Mid-Year Book Report

Last year, I had a goal to read 10 books to get me back in the habit of reading regularly - I ended the year with 19 books read and I have continued going into 2020. The biggest "support" to my reading time has been leaving all devices downstairs at night. When I go up to go to bed, I read almost every night, and now with much more time at home on the weekends, I've also enjoyed some good weekend afternoon reading. I've already read 11 books this year, so I thought I'd do a quick post to share the list and my thoughts. I've found so many of these books from other's blog posts that I hope this post will spark someone else's interest. 

I'll start first with my favorite book of the first half of the year, and then go through them in the order I read them. 

We Were The Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter - I know I am late to the part of this book which was released in 2017, but I am so glad I didn't let that stop me! This book follows a Jewish family from Poland through World War 2. I loved the details the author shared of the situations, the things people saw and lived through, and the emotions from each character. I read the whole book on edge but loved every minute of it. If you haven't read this one, I highly recommend it - 5 stars. 

Now, from early in the year to earlier this week: 

The Language of Silence by Peggy Webb - I picked up this book in the library because it caught my eye and the premise looked interesting. It follows a woman who decides to leave her abusive husband when she learns she is pregnant. She runs to the circus and gets a job as a teacher for the circus children. It was very interesting to read about the circus behind the scenes and to understand the fear someone lives in when they've run away from danger.  

The Bridge Ladies by Betsy Lerner - I wandered around the autobiography section one day and found this intriguing book about a woman who starts to play bridge with her mom's group. She learns so much about her mom and the close friends her mom has met with weekly for years. I loved this one because it makes me think so much about the friends I've made in quilting - all of them old enough to be my own mom, but women who have become close friends despite the difference of age. This isn's a gripping tale, but is a lovely story of female maturity and friendships. 

All I've Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin - this author is a pretty big name and I think I've read a few other books of hers, so when I saw this on the new releases at the library, I picked it up. This story is about how a mother deals with the aftermath of a poor decision her son makes involving social media. She explores her own values, the way she is living, and the impact on the other person. It was an enjoyable read based on a fear I think just about any teenage mom has these days about her child making bad choices that quickly become very public. 

The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis - I really enjoyed this book that came as a recommendation from someone else's blog (sorry, I can't remember who!). It is another female-centered story flipping between two times zones - the roaring 20s and the late 70s - both set in New York's Grand Central Station. I almost always enjoy books that flip back and forth like this and there was a mystery at the center of this one that I didn't figure out until it was revealed. 

Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee - When your teenage daughter comes home raving about a book she's read for school and asks if you want to read it, you say yes! This play has been around for many years and the book is the play - it's been a while since I read a play, but enjoyed the different format. The play follows the Scopes Monkey Trial where a teacher is brought to court for teaching evolution. It had a lot of similarities to our current days in the US with people vehemently defending one side of an argument any very few people in the middle. The book was short and I finished it over a couple days, then enjoyed talking with my daughter about it. 

Paris for One by Jojo Moyes - I picked up this book and the next two on the day before the library closed - I've read and enjoyed Jojo Moyes books before. This one was short stories and I liked being able to read a story a night in this one.  

All the Flowers in Paris by Sarah Jio - Another book set in WWII, this time in Paris and centered around a young mother and her father, who run a flower shop. The freedoms of her life slip away one at a time until a tragic day. This was another gripping and emotional story and it will stay with me for a while - the WWII stories get me every time. I think this one is just behind the first as one of my favorites so far this year. 

Drinking Coffee Elsewhere by ZZ Packer - This was sure an ironic title to pick up just before everything closed down for a month! The book caught my eye as I wandered the aisles and I am glad to have picked it up. It was a series of short stories by a young, African American author. Her stories were mostly set in the inner city, and several dealt with topics that aren't ones I usually read about. I really enjoyed the different perspective. 

Intentional Living by John Maxwell - I was given this book at the leadership training I went to last fall. Each group had a "sponsor" and at the end of the week, they shared a book that has been influential to them in their leadership journey. John Maxwell is an internationally known motivational/leadership speaker and he shared here his story of figuring out how that was what he wanted to do. I struggled with this book, especially given the current time. While there were a few interesting ideas, I didn't really take many lessons from it, and in fact, felt that his professed values and his actions didn't always match. I appreciate the leader who shared this and also appreciate that I learned it wasn't for me. 

Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center - I read about this book more recently and it sounded really interesting - a female fire-fighter relocates from the city where she grew up to the northeast to care for her mother when she is having some health issues. She goes from a very progressive and diverse firehouse to being the only woman in a firehouse that doesn't really welcome her. Meanwhile, she is trying to figure out how to co-exist with her mom, from whom she's been distant for many years. Like most of the other books I've read this year, I found this really enjoyable. One of the storylines was very predictable, but it didn't detract from the overall enjoyment of the book. 

Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy - I never did read Anne of Green Gables as a girl, but I did watch part of the series on Netflix and really enjoyed it (maybe one of these days I will go back and finish it!), so it was a little surprising to me that I picked up this book! I enjoyed the backstory of Marilla Cuthbert and loved the descriptions of the beautiful setting of Green Gables.  The author picked up just a few clues about Marilla's past from the original series and created this very interesting story of how Marilla came to the point right before Anne of Green Gables starts. The book does have me thinking about finally exploring the original series! 

Hope you find one or two books in the list that interest you - I have gotten almost all of them from my local library and encourage you to use your library as well, or support an independent bookstore. They are few and far between these days and could certainly use our support - I think I may have to head over and do some shopping at one soon!