Friends don't let friends read bad books. That has become my mantra over the last year.
What started out as a simple exercise to share my thoughts about what I was currently reading, quickly became this weird, quirky community of sorts. I would like to thank everyone who messaged, posted on my wall, texted, or simply stopped me in the hall to tell me what my next read should be. I had people from every stage of life, profession and background engage with me through this strange little online community. In the day and age of COVID, it was weirdly encouraging! So thank you for being a little light in an otherwise dark world for me this last year! This list is my small way to give back.
Somewhere around June of 2021, I made the decision that in 2022 I would put these reviews in blog form. So, that is where I find myself today. I'm pretty sure a lot of you have set some sort of reading goal for the new year. I hope my top 21 reads of '21 give you a launching point for the coming year. If you would like to read the complete, unabridged version (in the actual order I read them), you can see all of those here. If you just want the top 21, keep scrolling!
Happy Reading!
#21: Us Against You -- Fredrik Backman
I don’t really know how I feel about this book. I’m giving it an 8 out of 10. The sequel to Beartown, it picks up with many of the story lines and adds new characters. The setting is a small town that lives and breathes ice hockey. This book is dark. It’s long. It has a TON of characters and an equal number of story lines. I very much appreciate the intricate story boarding that went into this book. The attention to detail in that realm was incredible. Everything about this book was sad, and quite frankly I just wanted it to end. If you don’t mind letting that much negative energy into your life, it was masterfully written. You will need to read with your brain fully engaged, as it is a wild, tangled web of characters. If you need books with a “happily ever after” this might not be the book for you. I may need to binge Adam Sandler and David Spade movies after this one.
#20: Remember -- Karen Kingsbury
I give this an 8 out of 10. The second in The Baxter series, this story fans out to engulf more of the Baxter family. The setting was pre and post 9/11 and how that impacted the various characters. Even though we are coming up on the 20th anniversary of that horrible day in history, the stories still make me tear up a bit. Though this was a work of fiction, the emotions were the same as what most of us remember about that time in our lives. Typical for the genre (Christian fiction), the writing is somewhat sterile at times. Although, I do prefer that to some of the more graphic writing out there. This provided a nice mental escape on my day off, and I rather enjoy long sagas where the characters are developed slowly. I suspect you will see the entire series reviewed at some point. Overall a relaxing and easy read.
#19: Redemption -- Karen Kingsbury
A big shout out to my friend Brandi for recommending this one to me several months ago. It has been sitting on my “to read” shelf all this time! I give it an 8 out of 10. The genre is Christian fiction. The first of a series of stories about The Baxter family, this book tells the story of Kari—a young, married 20 something who is dealing with the betrayal of a cheating husband. It definitely has it’s share of cheesy dialogue (thus the 8 ). However, the story is a good one, and definitely worth the 5 hours it took me to pour through it. I suspect I will end up reading the rest of the series at some point in the future. This is a good book for the plane, or sitting by the pool. Easy and somewhat predictable, it is a nice reminder to invest in your spouse.
#18: Truths I Never Told You -- Kelly Rimmer
Ugh. . . I don’t know how to review this book. I am so torn . . . Until the last half hour, it was headed toward a solid 10. Because of that, I’m giving it a 9 out of 10. This story hit me at a deep and personal level. So much of the prose sounded as if I were personally telling it. Spanning 2 generations of women (1958 - 1997), this book does an exceptional job of outlining all of the various components of postpartum depression, as well as society’s attempts to minimize the actual medical and psychological components involved. Impactful and heart-wrenching, every woman of child-bearing age (and their husband) should probably read it. I am grateful to live in a world where my choices, as a woman, are vast. I am sad that the generation(s) that came before me were not afforded those same choices. I am forever grateful for the brave women who paved the way for later generations.
*Disclaimer: soapbox ahead*
That said, if you even know me a little bit, you know I am unashamedly pro-life. The stories of women who felt abortion was their only option are devastating to me. As a society, we have failed them. I really, really loved this book — right up until the point where the author began to celebrate the abortion movement. Yes, this is our dark history. Yes, this history needs to be taught. However, rather than celebrating the killing of a child, wrapped up as “a woman’s right to choose”, we should be looking for ways to keep women from ending up at that horrible crossroad to begin with. And for the love of all that is good in this world, if you have never battled depression, please, please, just stop trying to give advice. Phrases like “buck up”, or “you need to just. . .” or (and this one makes me want to scream!!) “if you only had more faith, or just prayed harder” are simply not helpful to the conversation.
