Finally, I was able to read this year!
At the first of the year, I thought I'd be able to read so much because I was done with my Master's program and figured I'd find some of my long long free time. Little did I know that in March, April & May we would be mandated to partake in social distancing and quarantining which provided me some time to read a good bit. Many books were read and it was oh, so nice to get back in to reading for leisure!
At the first of the year, I thought I'd be able to read so much because I was done with my Master's program and figured I'd find some of my long long free time. Little did I know that in March, April & May we would be mandated to partake in social distancing and quarantining which provided me some time to read a good bit. Many books were read and it was oh, so nice to get back in to reading for leisure!
A few of the books I read are not pictured because they are either on loan to someone or, I borrowed them from someone to read.
"Not What You Think: Why The Bible Might Be Nothing We Expected Yet Everything We Need" Michael & Lauren McAfee--This one was recommended by my Dad before chaperoning a youth trip last summer and I think the best way to share about this one is to give you a tiny excerpt from the book. "We believe that when you read The Bible, you will encounter a narrative being offered to humanity rather than imposed on it. This narrative is the essence of every religious freedom we see protected in our form of government and practiced in our culture. To those who critique Christianity as stifling, and to those who use Christianity to stifle the voices of others within the marketplace of ideas, we say, "Go to The Bible". Jesus does not travel from town to town demanding that everyone believe in Him. Rather, time and again, we see him arrive on the scene, proclaim His message, heal the sick, and , extend an invitation to follow Him. Jesus says in the Bible, and by extension to you and me, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).Whether you choose to believe The Bible or not, whether you choose to read it or not, there is little cause for doubt that the Bible continues to have an impact on our culture. There are reasons, beyond mere habit, why it is a source of comfort in days of national strife and mourning. There is a reason why you can find it behind the scenes, supporting the structure of our society. We would like to propose the radical idea that The Bible is a unique text that is more than just another book, more than a mere collection of stories; it is a revelation of divine character." The essence of the whole book is explaining how the Bible still impacts us today, as millennials (as it's written by millennials) and how we can use that knowledge to shape the way we read it, share it, and live by it.
"The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1)" Lemony Snicket--I love a series and I have always wanted to read these. I won my very first eBay bidding war with this series, too. It's a very, very quick and easy read. This first book I finished in one day. I think I am going to review the series as a whole so, look for book #13 next year and you'll find my full review of the series.
"The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events #2)" Lemony Snicket
"The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events # 3)" Lemony Snicket
"The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events #4)" Lemony Snicket
"Open Your Bible: God's Word is for You and for Now" Raechel Myers & Amanda Bible Williams--This was the Bible Study that my friends and I did. Overall, I thought it was really good and felt like I learned a lot through completing it. It was easy to follow and really did make you get into your bible throughout the study. They cover a lot of ground and talk about how the Bible is important to spiritual growth along with some practical ways to study the Bible. I really liked it. I need to add, I did my first ever zoom bible study due to the quarantine when we had our last meeting for this study.
"On The Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness (The Wingfeather Saga Book #1)" Andrew Peterson--This is the first in a series of 4 books called, "The Wingfeather Saga" and it's one of my all-time favorite series next to Harry Potter & Chronicles of Narnia. These books are creative, whimsical, funny, and adventurous while also having an underlying Christian message throughout. It's such an AWESOME series. I read them back in 2015--you can see my first review of them all here and had been wanting to reread them. Andrew Peterson, the author, announced in early March that he was releasing the series with new hardcovers and illustrations in them. I was so excited and ordered them both immediately (the other 2 are coming in September). As it turns out, during quarantine, he decided to read the first two books live each night on Youtube/Facebook and it was so incredibly awesome getting to follow along. I mean, how many times in my life will that happen? He read book one over a series of 16 nights and since we were still quarantined, he decided to do the second book, too.
All of that being said, the first book follows the Igiby siblings, their Mother and their ex-pirate Grandfather. They live in a town that's been overtaken by The Fangs of Dang (lizard like creatures). Without giving much away, they siblings find out some information about their past, their connection to some of the town's quirky fellows, and start the greatest adventure of their lives. Book 1 sets the stage for what's to come and it. is. awesome.
