Books Read in 2018

Well, a lot has happened since I posted in September...like how I spent the fall puking and laying in a half conscious state of nausea misery. So ya-you didn't miss much there. Except a lot of crazy days that best remain an unwritten memory. The holidays were nice though and we had a lovely Christmas.
I didn't want to miss documenting my reading list from this year. One of my goals for 2018 was to fully participate in my book club. With the exception of this fall when I was sick-I did it! I didn't make it to every single meeting, but most of them. I am really going to miss this book club when we move. But without further ado- here is what I read this year:
1. Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne- What's not to love about Winnie the Pooh?
2. Joy Luck Club- Somehow I didn't document the author on this one. It was actually really fascinating. I love books that open up other cultures and life experiences to me. This one was about Chinese Immigrants and their American children and the two different cultures those generations lived in.
3. Pippi Longstocking- read this one with the boys for their kid book club. I loved Pippi as a kid and they really enjoyed reading it too.
4. Media Maze by Eric Rassmussen- I LOVED this book!! And not just because I personally know the author. I have given it to many people this year and recommended it to many more. I think it is a must read for parents. I love that it is based off research and not just some random person's opinions. There were a few big take aways that stuck with me from this. One of the biggest being the importance of talking to your kids about things they will encounter in media first so they are viewing it through the lens of your discussion together.
5. The Once and Future King by T.H. White- This was a big one, but I'm so glad I finished it. I took it on our trip to Peru and got some good reading time on the plane and bus. I do love a good King Arthur story and this one was spot on.
6. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley- a Utopian society book. A little weird at the end, and a little disturbing at the beginning (test tube babies), but really great food for thought in the middle.
7. Inspired You by Mariane Parsons- This was a book Kristin Sanford lent me to read. It was about beautifying your home, doing projects on your own, and making your space your own. It was so-so.
8. Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte
9. Everybody Always by Bob Goff- I heard an interview with him on the radio and it was the most inspiring and motivating thing I had heard in a while so I had to read one of his books. He is a Christian writer and there is such a positive energy that comes through his writing. Good read.
10. Snow White or The House in the Woods by Laura E. Richards- This book I found at the awesome old book store in Michigan and was so excited thinking it was the original Snow White story. I was a little disappointed to discover it wasn't; although it was still a fun read. Had some turns at the end I was definitely not expecting.
11. Dragonwatch by Brandon Mull (audiobook)- I enjoy being able to share in the books Matthew is reading and loves.
12. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie- this was the second time I read this book and I loved it just as much the second time as the first. Big hearts around this one!
13. Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, the 1st and 2nd one- Matthew wanted to do a book club with kids his age and this was the book we chose to do for that. I love reading the classic "Disney" stories. Some of the jungle stories were better than others but this was a great read with the kids and for myself.
14. The Washington Hypothesis by Tim Ballard- Yes please! I love American history and this was fantastic. I would love to read some of his other books.
15. Ressurection by Leo Tolstoy (audiobook)- I'm glad I did this one audio book because it was long, and Tolstoy. I could listen to it on 1.5 speed to help things move along. A really thought provoking story and we had some great discussions on it.
16. A Light in the Attic & Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein- Of course I loved these! We did a Shel Silverstein month for kid book club which was super fun. I love sharing these things with my kids.
17. A Series of Unfortunate Events (audiobook)- I've always wanted to see what these stories were about. I have mixed feelings about it.
18. The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton- I tried really hard to like this book but it just didn't do much for me.
19. Ben-Hur by Lew Wallace- I am actually still finishing the end of this book. I was trying to recover my life from being sick for 3 months and it was holiday season, and the prophet challenged us to read the Book of Mormon, and there was only so much time and so much me to go around. But because I mostly read it in 2018 I'm counting it here. This book hasn't quite lived up to my expectations and excitement for it, but then in some moments it has. The story is compelling and the historical context interesting, it's just a very slow read. Too much detail and in between information. There have been quite a few great lines and remarks I've tagged in this book though. Can't wait to finish the ending.
20. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl- This was another one we read for kid book club. It was lovely. Books are always better than the movies. It also got us interested in Roald Dahl and we have been reading quite a few of his books lately. And by we I mean the kids : )
And that's a wrap! Quite a book list for this year. Favorites? Media Maze and probably The Once and Future King. Although I read a lot of really great books. I always feel so accomplished when I look back and see all this together in one spot. Maybe this year I should record how many pages in each book so I could tell how many pages I read. That would be interesting. In a phase of life when I often feel like I have no time to myself and everyday is a rat race, it's good to remember that I do in fact find moments to do some of the things I love. And I do love good books.