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#23. RABBIT FOOT BILL by Helen Humphreys // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “Bill never likes to leave town the same way twice.”

Rabbit Foot Bill is a short Canadian novel set in Saskatchewan and based somewhat on a real murder that book place in the small town of Canwood in 1947.  The book deals with some psychology and childhood repressed memories, which was interesting to me.  I found the ending “reveal” to be very thought-provoking too.  Solid three stars.

#24. TRUE OBEDIENCE IN THE CHURCH: A GUIDE TO DISCERNMENT IN CHALLENGING TIMES by Peter Kwasniewski // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop)

First line: “A friend once told me the story of how, when he was a graduate student at Harvard Divinity School, he went before the faculty to present his idea for a doctoral thesis: the obedience of Jesus in the Gospel of John.”

A really quick little book on the traditional understanding of obedience and how that translates to some of the issues going on in the Church right now.  Kwasniewski has some interesting points and I have lots to think about.  3.5 stars.

#25. ABANDONMENT TO DIVINE PROVIDENCE by Jean-Pierre de Caussade // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “Today God still speaks to us as he used to speak to our ancestors at a time when there were neither spiritual directors nor any systems of spirituality.”

My spiritual reading for Lent this year and I really, really enjoyed it.  A book I needed to read.

#26. THE MEAT RACKET: THE SECRET TAKEOVER OF AMERICA’S FOOD BUSINESS by Christopher Leonard // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “Nobody ever visits the stranded little community of Waldron, Arkansas.”

Whew, did I learn a lot with this one!  This is an eye-opening expose about rural America and the power that industrial meat farming wields over those farmers.  The book focuses on Tyson Foods and the way they turn farmers effectively into indentured servants.  While it looked primarily at the economic repercussions of the industrialized food complex, the descriptions of “standards” for large scale chicken and hog production were baffling to me.  Both the animal and the consumer are getting the short end of the stick!  I could only read it in small chunks because it made me so sad and angry.  (I also read this for my Reading the Alphabet Challenge.)

#27. YOU FEEL IT JUST BELOW THE RIBS by Jeffrey Cranor and Janina Matthewson // ★★☆☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “The following manuscript was found under the floorboards of an attic room in a bedsit in Stockholm in 1996.”

Have you ever unknowingly jumped into a book series or a TV show and realized that you were missing big pieces of the story?  This is how I felt about this book.  Apparently, there is a podcast where this dystopian world is explained and while the book insists that you don’t need to listen to the podcast to appreciate the book, I found that to be untrue.  (I also read this for my Reading the Alphabet Challenge. Almost done with the Fiction section!)

#28. FOLLOW ME by Kathleen Barber // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “Everyone on the Internet is a liar.”

Super quick read about over-sharing one’s life on social media and how that can potentially make someone vulnerable.

#29. HEAVEN’S KEEP by William Kent Krueger // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “In the week after the tragedy, as he accumulates pieces of information, he continues to replay that morning in his mind.”

I think this is number nine in the Cork O’Connor series?  The book started slowly, but quickly picked up the pace and I was definitely invested.  I can’t say anything specific without giving away the plot, but man!  WKK has put Cork O’Connor’s wife through the ringer in this series!  3.5 stars, rounded up.

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MY UNREAD SHELF PROJECT

Unread Books as of January 1, 2023: 207
Books Finished in April: 7
Finished Books Donated/Sold in April: 3
Books Added: 2
Unread Books Remaining: 197

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

#14. AN OCEAN OF MINUTES by Thea Lim // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “People wishing to time travel go to Houston Intercontinental Airport.”

This novel has a lot of interesting things going for it: there’s a flu pandemic, time travel and a love story.  I found it to be beautifully written, but the story itself is a little confusing and I got lost in the weeds a bit with the post-pandemic world.  The ending was also heartbreaking and sad.  (I also read this for my Reading the Alphabet Challenge.)

#15. GOOD AS GONE: A NOVEL OF SUSPENSE by Amy Gentry // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “Jane woke up and whispered, ‘Julie?'”

I’ve had this one on my Goodreads TBR list since 2016, so was happy to finally check it off the list.  The story is about a 13-year-old girl who is abducted from her home in the middle of the night.  Years later, a young woman appears at the door and claims that she is the lost daughter, finally home safe.  But is she?  I blew through this book in 24 hours but the ending left me unsatisfied.