"Even Better Than Eden" Nancy Guthrie--I needed a book to lift my spirits when the COVID-19 first hit MS. I was worried, anxious, and uncertain. This book was a blessing. It was so awesome that I underlined almost everything in the first chapter. I found it incredibly applicable and even more so, comforting.
Nancy Guthrie is a gifted writer and I always find myself learning so much from her rather it's from her books or devotionals.
"The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events #5)" Lemony Snicket
"North! Or Be Eaten (The Wingfeather Saga Book #2)" Andrew Peterson--This is the second book in a series of 4 books called, "The Wingfeather Saga" and it's one of my all-time favorite series next to Harry Potter & Chronicles of Narnia (as mentioned above). These books are creative, whimsical, funny, and adventurous while also having an underlying Christian message throughout. It's such an AWESOME series. I read them back in 2015--you can see my first review of them all here. Andrew Peterson, the author, decided to read the first two books live each night on Youtube/Facebook during quarantine and it gave me the perfect opportunity to reread the series. I forgot how MUCH I loved this story and I am so excited for books 3 & 4 to be re-released in September. The author said that since the live read-alouds for books 1 & 2 were so well received that whether we are still quarantined or not, he is going to do the same for books 3 & 4!
Book 2 is even better than the first as we dive deeper into the adventures and lessons the Igiby children are experiencing/learning. The end of this book makes me cry every. single. time as our beloved Podo learns a valuable, lifelong lesson that he carries with him.
"The Ersatz Elevator (A Series of Unfortunate Events #6)" Lemony Snicket
"The Girl with Seven Names" Hyeonseo Lee--This book was loaned to me and it was such an informative read. I have not ever read anything like it and I was amazed with Hyeonseo's story and how she escaped her life in North Korea and worked to bring about freedom for both herself and her family. She recounts her story in an easy to read, yet informative manner. It was a stirring book that made me thankful for her resilience and determination. Definitely would recommend this one!
"To Me, He Was Just Dad" Joshua David Stein--This book was an ad that was popping up and I gave in and bought it. I liked the idea behind it--children of famous men and their memories of them. It went over (I think) 41 famous fathers. It wasn't as sweet as I thought it would be--in reality, some of the stories were sweet, some were actually very sad, some were interesting, and a few were disappointing. It was a very, very quick read and you're welcome to borrow my copy if you're interested!
"My Story" Elizabeth Smart--This one was also loaned to me by the same person because she knows I enjoy reading memoirs. This was HARD to read. I was in the 7th grade when the abduction of Elizabeth Smart happened--I was actually only one year younger than she was at the time. I did not follow the story as it happened because...I was 13. Now, as an adult, reading her recount the details of her time being abducted was gut wrenching.
"The Vile Village (A Series of Unfortunate Events #7)" Lemony Snicket
"The Hostile Hospital (A Series of Unfortunate Events #8)" Lemony Snicket --I am still waiting until I finish all of these books to review them but, I wanted to make sure I made a note that this is the first one where I thought to myself, "Oh, this is getting good" and I actually wanted to know what happened next. They felt TOO juvenile most of the time (this coming from someone without any shame when it comes to reading children's/young adult books) and I felt like this one is when it started to shift for me.
"The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1)" Lemony Snicket--I love a series and I have always wanted to read these. I won my very first eBay bidding war with this series, too. It's a very, very quick and easy read. This first book I finished in one day. I think I am going to review the series as a whole so, look for book #13 next year and you'll find my full review of the series.
"The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events #2)" Lemony Snicket
"The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events # 3)" Lemony Snicket
"The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events #4)" Lemony Snicket
"Open Your Bible: God's Word is for You and for Now" Raechel Myers & Amanda Bible Williams--This was the Bible Study that my friends and I did. Overall, I thought it was really good and felt like I learned a lot through completing it. It was easy to follow and really did make you get into your bible throughout the study. They cover a lot of ground and talk about how the Bible is important to spiritual growth along with some practical ways to study the Bible. I really liked it. I need to add, I did my first ever zoom bible study due to the quarantine when we had our last meeting for this study.
