Top 5 Fiction Books of 2016

I read so many books this year that I thought it would be fun to rank my top five of all I read this year in the two major categories: fiction and non-fiction. Check out my top five non-fiction reads post as well. Below are my favorite fiction reads in 2016.


1. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

  I have read five of Liane Moriarty's books and this one has been my favorite of them all (I haven't read The Last Anniversary or Truly Madly Guilty yet but I plan to). They have all been very engaging.

  In Big Little Lies we learn that there has someone has been killed and there is an investigation and lots of speculation from parents of an elementary school. The book then rewinds six months and introduces us to the three main women in the book. We learn about their friendship, their lives and their secrets.

  As I read the book I was constantly guessing who might have died and who the murder might have been. I became so enamored with the characters that I hoped none of them was the victim nor the culprit. I was surprised by the actual sequence of events which I appreciated as the reader. It was quite an enjoyable ride that I think others would enjoy taking as well.


2. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

  I don't remember how I heard about this book. I feel like I had heard that it was a book about a character similar to Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory, which is a show I thoroughly enjoy.

  In The Rosie Project, we meet Don Tillman, a geneticist at a local university who has decided that he would like to try to find a wife. He creates a lengthy questionnaire to find the perfect candidate for "The Wife Project" and enlists the help of his good friend, and fellow university professor, Gene in reading the questionnaires and selecting women. Gene lets him know that he is sending a woman to his office indicating that she is a candidate for his wife project.

  Don soon learns that she is not a seemingly suitable candidate but she asks for help in locating her biological father and he agrees. He soon begins to enjoy his time with Rosie even though she knocks his seemingly perfect and scheduled life completely out of whack. We see Don wrestle with what he really wants or needs in his life and try to figure out if he can truly understand and experience love. If you like The Big Bang Theory, I think you would enjoy this book.


3. At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon

  I was introduced to this series (and have now read three of the thirteen books) by a good friend. The book takes place in a small town called Mitford, NC and follows Episcopalian priest Tim Kavanaugh through his everyday life - his experiences with the people and parishioners in this quaint mountain town.

  All of the characters are endearing and I was drawn into their lives and the town's happenings. I was especially intrigued when Father Tim received a new neighbor who was quirky, spontaneous and whom he found attractive. Can a 50-something bachelor change his routine and life to allow another soul entrance and home? This question won't be completely answered in the first book, but, if you're like me, you'll soon be entrenched in finding out what continues to happen in this little town of Mitford.


4. The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz

  This is the fourth book in Stieg Larsson's series that started with The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I really enjoyed reading all of those books - they were fast paced and action-packed. I was curious to see how the series continued with a new author. I was not disappointed.

  In this one, a well-known computer programmer who mysteriously left his company in California and returned to Sweden contacts Mikael Blomkvist and asks to meet him so that he can share some information he received from a young female hacker. Mikael is intrigued because he thinks Lisbeth Salander might be involved. As he reaches the contact's house, an assassin emerges having just killed the person in question. The only witness is the victim's autistic son. Mikael begins looking into the events, eliciting Lisbeth's assistance.

  Who is behind the murder? What was the information important enough to kill and be killed for? What is Lisbeth's role in everything? If you enjoyed the previous ones, as I did, you will also enjoy this thrill ride with lots of twists and turns.


5. Inferno by Dan Brown

  This is the fourth book in the Robert Langdon series. I did not read the third book but I don't seem to have missed any vital information needed for this one. It was another face-paced adventure through several European countries (I always enjoy the history, architectural and art information each book contains), mainly Italy.

  When the story begins Robert wakes up in a hospital with a head wound and no memory of the last few days. He believes he was shot in the head. As he's trying to gain his bearings, an assassin comes after him in the hospital and one of the doctor's assisting him helps him escape. When they are briefly safely in the doctor's apartment, she shares with him what she knows and they discover an object he was hiding in his coat. It becomes a clue they follow to try to gain back his memory and discover what is so threatening that his life is in danger. He fears he is responsible for something terrible because he can only remember mumbling "I'm sorry".

  It was a fast-paced, exciting ride. There were unexpected revelations and discoveries throughout the story. I rooted for Lagndon and his partner, Doctor Sienna Brooks to discover and thwart the threat. If you have enjoyed Dan Brown's other Robert Langdon novels, this one won't disappoint.



