#NonFiction

Books I Read in 2018

Well I fell off with my monthly updates on my reads. I still want to share my reading list from 2018. My goal was 5 books/month for a total of 60 and I ended up completing 61. Some are shorter than others and I listened to the majority on Audible.

 

My top recommendation on the list is Educated by Tara Westover. My least favorite on the list, which was a true struggle to complete, would be Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff.

 

If you have questions on any of the books, are up for discussing, or want to know if I’d recommend the read, let me know.

 

Here’s the list:

Genre Title Author
Historical Fiction The Nightingale Kristin Hannah
Memoir Extraordinary, Ordinary People Condoleezza Rice
Historical Fiction All the Light We Cannot See Anthony Doerr
Historical Novel Beneath a Scarlet Sky Mark Sullivan
Personal Narrative Fire and Fury:  Inside the Trump White House Michael Wolff
Historical Non-Fiction In My Father’s Words The World War II Letters of an Army Doctor Patricia MacLachlan
Self Development Your Best Year Ever:  A 5 Step Plan for Achieving Your Most Important Goals Ever Michael Hyatt
Historical Fiction Before We Were Yours Lisa Wingate
Personal Narrative, Self Development Extreme Ownership:  How US Navy Seals Lead and Win Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
Biography Black Privilege:  Opportunity Comes to Those who Create It Charlamagne tha God
Fiction Firefly Lane Kristin Hannah
Christian Literature, Self Development Hello Mornings:  How to Build a Grace-Filled, Life-Giving Morning Routine Kat Lee
Historical Fiction The Librarian of Auschwitz Antonio Iturbe
Memoir Educated Tara Westover
Christian Literature, Biography If You Only Knew: My unlikely, unavoidable story of becoming free Jamie Ivey
Autobiography When Breath Becomes Air Paul Kalanithi
Autobiography, Memoir Dreams from My Father  A Story of Race & Inheritance Barack Obama
Biography Girls Like Us Sheila Weller
Non-Fiction The Warmth of Other Suns Isabel Wilkerson
Historical Fiction We Were the Lucky Ones Georgia Hunter
Fiction, Christian Fiction No One Ever Asked Katie Ganshert
Autobiography We’re Going to Need More Wine for this Gabrielle Union
Self Development Kick Ass with Mel Robbins Mel Robbins
Christian Literature, Self Development Girl Wash Your Face Rachel Hollis
Fiction Home Front Kristin Hannah
Slef Development, Christian Literature I’ve Been Thinking:  Reflections, Prayers, and Meditations for a Meaningful Life Maria Shriver
Autobiography Carry On:  A Story of Resilience, Redemption, and an Unlikely Family Lisa Fenn
Autobiography Hillbilly Elegy:  A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis J. D. Vance
Autobiography, Christian Literature The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi by Rabbi Kathie Lee Gifford
Christian Literature, Self Development Unglued:  Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions Lysa TerKeurst
Fiction The Great Alone Kristin Hannah
Fiction The Hate U Give Angie Thomas
Autobiography Just Mercy Bryan Stevenson
Biography Eunice:  The Kennedy Who Change the World Eileen McNamara
Christian Literature, Biography Kind Is the New Classy Candace Cameron-Bure
Self Development, Christian Literature The Total Money Makeover:  A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness Dave Ramsey
Fiction Winter Garden Kristin Hannah
Christian Literature A Million Little Ways:  Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live by Emily P. Freeman
Autobiography My Life on the Road Gloria Steinem
Autobiography Promise Me, Dad:  A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose Joe Biden
Autobiography Barbara Bush:  A Memoir Barbara Bush
Memoir Night Elie Wiesel
Historical Fiction Dawn Elie Wiesel
Fiction Magic Hour Kristin Hannah
Self Development Women and Money Suze Orman
Non-Fiction All the Real Indians Died Off:  And 20 Other Myths About Native Americans Dina Whitaker and Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
Autobiography Whisky in a Teacup Reese Witherspoon
Autobiography The Restless Wave:  Good Times, Just Causes, Great Fights, and Other Appreciations John McCain and Mark Salter
Biography 438 Days:  An Extraordinary True Story of Survival at Sea Jonathan Franklin
Fiction Little Fires Everywhere Celeste Ng
Historical Fiction The Tattooist of Auschwitz Heather Morris
Self Development The Happiness Advantage:  The 7 Principles That Fuel Success and Performance at Work Shawn Achor
Historical Fiction Auschwitz Lullaby Mario Escobar
Autobiography, Memoir Becoming Michelle Obama
Fiction Where the Crawdads Sing Delia Owens
Self Development Back to Human:  How Great Leaders Dan Schawbel
Novel, Memoir Amazing Love:  True Stories of the Power of Forgiveness Corrie ten Boom
Autobiography From the Corner of the Oval Beck Dorey-Stein
Historical Fiction The Kitchen House Kathleen Grissom
Biography The Audacity of Hope Barack Obama
Historical Fiction Glory Over Everything:  Beyond the Kitchen House Kathleen Grissom

 

My Reading List: 2018 August Books

The beginning of the month was rather heavy reading so by the end of the month I threw in a couple lighter reads. The all-time-favorite of the month goes to Just Mercy by Bryan Stephenson. It is eye-opening.