#16. THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY by Sheila Burnford // ★★★★★
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “This journey took place in a part of Canada which lies in the northwestern part of the great sprawling province of Ontario.”

This was a read aloud for school and such a beautiful book.  And the ending was so beautiful too – trying to read aloud while getting all choked up is terribly difficult, ha!

#17. KILLING IT: AN EDUCATION by Camas Davis // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // better world books)

First line: “She was big.”

While this one is a memoir and the author’s story, I felt like it was written in two parts.  I absolutely LOVED and was completely engrossed by the parts about butchery, but I could have totally done without the parts about her love life.  (I also read this for my Reading the Alphabet Challenge.)

#18. LIGHTS OUT: A CYBERATTACK, A NATION UNPREPARED, SURVIVING THE AFTERMATH by Ted Koppel // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “Darkness.”

Over 250 pages, but the issue could be summarized in one line: our electrical grid is increasingly at risk and our nation as a whole is not prepared.  Scary.  (I also read this for my Reading the Alphabet Challenge.)

#19. MOLOKA’I by Alan Brennert // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “Later, when memory was all she had to sustain her, she would come to cherish it: Old Honolulu as it was then, as it would never be again.”

Moloka’i is the story of a girl and her experience living in a leprosy colony throughout her lifetime.  I was completely invested in the beginning and end, but felt it lagged a little somewhere in the middle.  Even so, I read one review that said that the biggest message in this book is: life isn’t over until it’s over.  I like that.  3.5 stars.

#20. A FATAL GRACE by Louise Penny // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “Had CC de Poitiers known she was going to be murdered she might have bought her husband, Richard, a Christmas gift.”

Isn’t that such a great first line?  This was the second book in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series.  I hear such high praise for these books and and while I’m not quite a believer yet, I do want to keep reading.  3.5 stars.

#21. NEIGHBORLY by Ellie Monago // ★★☆☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “Doug and I grin at each other in surprise and delight.”

I’ve had this one on my Kindle since 2018…I think it may have been a free book for Prime members way back when?  I was enjoying it until the halfway point where it took a really weird turn.  Meh.  (I also read this for my Reading the Alphabet Challenge.)

#22. DUMB WITNESS by Agatha Christie // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “Mrs. Arundell died on May 1st.”

It’s been awhile since I’ve read a Hercule Poirot mystery!  Not my favorite, but enjoyable.

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MY UNREAD SHELF PROJECT

Unread Books as of January 1, 2023: 207
Books Finished in March: 9
Finished Books Donated/Sold in March: 3
Books Added: 0
Unread Books Remaining: 201

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

#8. EAST OF EDEN by John Steinbeck // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “The Salinas Valley is in Northern California.”

I read this chunky novel for book club.  (Not sure if I would ever pick this up on my own, so I’m glad for the push!)  A quote I’ve been thinking about: “In uncertainty I am certain that underneath their topmost layers of frailty men want to be good and want to be loved.  Indeed, most of their vices are attempted short cuts to love.  When a man comes to die, no matter what his talents and influence and genius, if he does unloved his life must be a failure to him and his dying a cold horror.  It seems to me that if you or I must choose between two courses of thought or action, we should remember our dying and try so to live that our death brings no pleasure to the world.” (p.412-413)

#9. THE SATURDAYS by Elizabeth Enright // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “‘It would have to rain today,’ said Rush, lying flat on his back in front of the fire.”

We read this one for school read aloud.  The story is about four siblings who pool their weekly allowance so each child can experience something exciting outside the house.  I especially loved that the siblings were so good to each other, so unlike many modern books that emphasize sibling rivalry or annoyance.  (This book was also my 1941 pick for the 20th Century in Literature Challenge.)

#10. ARSENIC AND ADOBO by Mia P. Manansala // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “My name is Lila Macapagal and my life has become a rom-com cliche.”

More than half of my friends in high school were Filipino, so this cozy mystery was such a blast from the past!  From the attentive aunties to the delicious meals of lumpia, pansit and adobo, I loved all of the Filipino references.  The story itself was decent; a solid three star read.

#11. ONLY ONE LIE by Audrey J. Cole // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop)

First line: “Hattie sat up in bed at the sound of a door slamming.”