*climbing off my sizeable soapbox now*
I would still highly recommend this book, but be prepared for the ending. I just wish the author had taken the opportunity to finish strong. She was so eloquent in the build-up and it would not have been very hard to convey the end as the tragedy that it was.
#17: Before We Were Yours -- Lisa Wingate
I give this a 9 out of 10. Set during the end of The Great Depression, this story shines a light on the dark place in history where being poor meant you ran the risk of having everything taken from you.
#16: This Tender Land -- William Kent Krueger
I’m going with an 8 out of 10. Shout out to my friend Karen for always giving me great book suggestions! I think this is probably more like a 9, but I was listening to it in a very disjointed manner—15 min here and there. Had I been able to sit and listen in large chunks of time, I think I would have rated it higher. An entertaining read, for sure, this book is kind of a darker Tom Sawyer/Huckleberry Finn. Set in the 1930’s, this is a story about a group of orphaned kids, sent away to an Indian (or Native American, for the more PC reader) orphanage. These kids escape and venture from Minnesota to St. Louis via a stolen boat. The author does a great job developing the characters and the plot is solid. Definitely worth your time to read it.
#15: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue -- V.E. Schwab
This was the second book that I read last year. It was also my first Audible book ever. My fears of audiobooks being less captivating than actually reading were unfounded. That said, I’m not sure how I feel about this book. I would give it a solid 8 out of 10, but it likely won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. Here’s my official review:
My favorite style of story-telling is that of analepsis. You know the style, but perhaps not the name. It’s that “flashback” type of telling the story. The most captivating TV shows (for me) are this way — Lost, The Walking Dead (the early seasons), This Is Us, etc. That’s the essence of what sucked me in with this book. I don’t want to give away too much of the story, but it was a very well-told tale. Some of you may find the good vs evil, sell-your-soul-to-the-devil content somewhat disturbing. Keeping it within the confines of fiction (and sandwiching it between some hearty slabs of the Bible), I found it quite a fascinating and strangely haunting book. If you like darker fiction (The Passage, Unwind, anything by Anne Rice or Stephen King), you will likely enjoy this. If you prefer happier stories, I would recommend you pass on this one.
#14: Island of the Lost -- Joann Druett
I really enjoyed this book. Shout out to my friend Chris for the recommendation. I give it an 8 out of 10. This is a true story, set in the mid-1800’s. It’s about leadership, teamwork, and the deep programming within our DNA to survive. It is a detailed account of 2 different crews, unknowingly shipwrecked on the same island at the same time. It shows what strong leadership, positive attitudes and the resiliency of the human spirit can accomplish. A fascinating comparison between 2 different styles of leadership — one born out of social hierarchy, the other from humility and social equality.
If you think your meat comes from the grocery store, the details in this book may be a shock to your system. There is a fair amount of scientific detail with regard to genus/species of both plants and animals. I found the methods used to acquire protein sources strangely fascinating, as well. Largely written from the actual accounts of the castaways, the verbiage and syntax take a minute to acclimate to.
Set in the Auckland Islands — just a bit north of Antarctica — it was fascinating to read how humans are able to survive at all in that climate.
Having binged many seasons of “Alone” this past year, this was kind of that, on steroids. Though not alone, the survival methods employed, mirrored that show.
I particularly liked the last hour. It detailed the fact that emergency provisions and supplies were later left on these desolate islands, for what would sadly be a string of additional shipwrecks.
#13: The Things We Cannot Say -- Kelly Rimmer
This was a tough one to rate. Had I read it before Winter Garden, it would have been a 10. Since Winter Garden is the book by which all other books shall be judged, I am giving this a 9.9 out of 10. If you are a stay-at-home mom, or the parent of a special needs child, this will likely resonate with you in much the same way that the protagonist in Winter Garden resonated with me. The story is of a similar genre: WWII historical fiction. (WWII Poland). It is heartbreaking, given that it spans 75+ years. It is an interesting reminder of what true religious persecution looks like.
#12: The Huntress -- Kate Quinn
Shout out to my friend Jordan for recommending this book. I give The Huntress a 9 out of 10. The genre is WWII historical fiction. It did take a bit of literary license with the historical part (which is why I didn’t give it a 10), but it was one of those captivating reads that I really didn’t want to put down. The writing was solid. The story was captivating. The end was not what I expected.
