILE…
It’s been about
a year since I happened upon a reading challenge – through Pinterest, I’m sure.
The spirit of the challenge was to read a book a week and I knew going into the
year that accomplishing that was highly unlikely. I was right. I know some of
you can read a bunch of books every week, and I am in awe of you! I’m not that
accomplished. (And it’s okay!)
I ended up finishing
21 books this year, and I have four more that I’m partway through, but I don’t
know that I will get any of them completed before 2023 slides into 2024. Today
I want to look over what I’ve read and some of my favorites:
Like a Winter Snow by Lindsay Harrel was my first read of the year. It fulfilled
the category of A Winter Read – and I read it on my Kindle. It was a
sweet, fun, easy book, and a great way to jumpstart reading again.
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by
Matthew Perry fulfilled the category of A Book Everyone is Talking About.
Of course, when I read that in January, I had no idea that within a year’s
time, Matthew would die. It was an eye-opening look into the world of hard-core
addiction. I learned much from his perspective, and my heart is sad that he
ended up dying so young.
Redemptive Compassion by Lois Tupyi was not a
challenge-related book, but it was one I read when Ryan still worked at Love
INC. The author spent years working at a Love INC affiliate out west and the organization
relied heavily on her Redemptive Compassion teaching. Ryan and I both read it
to try to make critical changes, but we learned from it that if you are trying
to accomplish her teachings on your own, you probably won’t be able to make
much change. It was true in our area!
Devotedly by
Valerie Elliot Shepard was my Award-winning Nonfiction read for the
challenge. It’s not a new book, but I hadn’t owned it to read it until last
Christmas. (It’s worth owning.) The book chronicles the love letters and stories
of Valerie’s parents – Jim and Elisabeth Elliot. I adored reading their love
story, as I really appreciate who both of them were as people and ambassadors
for Christ!
On Writing by Stephen King fulfilled the category of Famous Author You’ve
Avoided. I am just not a fan of Stephen King’s style (personal preference)
but a friend had gifted me this writing memoir of his. Though I owned it for
probably close to 20 years, I’d never read it. This pushed me to finally read
it, and I did enjoy it. I don’t know that I would like his fiction, but I
enjoyed this.
Smart Brevity by Jim Vanderhei, Mike Allen, and Roy Schwartz was a book I
read for my last job. I had taken some online training classes and a fellow
classmate recommended this, so I read it. It falls in one of the top books I
read all year. It’s short and easy to read, and it has great advice on
communicating succinctly. My workplace paid for the book and asked for it back
when I left (totally fair!) but I loved it enough that I will probably end up purchasing
it to have in my own library.
Becoming Free Indeed by
Jinger Duggar Vuolo was my pick for 2023 New Release. I had been looking
forward to reading it and was not disappointed. I know many people didn’t love
it that Jinger kept this book more about her faith and less about the details
of her family, but I knew that going into my read, so I wasn’t upset about it.
I have friends who have wrestled with faith and this is one I now recommend as
a great resource.
Nature’s Storyteller by Barbara Olenyick
Morrow was my pick for Book Borrowed from a Friend. One of Ryan’s coworkers
loaned it to me. It’s the biography of Gene Stratton Porter, an author from our
area who was quite famous in her day. The book is actually geared for a teen audience,
so it was extra fun to read!
The Magnificent Obsession by Anne Graham Lotz
filled the book At the Bottom of Your To-Read Pile. I’ve owned it for
years – bought it on a clearance rack – but never got around to reading it. It
wasn’t my favorite book Anne’s written, but I did like it and am glad I read
it.
Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke filled the reread a Favorite category. I
will always love Janette and this series and this book. It was one of my
favorites from the year and I will read it again and again!
During School Hours by Joel Penton filled the Book with a Red Cover catgetory
– and simultaneously allowed me to learn more about LifeWise when I started
working there! If LifeWise is unfamiliar to you, this book does a great job of
sharing the history of the organization and explaining what we do!
A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg wasn’t
part of the book challenge, but it was easily one of my favorites from the
year. It was a memoir with a food theme – and I really loved Molly’s writing
style. It inspired me in my own writing. I had read about it on a blog and it
caught my attention, so I got it and read it!
Between Heaven and the Real World by Steven
Curtis Chapman fille the category of A Book You Own but Haven’t Read.
Oh, how I loved it. I cried over it. I love Steven’s music, and getting to read
more about his life and how God has opened doors for him musically was
beautiful. It also gave me a chance to read about his daughter, Maria’s, life
and death from his perspective. A few years ago, I read about that from his
wife’s point of view. This is a beautiful read.
The Unfinished Sonata by K.D. McCrite was a fun,
easy read Ryan brought home to me from the free table at work. It was like a
Hallmark movie in a book, and I got through it so fast! It was cute and
predictable, and a good break from life. It was just a fun extra read, and I
passed it on when I was done!
Just Open the Door by Jen Schmidt was also
not a book challenge read, but it was a really wonderful guide to hospitality.
I had read a recommendation for it on a blog and am so glad I read it. I
learned a lot about how hospitality fits into our life and ministry!
The Undoing of Saint Silvanus by Beth Moore filled the category of a Fiction/Nonfiction
pairing, though as of yet, I have not read the nonfiction half of this
challenge. This is Beth’s first (and as of yet, only) fiction book, and I loved
her as a fiction writer every bit as much as a nonfiction writer. I would
highly recommend this book. The story and the craft are both well-done.
Mission Drift by
Peter Greer and Chris Horst was a book I read for work – along with my team. It’s
a good book if you work in ministry or own any kind of business. It helps you
understand the importance of sticking to the mission you set out to accomplish.
Driftwood Bay by Irene Hannon filled the category of An Author You Love.
I have read many of her books, but this Hope Harbor series is my favorite. I
owned the first four but got behind…and this was the fifth book in the series.
Loved it as much as the rest of them!
The Nature of Small Birds by Susie Finkbeiner filled the category of An
Animal on the Cover. This novel followed the story of a family who had adopted
a child from Vietnam during the war. The chapters rotated storytellers and time
periods, which was new for me! I loved the writing style of this book and would
read more by Susie!
I know this isn’t a list of 21 books. I read 2 others (on grant
writing) for work that I didn’t review on the blog, because I figured they
wouldn’t apply to any of you! I also attempted to read Prairie Fires to
fill the category of A book over 500 pages. The book was much more
academic than I was expecting, and I just didn’t have time (in December) to
finish it. It’s about Laura Ingalls Wilder’s life and how it was so much harder
than she portrayed in her writing. There was a TON of work and research that went
into the writing of this book, but I was anticipating something that flowed a
little easier, so I will either call it a loss or come back to it in some other
season of life when I have more time!
Some books I had particularly hoped to read for the challenge
this year, but didn’t get to include:
Undoing What Has You Undone by Beth Moore – the other
half of the Fiction/nonfiction Pairing
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan
Bradley – recommended by a librarian. Fun fact: I went to college with one of
the librarians here in town, so I love talking books with her!
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’engle – Newbery Award Winner. Love her writing,
but I have never read this one!
I am not sure what I want to strive to do for reading in the
year to come. I have a handful of fiction series I’d love to read. Mayb that should
be my theme!
How about you!? Reading dreams?
