Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Top Ten Reads of 2019

Happy New Year! I'm looking to forward to a great 2020 in many ways, including a great reading and writing life. Before I start a fresh reading year (and recording it on one of these great reading logs from Everyday Reading), I'm once again sharing the ten books I most enjoyed from the previous year. (See my 2018 and 2017 lists too!)


All Rise for the Honorable Perry T Cook... This middle grade fiction was so well-done! I loved this great look at human nature, mistakes and second chances, family, justice, and so much more. This won't fit my TGTB stickler friends' book list criteria but I found it to be smart, thought-provoking, and exciting for my own children's lists.

The Diet Cure... This is a must-read for anyone recovering from eating disorders (the supplements were so helpful and amazing!!) but also for anyone who has ever dieted or struggled with any kind of addiction. Life-changing!

Follow Your Gut... This year I dove headfirst into all things microbiome. This was a very short read, but inspired by a TED Talk and very well-done.

Hidden Among the Stars... I adored this WWII time slip! Mystery, scandal, bookshop, books, finding confidence, hope and triumph in the face of tragedy... I still think of this one often!

Little Men... I've loved Little Women since I was a little kid but this was my first time trying Little Men. I loved it! I might even have liked it more than Little Women and I really liked Jo's grown-up character.

The Ministry of Ordinary... My Enneagram friends will probably understand my hospitality predicament when I explain that I'm an introverted self-preservation 9, and my husband is an introverted self-preservation 8. I want to want to host dinners and gatherings but when it comes down to it, I deep down just want my home to be my cozy sanctuary. You know how some people say they don't bring their work home with them? Yeah- I don't bring the world home with me. That's the world; this is home. My husband feels the exact same way so neither of us ever pushes each other because of it. This book really inspired me to try once again to seek out hospitality opportunities. I set a goal to host 12 dinners or get-togethers after reading this one- one a month. I served lunch to the contractors working on our home, made pizza for two different family friends, and had a friend over for tea + snack lunches + outside playtime... But then I lost steam. I met two other friends at coffee shops and multiple library events or park dates but that was that. I can't figure out if it's better to step outside of my comfort zone or play to my strengths... But either way I loved this book and still think about the hospitality of my HEART if not my home.

The Psychobiotic Revolution... More microbiome, this time as a psychology treatment! Fascinating, helpful, informative.

White Bird... WWII graphic novel I found engaging, inspiring, and poignant! I added it to my kids' middle school list.

Whose Waves These Are... This is my favorite fiction of 2019. Another WWII Christian fiction time slip, this one with a beautifully written literary feeling that offers a rich exploration of family dynamics and already had me crying during chapter two.

Wisdom of the Enneagram... My favorite Enneagram book by far, deep and detailed. My husband and I would both really like to own this one.

3 comments:

  1. Just wish to say your article is as amazing. The clarity
    in your post is simply cool and i could assume you are an expert on this subject.
    Well with your permission let me to grab your RSS feed to
    keep updated with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and
    please carry on the rewarding work.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Howdy! I simply want to offer you a huge thumbs up for your excellent
    information you have got here on this post.
    I will be coming back to your website for more soon.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I will right away seize your rss feed as I can not find your email subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter
    service. Do you have any? Kindly let me realize in order that I could subscribe.

    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for your comments! I always read them, don't always have time to answer quickly. Sorry about that!