#11: American Dirt -- Jeanine Cummins
I give this a 9 out of 10. I think this is an important book that every American should read. The story involves a Mexican woman and her 8-year-old son as they narrowly escape death from a Mexican cartel. It follows their harrowing journey from Acapulco to the US. Having read this on the heels of several WWII novels, I kind of wish I was a high school English or History teacher. I would assign a semester-long project to compare and contrast “Beneath a Scarlet Sky” (or The Nightingale) and “American Dirt”. I would list specific “characters” in these books to be compared and contrasted.
Hitler/Javier
The Nazi Party/Mexican cartels
Third Reich/Mexican Police
European Jews/Anyone pushing back against cartels
European church/Mexican church
Pino Lella/Mexican Coyotes
Italian people/Mexican people
Also, a comparison of US Border Patrol agents and US Vigilantes would be fascinating too. I very much like the way this book portrayed our border agents. They are still law enforcement and will detain, process, and return illegal migrants to their country of origin. However, they do it in a humane and compassionate manner — providing medical care and assistance along the way. The vigilantes, by contrast, shoot first and ask questions later.
I would welcome an honest, multi-dimensional discussion about this topic. No CNN or Fox News talking points, please. We have a real problem in our country. I DO NOT know how to fix it. I do know, there is not some simple black/white answer to the problem.
#10: The Heirloom Garden -- Viola Shipman
I wasn’t sure how I was going to like this book, just from reading the Amazon synopsis. Turns out it was very good! Thanks to my friend Karen, for another great recommendation. I give it a 9 out of 10. This is a great summer read. Nice and easy. Sitting by the pool, or curled up in the shade, it is a simple story about the power of relationships. 2 families, torn apart by wars that took place 50 years apart. It weaves together all the emotional threads. Having spent a lot of the last decade attempting to grow flowers on my desolate landscape, I particularly enjoyed the connection that gardening can have on one's mental health. The therapeutic benefit of creating something beautiful, and then sharing it with others, really resonated with me. This may not be to everyone’s liking, but if you are looking for a simple summer read, this will only occupy about 4-5 hours of actual read time.
#9: Going Home -- A. American
Some of you may lose all respect for me after this book review. That’s okay. There are lots of great literary options out there. I’m struggling with a rating on this. My English-matters brain would give it about a 6 out of 10. The storyteller in me gives it a 9 out of 10. Dystopian fiction mixed with a smattering of politics, this was a satisfying scratch for my post-apocalyptic-fiction itch. The story follows one man’s 250-mile journey home following an EMP in Florida. The protagonist—an avid prepper—was uniquely equipped for the journey when his car unexpectantly died on the side of the road. If you have ever fancied yourself a prepper, or have ever contemplated what that would look like, you will probably enjoy this book. It goes into great detail with the equipment and supplies available for your “bug-out bag”. This will likely not be to everyone’s liking. No matter your particular opinion of this book, the last 15 minutes are particularly terrifying in light of our current national state. There is a substantial amount of foul language, but unlike other reads this year, it seemed strangely appropriate within the particular confines of the tale. However, I really, really loved it! I consumed it in audio format, which probably helped my grammar Nazi brain. It is told in a manner like one would hear around a campfire. Great for a long drive or series of long workouts. It is the first in a series, so you may be seeing those follow-up reviews in the weeks to come. Apologies if you hate it. If you find yourself intrigued by it, shoot me a comment below with your other post-apocalyptic fiction faves.
#8: Redeeming Love -- Francine Rivers
I have had sooooo many people recommend this book to me! It has been on my list for quite some time, but when your librarian friend openly reprimands you and tells you to stop what you are doing and immediate read a book, you just do it! So, thanks, Julie, for boxing my ears and bullying me into this one. I really, really loved it! I give it a 9 out of 10. Christian fiction has always been super cheesy to me, but somehow this author made this one both interesting and believable. A (sort of) modern-day story of Hosea, this is set in the mid-1800s during the California Gold Rush. The main character, Angel, was sold into prostitution at the age of 8. A story of the grace and love of God, amidst the depravity of man, it is a long and winding tale. Clocking just over 17 hours in audiobook form, every time I thought the author was about to wrap it up, something else happened to poor Angel. I think this would be an excellent book for a week-long vacation, or long boring road trip. It will definitely keep you awake and make you want to read all the way to the end. I suspect this author’s work may be frequenting my reading list very shortly.
