As our Reading Challenge is coming to a close, how did you do? Anything particular you loved that you want to tell us about? Anything you want to tell me to influence the structure of the Reading Challenge for next year? Did you like the looser format this year? For me, I realized I needed a tally of audio versus text, so I’ll incorporate that for next year, and take in your suggestions as well.
I easily finished my 52 books by early December, and am partway through many others. I read more fiction (32) than nonfiction (20). This is much less than usual for me, but I met both my goals of finishing at least a book a week, and also reading down on my (considerable!) pile of books that I already owned.
Above, you can see some of the five star books I read that I had physical copies of (as opposed to audio), and below you can see some of the four star books ones I read that way. Also, below that, you can see my charts filled out if you are curious about my rather wide range of reading habits, some edifying, and some pure entertainment.
Here are the stand outs, shown here with links to my reviews:
For nonfiction I’d tie three wonderful ones with top honors:
Fiction? I’d say a tie between:
Any of these would make great gifts too…
Tell us about your favorite books in the comments!
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4 Comments
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Thanks for the excellent list. There are a few on there already on my to-read list, and a couple I will add. A few books I read this year that I think you would like:
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
Historical fiction set in 1789 Maine about a midwife/healer. Based on the actual diary kept by a real midwife.The Vanished Days by Susanna Kearsley
Historical Fiction taking place in 2 time periods in 1680’s and 1707 Scotland.Sister Lumberjack
by Candace Simar
This is another historical fiction (my favorite genre) that takes place in northern Minnesota in the late 1800’s. Candice is a Minnesota author, I have read some of her other books. Her writing is a little amateurish but you get used to it. Her descriptions and situations are so realistic. This book has 3 main characters who all end up at the same logging camp. One of them is a nun, based on a real person who was given the nickname “Sister Lumberjack”. She was involved in one of the very first instances of health insurance where they got the Lumberjacks to pay $1 into a fund, and then if they got injured on the job (likely in a logging camp) they would get their care for free.
Here is the Kirkus review of Sister Lumberjack:
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/candace-simar/sister-lumberjack/Maybe more than you want to read, but here is an article about that mentions the history of the real Sister Lumberjack and the Benedictine Sisters.
https://www.benedictineliving.org/resources/news/the-power-of-a-vision-the-strength-of-an-idea-the-courage-of-imagination/-
Author
Will check this list out.
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I just finished listening to “A Gentleman In Moscow” which I thoroughly enjoyed–listened while driving several trips to Peace Haven to visit my mother. I know this one has been out for a while. Also, I loved “Horse”. Glad it made it to your list!
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Loved Gentleman in Moscow several years ago, and reviewed it on the blog! Glad you got around to reading it!
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