Let's Bust a Recap : 2018

Y'all. We are on the eve of 2019, and this has been my best reading year yet. When I made my very first personal book list back in 2015 (the year I started this blog), I way overshot it and didn't even read half the books on that list. I've done better and better each year, and I realized last month that in 2018 I have more than tripled the amount of books I read that first year. You guys. That's exciting to me. I may not be hitting numbers in the hundreds like some of you amazing bloggers out there, but I'm feeling good about what I've accomplished and resolved to keep chipping away at my impossible LIFE LIST.

So what was my total?? Well, first, let me remind you that my official goal for 2018 was to read the 24 books on my list. If you've been with me for a couple years now, you might remember that I also make a secret goal for myself that I don't share until the end of the year if I actually nailed it. My secret goal this year was to read three books each month. Not an overall average to read 36 books but to complete three full books each calendar month. I barely squeaked by with my three books in November and December, but I stuck to it and I made it. Not only that, there were several months that I exceeded my three book goal to bring my final tally for 2018 to 45 books. Before I give you the list of what I read this year, I just want to encourage you to read more. Quantity doesn't matter; reading does. If you read one book in 2019, that is better than reading zero books.

Here's my final 2018 list. You can click the title if you're interested in reading more about what I thought of each book. (Although I didn't write recaps for every single one, so if you want my thoughts on Anne Shirley, I'll tell you: she's fabulous.)

Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery (re-read) : completed 1/5
So nice to start the year off with a visit with Anne Shirley. Especially...

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle : completed 1/17
...when followed by this children's classic that I thought was a complete waste of my time.

The Pearl by John Steinbeck : completed 1/19
Sad per usual for Steinbeck, but I liked this better than Of Mice and Men. 

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald : completed 1/29
After finally reading it, I think this short novel is way overhyped, but I'm glad I checked this one off this year.

I Believed in 'Issa, I Met Jesus by Jamel Attar : completed 1/30
Excellent way to end my January reading.

Outrageous Grace by Grace L. Fabian : completed 2/13
Still in awe over this woman's incredible story of bravery and faithfulness. 

Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery (re-read) : completed 2/19
Haley over at Carrots for Michaelmas wrote a post this year saying this is the best Anne book, and, while I truly love it, I can never never never choose a favorite Anne book. 

Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare : completed 2/27
Super fun, but Much Ado About Nothing and The Taming of the Shrew are still duking it out for my top-billing Shakespearean comedy. 

James Madison: A Life Reconsidered by Lynne Cheney : completed 3/14
Okay but certainly not the best biography I've read and definitely not as good as the other Madison biography I read this year. 

The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers : completed 3/21
Anything by Francine Rivers is always a pleasure. 

The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum : completed 3/29
I'm still not over those silver slippers, you guys. 

Night by Elie Wiesel : completed 4/8
Heavy but worth it. 

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini : completed 4/26
The freaking worst. 

Sisterchicks Do the Hula! by Robin Jones Gunn : completed 4/30
Needed this after the last two. Thanks, Robin!

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks : completed 5/20
This one gets the Made Me Cry the Most award. I could not see through my tears reading that last chapter. 

I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak : completed 5/24
Fun but definitely not on the same level as The Book Thief. 

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy : completed 5/29
My first Russian novel was not as hard as I thought it would be! 

The Professor by Charlotte Brontë : completed 6/11
This was my least favorite Brontë novel to date. 

Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery (re-read) : completed 6/20
This book often gets such a bad rep for being people's least favorite Anne book, but how do you people not adore Aunt Kate, Aunt Chatty, and Rebecca Dew??

God Is Able by Priscilla Shirer : completed 6/26
I can still visualize Ephesians 3:20-21 clearly in my mind because of this book. So excellent. 

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck : completed 6/30
One of the best books I read this year. Tragic but beautiful. Highly recommend.

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom : completed 7/13
This one made me sad and happy at the same time. I want to live life to the end with dignity like Morrie did. 

Secrets by Robin Jones Gunn (re-read) : completed 7/16
I decided to revisit Glenbrooke this year, and I have zero regrets about that.

The Three Lives of James Madison by Noah Feldman : completed 7/30
For sure the superior Madison biography of the two I read this year.

31 Days of Praise by Ruth & Warren Myers : completed 7/31
Loved, loved, loved this precious devotional.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Shaffer & Barrows : completed 8/2
BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR. Instantly added to my all-time favorites list.

Song of Deborah by Bette M. Ross : completed 8/7
An entertaining take on the life of the Old Testament prophetess. 