#7: Project Hail Mary -- Andy Weir
This is going to be a tough one to rate. I’m going with a 9 out of 10, but this will likely not be everyone’s cup of tea. I really, really loved this book! But, full disclosure: I am a HUGE nerd! Written by the same author as “The Martian” (which is in my top 20 favorite books ever), Project Hail Mary is of a similar genre. It is a super technical (think aerospace and astrophysics), sci-fi story. I don’t want to give too much away, but if you are a science nerd who likes an exciting survival story I suspect this will be one of those books you just can’t put down. Also, if you enjoy a healthy dose of snark and sarcasm, the writing style will certainly resonate with you. If you don’t really get into scienc-y things, this might be a hard pass. It won’t be for everyone, so don’t hold it against me if you hate it. To my fellow nerdy friends (you know who you are), go ahead and hop on Amazon and get this one.
#6: The Chemist -- Stephenie Meyer
Okay, I seriously LOVED this book!!! Kudos to my friend Jordan for another great recommendation. I would never, in a million years, have found this one on my own. It is from Stephenie Meyer (of Twilight fame). I have never read that series because the genre and overall cheese has long-deterred me. That said, I’m pretty sure this is a significant detour from her normal work. I am only giving it a 9 out of 10, but only because there were a few times where I feel the author was tempted to regress into her more normal “trashy romance” style of story-telling. That aside, the rest of the story is FANTASTIC! It is Jason Borne/Alias/Burn Notice/Jack Ryan all rolled into one. The heroine is a physician by education, but chemical interrogator by trade. This book is a fast-paced, escape from the hum-drum of life and a strangely satisfying thrill ride. If you like anything from Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn, or other similar writers, I bet you will enjoy this one. Give some latitude for the smattering of cheesy romance, and I suspect you will find this time well spent.
#5: The Midnight Library -- Matt Haig
What a great read to finish off my year! I always like going out on a high note, and this was certainly that! This was the last book I read in 2021. Not quite a 10, I do think it is a very solid 9. If quantum physics fascinates you, or you enjoy pondering the idea of parallel universes, I think you will enjoy this book. What would you do if you could undo some of your biggest regrets? How do small, everyday decisions shape the trajectory of your life? How would your life have turned out if you had said “yes” to one thing, or “no” to another? That is the basic premise of this book. If you are looking for an enjoyable read in the months ahead, this would be a solid one to curl up with. I suspect it will make you take a deep dive into some of your decisions over the course of your life. I have a plaque hanging in my breakfast nook that states, “You are the author of your own life story. Make it a good one.” This book dovetailed nicely with that sentiment. As we approach a new year, this book will probably make you rethink some of the paths you are currently on, and entice you to explore some new ones. I hope you enjoy it!
#4: The Undoing Project -- Michael Lewis
So this book is going to be very polarizing. I give it a 10 out of 10. A lot of you will give this a zero out of 10. Which camp you fall into will be largely determined by a short litmus test. You will like this book if:
1. You are fascinated by human psychology and/or economics.
2. You are that person who does every single personality test that comes down the pipe (Myers Briggs, Enneagram, Love Languages, etc).
3. You spend any amount of time contemplating free will vs. instinctual response.
On the surface, this non-fiction book is about 2 Israeli psychologists and their unlikely friendship. When you do a deeper dive, this is the sum total of a lifetime of 2 brilliant men combining their love for statistics and their fascination with human behavior. Why do humans react the way they do based on visual cues, statistical probabilities, and societal bias? How do these reactions impact everything from the economy, to medicine, to politics, to professional sports? What happens when a person makes one decision vs another? (For instance: what would have happened if Hitler had followed his dream of becoming an artist? Would the world have essentially experienced an "undoing" of one of the greatest atrocities of mankind? Statistically, there was a 50/50 probability that Hitler would have been born female. What would the world look like today had the odds fallen in that direction?) The same author as "Moneyball", this book explores how behavioral psychology impacts every facet of our world. Every chapter makes an abrupt turn, going in an entirely different direction from the one before. Oh, how I would love to do a year-long book club with a dozen of my most inquisitive friends (you know who you are. . . ). To walk through every aspect of this work, nice and slow, would be a mental workout like none I have ever experienced. It's almost a shame that I consumed this alone. I feel this is one of those books that needs to be discussed, mulled, debated, and explored on dozens of topics in our current world. It would have been fun, over the last 18 months, to explore every polarizing topic (mask/no mask, vaccine/no vaccine, lockdowns/no lockdowns, remote/in person, natural selection/heroic measures, etc) through the filter of "The Undoing Project".