 

I started a book club this month. The idea of our club is to all read the same book and discuss virtually. Currently we are using the Bookship Application as the medium to share our thoughts. For the book club, we started with The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas. I can say for my first-go at organizing and leading a book club, I did a poor job. But hey, I did it, so that is a step in the right direction! I love discussing my reads and it is no fun to carry a one-sided discussion at family dinners or happy hours with friends, so I forced my circles into a book club. Fortunately, the ones who participated all love reading and happily joined so there was not too much pressure put on by me.

 

Last thing worth noting this month:  I started listening to audio books with my sons while we are in the car together. I do not want to jinx myself by sharing this information, but it is going REALLY well. The boys fight less, nag less, and whine less since starting The Magic Tree House series. I LOVE how they will stop and ask what words mean or want to discuss the book. Nothing can top their laughter when a ‘funny’ part comes up in the book. We even have some inside jokes we share now from the books. I cannot wait until their attention span is ready to take on longer children’s chapter books. Children’s novels are some of my favorite books. In college Children’s Literature may have been my all-time favorite course.

 

With that, I feel it is only appropriate to conclude with one of my favorite Dr. Seuss quotes, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” My reading list is a bit random, but I hope it inspires you.

 

The books I read in August and my opinions:

 

2018 August Title, Author, Genre Rating Notes
Kindle The Great Alone, Kristin Hannah, Historical Fiction 4 I cannot stop reading Kristin Hannah books! I love how she brings characters to life and always has multiple themes in her books. This one explores the impact of Vietnam War on a family. The father/husband was a POW and when he returns home suffers from PTSD. This leads the family to explore a new beginning in Alaska. The mother/wife struggles with the challenges of being a woman in the 70s. The primary character is the daughter of this couple, Lenora (Leni). Leni matures from child to adult in a toxic environment within a land she grows to love. Like most Hannah books, she shares their story across several decades making the story complete. I think women would most enjoy this book. The adventure and danger of living in Alaska may make this an enjoyable book for men as well. Going on a long flight, need a beach read, or simply looking for entertainment? Then this is the book to read!
Audible The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas, Novel 4 A young adult novel set in modern times which explores racial prejudice through the eyes of a teenage girl. Angie Thomas did a fantastic job making the characters in this book come to life and relatable. The perspective this story brings to the Black Lives Matter movement helps to see the depth of the issue we face today with racism in America. I’d recommend this book for anyone who wants to understand a young black person’s point of view. It is a story that will help drive discussions around American culture, family, race, prejudice, and respect.
Kindle Just Mercy:  A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stephenson, Non-Fiction/Memoir 5 Recommended by Jamie Ivey’s book club, I could not put this one down. I love non-fiction and memoirs. While this is not Bryan Stephenson’s memoir, it is very personal account of his life’s work. He highlights his greatest accomplishments in civil rights, but the story primarily focuses on the tragedies of our judicial system. The outlook may seem grim, but Stephenson’s spiritual faith guides his life and allows him to show compassion to convicted children, mentally ill, and wrongly accused individuals. I recommend this read to anyone living in America.
Audible Eunice:  The Kennedy Who Change the World by Eileen McNamara, Non-Fiction/Biography 3 I loved this book so much that now if someone were to ask the ever-popular dinner conversation question, “who from the past would I like to have over for a dinner party,” that Eunice Shriver would make my list! I didn’t rate this book all that high because it was a bit dry and long. Listening to it on audible helped because I was able to increase the pace. Had this been written by Eunice herself, I have no doubt that the book would have been rated a 5. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys learning more about the Kennedy family or wants an example of no-nonsense, get-things-done woman who has had a great impact on our world.
Audible Kind Is the New Classy by Candace Cameron Bure, Memoir/Religious Opinion 3 Candace Cameron Bure is the cutest. She is straight forward and true to herself. This book shows her perspective on being empathetic and always choosing to show kindness which she lovingly refers to as ‘classy.’ I recommend this read to Christian women and any Full House fans who still adore DJ Tanner.
Audible The Magic Tree House Collection:  Books 1-8 by Mary Pope Osborne, Fictional Children’s Books 4 I’m listening to The Magic Tree House series in the car with my kids (4 and 5-year-old boys). It is a hit! I want nothing more than for my kids to have a love a reading. Enjoying these books together as a family on our commute home after school or on a long road trip makes the time fly by and gives us something to explore together. I’m so happy these books can be purchased in bundles on Audible! Each book is ten chapters and about an hour long.
Audible The Total Money Makeover:  A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness by Dave Ramsey, Non-Fiction/Self-Improvement 4 Dave Ramsey is a straight shooter. This was a quick listen and I personally enjoyed how direct he is with the plan to get out of debt. He brakes it down in manageable steps and reinforces there is not an ‘easy’ way out. In a time when purchases are as easy as liking a social media post or waving your phone in front of a scanner this book can really help anyone who struggles with their personal finances. Anyone who struggles with money – managing it, emotionally understanding it, or overspending it – should read this!