These were my five favorite fiction reads from last year. What is one you read that you would recommend? Have you read any of the above? If so, please share your thoughts with me as well. To see my favorite non-fiction books of 2016, click here.

July Book Review

  It looks like I devoured some fiction titles but perhaps that's because it's summer so I'm on a short learning break to fit in more entertainment (or most of these reads came up available on my digital library account and I had to read them before they returned themselves from my Kindle). Having read seven books in July I have officially completed and passed my goal of 50 books in 2016! Of course, I'm not going to stop reading so you'll continue to see monthly reviews from me. Let's see just how many I can finish before the end of the year! If you want to check out my thoughts on previous months' reads, check out the blog posts from January, February, March, April, May and June!

  You may have noticed that most of my reviews are positive and books I would recommend to others. There is a reason for this. No, I don't manage to read only quality books. As an avid reader who is also a wife and mother I know that my available time to read is limited. I have given myself permission to not finish books that I am just not interested in. Life is too short for terrible books. So, generally, when I pick up a book, I read two chapters. If, after two chapters, I do not care what may or may not happen in the rest of it, I give myself permission to stop reading it and move on to something else. It might be interesting to have a list of "started but never finished books" but I don't care to make time to do that. Since this is a review of finished books, generally they caught my attention early and kept it until the end. Anyway, just wanted to share that in case someone was wondering. 


1. Son by Lois Lowry

   Hurray, I finished the four part series! In this book we begin at the same village where the first book begins. We are in the same time period except from the point of view of Claire, a girl who was chosen as a BirthMother. Each child, at the age of twelve, is assigned a role in the community based on what the leaders deep the best fit. BirthMother is generally the assignment for girls who don't have much capacity for higher learning. We meet Claire as she is giving birth to her first Product and something goes wrong during delivery. The baby is saved through a c-section but Claire is removed from her BirthMother role and sent to work in the Fish Hatchery. She has a longing for the baby she birthed and is able to spend time with him (not usually the custom of the village). She is becoming increasingly discontent with the ways of society and one day hops aboard a delivery ship as it's leaving. She ends up washed up in a community nestled between a huge cliff and the sea. No one ever leaves or comes from the outside. When she's healthy again she finds someone who once left (but returned seriously injured) who can train her to climb the steep cliff out so that she can find her son. 
   It's an engaging tale that does eventually weave all of the stories together from the previous books. I enjoyed the series all together and would recommend it, especially as a good series for teens.

2. The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz

   I had previously read all of the Lisbeth Salander books and was curious to see how the new author would do in regard to the series. This book takes place about a year after the third book ends. I appreciated that the front of the book had a list of characters and short descriptions so that it would be easy to pick back up with the people and storyline. Millenium the magazine and it's crew have brought in a company to finance them but it is beginning to change the integrity and structure of the magazine. Mikael Blomvkist needs a new story to shoot the magazine back into the spotlight and get rid of all of the speculation that he's a washed up journalist. He receives a tip from a former assistant to a computer scientist and Mikael thinks there may be a link to Lisbeth so he agrees to interview the scientist. The scientist ends up being murdered before Mikael can talk to him. And the adventure quickly picks up. 
   I thought that the story went well with the other books and has quite a few return characters. The book has a decent ending but is still open enough for another book to be written. If it is, I will probably read it as well.

3. Intended for Pleasure: Sex Technique and Sexual Fulfillment in Christian Marriage by Ed Wheat and Gaye Wheat

  My three main focuses of non-fiction reading are marriage, parenting and spiritual growth. This book contained information for two of those. I was a little wary about reading this one in front of others and even more so sharing that I read it here on my blog but it was a really good book that I think could benefit many engaged and married couples. I am planning to hold on to my copy for when my kids get older and can benefit from the information it contains. 
  It was beneficial that Ed is both a medical doctor and a therapist as his well-rounded knowledge provided a lot of useful information. It covers basics, potential issues and talks a lot about God's design for sex within the marriage relationship. If you are interested in improving all types of intimacy and openness in your marriage, read this book. It can spark good, open, helpful discussions. I highly recommend it!

