Favorite Books from 2018
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Book Tracking
I love reading people’s book lists. It’s one of the ways I filter and choose what I’m going to read or want to add to my To Be Read list. I use Trello for this and set it up how Kendra at The Lazy Genius Collective shows you in this post. That way, I can add or view it on the computer, ipad, or my phone and easily move things around to different lists.
Honestly, I want to be better at tracking my reading. I’ve read A LOT over the years, but I couldn’t even give you an estimate because I was terrible at keeping track. I’m planning on changing that this year and if you’re on my email newsletter, you’ll get a monthly run down of what I’m reading and reviews.
You can pop in your email at the bottom of the post if you haven’t already and want to get some a little something fun in your inbox. =)
So here are some of my favorites from 2018 (That I actually remembered reading! lol)
Nonfiction
This book is part awesome reading lists, part memoir and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I love her story about how certain books were formative in her life and the different reading lists are delightful and it’s a great resource for choosing books to add to my To Read list.
This book is one that prompted my Word for the Year for 2019 which is FOCUS. It’s talking primarily about minimizing distraction and working in a deeply focused and intense way to get much more done in shorter periods of time and though the focus is on the work you do for your job, it can be applied to most areas of your life. As a work from home, homeschooling mom, I’m eager to practice training my brain to focus more deeply, whether that’s writing, work for the blog, spending time with the kids, homeschooling, cleaning, etc… I HIGHLY recommend this one!
The Wondering Years by Knox McCoy
I actually finished this one yesterday. I got the Kindle version right at the end of 2018 but it came HIGHLY recommended by people I trust and it’s really so good! If you grew up Christian in the 80’s and 90’s and have gone to Sunday School with flannel boards, and are interested in the intersection of Christianity and pop culture, you will probably enjoy it! lol I’ve laughed so hard at some parts, and was struck by a completely new idea or truth at others.
Falling Free by Shannan Martin
This book is so worth reading but it’s not a comfortable read. It’s challenging and beautiful and makes you look at life and “normal” expectations and beliefs with new eyes.
Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home by Richard J. Foster.
I started reading this one not long before I had a c-section, and then it ended up being overdue before I could finish it. But even though I didn’t get to finish it (I need to request it again from the library), I really liked it! I’ve never read a book on prayer that was quite like it. It broke down prayer into different types and made me realize just how much I struggle with prayer and the guilt that comes from struggling to want to WANT to pray. It shines a light on those struggles but there is so much grace in this book and now after writing about it, I REALLY want to get it back from the library again so I can finish it and take notes.
The Cozy Minimalist by Myquillin Smith
I actually took Myquillin’s Cozy Minimalist course a couple of years ago and it was SO GOOD. In her newest book, she explains how to get the cozy feel but using only just enough stuff to get the look that you want. She breaks it down into steps how to quiet a room and the order in which to add things back in and how to get the maximum amount of look with a minimum amount of stuff. I highly recommend it!
The Life Giving Table by Sally Clarkson
I love pretty much all of Sally Clarkson’s books and this one is no exception. I read it again this year and it has great stories about different kinds of hospitality, discipling, child training that we can do at the table. She gives practical tips to apply it and a couple recipes for each chapter. I love the inspiration and ideas in this one.
Fiction
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
I saw this on someone else’s book list and decided to give it a try. It’s basically about a Chinese American economics professor who goes to Singapore with her boyfriend to meet his family and finds out that they are “crazy rich” and all the usual hijinks ensue. I’ve never been to or read much about Singapore before and this was fascinating to me. It’s satirical and goes in depth about the culture and history and I didn’t want to put it down. Warning: There are a few “f words” in it (one character particularly), in case that’s a no go for you.
The Centurion’s Wife by Janette Oke & Davis Bunn
This one gave me goosebumps and made me cry. It about the Roman centurion referred to in the Bible who asked Jesus to heal his servant and a niece of Pontias Pilate during the period of Christ’s crucifixion and ascension. He is tasked with finding out the truth behind the body of Jesus disappearing. The historical details and background were so interesting and I really loved it. It’s the first of a series and I’m getting ready to read the second one, so we’ll see if I enjoy it as much as the first.
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austin
Ok, this is just one of my favorite books that I read again this year. I was probably thirteen or so when I first read an old copy I found at my aunt’s house with sketches throughout of the different characters. I LOVED that edition, but the one I linked to here is just so pretty! Just a perfect classic that I never get tired of.
The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis
Another classic that I read again this year. It’s so fascinating to me, how Lewis depicts heaven and hell, and never fails to get me thinking. It can take a chapter or so to get into, but hang in there and it’s just so good!
Well, those are my favorite reads of 2018 (again, that I can remember! lol). Pin this post to Pinterest for easy reference!
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XO,
Heather
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