This year has been a rather good year for books. I sat down with the thought to do my top 5 books for this year... that escalated rather quickly. As I was going through Goodreads, I picked out the books that have made me think, stuck with me, and that have influenced me in any way. So let's get started on this list.
Christian Books That Have Impacted Me:
-Savor: Living Abundantly Where You Are, As You Are: My best friend Hunter and I have been reading this in conjunction with Simple Abundance this year. It is just a short daily devotional with a interesting thought or question at the end. Many of the topics have been real and very thought provoking for me. I really feel like it has helped me draw closer to God and view my faith differently. We have loved it so much, we plan to do it again next year.
-Simple Abundance: Like I mentioned, Hunter and I have been reading these together. I am at a loss for the right words to describe the impact of this book on me. It has made me really consider my life, how I view it, and the decisions I make each day. It has helped me to view where I want to be in life and how to get to that point. It isn't a book that can just be read through once, I plan to keep reading this again next year.
-Uninvited: Even though I am still working towards finishing this one, it has had a profound impact on the way I view myself in my faith and with others. It has really helped me to grow stronger in my faith by putting my trust in God. It is easy to hold on to feelings of rejection and abandon from past rejections and failures as well as present. This book has helped me start my journey in forgiveness, faith, and growth in spirit.
Overall Books For The Year:
-Dead of Winter: It isn't often that I am someone who cries or gets really angry at books to the point I take action; however, this book made me feel all the feelings. I cried, I laughed, and at the end I through it. This is the third book in a series, and yes there is definitely a cliff hanger at the end. Said cliff hanger had me so upset that I immediately had to go and vent to the only human in the house at the time. I just had to talk about it and get the feelings out. I then slammed the book down and walked away. With that being said, I highly recommend this series.
-The Last Time We Say Goodbye: I have a past with self harm and thoughts of suicide. This book hit home for me and really made me think about the after part of those things. There isn't really much else for me to say about it except the dynamic of dealing with such a heavy subject matter in a delicate way. It really helped me to see the influence that those actions can have on others.
-The Light of the Fireflies: A debut for the year and a recommendation from a friend, it is a book that I would not have picked up on my own; however, the story will forever stick with me. Out of the darkest places in our life, there is a chance to find the light. This is about finding that light. It really makes you think about what you would do in this situation, the links that you would go to in order to protect what matters to you, your family. "If you read nothing else this year you have to read this." That was how it was presented to me, and it is how I present it to you.
-The Girl on the Train: I know that there are a ton of people raving about this book, and there are a ton who hate it; however, it is making my list simply for how gripping it was. This was my first go at an unreliable narrator and I loved it. It was really challenging for me. I enjoy enjoyed not being able to guess or know where the story was leading and who did what. There is also an element of thought process behind what I would do in this situation and just how much we overlook each day just by not paying attention.
-Girl Underwater: Another one of those recommendations that I wouldn't have picked up myself. (In other words I should listen to others more often.) This book... words fail me on how to describe the emotional grip and toll that it took on me. Even though we are aware of the outcome (somewhat) from the beginning, the story of survival is written in such a way that it is current and invoking. It really felt like you were there with them. While reading, and even after finishing, you cannot help but wonder what you would do in this situation, the decisions you would make and how they would change the rest of your life.
Honorable Mention:
-Illuminae: Simply for the format. Compiled in such a unique way, I never thought I would get through it, especially being a story about something I have never been interested in; however, the format alone is engaging and keeps a pace throughout the book.
What have been some of your favorite books this year?
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