booking it through 2017

I realize this is only my 3rd blog post this year, and I must apologize. 2017 was full of change for our family (more to come on that later), and blogging was one thing that fell by the wayside. In spite of that, I was able to read & listen (mainly the latter) to 63 books - including a re-listen of the Potter series, my first venture into Narnia, & finally getting around to Les Mis 14 years after I was supposed to in high school (why so much, Victor?). As I usually do, I'm doing my list of my best reads of the year. These are the books that will make it onto my Christmas List next year, because I would read them again. Also linking each one to its Amazon listing in case you're interested.

1. The Hearts of Men (Nickolas Butler) - We find a misfit at scout camp being accepted by the alpha male and forging his way into his adolescence and eventually adulthood. We learn how the events that happened then play into his life later on and mold him as an adult & a father. The characters were real, relatable, & heart-breakingly honest. I cried at the end.
2. You Will Know Me (Megan Abbott) - Set against the cut-throat world of competitive gymnastics, this adolescent-driven gem had a twinge of psychological thriller to it. We spend the entire novel trying to figure out what caused a lead character's death, and I had no clue until it was revealed. Abbott always writes such clear prose and develops characters with such emotional depth. She is one of the great modern writers in my book.
3. Winter Street series (Elin Hilderbrand) - I am normally not a fan of Christmas books (really odd for someone who loves Christmas), but I am a huge Elin fan. The series follows the Quinn family and all of its drama through 4 winters at the Winter Street Inn on Nantucket. This was a series that was released over 4 consecutive years, but I listened to the whole thing this Christmas break; I'm really glad I did, because I would've hated to wait for that many years to learn what happened. As always, Elin gives us a fair dose of sketchy love choices, family dysfunction, and the obligatory reference to a chaise lounge. 
4. Pretty Girls (Karin Slaughter) - By far, the most twisted thing I read this year. I can't explain the premise without giving too much away. But I will say that it's part murder mystery, part psychological thriller, part "what the?" Slaughter certainly develops twisted characters and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the final page. Her southern references also gave her a boost in my book.
5. All the Light We Cannot See (Anthony Doerr) - While historical fiction is typically not my jam, this story was written so beautifully that it has become one I instantly recommend to others as a must-read from this year. A blind French girl crosses paths with a German orphan during WWII, and their journeys meld in a beautiful way. The prose was stunning and the images invoked clear. There's a reason this won the Pulitzer.
6. Commonwealth (Ann Patchett) - How much does one chance encounter shape the paths of 2 families forever? We see how one poor choice at a christening BBQ alters the lives of multiple people for years to come. Multiple perspectives, a tinge of coming-of-age, and emotionally complex characters gave this book more depth than one would think. I promise it's not as raunchy as it sounds. 
7. Adopted for Life (Russell Moore) - Oh, how I wish I had read this book while we were on our adoption journey. It had been recommended by several friends, but I kept putting it off. I feel like I would've saved myself a lot of heartache during the waiting period had I read this first. If you don't know the premise, Moore (an adoptive father himself & president of the public policy section of the Southern Baptist Convention) implores church members to make adoption and orphan care a priority. If your life is in any way touched by adoption, please do yourself and your loved ones a favor and read this wonderful book.
8. Love & Other Consolation Prizes (Jamie Ford) - A touch of the Orphan Train, a touch of Asian flair, a touch of boarding school is the best way to sum this one up. Ernest is a young boy who is sold to the highest bidder at the World's Fair and we see how his life plays out as a result. With alternating times of his days working as a young boy and his adult life, we learn how he was shaped as a teenager because of his "purchase" at the fair. The characters are real, deep, & relatable.
9. In Twenty Years (Allison Winn Scotch) - When 6 college friends share a house at Penn, they think they will be friends forever. But when their "glue" Bea passes away earlier than many expected, they find that they can't really be the friends they thought they were. We learn who they have become twenty years later as she had asked them all to reconvene on the twentieth anniversary of her passing. If you know my love of coming-of-age tales, you know I was a happy camper with this one. 
10. The Sound of Gravel (Ruth Wariner) - Two words: polygamist escape. That's really all you need to know to know that I was over the moon.

I hope you found something in this list that inspires you to pick up a boom or a pair of headphones.