There is a lot going on in this book!  Set in WWII, the main character is a female pilot who becomes involved in solving a mystery regarding a kidnapped child, much like the Lindbergh baby case.  While I found it to be a quick read, there were just too many pieces that felt completely unbelievable.  (P.S. Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!  Only One Lie was released back in December 2022!)

#12. JUST SEND ME WORD: A TRUE STORY OF LOVE AND SURVIVAL IN THE GULAG by Orlando Figes // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // better world books)

First line: “Lev saw Svetlana first.”

From the description: “In 1946, after five years as a prisoner―first as a Soviet POW in Nazi concentration camps, then as a deportee (falsely accused of treason) in the Arctic Gulag―twenty-nine-year-old Lev Mishchenko unexpectedly received a letter from Sveta, the sweetheart he had hardly dared hope was still alive. Amazingly, over the next eight years the lovers managed to exchange more than 1,500 messages, and even to smuggle Sveta herself into the camp for secret meetings. Their recently discovered correspondence is the only known real-time record of life in Stalin’s Gulag, unmediated and uncensored.”  Really interesting look at human resilience and the power of love.  (I also read this for my Reading the Alphabet Challenge.)

#13. THE ICE CREAM GIRLS by Dorothy Koomson // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “Serena Gorringe, I love you.”

A good lesson in not judging a book by its cover: while this looks like chick-lit, it’s actually much deeper and darker.  There are themes like domestic abuse and inappropriate relationships between teachers and students.  I couldn’t put it down, although I did have to suspend my belief quite a bit.  At the end, I felt like this book showcased (unintentionally?) the far-reaching consequences of sin.  2.5 stars, rounded up.  (I also read this for my Reading the Alphabet Challenge.)

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MY UNREAD SHELF PROJECT

Unread Books as of January 1, 2023: 207
Books Finished in February: 6
Finished Books Donated/Sold in February: 2
Books Added: +7
Unread Books Remaining: 209

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

#1. A LONG WAY FROM CHICAGO by Richard Peck // ★★★★★
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “You wouldn’t think we’d have to leave Chicago to see a dead body.”

This was the second time I’ve read this aloud for school and the littler kids loved it just as much!  The book is hilarious, but it also gave us many opportunities to discuss Grandma Dowdel’s more eye-raising behaviors, like cheating or telling a fib.

#2. OPERATION PAPERCLIP: THE SECRET INTELLIGENCE PROGRAM THAT BROUGHT NAZI SCIENTISTS TO AMERICA by Annie Jacobsen // ★★★★★
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “It was November 26, 1944, and Strasbourg, France, was still under attack.”

THIS BOOK.  I’ll let the blurb explain the premise: “In the chaos following World War II, the U.S. government faced many difficult decisions, including what to do with the Third Reich’s scientific minds. These were the brains behind the Nazis’ once-indomitable war machine. So began Operation Paperclip, a decades-long, covert project to bring Hitler’s scientists and their families to the United States.  Many of these men were accused of war crimes, and others had stood trial at Nuremberg; one was convicted of mass murder and slavery. They were also directly responsible for major advances in rocketry, medical treatments, and the U.S. space program. Was Operation Paperclip a moral outrage, or did it help America win the Cold War?”

Annie Jacobsen’s work is thoroughly researched and sheds some light onto a very controversial program.  At the end, we’re left with questions: Does Operation Paperclip implicate Americans as dishonest and trying to capitalize on the backs of the people they fought to save?  Does scientific advancement trump ethical behavior?  I don’t know the answers, but this book definitely had me thinking.  A good reminder to have a healthy distrust for government; what you’re being told and what you see on the surface may not be the full story.  (This also counted toward my Reading the Alphabet Challenge.)

#3. A THOUSAND NAKED STRANGERS: A PARAMEDIC’S WILD RIDE TO THE EDGE AND BACK by Kevin Hazzard // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “I did nothing to save the first person who died in front of me.”

This is a collection of stories from a paramedic’s ten years working on the streets of Atlanta.  Lots of craziness with a bit of self-reflection.

#4. WELCOME TO LAGOS by Chibundu Onuzo // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “Evening swept through the Delta: half an hour of mauve before the sky bruised to black.”

How to describe this book?  The story is about five strangers who leave their lives in Niger Delta and move to Lagos to start over.  They become a kind of ragtag family, sticking together as they struggle to survive.  The book also addresses Nigeria’s political corruption problem, which I found really interesting.  (This also counted toward my Reading the Alphabet Challenge.)

