My 2017 Reading List

I set my reading goal (25 books) back in January, thinking I had a lot of upcoming work travel and children who finally went to bed at a consistent time. Then I found out that Wesley would be joining the family. I thought this may impact my ability to read as much, but it's amazing how much one can read when you're holding your baby for his naps (because he's your last and you choose to spoil him).  This (plus still lots of traveling for work) meant I surpassed my goal and actually read 27 books this year.  I can honestly say I enjoyed all of them. I am either a very easygoing critic or just a good book picker.

I actually had a lot of help picking books this year, as many suggestions came from blogs, published lists, or friends.  It's unusual that I'm so "trendy" with my book reading and can actually contribute to water cooler convos on the year's most talked about books.  I also focused more on novels this year for the first time in a long while (see last year's list - only 3!), and I loved the stories I read and the scenes these books created in my head.  Many have stuck with me long after I turned the last page - they were that good.

Per usual, I read few parenting books. Sorry, kiddos, looks like I'm winging the whole "how to raise my children" thing again this year.

So here we go, categorized by type, listed in reverse order of when I read them this year, with my favorites marked with an asterisk. (I really challenged myself with the asterisk, because I seriously loved all of the novels I read this year. Not a one disappointed me.)

Fiction

• A Man Called Ov, by Fredrik Backman *
• The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas
• The Years that Followed, by Catherine Dunn
• Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, by Gail Honeyman *
• Big Little Lies, by Liane Moriarty
• Fool Me Once, by Harlan Coben
• The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah *
• The Wonder, by Emma Donoghue *
• Snowflower and the Secret Fan, by Lisa See
• The Kitchen House, by Kathleen Grissom
• The Rosie Project (Don Tillman #1), by Graeme Simsion *
• Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald, by Therese Anne Fowler
• The Nest, by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney

Historical and/or Autobiographical Memoirs 

• And Then All Hell Broke Loose: Two Decades in the Middle East, by Richard Engel *
• Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis, by JD Vance
• Alone Yet Not Alone, Tracy Michele Leininger
• The Year of Magical Thinking, by Joan Didion
• Prague Winter: A Personal Story of Remembrance and War,  from1937-1948, by Madeleine Albright *

Non-Fiction - Religious

• Faithfully. Christmas through the Eyes of Joseph, by Adam Hamilton *
• Sacred Marriage, by Gary L Thomas *
• Kingdom Woman: Embracing Your Purpose, Power and Possibilities, by Tony Evans *
• All Things New - A Study of 2 Corinthians, by Kelly Minter
• Esther: It's Tough Being a Woman, by Beth Moore *
• She's Got Issues, by Nicole Unice

Non-Fiction - Parenting/Relationships

• Permission to Parent, by Robin Berman *
• Humble Inquiry: The Gentle Art of Asking Instead of Telling, by Edgar H Schein

Non-Fiction - History

• The Greatest Generation, by Tom Brokaw

Without meaning to, I carried multiple themes throughout this year. First, memoirs are not something that I'm normally drawn to, finding them a little 'fluffy'. However, I found that the ones I read this year (particularly All Hell Broke Loose, Hillbilly Elegy, and Prague Winter) used the personal experience of the author to provide an overwhelming amount of knowledge and information that made their history come alive.  I learned more about our world from those books than many non-fiction books on the shelves.

Secondly, I fell in love with quirky characters struggling to fit in with normal society, like Eleanor Oliphant, Don Tillman, and Ov. While these books are considered comedies, I think I cried a few times (and couldn't blame it on pregnancy or post partum hormones).  I wanted to befriend them, hug them, take them with me to the next novel.

A few other novels I picked up on a whim, not knowing anything about them other than they were a dollar on my (rarely used) Kindle app or sitting on a table at the library.  The Wonder had me mesmerized and telling everyone "you should read this book".  The Years that Followed made me sit and nurse longer than I needed to because I kept moving through the (short) chapters.  I found Snowflower and the Secret Fan at my fav little used book store in Midtown Manhattan, and since I love anything Lisa See I grabbed it quickly.  It may be my favorite of hers!   These books may never wind up on national reading lists, but I thoroughly enjoyed them. 

(I could keep going on these novels and how many wonderful places they transported me this year.  1920s Spain, 1790s Virginia, 1940s France, 1800s Ireland, 1800s China, present day inner city US... Maybe I should go back and asterisk all of these books!!)

Lastly, my bible study group ensured I stayed very active in reading and understanding the Word of God.  Even though I've been a practicing Christian my whole life, I'll be the first to admit that my knowledge of the bible is lacking.  (My understanding of it - even more so!) I'm so grateful for a leader and group of women that keep this a strong part of my yearly reading.

Not sure what 2018 will bring in terms of reading, but setting a lower - though more realistic - goal of 20 books.  I'm nearly finished with The Orphan Master's Son (the 2013 Pulitzer winner - it's haunting me), so I may stay on the Pulitzer list for a while.  I'm always open for new ideas so, people, send me your favorites. Just nothing so enthralling that I neglect my family or sacrifice my sleep (which I tend to do with a good read).  :)