Books Part 2
I did it! Literally minutes before the big, glass ball dropped, I finished reading my 35th book for 2018. In a previous blog post, I shared the first 17 that I read for the year and here is the rest.
18. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. This book wasn't quite what I expected but I ended up really liking it. I am intrigued with Russian culture and history from the time that I spent living in Ukraine. At first it felt like it was moving slowly but then I came to appreciate that it was more philosophical in nature. I loved the main character and found it to be a very interesting story.
19. The Girl Who Wrote in Silk by Kelli Estes. I think I would say this is the best book I read all year. I loved the story, it was a unique story especially as far as time and place and I loved the characters. I also am a big fan of books that have a family mystery and that jumps back and forth between time periods unraveling the story. I have recommended this book to many people and they have all liked it and our book club gave it rave reviews. Love, love, loved it!
20. The Girl with Seven Names by Hyeonseo Lee. This is non-fiction story about a girl who escaped from North Korea. It is a recent, relevant story and I was fascinated. Well-written and so intriguing without being ugly. This is a great book.
21. Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid. This was an interesting idea that wasn't executed as well as it could have been. I liked the idea of what could happen if you had made a different choice in life but wasn't super into the characters. Good book, could have been better. A fun movie that is very similar is Sliding Doors.
22. On the Occasion of My Last Afternoon by Kaye Gibbons. A friend gave me this book to read and the author apparently had a book that Oprah once recommended but I couldn't get into this book at all. I didn't like the style in which it was written and I didn't like any of the characters.
23. My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray. This is a great historical fiction book. I liked it way better than the other book she has written about Thomas Jefferson. It is well-researched, although the author is quick to point out that there isn't much information about Eliza Hamilton. Mostly what we know is from the records of the men around her. But she had a fascinating life and I loved learning about it.
24. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I liked this book. Other friends have loved it but I think by the time I read it I was feeling a bit saturated by sadness and the awful things people to do each other. I liked the characters though and how it took place in France. It is a great story and I would probably have liked it more if I had read it at another time.
25. Big Little Lies by Liane Morarity. Wow. I wasn't ready for this book. I liked it but really didn't like it at the same time. I really dislike reading about abuse and this story had such a surprisingly dark undertone to it, which I guess is part of the message of the book. It was hard to put down and I liked its style.
26. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. A unique story that really drew me in. I liked the characters and appreciated the twists and turns it took.
27. The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis. I have never actually read this series and decided I should so I got started with this book. I didn't like it though. I will keep reading it here and there but I found it uninteresting and didn't like the characters all that much. The only good thing about it was that it set up the next book.
28. Granted by John David Anderson. This was a sweet story that I picked up because it is the same author as Ms. Bixby's Last Day, which I loved. It is cute and about a fairy who goes on an adventure to grant a wish. It was fun and sweet and a nice break from some of the heavy emotional stories I had been reading. Bonus, my daughter read it too and we had a fun discussion about it.
29. The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck. This was a nice story. I didn't realize that it was a Christian novel until the very end but I liked the mystery of it and that the people expressed faith.
30. The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Another young adult fiction story, which I don't usually love, but this one had been recommended to me and it was historical fiction. I really liked it, although the abuse, especially from a mother, really bothered me. I appreciated the viewpoint and found it to be a great story.
31. Educated by Tara Westover. I have mixed feelings about this book. Mostly I didn't like it because of the abuse and how she just took it. The whole situation was so messed up and so I found it a bit fascinating to learn about it but then I just felt sick about the whole thing. I also didn't feel like her education seemed very complete or redemptive so I found it to be lacking an emotional climax. I'm glad I read it but I didn't like it.
32. News of the World by Paulette Giles. It took me awhile to get into this book because it isn't my usual topic or location so I would fall asleep after a page and that went on for days. But once I sat down and actually read it, I liked it. I didn't love it but it was different and I liked the ending.
33. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi. A fun adventure story that takes place in 1832 when a girl ends up on a ship crossing the Atlantic without a parent. I received it at our book club Christmas book exchange and enjoyed it.
34. Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate. I read this in about two days trying to finish this goal so it was a lot to take in. It was emotional and I just can't believe that people could possibly treat children so horribly but it was a good book.
35. The Book of Mormon. I normally wouldn't count scripture on my list but the president of our church asked the women of my church in October to read The Book of Mormon by the end of the year. Since I dedicated a lot of my normal reading time to finishing this challenge, I decided to count it. I love this book and know it to be true scripture. Great book!
Overall, it was a great year of reading, although many stories tended to be tragic and emotional. People deal with so many tough situations in this life and I appreciated the journey that I took with them. I also appreciate my simple, good life. Here's to happy reading in 2019!
18. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. This book wasn't quite what I expected but I ended up really liking it. I am intrigued with Russian culture and history from the time that I spent living in Ukraine. At first it felt like it was moving slowly but then I came to appreciate that it was more philosophical in nature. I loved the main character and found it to be a very interesting story.
19. The Girl Who Wrote in Silk by Kelli Estes. I think I would say this is the best book I read all year. I loved the story, it was a unique story especially as far as time and place and I loved the characters. I also am a big fan of books that have a family mystery and that jumps back and forth between time periods unraveling the story. I have recommended this book to many people and they have all liked it and our book club gave it rave reviews. Love, love, loved it!
20. The Girl with Seven Names by Hyeonseo Lee. This is non-fiction story about a girl who escaped from North Korea. It is a recent, relevant story and I was fascinated. Well-written and so intriguing without being ugly. This is a great book.
21. Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid. This was an interesting idea that wasn't executed as well as it could have been. I liked the idea of what could happen if you had made a different choice in life but wasn't super into the characters. Good book, could have been better. A fun movie that is very similar is Sliding Doors.
22. On the Occasion of My Last Afternoon by Kaye Gibbons. A friend gave me this book to read and the author apparently had a book that Oprah once recommended but I couldn't get into this book at all. I didn't like the style in which it was written and I didn't like any of the characters.
23. My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray. This is a great historical fiction book. I liked it way better than the other book she has written about Thomas Jefferson. It is well-researched, although the author is quick to point out that there isn't much information about Eliza Hamilton. Mostly what we know is from the records of the men around her. But she had a fascinating life and I loved learning about it.
24. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I liked this book. Other friends have loved it but I think by the time I read it I was feeling a bit saturated by sadness and the awful things people to do each other. I liked the characters though and how it took place in France. It is a great story and I would probably have liked it more if I had read it at another time.
25. Big Little Lies by Liane Morarity. Wow. I wasn't ready for this book. I liked it but really didn't like it at the same time. I really dislike reading about abuse and this story had such a surprisingly dark undertone to it, which I guess is part of the message of the book. It was hard to put down and I liked its style.
26. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. A unique story that really drew me in. I liked the characters and appreciated the twists and turns it took.
27. The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis. I have never actually read this series and decided I should so I got started with this book. I didn't like it though. I will keep reading it here and there but I found it uninteresting and didn't like the characters all that much. The only good thing about it was that it set up the next book.
28. Granted by John David Anderson. This was a sweet story that I picked up because it is the same author as Ms. Bixby's Last Day, which I loved. It is cute and about a fairy who goes on an adventure to grant a wish. It was fun and sweet and a nice break from some of the heavy emotional stories I had been reading. Bonus, my daughter read it too and we had a fun discussion about it.
29. The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck. This was a nice story. I didn't realize that it was a Christian novel until the very end but I liked the mystery of it and that the people expressed faith.
30. The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Another young adult fiction story, which I don't usually love, but this one had been recommended to me and it was historical fiction. I really liked it, although the abuse, especially from a mother, really bothered me. I appreciated the viewpoint and found it to be a great story.
31. Educated by Tara Westover. I have mixed feelings about this book. Mostly I didn't like it because of the abuse and how she just took it. The whole situation was so messed up and so I found it a bit fascinating to learn about it but then I just felt sick about the whole thing. I also didn't feel like her education seemed very complete or redemptive so I found it to be lacking an emotional climax. I'm glad I read it but I didn't like it.
32. News of the World by Paulette Giles. It took me awhile to get into this book because it isn't my usual topic or location so I would fall asleep after a page and that went on for days. But once I sat down and actually read it, I liked it. I didn't love it but it was different and I liked the ending.
33. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi. A fun adventure story that takes place in 1832 when a girl ends up on a ship crossing the Atlantic without a parent. I received it at our book club Christmas book exchange and enjoyed it.
34. Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate. I read this in about two days trying to finish this goal so it was a lot to take in. It was emotional and I just can't believe that people could possibly treat children so horribly but it was a good book.
35. The Book of Mormon. I normally wouldn't count scripture on my list but the president of our church asked the women of my church in October to read The Book of Mormon by the end of the year. Since I dedicated a lot of my normal reading time to finishing this challenge, I decided to count it. I love this book and know it to be true scripture. Great book!
Overall, it was a great year of reading, although many stories tended to be tragic and emotional. People deal with so many tough situations in this life and I appreciated the journey that I took with them. I also appreciate my simple, good life. Here's to happy reading in 2019!
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