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman : completed 8/16
Such a hard book, but really good (excepting that whole past/present tense issue). 

Othello by William Shakespeare : completed 8/22
Iago is one lowdown dude. Worst Shakespearean villain I've seen.

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster : completed 8/27
Such a delight. Still can't get over the fact that I missed out on this one when I was a kid. 

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis : completed 8/30
Jack never disappoints.

Anne's House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery (re-read) : completed 9/5

Whispers by Robin Jones Gunn (re-read) : completed 9/9

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens : completed 9/21
Dickens is earning his place in my book as one of the greatest novelists of the Victorian era.

The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God by D.A. Carson : completed 9/27
Probably the most academic book I read this year, and I really appreciated the content.

Hinds' Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard : completed 10/9
Very sweet and encouraging.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern : completed 10/23
I wasn't sure how I would like this one but I enjoyed it a lot more than I anticipated.

Echoes by Robin Jones Gunn (re-read) : completed 10/25

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie : completed 10/29
I'm still sitting here grinning thinking about that wrap-up.

Alcatraz From Inside by Jim Quillen : completed 11/14
Glad I read this. Compassion and justice are not mutually exclusive.

Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers : completed 11/27
You know, I'm finding Mary Poppins herself to be a less likeable character than I anticipated, but these books are a lot of fun.

Mary Poppins Comes Back by P.L. Travers : completed 11/30
I'm thinking I will write one all-inclusive recap of the Mary Poppins books once I have finished them all.

The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy : completed 12/24
Y'all. This was the book that nearly knocked me off my secret goal this year. I actually saved it for the end of the year because I enjoyed Tess of the D'Urbervilles so much and thought this one would be enjoyable as well. But I was wrong. It was a slog. I still have a couple Hardy novels on my Life List, but this one has dampened my enthusiasm a little bit. Not sure if I'll take the time to write a recap for this one. Let me know in the comments if you'd be interested in one.

Mary Poppins Opens the Door by P.L. Travers : completed 12/28
Three down, two to go with Mary Poppins.

Sunsets by Robin Jones Gunn (re-read) : completed 12/31
Okay, full disclosure. At the time I publish this post, I haven't actually finished this book yet, but I have nothing else on my agenda for this New Years Eve than to be snuggled up in my coziest Christmas pj's reading this book and eating Ben&Jerry's Half-baked ice cream while my husband is at work like the full-on hermit that I am. If I somehow don't finish this book by midnight, I will come back and edit this post and take it all back because this is my third book for December so if I can't get to the end of it, I will have failed my secret goal for 2018. Say a prayer.

And there you have it! Tune back in tomorrow for my 2019 book list and have a safe time partying tonight. Like I said, I'll be at home with my dogs and my book.

What did you read this year? Don't be shy about putting your full list down there in the comments or linking to your year-end wrap-ups. Did you accomplish any 2018 resolutions that you're proud of? Take a little time to reflect before we plunge into the madness of a brand new year!

A Word for Wednesday

"The contrast between being and becoming marks the difference between the Creator and the creature. Every creature is continually becoming. It is changeable, constantly striving, seeks rest and satisfaction, and finds rest in God, in Him alone, for only He is pure being and no becoming."

~Herman Bavinck~

A Word for Wednesday

"'But I could never have done it,' he objected, 'without everyone else's help.'

'That may be true,' said Reason gravely, 'but you had the courage to try; and what you can do is often simply a matter of what you will do.'"

~from The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster~

A Word for Wednesday

"'You must never feel badly about making mistakes,' explained Reason quietly, 'as long as you take the trouble to learn from them. For you often learn more by being wrong for the right reasons than you do by being right for the wrong reasons.'"

~from The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster~

Let's Bust a Recap : Alcatraz From Inside

Alcatraz From Inside: One Man's Climb from Desperation to Redemption is the account of former Alcatraz inmate Jim Quillen's journey to and from Alcatraz written from his own perspective. My book is copyrighted 1991 with an editor's note at the end stating Quillen died in 1998. 

I guess you could classify Alcatraz From Inside as an autobiography though the main focus of this book was Quillen's criminal activity and subsequent prison time and rehabilitation. I picked this book up while Cody and I were actually visiting Alcatraz in October (more details on our trip to California hopefully coming to the blog before the end of the year—don't hold your breath). 

