My Winter/Spring Book List

Winter always has me reading more than any other season. Being stuck inside on colds days just begs for me to sit with a hot drink and a book. Making the time to read again has been the very best gift I could give myself and I'm super happy with my progress. You would think with summer here there would be more time to indulge in a good book, but I find it harder to make the time. We have less structure during the summer, and believe it or not, structure is what allows me the time to sit and read for a little bit each day. This list is long, but includes some really good ones. I hope you find a few that peak your interest too!

Nine Perfect Strangers--by Liane Moriarty

I was so disappointed with this one! I have read every book that Liane Moriarty has written and love most of them so very much. She has been a favorite author of mine for years. I can give lots of suggestions on good reads by her, but this wouldn't be one of them. It was weird and the ending was horrible and I just really didn't like it.

I'll Be Your Blue Sky--by Marisa de los Santos

If you haven't read her previous books, Love Walked In or Belong to Me, do that first. Those are both on my list of all time favorites and I'll Be Your Blue Sky revisits characters from these previous two. They are just all really solid novels that keep your attention and are beautifully written.

The Lake House--by Kate Morton

Yaaaaaaaaasssss to this one! I loved it! With lots of suspense and secrets, Kate Morton is an amazing storyteller and makes me want to read everything she's ever written!

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine--by Gail Honeyman

This was a quirky, fast read about friendship and how important human connection is. It was an easy read and while it wasn't an all time favorite, I definitely enjoyed it.

Jayber Crow--by Wendell Berry

When Wendell Berry writes about community, you feel like you are part of it. He also wrote Hannah Coulter which I raved about last fall as being one of my favorite reads of all time. Jayber Crow is another in a series of books he wrote about the Port William community. I love the characters and the life he writes about so very much.

Blubber--by Judy Blume

Okay I'm well aware that this is an odd one to make my list as an adult. But earlier this year I listened to a podcast episode from the 10 Things To Tell You podcast with Laura Tremaine, about some of Judy Blume's most controversial books. I have followed Laura for about 12 years from her early blogging days, and one thing I have always felt connection with her about is her book choices. There were three Judy Blume books that she revisited as an adult and I decided to do the same since I actually did not read them in adolescence. I don't specifically remember asking to read them and not being allowed to, but I do remember them being books that my friends weren't allowed to read. The first was Blubber, basically about bullying and man is it brutal. It seemed unrealistic in the sense that adults rarely stepped in or were aware of what their own children or students were doing, but upon further reflection I wonder if Judy was trying to convey how a child would feel being bullied--alone, not noticed, like nobody cared. It was really hard to read, but I do believe she wrote it as a way to get kids and parents having a conversation about bullying.

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret--by Judy Blume

This was the second Judy Blume book I read and while it got a reputation as a book about a young girl going through a lot of "firsts", I found that to be a pretty small part of the book. It seemed much more about a girl searching for spirituality. She comes from a home where her parents are two different religious backgrounds, and yet neither actually practices that religion. It's the story of Margaret trying to decide who God is. The other Judy Blume book in the three revisited in the above podcast was Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself. I didn't end up reading that one. After the first two I decided I'd read enough Judy Blume. Haha! All said and done I'm not sure I would keep my kids from reading these, but I would for sure want to have discussion about them afterwards.

American Sniper--by Chris Kyle

This one was so incredibly good. I had zero intention of reading it, but my husband had read it a couple of weeks before and it was laying around one day so I picked it up and basically didn't put it down for the next two days. This memoir was one of the greatest I've read and it made me forever grateful to those serving for my freedom.

The Brave Learner--by Julie Bogart

I knew I was going to love this book before I ever opened it. Julie Bogart is one of the most encouraging and inspiring leaders in the homeschool sect, and her words throughout this book can't help but inspire you to provide an exciting and enchanting education for your own kids. As a veteran homeschooling mom that homeschooled her five now grown children, Julie is so relatable and the content in this book is gold! Even is you aren't homeschooling your kids, you are still a teacher to them and this book has so many great ideas and words of encouragement for parents. Highly recommend!

Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion--by Gregory Boyle

If you are looking for a book that brings you to tears in the best possible way, this is it! Gregory Boyle is a priest and founder of Homeboy Industries in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, which is the gang capital of the world. In this book he shares his experiences working here throughout many years. It was a fast read, challenging, powerful, and so heartwarming.

I'll Be There For You: The One About Friends--by Kelsey Miller

If you're a die hard fan of Friends, you'll want to pick this one up! I've loved the show since I was in high school and have watched the entire series more times than I'd like to admit. Reading about how the show got started and how the cast truly became like a family was total satisfaction, or as Chandler Bing would say in the Blackout episode with Jill Goodacre, it's "perfection."

The Line That Held Us--by David Joy

This book was GNARLY. I really and truly like dark books, but this one was a doozy! It's the story of a guy who accidentally kills another man while hunting. Who he kills is from a family that is notorious for violence and what unfolds over the next few weeks as he tries to cover up the accident is like a nightmare. I absolutely could not put this one down!

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry--by Gabrielle Zevin

The sweetest and quirkiest story about a bookstore owner who is alone and bitter after tragedy in his own life. He receives an unexpected package on his doorstep one day and his life is forever changed. This was the perfect read after The Line That Held Us! I needed something redeeming and full of hope, and this did not disappoint!

An American Marriage--by Tayari Jones

I'm going to be really honest here and completely veer from the majority when I say that I super disliked this book. It's the story of a young, newly married couple that are torn apart when the husband gets wrongly convicted of a crime that he doesn't commit. The majority of the book is spent with them trying to navigate their marriage while he is in jail. I guess I just found it really boring and uninteresting and I just don't understand what all the hype was about. I nearly put it down half way through but figured it had to take a turn for as much as people raved about it. Spoiler alert: IT DOESN'T.

When We Left Cuba--by Chanel Cleeton

Last fall I raved about Chanel Cleeton's, Next Year In Havana. This is the sequel and I adored it almost as much! This book follows Elisa's sister, Beatriz Perez, as she attempts to take back her beloved country after being recruited by the CIA. I've found these historical novels to be really engaging and a great way to gain some knowledge of the Cuban Revolution.

Daisy Jones & The Six--by Taylor Jenkins Reid

What a great way to end out the spring! This book would be a great summer read and I highly recommend it. This novel is about the rise to fame of a 1970s rock group. Taylor Jenkins Reid is such a gifted writer. About a quarter of the way in I had to stop and google whether this band was real or not. Haha! It is written as an oral history and I absolutely loved the format! This was by far my favorite read of the season!

Summer is in full swing now and so is my summer reading list! I've already read a couple of books that I've really enjoyed. I would love to hear what you are reading this summer too. Enjoy the sunshine, slower days, afternoons at the pool, and loads of iced coffee. I know I will!

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