"On The Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness (The Wingfeather Saga Book #1)" Andrew Peterson--This is the first in a series of 4 books called, "The Wingfeather Saga" and it's one of my all-time favorite series next to Harry Potter & Chronicles of Narnia. These books are creative, whimsical, funny, and adventurous while also having an underlying Christian message throughout. It's such an AWESOME series. I read them back in 2015--you can see my first review of them all here and had been wanting to reread them. Andrew Peterson, the author, announced in early March that he was releasing the series with new hardcovers and illustrations in them. I was so excited and ordered them both immediately (the other 2 are coming in September). As it turns out, during quarantine, he decided to read the first two books live each night on Youtube/Facebook and it was so incredibly awesome getting to follow along. I mean, how many times in my life will that happen? He read book one over a series of 16 nights and since we were still quarantined, he decided to do the second book, too.
All of that being said, the first book follows the Igiby siblings, their Mother and their ex-pirate Grandfather. They live in a town that's been overtaken by The Fangs of Dang (lizard like creatures). Without giving much away, they siblings find out some information about their past, their connection to some of the town's quirky fellows, and start the greatest adventure of their lives. Book 1 sets the stage for what's to come and it. is. awesome.
"Even Better Than Eden" Nancy Guthrie--I needed a book to lift my spirits when the COVID-19 first hit MS. I was worried, anxious, and uncertain. This book was a blessing. It was so awesome that I underlined almost everything in the first chapter. I found it incredibly applicable and even more so, comforting.
Nancy Guthrie is a gifted writer and I always find myself learning so much from her rather it's from her books or devotionals.
"The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events #5)" Lemony Snicket
"North! Or Be Eaten (The Wingfeather Saga Book #2)" Andrew Peterson--This is the second book in a series of 4 books called, "The Wingfeather Saga" and it's one of my all-time favorite series next to Harry Potter & Chronicles of Narnia (as mentioned above). These books are creative, whimsical, funny, and adventurous while also having an underlying Christian message throughout. It's such an AWESOME series. I read them back in 2015--you can see my first review of them all here. Andrew Peterson, the author, decided to read the first two books live each night on Youtube/Facebook during quarantine and it gave me the perfect opportunity to reread the series. I forgot how MUCH I loved this story and I am so excited for books 3 & 4 to be re-released in September. The author said that since the live read-alouds for books 1 & 2 were so well received that whether we are still quarantined or not, he is going to do the same for books 3 & 4!
Book 2 is even better than the first as we dive deeper into the adventures and lessons the Igiby children are experiencing/learning. The end of this book makes me cry every. single. time as our beloved Podo learns a valuable, lifelong lesson that he carries with him.
"The Ersatz Elevator (A Series of Unfortunate Events #6)" Lemony Snicket
"The Girl with Seven Names" Hyeonseo Lee--This book was loaned to me and it was such an informative read. I have not ever read anything like it and I was amazed with Hyeonseo's story and how she escaped her life in North Korea and worked to bring about freedom for both herself and her family. She recounts her story in an easy to read, yet informative manner. It was a stirring book that made me thankful for her resilience and determination. Definitely would recommend this one!
"To Me, He Was Just Dad" Joshua David Stein--This book was an ad that was popping up and I gave in and bought it. I liked the idea behind it--children of famous men and their memories of them. It went over (I think) 41 famous fathers. It wasn't as sweet as I thought it would be--in reality, some of the stories were sweet, some were actually very sad, some were interesting, and a few were disappointing. It was a very, very quick read and you're welcome to borrow my copy if you're interested!
"My Story" Elizabeth Smart--This one was also loaned to me by the same person because she knows I enjoy reading memoirs. This was HARD to read. I was in the 7th grade when the abduction of Elizabeth Smart happened--I was actually only one year younger than she was at the time. I did not follow the story as it happened because...I was 13. Now, as an adult, reading her recount the details of her time being abducted was gut wrenching.
