I keep a running list of books I read every year.  I try to read 20 (this year I’m shooting for 24).  That’s not very many compared to lots of readers, but for me, it feels pretty good (and actually attainable).

I’m not a very fast reader.  Additionally, I feel that I’ve lost a bit of reading comprehension in the past ten years or so.  I’m only 31, so this feels weird to think that my reading comprehension as a fifth grader was significantly better than it is now that I’m an adult.  Does anybody know?  Is this common?  I’ve got a hunch that reading on a screen (iPad) probably does not improve reading comprehension (I’m sure there are studies, but I haven’t looked yet…again, does anybody know?).  So, I’m trying to read more actual books these days.  Plus side: the cozy factor is exponentially higher.  Down side: since I’ve always got several books going, it’s harder to have them all handy at all times.  First world problems.

Anyway, this week I wanted to review my reading list from 2018 and give a few recommendations.  Spoiler alert: next post I’ll let you know what I’m currently reading/planning to read in 2019.

This year I read/listened to 16 books.  Five of those were audiobooks.  I do really enjoy audiobooks, and I like how it helps me get to my 20 book goal.  Also, if you’ve got a good book going, household chores are, like, suddenly enjoyable (“When can I do the dishes?”).  Also, I read fiction and nonfiction books, and I’m going to just bunch them all together into one list.

So, here we go.

My Top 5 Reads of 2018

5.  Food Freedom Forever (Melissa Hartwig)

I listened to this book near the end of 2018, often times on the way to the gym and back in the mornings.  Maybe I just loved that the very first line was, “I love cupcakes.”  You may know Melissa Hartwig as the creator of the Whole30, a 30-day elimination diet in which followers eliminate grains, sugar, alcohol, legumes, dairy, and any and all things processed before slowly and methodically reintroducing those foods, monitoring mental and physical reactions.

Admittedly, I’ve never been a huge fan of the Whole30, but now having read this book, I think I understand it better and have a new found appreciation for it.  I resonate with this idea of “food freedom.”  I hate how guilty so many people feel when they put anything enjoyable into their mouths!  Additionally, I really love learning to listen to your body’s cues for when a food does not serve you well.   Gluten makes you bloated?  Dairy makes your skin break out?  Sometimes the only way to find out these things is by eliminating them for a period of time.  It’s not fun, but it’s also not forever.  I also love the idea of being empowered by this information and then still eating it anyway sometimes!  Because sometimes, by golly, it is worth it.  (Scones.)  And sometimes it just is not.  (Candy.)

4.  Mini Habits (Stephen Guise)

Another audio book for me this year.  I wouldn’t say it was, like, gripping information, but it was extremely practical!  I had kind of fallen into this concept back when I had Isla Jane in March and wanted to get back to doing pull-ups (more on this another time).  So, once I heard about this (short) book, I was intrigued and decided to see what this was all about.

Cliffs Notes: there are two ways to build a habit–motivation and will power.  Will power functions much like a muscle (even requiring glucose to work…how interesting) and is quite exhaustible.  Motivation is hard to nail down and remain consistent.  The mini habit approach uses will power exclusively to build habits, but it requires such a small amount of willpower that it is extremely easy to maintain a streak.  You find that, without trying, you are building on your habit almost effortlessly.  You feel like you hardly did anything, and then you look back to what you accomplished and are shocked, surprised, and pleased!

My husband is using this mini habits approach to work out this year.  It’s so fun to see him geeking out about it.  (You got this, Babe!  Also, your pull-ups are sexy.  Does he even read my blog?  I will soon know!)

3.  Off the Clock (Laura Vanderkam)

Yet another audio book that made my top 5 list this year!  I’ve loved every other book by Laura Vanderkam that I’ve read (read about 168 Hours here), so I was so excited to read her latest book.  Maybe it’s that she’s a bit like me–mom, runner, musician, and Type A enough to actually log how she uses her hours each week.  (I’ve logged every mile I’ve run since 9th grade.  Laura and I are practically BFFs).

I truly believe in hobbies.  I believe in work/life balance (even for moms when work and life are kinda one and the same).  I believe in planning your days, your weekends, and your free time so that your life feels full in the best way and time is used so that it doesn’t sprint by leaving you wondering where it went.  This book was encouraging, motivating, and energizing…maybe even if you aren’t Type A like me.

2.  Shepherding a Child’s Heart (Tedd Tripp)

This is one of those books I’ve been meaning to read since we had Landon, and I just finally got to it at the beginning of this year.  I honestly wouldn’t say I picked up new information in this book, but really I just think it reiterated, or helped me articulate, things that I already knew about disciplining children.

I really loved and appreciated how this book talked about discipline in both theory and practice and how it gives freedom and clarity to the parent.  Knowing when and how to discipline becomes clear and obvious and the purpose becomes Kingdom driven rather than emotionally based.

If there were two books that I’d recommend to a parent, or someone who’d like to become a parent, after the Bible (which is hands down THE book to read on parenting), I would recommend Babywise and Shepherding a Child’s Heart.  (I talk about the Babywise method a bit more here.)

1.  The Nightingale (Kristin Hannah)

I am late to the cult following for this one, but OH MY GOODNESS THIS BOOK!!!!  I read it over the summer, and I am still thinking about it!  I rarely read a book twice (or watch a movie twice, for that matter), but this one will be read again, I’m sure.  Be warned–this book gets to you, but I haven’t “felt” a book like I felt this one in such a long time.  It was beautiful.  Two sisters.  France.  World War II.  Twists and turns in practically every chapter.  I just can’t even.

And, yes!  A fiction book for my top read of 2018?!?!  I love to read some fiction in addition to all the books I’m always reading to learn things.  Sometimes I just want to read for pure recreation and relaxation.

Runners Up & Close Contenders

It was hard to decide on my top five!  I read several other books that I really enjoyed.  Here’s what else I loved (just a little less favorite)…

Fiction

• All the Ugly and Wonderful Things (Bryn Greenwood) This book is like a bad car wreck that you can’t stop watching as you drive by.  Be warned.
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (J. K. Rowling) Number five in the series.
• Peter and the Starcatchers (Ridley Pearson) Totally fun audiobook…and totally okay to be 30 and listen to a kids’ book, right? Landon will enjoy this one soon, I bet.
• Stepping Heavenward (Elizabeth Prentiss) Very old-school Christian fiction…like nineteenth century old school…kinda’ fun, kinda’ scary levels of relatable.
• The Invention of Wings (Sue Monk Kidd)…takes place in pre-civil war Charleston and follows the lives of a young black slave and her owner.  I thought it was a fun, summer read.

Nonfiction

• The Wellness Project (Phoebe Lepine)–one blogger’s search for wellness and recovery from Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (so kinda near and dear to my heart).
• What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast (Laura Vanderkam)–after reading Off the Clock, I wanted to re-listen to another Laura Vanderkam book.  These are actually three, separate but short audio books.
• Hands Free Life (Rachel Macy Stafford) Honestly, not my favorite.  A good message, but a little basic.
• Feminine Appeal (Carolyn Mahaney)–Also not my favorite, but the book study I attended to discuss the book was great.
• Bittersweet (Shauna Niequist)–not my favorite book by this author, but I did enjoy it.
• An Introduction to Classical Education (Christopher Perrin) We can’t believe we’re already thinking about schooling, but it’ll be here before we know it.  Just in case I was on the fence about classical education, I am now completely all in.  It is so cool! Can I please be in kindergarten again?

I would LOVE to know which books you read and loved in 2018!  Send comments my way!

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