4. Eligible: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice by Curtis Sittenfeld

  I have read nearly all of Jane Austen's novels (6 of 7, and I only recently found out there's a seventh) and enjoyed them all thoroughly. I thought it would be interesting to read a modernization of one to see what the story might be like in our time. I liked that I already knew the gist of the story and how it would end. I was curious about the creative license the author would take.
  I did not particularly care for all of the "modernization" of the book. It seemed to try to fit in as many current issues and controversies as possible. I know that I am somewhat conservative in my tastes but it was too much for me. If you like the Pride and Prejudice story and don't mind being inundated with a lot of topics of contemporary debate, then you might enjoy this book. I can't freely recommend it and am a little sad about that.

5. Disillusioned by Christy Barritt

   Nikki's brother Bobby was captured by ARM, a terrorist group in Colombia, several years ago. He recently escaped and contacted her to bring him back to the states and help him recover and heal before being debriefed by the military. Nikki has done all she can to honor his wishes (especially since she suspects the military thinks Bobby is guilty of desertion and working with ARM). When leaving the hospital for a safe house, Nikki and Bobby are kidnapped by unknown people. They manage to escape and Bobby calls an old friend he trusts to help them find a safe haven so Bobby can try to remember what he learned while held hostage. The person he calls is Kade Wheaton, the man who broke Nikki's heart eight years ago. Can Nikki put aside the past and trust Kade to keep them safe and help Bobby uncover the information hidden in his mind? Do the news reports that Bobby is actually in cahoots with ARM and is back in the U.S. to carry out a terrorist attack have any merit? Will Nikki be able to discover the truth and who is trustworthy?
  It is a riveting story and Christy drew me in with an engaging and fast-paced story line. Many chapters ended on cliff-hangers and I often continued reading to learn what happened next. I was eager to find out whether Nikki, Kade and Bobby would escape from danger each time and be able to uncover the truth about ARM and Bobby's alleged involvement with them. There were many twists and turns in the story that kept me guessing about who was trustworthy and who might be part of ARM. It is a contemporary story with themes relevant to our country's current events. The characters were people I rooted for to survive and succeed in uncovering the truth. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy action, adventure, espionage and a little romance. Christy has a number of other books already published and I look forward to reading some of her other ones. I anticipate them to be just as entertaining and enrapturing as this one.
[Full disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. Also, this book is officially available on August 9th.]

6. Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint by Nadia Bolz-Weber

  I enjoyed this book so much! Nadia is a Lutheran pastor who does not look like your typical pastor or have a typical pastor background. This book tells her story of how she became the founding pastor of House for All Sinners and Saints (HFASS). She talks openly about her struggles with being a "good Christian" and many of the issues that are divisive within the Christian community. I loved her honesty and truth. I loved how she showed her own struggles with different parts of Christianity. She shows how Scripture has been shown to be true and transforming in her life. 
  It was a very encouraging book as a woman in the Christian faith. It also was encouraging as an imperfect person prone to selfishness and sin. This book will probably make many people feel uncomfortable, hopefully in a good way, one where you consider and re-evaluate your thoughts and beliefs on various subjects. It is not a light-hearted read. I would recommend it for anyone who has wrestled with how we are to love as Christians and what we have been taught a Christian ought to look like.

7. The Hypnotist's Love Story by Liane Moriarty

  Ellen, a hypnotherapist, has just met a man, Patrick, through Internet dating and likes him but is on a date with him where he's acting strange. She thinks he might be about to end their short relationship so she is practicing breathing techniques to prepare herself for the let down while he's in the bathroom. When he returns, Patrick reveals that his ex-girlfriend has been stalking him for the past three years. Ellen is intrigued and wants to know more about his stalker. Ellen soon learns what it's been like when she discovers that the ex-girlfriend has been also stalking Ellen, pretending to be a normal hypnotherapy client. Will the stalker ruin their relationship? 
  I have enjoyed all of Liane Moriarty's books. There is not a consistent formula for how the story will turn out. Each time I have no preconceived notion of what is going to happen or how the story will end. Will it turn out happily? One never knows? Will there be some heartache? Probably, but in what form? I was thoroughly engaged from beginning to end. I liked that the POV switched between Ellen and Saskia (the ex-girlfriend). I enjoyed seeing both perspectives and learning more about motivations and their thought lives. It's a good fiction read.


Have you read any of the ones above? If so, what did you think? I'd love to hear about a great book you've read recently!

June Book Review

At the time this is published, we will be half-way through the year! Before May began I was already half-way through my goal of fifty books in 2016. At the beginning of the month I was at 34 for the year. I added eleven more to it this month! That means I only need to read five more books in six months...I think I can handle that (can you tell reading is a passion and way to relax for me?). Below are my reads. If you want to check out my thoughts on previous months' reads, check out the blog posts from January, February, March, April and May!