The quote: “Small minds discuss people. Average minds discuss events. Great minds discuss ideas,” kept reverberating in my brain during the 10 hours of audio time. It would have been so cool to have spent the last 2 years of social media time exercising all of our "great minds", as opposed to the hate and name-calling.
There are so many topics that would have rabbit trails off of this work -- predictive psychology in marketing and economics, parallel universes, dark matter, time travel, the mysteries of God, how free will reconciles with an omniscient Creator, what separates humans from other high-order predators, medical decision making, facts vs statistical probabilities vs opinion vs truth, and the list could go on. If you aren't much for the human brain, or don't like to bother yourself with statistics, epidemiology, economic theory, etc, just go read some fun fiction. You will likely HATE this book. If you need an escape from whatever your current situation is, or you just need a break from your Soduko game, go get this book NOW! As you read it, post your thoughts in the comments so we can nerd out together.
#3: Robinson Crusoe -- Daniel Defoe
Okay, I know a lot of you will be saying “I already read this book when I was a kid”. My response will be, “I bet you didn’t.” In my quest for the best of the best in survival books, I decided to go back to the OG in this genre. I opted to listen to the unabridged version, and I’m sooooo glad I did! Clocking in at just over 13 hours, I can assure you THIS was not at all the same book I read as a kid! I’m giving it a 10 out of 10!! Published in 1719 (yes, you read that right — Seventeen Nineteen!!!), the writing is glorious. The narrator was British. I felt smarter with every passing minute, just listening to the lovely accent and ”Middle English prose”. If you read this in middle school, or read any type of edited version of this story, you likely missed the entire point of the book. If I were a theology professor, I would absolutely design a theology course around this entire work. There are 3 distinct “sections” of the life of Robinson Crusoe. 1). His early life — prior to being shipwrecked, 2). His 28 years spent on the island, 3). His life after finding a way off the island. All three, beautifully tie together the whole of our human nature, the goodness of God, and what true gratitude and faith in a creator looks like. The last few chapters do a wonderful job of outlining the parable of the talents better than any fictional piece I have ever consumed. I could write an entire book about the spiritual aspects of this unabridged work. It is so unfortunate that centuries of editing have essentially erased the entire meaning of the story. If you have a love for God, are floundering in the purpose of life, or simply need a wonderful escape that will make you look at life through a different lens, you need to add this book to the top of your list IMMEDIATELY!! This may be one of those works I will have to read again, just to fully digest all Defoe had to say. #ClassicLiterature #ItMayBeHardToReadContemporaryWritersNow
#2: Beneath A Scarlet Sky -- Mark Sulllivan
A BIG shout-out to my friend Karen for recommending my second 10 out of 10 in 2021!! Book #18 was A.Maze.Ing!!! Based on a true story, the setting is WWII Italy. This is a really long book. It clocks in at just under 18 hours on Audible! However, after the first 30 min, I was absolutely hooked. And, the longer it went, the more captivating it became. This is a story about the goodness that exists in a world of utter depravity. If you liked The Nightingale, you will likely LOVE this. It is a more masculine version of the same type of heroism in the midst of Nazi occupation. My favorite part was the last hour — The Aftermath — it detailed what became of all of the major characters once the war was over. Both heartbreaking, yet encouraging, this entire saga is a reminder that you never know what form a “hero” will take. This entire story made me want to go back and re-learn all about the plight of the Italian people during WWII. If you only read one book this year, read this one. Seriously!! So, so good!!!
And my favorite book of 2021 is. . . . . .
#1: Winter Garden -- Kristin Hannah
FINALLY! I found a book that is worthy of a 10 out of 10!!! Book #8 for 2021 is the book by which all other books will now be measured. I don’t even know where to begin with a review of this work. This is, by far, Kristin Hannah’s finest work. The story gripped me from page 2. The writing was simple, yet elegant. If you are between the ages of 40-100, I can promise there will be some part of this story that resonates with you. I am nervous to give such resounding accolades, as it often sets the bar too high for some readers. Go into this book without researching the premise or the synopsis. Let it grip you and carry you down the perfectly crafted, and heartbreaking saga. When you are done, go hug your parents, your kids, your spouse and tell them all how much you love them.
So there you have it! I hope you find one or two suggestions that make your world a little better in the coming year. If you have a suggestion for me, please drop those in the comments!
Happy New Year, everyone!!
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