Quillen begins his story detailing his troubled childhood. He became involved in increasingly dangerous criminal behavior as a teenager and, at only 22 years old after escaping San Quentin prison and going on a crime spree, found himself sentenced to 45 years inside America's toughest prison, US Penitentiary Alcatraz Island. 

What can I say about this book? I thought it was interesting and informative if not somewhat biased (which is only natural when a person writes his own story). I was thoroughly impressed with Quillen's determination and success with using the resources available to him in prison to educate himself and become a fully rehabilitated, productive member of society. I'm guilty of having a pretty narrow view of prisoners and what they should or should not be afforded during their incarceration, but this book showed me that prison can (and should) be a safe place for inmates to learn how to function in society and given the skills they need to do that successfully. I'm not so naive to think that any or every prisoner is capable of rehabilitation, but Quillen's story showed me the importance of offering prisoners the opportunity to change their circumstances and encouraging them to better themselves instead of writing them off as soon as their sentence is read. 

What I didn't care for about Alcatraz From Inside was how muddled it was at times. I would have liked a clearer timeline and more attention given to the chronology of his life. There were details lacking that I was curious about and too much attention given to other things that didn't seem very important to me as a reader. Obviously writing this book must have been very difficult for Quillen as he had to relive a time of his life that was absolutely horrible for him. I would have liked an editor to give this story some more care and help Quillen iron out some of the more confused aspects of his account.

Most importantly, reading this book reminded me that justice and compassion are not and should not be mutually exclusive. Loving my neighbor means hoping for his best and helping him back up after he fails. It means rooting for him, not against him. If for no other reason, I'm glad I read this book for that reminder. 

Have you visited Alcatraz? When Alcatraz became part of the National Park Service system, Jim Quillen went back and became one of the island's most popular volunteers, retelling his story as part of the audio tour and sharing his past with visitors. Cody and I really enjoyed visiting Alcatraz and would definitely recommend doing the audio tour of the island. 

A Word for Wednesday

"'But why do only unimportant things?' asked Milo, who suddenly remembered how much time he spent each day doing them.

'Think of all the trouble it saves,' the man explained, and his face looked as if he'd be grinning an evil grin—if he could grin at all. 'If you only do the easy and useless jobs, you'll never have to worry about the important ones which are so difficult. You just won't have the time. For there's always something to do to keep you from what you really should be doing.'"

~from The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster~

Let's Bust a Recap : And Then There Were None

Y'all. This was the last book I finished in October. 

PSA: it's December. I've bought a grand total of like, one Christmas present, and I have six blog posts just waiting to be written. My tree is up and there are lights on it (thanks to my husband), but there's a gigantic Rubbermaid bin of ornaments and other decorations sitting open in the middle of my living room. Will my tree be decorated by Christmas Eve? Maybe. Will we still be talking about books I read in 2018 after 2019 has already started? Probably. Let's just keep our expectations nice and low and enjoy the holidays, deal?

Okay, so last year I read my first Agatha Christie and thoroughly enjoyed it. I decided to follow it up this year with her most popular work and the one that has personally been the most recommended to me, And Then There Were None. This, the most difficult of her books to write according to Christie, was published in the UK in 1939 and the US in 1940. More than 100 million copies have been sold, and, not only is it the world's best-selling mystery, it's also just one of the best-selling books of all time. Pretty impressive. 

In this book, ten strangers are randomly and somewhat mysteriously summoned to Soldier Island, an isolated rock off the Devon coast. Completely cut off from civilization with no host present to greet them, they are each charged with committing terrible crimes. 

And then they start dying, one by one. 

Who could the murderer be? Will any of them make it off Soldier Island alive? Will the police ever figure this out? Y'all. I thought Murder on the Orient Express had a masterful ending, but that was child's play compared to And Then There Were None. Christie managed to create the impossible murder mystery and then brought it home in the most incredible (and satisfying) way imaginable. 

I have very mixed emotions about this book. Not the actual book itself, but my reading of it. On the one hand, I'm so glad I read it. It is excellent. 10 out of 10 would recommend to a friend. On the other hand, I have absolutely peaked with Christie. It makes total sense to me that this is her most popular book, and I will call you a liar to your face if you tell me there is a better Christie mystery out there. 

So how do you follow that up? I still haven't landed at the level of fandom which would compel me to read every book she's ever written, but I do still own three more of her novels. I'm thinking maybe I'll take a break from Christie in 2019 and then put a Miss Marple on my 2020 book list. What are we thinking, friends? Are you fans of Agatha Christie? Should I just keep reading Christie mysteries every year for the rest of my life on earth? So many books, so little time! Give me all the advice.