Last January, I saw that some of my favorite bloggers have an annual tradition of listing all the books they read the prior year and sharing their favorites. I had never really thought about keeping track of what I read but it made total sense for me because when someone asked for a book recommendation, I typically can't thing of anything. Even the last book I read.
So this year, I kept a running list of the books I read, whether I enjoyed them or not.And it was very interesting to go back and read through the list. Clearly I read mainly fiction but I think it's interesting that most of my favorite books were non-fiction. Maybe I should pick up biographies more often.
Sidenote: I did not include books I read last year that I had previously read. Some people don't understand rereading books but I love to read my favorites over and over again. Which explains why I reread the entire Harry Potter series (again) and Pride and Prejudice among other books this year.
If you are looking for any recommendations, these were my top five favorite reads last year:
What's So Amazing About Grace by Philip Yancey
I hardly ever buy books and instead just use the good ole library system. But if I read a really, really good book, then I have to buy it because I like to read my favorites over and over again. (cough cough Harry Potter cough) After I read this book, I immediately bought it and read it again just so I could highlight and mark up my own copy. I filled my journal with quotes from it. I wanted to discuss it with anyone else who had read it. I explained entire chapters to Joe. (I was a bit obsessed with it.) If you only read one book this year and want my input, pick this one up. And then call me to discuss it.
Choosing to SEE by Mary Beth Chapman
I love this book because I want to live my life with faith like Mary Beth. She has taken crazy risks and accepted challenges throughout her marriage because she trusts God in the big things and the little things. When I finished reading, I thought, "this is how I want to mother." She loves her kids hard. Her perspective on adoption and grief challenged my own perspective and as soon as I finished reading, I immediately recommended it to several friends so I could discuss something of her thoughts with them.
Why I Stayed by Gayle Haggard
I have to include this book in my top five because months later, I still think back to it when I'm dealing with some people and situations. Gayle Haggard is the wife to pastor Tim Haggard, who was the center of a gay sex and drug scandal back in 2006. In this book, she articulates why she never thought about leaving her husband. Her view on grace and forgiveness blew my mind. Just writing this recap of it makes me think all over again how I view God's grace and forgiveness.
The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins
Even though I kept hearing about this series, I didn't want to read it because a) I'm not into futuristic plots and b) kids having to kill other kids doesn't appeal to me. At all. But when I finally picked it up, I was gripped and read all three books within four days. So, yeah. It's pretty good. If you want to read it, just clear your schedule ahead of time.
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
Yes, I realize reading this book in 2011 makes me nine years late for the party since it was published in 2002 and was a super big hit and all. But you guys. This book is soooo good, all 672 pages of it. It was one that made me miss the characters when I finally finished it because I felt like they were part of my life. (Too much honesty?)
Katie's 2011 Book List
Crazy Love by Francis Chan
What's So Amazing About Grace by Philip Yancey
Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
The Associate by John Grisham
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Hinds' Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard
Choosing to SEE by Mary Beth Chapman
One in a Million by Pricilla Shirer
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson
Uncharted TerriTORI by Tori Spelling
Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
Millie's Fling by Jill Mansell
Bossypants by Tina Fey
The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown
The King's Speech by Mark Logue and Peter Conrad
Morning Glory by Diana Peterfreund
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
One Thousand Gifts by Anne Voskamp
Why I Stayed by Gayle Haggard
Bringing Up Girls by James Dobson
Miss Julia Throws A Wedding by Ann B. Ross
Something Blue by Emily Giffin
Unplanned by Abby Johnson
What Women Fear by Angie Smith
From This Moment On by Shania Twain
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall
Grace for the Good Girl by Emily Freeman
The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond
2 comments:
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I've been in such a book lull that I needed some ideas!
If you liked The Other Boylen Girl, read PG's follow up to it--The Boylen Inheritance. Follows the rest of Henry VIII's wives. Oh and Wolf Hall is another good one, from Cromwell's perspective. Oh, and watch The Tudors. (I might have a slight obsession with Henry VIII's Court).
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