1. Walking the Talk: A Parent's Guide to Intimacy and Healthy Relationships by Sarah West

  (Full disclosure: I agreed to read this book in order to write a review and help with the relaunch of this book.) I was curious to read this one because it's a book about how to talk to your children about sex and relationships in a healthy, Christ-focused way. I have two young kids and I have constantly wondered when I need to broach this subject with them. I don't want to start too early or too late. 

  Sarah does an excellent job of walking parents through this subject. She invites the reader to think about how they were introduced to the topic of sex themselves and the messages they were given from their parents, friends or relatives. She acknowledges the awkwardness parents feel, especially if they haven't been perfectly pure in their own relationships growing up. She reminds us of how important it is for us to talk to our kids about it so that we will always have a voice in the conversation and offers suggestions of how to do it.

   The book is formatted with discussion questions at the end of each section to discuss as parents or in a small group study format. It also has an application section following the questions.

   I consider this a good resource for parents to help prepare themselves for discussing sex and healthy relationships with children at any age and as they age. I look forward to referencing it as I begin and continue to dialogue with my own children.

2. A Heat of the Moment Thing by Maggie Le Page

   I have been steadily going through the fiction on my kindle. This was one that I had purchased but didn't know much about. It quickly sucked me in. Becky Jordan is getting ready to start her dream job in London. A few days before she begins, she hits her head on the end of the pool and is rescued by a mysterious swimmer with an unmistakable voice. The day she starts her new job she learns that her swim hero is actually her new boss. After the last dating fiasco at her old job she is determined not to get involved with a co-worker, especially her boss, regardless of how enticing he may be. It's an engaging read that moves along quickly.
   Part way through the book I realized I was waiting for the relationship rift that occurs in most books involving romantic relationships. I guess being a reader as long as I've been, it shouldn't be surprising that I've gotten used to the general rhythm of books. I was a little perturbed at the predictability at first, but then realized that if the book didn't follow my expectations, I would be sorely disappointed at the ending of the book (or show or movie). So, I was glad that this book, like many others, had an ending that I was pleased with. It's a fun summer read.

3. Between Us Girls: Navigating College Life as a Christian Woman by Megan Byrd

   Yes, this is my book. I published it a little over four years ago. I don't think I have read a hard copy of it since I completed the editing process. I find it very weird to read my own work. I was afraid that I would not like it after all of this time has passed (I actually finished writing it in January of 2010, a couple of months before my first child was born). I am considering republishing it and wanted to go through it to see what might need to be changed or updated, wondering if some of my thoughts had changed in six years.
   Overall, I still felt confident in the content and message. I think I would like to add additional personal anecdotes to the various sections and may want to rearrange the chapters a little. There was only one chapter that I think could be organized better. However, I still think it is a book that is honest about college life and can provide helpful advice for Christian women getting ready for or already at college.
   (Shameless plug: I currently have the only available copies of the book and would be happy to mail one to someone you know who could use it. It would cost $10 plus $3 to ship. Comment on this blog post or email me at mybyrdlife at blogspot dot com.)

4. My Own Miraculous: A Short Story by Joshilyn Jackson

   I borrowed it from my library as an audio book. I hadn't read anything by Joshilyn Jackson so thought I'd test it out with this short story. I learned that this is a prequel of sorts to Someone Else's Love Story. I enjoyed the characters in the book so I may check that one out soon. It is about a young woman with a three-year-old. She realizes that he might be a bit unusual when he reads a banner on a wall and is able to solve a Rubik's cube in less than ten minutes but is fearful of what that might mean and tries to deny that he is anything but ordinary. It was an engaging read and I became attached to the characters quickly. It was interesting to get to listen to the author read her own work.

5. Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

  I read The Giver not too long ago and recently learned that it was book one in a four book series. I read this second book in just a few days. It is about a girl, Kira, who has just lost her mother and is in danger of being removed from the village because she has a lame foot and the village does not tolerate flaws well. She is given a trial in front of the council and they allow her to stay. Her saving grace is her knowledge of weaving and threading. Her mother had worked on a special robe while she was alive and had taught Kira all she knew. She is given room in the council building and given the task of repairing and restoring the robe. She will eventually finish the robe. She learns that things she has been told are not necessarily true and begins to suspect the motives of the council leaders.
  The end of the book doesn't seem like a true finale. I'm wondering if the third and fourth books will carry more of her story. I am also now wondering if the characters in The Giver will come back in play and be part of the other two stories. I am engaged enough (and dissatisfied with how Gathering Blue ended) that I am looking forward to reading the next two in the series (Messenger and Son). I would recommend this series thus far. I cannot yet say whether the ending is satisfying. Gathering Blue seems unfinished to me.

