Despite reading 55 books in 2015, I have decided to make my 2016 goal 40 books, a doable amount since I don't know how much reading I'll be getting done come September. As of the end of February I am almost halfway to my goal with a total of 17 books and I'm so excited to possibly hit my goal much sooner than I had originally anticipated. I read one "dud" book each month but otherwise loved everything I chose to read. Who knows what I'll be reading the next couple of months!
Beneath the Surface by John Hargrove // One of my favorite documentaries is Blackfish so it came as no surprise that I loved the book written by a Seaworld trainer on the same topic. I'm not so sure about the emotional aspect of Orcas but I did love the stories Hargrove shared, especially the one's that took place here in San Antonio. If you're interested in hearing more about Seaworld and their practices I would highly recommend this very readable book.
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs // This was my first dud of the year and it was only my second book! I found the book on a Buzzfeed post (that should've been my warning) and thought the beginning was interesting enough to keep going. This is very clearly a book for tweens or teens and I found the story too basic and simply written to really get into the adventure. This is one of those books that I think was written to be a movie and will do much better in the visual format rather than the written.
The Magician's Nephew by C. S. Lewis // I've read this book many times and had the opportunity from November to January to read this aloud to some kids. They enjoyed the story since it hasn't been made into a movie and I enjoyed the memories of reading it in the past as I got to experience the magic of Narnia and C. S. Lewis' writing again. As with anything written by Lewis, I would definitely recommend it and personally would begin with this book rather than The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
The Heir by Kiera Cass // The Heir is a sub trilogy for the original Selection Series and is more the kind of book you read for mindless pleasure than for anything else. Generally, I don't read books like this but since I read the first trilogy I went along with the crowd and read this one as well. The book was fine, nothing spectacular, which was what I expected, and I highly doubt I'd ever read it again.
Do More Better by Tim Challies // I've read Challies for close to 3 years and I immediately bought this book when he released it. The book is about productivity but instead of the traditional view of it (i.e. do everything efficiently), Challies delves into the Bible and what God says about productivity and what our reasoning behind it should be. After establishing this, the book gets practical and gives insight into what Challies does on a daily basis to stay organized and be productive. If I got anything out of this it's an understanding of how to use Evernote and why exactly it's the best thing since sliced bread. "No amount of organization and time management will compensate for a lack of Christian character, not when it comes to this great calling of glory through good - bringing glory to God by doing good to others."
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling // And so it begins. I got this from the kindle library on a whim, just to see what the big fuss was about (can you see where this is leading?), and immediately fell in love with the book and the story. J.K. Rowling can write so beautifully and I got wrapped up in the wizarding world and the characters within. I've always been a Potter-hater and, while I'm not going to get a Potter tattoo to show my love, I really like these books and see myself reading these over and over again in the future.
Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson // I put this book on hold at the library with only a vague inclination of reading it and ended up absolutely loving it. While I don't plan on going to the extreme end of things like Johnson and her family, I have found myself already implementing Zero Waste principles into my life. Zero Waste isn't as hard as it seems and I'm hopeful for the outcome of this movement and its desire to take care of this world. As Johnson says,"Refuse. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Rot."
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling // I had to force myself to finish Zero Waste Home before I let myself read this book and I'm glad I did since I didn't read anything but Harry Potter for a while!
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling // I didn't particularly love this book but I liked the plot twist at the end and the sci-fi aspect of it.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling // This was the first book in the series that I really got into and made me want to keep reading. I think it's because Harry is a bit older and has a more serious adventure than the other three books.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling // I really liked this book and I loved/hated Umbridge and her devious takeover of Hogwarts. I think Order of the Phoenix shows Harry's backbone and sets him up well for the remaining books in the series.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling // Not going to lie, I totally cried while reading this book. I knew the ending because the internet is an evil place, but I didn't know how or who messed with Dumbledore. I think it was in this book that the series truly connected with me and I began to feel like I do when I read Lord of the Rings. I felt like I was home and in a safe place as I read the words and became lost in the world Rowling has so expertly created. A very good sign, indeed.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling // I got really fed up with Harry's emotions in this book, to the point where I considered stopping (I can't stand overly emotional characters in books). Thankfully I pressed on and was quite flabbergasted at the ending of the book and some of the characters' parts in the story. Rowling has made quite the story and I fully understand why so many people have been caught in its spell (bad pun alert). That being said, I don't think I would ever give these books to a kid to read as they're quite detailed in the magic and spells the characters cast. I'm not a Potterhead, and I don't see myself becoming one, but I'm glad I read the books and can see for myself where the controversy stands rather than taking a side purely because that's what the people around me have done.
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo // Here lies the second dud of the year. This book was as awful a book as I can remember reading. It's extremely repetitive, full of ridiculous mumbo jumbo, not really all that helpful in the tip department, and doesn't provide anything better than what minimalism blogs have had for years. It scares me that so many people have read this book and may be thanking their house, purse, and underwear for their service to them. I tried to pick through the nonsense to find the helpful facts but ended up thinking that BecomingMinimalist.com or LightbyCoco on Youtube would be much better, and much clearer, alternatives to this little book.
A Prayer Journal by Flannery O'Connor // This is Flannery's prayer journal, as the title betrays, and was written before and during some of her best works. I don't love her actual stories, but I absolutely fell in love with her prayer journal. Her writing and bad punctuation makes the book seem more real and her desires and prayers were many of mine as well. The book is incredibly short and reminds me a bit of Valley of Vision, just a slightly Catholic version. Her Catholicism isn't a big part of the book and I don't think you would necessarily know her roots if she didn't mention Mary in a couple of the prayers. "I cannot comprehend the exaltation that must be due You. Intellectually, I assent: let us adore God. But can we do that without feeling? To feel, we must know. And for this, when it is practically impossible for us to get it ourselves, not completely, of course, but what we can, we are dependent on God for our adoration of Him, adoration, that is, in the fullest sense of the term. Give me grace, dear God, to adore You for even this I cannot do for myself."
Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi // I was told to read this book before going across the world and I'm so thankful that I did. I couldn't stop reading this and was so encouraged in my walk with the Lord as I read Qureshi's doubts about Christianity and complete and total trust in Islam. I feel like I have a much better understanding of Islam and the barriers between Christians and Muslims after reading this book, much more so than the other book on Islam that I read last year. Whether you're interested in Islam or not I think this is a must read for Christians purely for the evangelism and theological arguments posed in the book. "It was not that Jesus was turning me against my parents. It was that, if my family stood against God, I had to choose one or the other. God is obviously best, even if that caused me to turn against my family."
Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung // This is another book that was recommended to me and I'm very glad that I went ahead and purchased it instead of borrowing it! I already knew I loved DeYoung and this went ahead and confirmed that again. This book is about choosing to just do something rather than waiting for that special moment from God that will likely never come. I know I've fallen into the trap of "waiting for God to open doors" and because of that I would absolutely recommend this to every Christian out there, particularly younger ones of the millennial generation such as myself. "If you are seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, you will be in God's will, so just go out and do something."