#5. A YEAR DOWN YONDER by Richard Peck // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “It was a September morning, hazy with late summer, and now with all the years between.”

This is the sequel to A Long Way from Chicago and we read this for school.  Almost as good as the first one – I definitely enjoyed seeing how much Grandma Dowdel loved her grandchildren, despite her crusty exterior.

#6. RED KNIFE by William Kent Krueger // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “It was not yet dawn and already he could smell death.”

Book #8 in the Cork O’Connor series and probably my least favorite so far.  There were a lot of moving parts, a lot of characters, and one scene that was somewhat unbelievable.  Even so, the last few chapters of the book were INTENSE.  WKK sure knows how to write.

#7. XO by Jeffery Deaver // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “The heart of a concert hall is people.”

I picked this one up solely because of the title: I needed an “X” book for my Reading the Alphabet Challenge!  I went in with no expectations, but was surprised to discover that I really enjoyed it.  This book is a police procedural/suspense novel about a country music singer who has a stalker.  Lots of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming.  It’s technically the third in a series, but I didn’t feel like I missed out on much.  3.5 stars, rounded up.

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MY UNREAD SHELF PROJECT

Unread Books as of January 1, 2023: 207 (not counting the books already in progress)
Books Finished in January: 7
Finished Books Donated/Sold: 3
Books Added: 1 (for Epiphany!)
Unread Books Remaining: 204

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

#68. UNSETTLED GROUND by Claire Fuller // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

Hmm, this book is difficult to rate.  It’s a melancholy, character-driven novel about codependency, poverty, and loss.  The story is about a pair of reclusive 51-year-old twins as they struggle to adapt to life after their mother suddenly dies.  It explores relationships between family members and buried secrets that get unearthed in time.  An interesting concept and I don’t dislike a melancholic book, but this one left me with the question: “What was the point?” (This also counted toward my Reading the Alphabet Challenge.)

#69. THE NERVIEST GIRL IN THE WORLD by Melissa Wiley // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

A read aloud for school.  We enjoyed this one more than we expected!

#70. THE MIDNIGHT LINE by Lee Child // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

Okay this one is a random pick!  I first heard about it on another blog and thought I’d try it out.  I had no idea it was part of a series and this book in particular is #22!  I also didn’t know that there was a movie and TV series based on the main character!  (Yes, I live under a rock.)  Thankfully, the books seem to stand alone, so I wasn’t too in the dark.  A quick read.

#71. VERY VALENTINE by Adriana Trigiani // ★★☆☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

I was excited to read about a woman apprenticing and then eventually taking over her grandmother’s shoemaking business, but the execution of this book was not great.  If you like gratuitous descriptions of everything from the landscape to the food to the outfits the characters are wearing, this is for you.  I’ve enjoyed novels by Trigiani in the past, so this was a bummer.  (This also counted toward my Reading the Alphabet Challenge.)

#72. SOMEONE WE KNOW by Shari Lapena // ★★☆☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

A “thriller” that just felt like a gluttony of marital infidelities.  Bleh.

#73. TRUE CRIME STORY by Joseph Knox // ★★☆☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

This one had a really interesting set up that included interviews, news articles, photos and emails.  There were a ton of unreliable characters who made me want to pull my hair out – who’s telling the truth?!  All in all, it was an okay read.  Not necessarily a book I would recommend, but I appreciated how the story was laid out in a unique way.

#74. TWO OLD WOMEN: AN ALASKA LEGEND OF BETRAYAL, COURAGE AND SURVIVAL by Velma Wallis // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

A short little story about hardship and endurance from two old ladies trying to survive an Alaskan winter.  I really liked it.  (This was also my 1993 pick for the 20th Century in Literature Challenge.)

#75. COME, LORD JESUS: MEDITATIONS ON THE ART OF WAITING by Mother Mary Francis, PCC // ★★★★★
(amazon)

My third time reading this lovely devotional for Advent and I still love it just as much.  So many new passages stuck out to me this time.

#76. EXILES by Jane Harper // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop)

It’s been awhile since I’ve read a Jane Harper mystery, so I was excited to dive back into Australia with Aaron Falk!  In this one, we hear about a baby found all alone in her stroller at a busy festival, her mother seemingly disappearing into thin air.  The story picks up a year later with the question still unanswered: What happened that night?  Where is Kim?  I really enjoyed the array of characters and how Harper made them all unique and easy to differentiate.  I guessed and guessed and still didn’t see the twist at the end.  So good.  (Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!  Exiles will be published on January 31, 2023.)