6. Wild & Free: A Hope-Filled Anthem for the Woman Who Feels She is Both Too Much and Never Enough by Jess Connolly and Hayley Morgan

   This book seemed like a book for me. I do struggle like feeling not enough often. Sometimes I also feel like I'm too much for other people as well. I liked the format of the book. Every two chapters were paired together with a common theme and Jess talked about it from the "wild" side and Hayley from the "free" side.
   I liked that the book reminds us that as women in Christ, we are already wild and free, though many of us are not living this way. We are not meant to live tame, contained lives. Or God is not tame, contained or safe and we are supposed to be living like him. The book encouraged me to walk confidently in the identity and purpose I have in Christ. I tend to be more concerned with others' approval and base decisions on what I think others might think. It is stifling and keeps me from doing what I feel God is desiring me to do. God's purposes are not always understood or approved by people and I should choose to serve my amazing and loving God and trust in his ways.

7. Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty

  This book starts with witness accounts of an argument in a restaurant between triplet sisters celebrating their 34th birthdays. It then goes back to the beginning where we learn about this family and about their lives and what brings them to the scene in the restaurant. The three sisters - Cat, Lyn and Gemma - are all quite different. They have all experienced heartbreaks of various kinds that they have not necessarily shared with their sisters.
   I became engaged with each of the sisters (the book switches between their points of view) and desired for them to have happy, successful lives. I was very curious to learn what had actually happened at the restaurant and whether it led to a large rift in their relationships as sisters or they were able to patch things up. Another great book by Liane Moriarty!

8. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo

   I had heard bits and pieces about this book, like talking to your possessions and asking if they spark joy. I have gone in and out of phases where I have wanted to pare down my possessions and have a more ordered house. This book seemed like it might be able to help with that process (especially since I am in the cleaning out mode at the moment).
   I enjoyed having a structure for going through categories in your house to do the decluttering and storing. I trust her advice because it is her job. I am looking forward to tackling my house with these new ideas in mind. Will I talk to my clothes? Probably not. But I do have a good guideline for determining whether to keep or toss.
   I am a very sentimental person so I am concerned that this will be my big hang up. She has done an excellent job of addressing my personality type and giving me encouragement and courage to tackle those objects in my house as well. I am currently on vacation and won't be back home again for a few weeks so I hope my enthusiasm and motivation will hold until I return. It seems like a good book for those interesting in living more simply and clutter-free. I cannot yet say whether her advice has worked for me. I'll try to do a follow up post if/when I used what I've learned in the book.

9. Messenger by Lois Lowry

  I was excited for this book to come up on my library queue as I felt the second book of The Giver quartet left things very open. This book picks up about six years after the previous book, Gathering Blue, ends. Matty, a boy who came from the same town as Kira, is living in Village, a place that accepts all of the outcasts from other towns, with Kira's father. In Village, the people care for each other and do not discriminate against people with flaws. Each person receives their true name from Leader that describes their gift and/or their true self. Matty is hoping to be named "Messenger" as he has been charged with taking messages to other towns as he is skilled at navigating Forest and does not fear it.
  Something has changed in Village and people are becoming disgruntled against newcomers. They fear that new people will cause a shortage of food, supplies, etc. A vote is taken and Matty is responsible for taking the message that Village is closing to the other towns. Seer, the man he is staying with, also wants him to bring Kira to Village from her home before it's too late.
   It is a very engaging read that continues the story and also weaves a bit of the first book in as well. I am now equally anxious to get my hands on Son, the final book in the series. I am interested to see how/if things wrap up. So far I am still very much enjoying the books and would recommend them.

