I Love Reading

It’s no surprise I love to read. Search the words “book” or “read” on my blog and you’ll find a number of posts about what we are reading – whether it’s me, the kids, or the whole family. I am often asked by others what I am reading or what my favorite books are at the moment. So I decided to put together my favorite reads from last year. You can always follow along with me on my Goodreads account and also see my latest ratings as they update on the side of the blog.

My Favorite Book of 2017

My favorite read of last year is no doubt Jodi Picoult’s “small great things”. As with most of her books, it does not disappoint. She tackles difficult topics and really makes you think. It is one of those books that sticks with you for a long time. The Goodreads description sums it up, “With incredible empathy, intelligence, and candor, Jodi Picoult tackles race, privilege, prejudice, justice, and compassion—and doesn’t offer easy answers.” Grab it and you won’t regret it.

 

My Other Top 3

My three favorite books that followed “small great things” would have to be:

              

1. “Lilac Girls” by Martha Hall Kelly – 5 Stars! I love historical fiction. This one did not disappoint. A great historical fiction about WWII women based upon real people. Don’t read the description, just start reading. Another book with all the feels.
2. “Nineteen Minutes” by Jodi Picoult – 5 Stars! This book was heart wrenching. Especially having kids in school. How on earth could one have sympathy for a high school shooter? Read and find out. Emotional roller coaster.
3. “The Secret Wife” by Gill Paul – 5 Stars! I love a good historical fiction war love story. And this did not disappoint. A fascinating story about the Russian royal family, the Romanovs. Another book that goes between past and present. Some readers didn’t feel it was deep enough…but it kept me reading page after page yearning to discover the end of the tale. I stayed up way too late many nights. Most war books I’ve read have focused on Germany, France, Poland, etc. Learning more about Russia, the Bolsheviks, the Red Army, the White Army, etc. was also interesting. Don’t forget to read the author’s historical comments at the end of the book.

Books I Gave 4+ Stars

There were a lot of other great books I read last year. Here is a list of 10 more books I really enjoyed and recommend.

• “The Couple Next Door” by Shari Lapena – 4.5 stars for me. Extremely fast read. It grabs you in chapter one and keeps you going. You want to know what happens to that baby so you just keep page turning. So for that I give it credit. The writing itself is not great and the characters are ok. Too much repetitive thought happening with each character. Felt like I was often reading the same thing over and over again. Overall, a fun quick, no-brainer read. Since I read it so fast, I often read it while my kids were interrupting me and had no problem keeping up with the story.

• “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman – 4.5 Stars. This book was a slow start for me but I ended up LOVING it and Ove. Such a great story about grief and love. I definitely cried a bit.

• “Behind Closed Doors” by B.A. Paris – 4.5 Stars. There were so many bad reviews I almost didn’t read it. However, for me, it was the perfect quick read. I was so sucked into the story that I read it in three days. I’ve read much worse, graphic stories about abuse. This was a well written book about control and mind games. The author had to have really thought out every scenario in order for the reader not to pick out flaws. Well crafted. Definitely one to take to the beach. You can’t help but want to keep reading to find out if and how Grace will get herself out of that mess.

• “Class Mom” by Laurie Gelman – 4 Stars. If you have ever dealt with planning anything in a kids’ classroom, this book is for you. There are definitely some side stories, but it mainly deals with moms in one classroom. So Class Mom was a really funny and quick read for me. I almost gave it 3 stars because it just isn’t that thought provoking. It’s more fluff. However, I think if I wasn’t in the middle of trying to read Pillars of the Earth, I would definitely give it 4 stars for pure entertainment. Great beach read.

•  “Orphan Train” by Christina Baker Kline – 4 Stars. I enjoyed this book and learning about the Orphan Train. It was a sad and depressing time in our country for those young children. I agree with most others that it reads like a young adult book. It seemed like a good historical-fiction-lite version of a greater story. It’s not as heavy or deep as a book like The Nightingale or The Kitchen House. So the plus side is that is a super easy and fast read but still a decent story. It has all the feelings.

• “Ready Player One” by Ernest Cline – 4 Stars. Not my typical read. I heard mixed reviews but wanted to read it due to the upcoming movie. I enjoyed it more than I thought. Although set in futuristic 2044, the references to the 80s are fun to follow. Based mainly inside a virtual world, the reader often has to pause and remember if the character is currently in the “real” world or in a simulation? Which then brings even more thoughts and questions and what-ifs of the future before us. The middle of the book dragged a bit for me with technical language, etc., but I’m glad I pushed through to the end. This will be a great discussion for many book clubs.

• “The Girl Before” by J.P. Delaney – 4 Stars. This is another book with mixed reviews, but an upcoming movie so it intrigued me. The author writes it in a back-and-forth-chapters between two characters who have a connection to the house. The house which could actually be the third character. You know early on that the first woman died in the house and the book follows her story and the story of the woman living in it now. It’s not a deep, thought-provoking book. However I give it four stars because it is a must-keep-reading, who murdered Emma, can’t put this down, quick read. I read it in a few sittings. Great beach read. Cannot wait to see the movie.

• “I Let You Go” by Clare Mackintosh – This is a book about a woman escaping her past. Without any spoilers, all I can say is to just keep reading. The second part of the book is nothing like the first.

• “Dark Matter” by Blake Crouch – 4 Stars. This was a quick read. Very different than my normal picks. Fast-paced futuristic science fiction. Parts of it were hard to keep up with, but overall, a really good read. Will bring great discussion about science and time travel and choosing paths in life.

• “All the Missing Girls” by Megan Miranda – 4 Stars. Quick read about two missing girls (one from the past and one from the present) and keeps you guessing to the very end. It’s unusual in that the book is written in reverse order. Gives you a quick opening to set the stage and then a sudden cliffhanger, and then jumps out two weeks and works backwards day by day. This is a great way to keep you on your toes as you try to piece together what has happened to both girls as you learn about both events of the past and present. Book ends right where you started with an unexpected twist. Highly recommend.

My Favorite Kid Books

Three books really stand out from 2017 for kids.

• “The One and Only Ivan” by Katherine Applegate – 5 Stars! We read this book as a family for a class project with Charlotte. Someone else perfectly described this book – “it will rip your heart out, stomp on it and slowly put the pieces back together”. YES! Agree. It was a great story to read out loud and discuss. I highly recommend it. Halfway through you’ll want to stop, but just keep reading. You won’t regret it.

• “Wonder” by R.J. Palacio – 5 Stars! Fantastic book to read alone or with your 4-5th grader. Such an inspiring story with all the emotions. Loved how each chapter is a quick snippet of 2-4 pages. Great writing. Would have finished much quicker, but was only reading 2-4 nights a week with my 5th grader. Stella had to take her turn reading aloud the last few chapters as I fumbled with the tissues. “Always try to be a little kinder than is necessary” – words we all need to remember each day.

• “The Land of Stories” by Chris Colfer – In full disclosure, Charlotte and I never finished this because of other projects that came up instead. However, I loved the beginning of it and can’t wait to jump back in and finish the book. Stella, on the other hand, has read the entire series multiple times. And met Chris Colfer.

What should be on my reading list for 2018?

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