"The Vile Village (A Series of Unfortunate Events #7)" Lemony Snicket
"The Hostile Hospital (A Series of Unfortunate Events #8)" Lemony Snicket --I am still waiting until I finish all of these books to review them but, I wanted to make sure I made a note that this is the first one where I thought to myself, "Oh, this is getting good" and I actually wanted to know what happened next. They felt TOO juvenile most of the time (this coming from someone without any shame when it comes to reading children's/young adult books) and I felt like this one is when it started to shift for me.
"The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse" Charlie Mackesy--this is the. sweetest. book. It has gorgeous illustrations in it and it has the kindest, most encouraging words in it. I think it's going to be my new baby shower gift (in addition to the Jesus Storybook Bible). It's so pretty it could honestly be a little coffee table book. I'm not kidding! It is about a little boy that befriends these creatures and they start walking together. I have too many favorite lines from the book but, one of the best is: "Sometimes," said the horse. "Sometimes what?" asked the boy. "Sometimes just getting up and carrying on is brave and magnificent". It's full of little nuggets like that and I think it's simply wonderful.
"The Hate U Give" Angie Thomas--Angie Thomas is an author from right here in Jackson, MS. After having many conversations this year, I decided to educate myself further and this was one of my steps. This book, although considered "fiction" is based on real-life events and if you've seen the news, it's happening everywhere. I gained more empathy and insight through reading about Starr, Khalil, Seven, DeVante, their family and friends.
"The Monster in the Hollows (The Wingfeather Saga Book #3)" Andrew Peterson--As he did during March/April, Andrew Peterson hopped online and continued his read aloud of these books he wrote and it has been so special. This story gets better and better with each book and this one is...whew! I think I underlined the whole second half of the book.
"The Hate U Give" Angie Thomas--Angie Thomas is an author from right here in Jackson, MS. After having many conversations this year, I decided to educate myself further and this was one of my steps. This book, although considered "fiction" is based on real-life events and if you've seen the news, it's happening everywhere. I gained more empathy and insight through reading about Starr, Khalil, Seven, DeVante, their family and friends.
"The Monster in the Hollows (The Wingfeather Saga Book #3)" Andrew Peterson--As he did during March/April, Andrew Peterson hopped online and continued his read aloud of these books he wrote and it has been so special. This story gets better and better with each book and this one is...whew! I think I underlined the whole second half of the book.
"Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus: Experiencing the Peace and Promise of Christmas" Various Authors--this was such a great advent book. It's compilation of various sermons and essays from 22 different authors, preachers, speakers on the topic of Christ, Christmas, and all that surrounds His birth. It was such a neat concept and I really, really enjoyed it. I liked having a variation of authors to read from and I found myself underlining & dog earring so many of the pages! None of the excerpts were too long, which made it easy to keep up with each day. Quite honestly, I think it's my favorite advent book I've read thus far. I highly recommend it and will most definitely be reading it again in the coming years.
"The Dawning of Indestructible Joy: Daily Readings for Advent" John Piper -- this was a very easy read--very short for each daily reading and to the point. It was so short, that's why I added in the 2nd advent book that I just wrote about above. The over arching message of the book was so good in that it really focused on our adoration of Jesus and the magnitude of what Christmas means for those that love, trust, and believe in Him. I would recommend this one if you're looking for something for advent that's incredibly easy to keep up with because each daily reading in brief and to the point.
The Bible I used a chronological, daily reading bible and this is my first time, ever to read through the whole thing. If you click on the title, it will take you to a link for the exact one I used. Well, almost exact. Mine is the hardcover and I couldn't find it anymore. I really loved the chronological aspect of it. It put a lot of the scriptures into perspective for me and helped them make more sense. I highly, highly suggest using something like this Bible where the days and the passages you're reading are already laid out for you. It made it easier to keep up with it and then, the chronological aspect was just really neat to follow. I am thankful I took the time to read through the Bible this year and gosh, what a year to do it? The Lord knew that 2020 would be the year that I needed to be reminded of His promises each and every day. There were so many neat experiences that happened when I was reading where I would be able to connect what was happening in the passage with very things that are happening in our world this very day. It just served as a very concrete reminder that His word stands the test of time and that's it just as applicable now as it was when it was first written.
Per usual, if you click the titles, it will take you to the book on Amazon.
What was the best book you read during 2020?