10. Learning to Walk in the Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor

  This book is about our fear of the dark in its various forms - physical, spiritual, psychological. Barbara talks about how we have equated darkness with evil and that it is not necessarily accurate. Dark and light are not opposites but complementary. You cannot really have one without the other. God did not create darkness, it was already here. He formed and separated light from the darkness but you wouldn't really know one without the other.
   In the book she explores darkness and her experiences of darkness, sharing the importance of darkness in various aspects of our lives. She invites us to consider why we are afraid of the dark and whether we should continue to avoid it or perhaps, venture into it to see what we might learn or be missing by avoiding it.
  This book contains a lot of information and ideas that I am still processing. It has made me think about my own experiences with darkness. I found it very interesting and thought provoking.

11. The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brene Brown

   This is the third book I've read by Brene Brown. She referenced some of her findings about living a Wholehearted Life in her later books because her research tends to build on itself. I really enjoyed this book. It talked about the three keys of living a wholehearted life - courage, connection and compassion. She defined each of these key qualities and also listed ten guideposts to embrace that help us to live wholeheartedly - authenticity, self-compassion, a resilient spirit, gratitude and joy, intuition and trusting faith, creativity, play and rest, calm and stillness, meaningful work, laughter, song and dance - along with the things that hinder wholehearted living that we need to release - what others think, perfectionism, numbing and powerlessness, scarcity and fear of the dark, the need for certainty, comparison, exhaustion as a status symbol and productivity as self-worth, anxiety as a lifestyle, self-doubt and "supposed to", being cool and "always in control".
  I really enjoyed this book. I do want to live with more authenticity and this is an encouraging and eye-opening book that shows me what are important components to this type of life. I love that she warns that it's not easy but the vulnerability and work are worth it. I would highly recommend this book to others (especially fellow perfectionists).


What did you read this month? I'd love to hear your reviews and recommendations!

April Book Review

We're now one third of the way through the year. To reach my goal of 50 books this year, I need to have read at least 17 books to stay on track. At the end of March I had finished 20 so I could have laid low and read none, but I love to read so that obviously wasn't happening. I ended up reading eight books in April. You can see my selection below. If you want to catch up on my former reads, check out my posts from January, February and March.

1. Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God by Sheila Walsh

I am one of Jen Hatmaker's email subscribers. One of her emails last month had a digital download of this book by Sheila Walsh. You may recall, I applied to Sheila's launch team for her new book shortly after starting this one. I recommend both this book and the other one (The Longing in Me). Sheila writes with transparency, vulnerability and authenticity. In this book Sheila weaves her story in with those of various women and men in the Bible who chose to trust God in different aspects of their lives. She talks about Abraham, Anna, Paul, Mary and Martha among others. She reminded me of God's faithfulness toward us and love for us. I especially loved the last chapter, Trusting God With Your Journey, where she talks about Abraham trusting God when he tells him to leave his current place without knowledge of where he was headed. That type of trust - moving forward without knowing how it ends - is particularly scary and difficult for me. I fear that I will either be exposed as foolish or make a mistake and make a decision that wasn't in line with God's plans. I was reminded that God is bigger than our mistakes and we cannot thwart God's plans, especially when our heart's desire is to follow his leading. 

2. Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson

I was recommended this book by an acquaintance and checked it out at the library. It was HILARIOUS! I laughed out loud many a time. Jenny Lawson blogs at The Bloggess and has written for several years about her life, often about her experience with mental illness. She is very open and honest with her feelings and how mental illness affects her life. She has chosen to embrace her life and is determined to live "furiously happy". I appreciated and enjoyed her candidness as well as her unique and hilarious perspective on life. She is quite a character and someone you feel like would make your life better and more fun if she were part of it. If you want a book that will increase your understanding of mental illness as well as cause you to walk around with a smirk on your face from remembering things she wrote, please check out this book. If you are easily offended by crass words and jokes, you may want to skip this one. 

3. Jesus Feminist: An Invitation to Revisit the Bible's View of Women by Sarah Bessey

I have been having a lot of thoughts/questions lately about women, leadership and the church. I asked what books I should read about this topic and this was overwhelmingly recommended. I had read Sarah's newest book, Out of Sorts, and had found it a deep, thought-provoking read. I thought perhaps this would be similarly interesting and informative. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It mentioned a number of the feelings and thoughts I've been having. Instead of being antagonistic and confrontational, it reminded me that all of us should be seeking God and what he desires of us. Even if we are not able to have a leadership role in our church it doesn't mean we cannot still be effective ministers in our communities. It doesn't say that we aren't to question hindrances to women's ministry opportunities, just that our focus should not necessarily be looking for reasons to be offended. It offered a number of additional resources for more in-depth study on this topic. If you have been feeling tension with the church's view of women and leadership, I suggest reading this book.

4. Undeniably Yours: A Novel by Becky Wade

This book is about a woman, Meg Cole, who returns to her family home to run the Cole Oil business after her father unexpectedly dies. She is not interested in running the business but feels obligated to help sustain her father's legacy. However, he also has a thoroughbred horse farm that she does not want to run and gives the farm manager six months before she will close it down. She ends up feeling a connection with the manager but does not want to mix business and personal affairs. It was an engaging read with an emphasis on faith and its workings in peoples' lives which lent encouragement to my own faith experiences. It was a somewhat predictable/formulaic Christian romance novel but I enjoyed the ride and am considering checking out the next story in this five-book series. 

5. Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church by Rachel Held Evans

I have heard some about Rachel Held Evans and have read a few of her blog posts. She wrote the Forward to Sarah Bessey's Jesus Feminist. This book talks a lot about her wrestling with different aspects of the evangelical church and walks us through her journey of breaking up with the church over a variety of differences and slowly working her way back. Her journey is not finished and it hasn't been neat and orderly, but it is real. She talks about the barriers churches put up against specific demographics and her unease at this segregation and separation. She reminds us that the church is not perfect, just like we are not perfect, but God loves it and us just the same. I really enjoyed hearing about her journey and her experience with different aspects of the church (the sections are divided into seven "sacraments" of the church: baptism, confession, holy orders, communion, confirmation, annointing the sick and marraige). I would recommend this book for someone who has questions and concerns about the church, generally and specifically.

6. Jesus > Religion: Why He Is So Much Better Than Trying Harder, Doing More, and Being Good Enough by Jefferson Bethke

My church community group decided to read through this book this spring and discuss it. Apparently Jeff Bethke has a viral video on Youtube of a spoken word poem he created called Why I Hate Religion But Love Jesus. This book stems from this work as he attempts to flesh out the lines of his poem. It was an interesting read with some good contrasts of how religion differs from Jesus. Religion is an institution, a system of rules and regulations designed to help you be good. Jesus is a loving Savior who extends grace to all and invites each person into a living relationship with himself. I think it would be a good read for people who are new to Christianity. Those who have grown up in church may not take away as much from the book.

7. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

This is the third book I have read by Liane Moriarty. The first was The Husband's Secret and the second was What Alice Forgot. I thoroughly enjoyed those two books. This may be my overall favorite. I enjoyed this book so much! At the beginning of the book you learn that there was a murder at a school trivia night at the local school. The book then jumps back six months and introduces all of the characters and potential murder victims and suspects. It centers around three women who all have children entering the kindergarten class - Jane, Madeleine and Celeste - and who have broken pasts and/or secrets they are keeping from everyone. I was quickly enthralled and devoured the book trying to figure out who was killed and why. I kept changing my guess when new information was introduced and ended up being completely wrong, which was a wonderful happening. Liane spins a wonderful, captivating story with a dark underbelly. I was thorougly entertained and would highly recommend it. It'd make a great vacation read (as long as you don't have to supervise children as you might be too distracted trying to find out what happens next)!

8. Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas D. Kristof and and Sheryl WuDunn

I had heard about this book a few years ago and it was one of the resources sited in Jesus Feminist so I thought it would be a beneficial read. It is the research and personal interviews conducted by the co-authors. They visited a number of countries in Asia and Africa, interviewing mostly women about their experiences. They tell of sex-trafficking, brothels and maltreatment of women. They desired to learn how to best help women in developing countries gain a voice and status as a human being. The stories are heart-wrenching about things women and girls are subjected to simply because they are women and especially because they are poor and/or rural. The book also talks about various measures used to help improve the status of women in developing countries, using anecdotes from women they encountered and information from organizations who have had success in raising women's status. Two of the most effective measures have been educating girls and women and helping them to become contributing members to the local economy (such as with microlending programs). 
I learned a lot about the life of women in other parts of the world and ways I can contribute to improving the status of women worldwide. There is a large list of organizations that are successful in their specific areas of work. If you are looking to become more involved in lowering mother and infant mortality, increasing educational and employment opportunities for women or just want to learn more about life in other parts of the world, I suggest reading this book.



Those are my reads for April. Have you read any of them? If so, what did you think? Have any book recommendations for me? I always welcome them!