WE HAVE BEEN HARMONIZED: LIFE IN CHINA’S SURVEILLANCE STATE by Kai Strittmatter // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

I’ve been working on this book off and on since February and finally finished the last chapters just days before the new year!  An eye opening examination of China and the CCP’s vision for the future.  I did find the title a bit misleading: the first third of the book is a lot of background information (which was informative) and the real “meat” of the topic doesn’t start until about 165 pages in.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

#60. THIS TENDER LAND by William Kent Krueger // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

I’ve read a lot of WKK this year and his writing is top notch.  This sweeping epic about four orphans was no different, but the pacing lagged for me somewhere in the middle.  Still a worthwhile read!  3.5 stars, rounded up.

#61. DEATH COMES FOR THE ARCHBISHOP by Willa Cather // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

The first book club pick of the year!  I enjoyed the very atmospheric and interesting look at Catholicism during the early (and wild) days of American Western Expansion.  I was especially struck by the contrast of good priests and horrible ones…some things are just perennial, I guess.  (This one also counted toward my 20th Century in Literature Challenge for 1927.)

#62. THE GREEN EMBER by S.D. Smith // ★★★☆☆
(amazon)

Our first read aloud of the school year!  This is a story about rabbits in the midst of a falling kingdom while tyrants and terror abound.  Homeschoolers all over rave about this book and while it had an exciting beginning and end, the kids felt like it significantly lagged in the middle.  To me, this felt like a “world building” first book in a series, so I’m curious to see if the pace picks up in the next novels.  (This is probably an unpopular opinion, but Redwall is similar but considerably better.)

#63. TO THE BRIGHT EDGE OF THE WORLD by Eowyn Ivey // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

A random pick up that I ended up really liking!  The blurb calls this one a “breathtaking story of discovery and adventure, set at the end of the nineteenth century, and of a marriage tested by a closely held secret.”  I loved how the story was told through letters and photos and other ephemera.  So creative.  3.5 stars, rounded up.  (I read this as part of the Alphabet Reading Challenge.)

#64. THE TENANT OF WILDFELL HALL by Anne Bronte // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

Whew…this book!  I read through it relatively quickly, but found it to be a slog through the middle…  If it were 100 pages shorter, I think it would have been a much better book.  That said, most women in my book club loooved it and especially loved the middle section, so don’t take my word for it, ha!

#65. THUNDER BAY by William Kent Krueger // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop)

After a doozy of a book, I needed something easy, so back to the Cork O’Connor series I went! This one is number seven, was a good story and a fast read, but some of the others in the series have been better.  Solid three stars.

#66. MISS GRAHAM’s COLD WAR COOKBOOK by Celia Rees // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

This historical fiction novel really had so much potential.  The post-WWII setting was interesting, you could tell the author did a ton of research and the culinary spy message idea was really clever.  Unfortunately, it took about 100 pages for the story to really pick up and what followed was a faster paced, but really confusing story line.  So many characters!  So many pieces that seemed unbelievable!  The abrupt ending after almost 500 pages!  2.5 stars, rounded up.

#67. PADRE PIO: THE STIGMATIST by Rev. Charles Mortimer Carty // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop)

You often hear of all of the incredible mysteries of Padre Pio: the stigmata, bilocation, reading of souls in the confessional, the miracles, etc.  This book did a great job of also showing the amount of suffering he endured behind the scenes.  This is an older book and the way it’s laid out is a tad disorganized, but still has many good stories and nuggets of wisdom.  3.5 stars, rounded up.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

#55. THE FLICKER OF OLD DREAMS by Susan Henderson // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

A beautifully written and somber book. The story is about a 30-something woman who works with her father in the town mortuary.  Because of their unique occupation, she has always felt like an outcast.  When a dying neighbor’s son returns to town, a man who has also had trouble being accepted in town, their new friendship sparks life into the woman and helps her move forward.  This one was hard to rate – maybe more like 3.5 stars?  There were so many little quotes that really resonated with me.  (I read this for the Willa Award Winners Challenge.)

#56. STILL LIFE by Louise Penny // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

So many people I know enjoy this mystery series from Louise Penny so I decided to give it a try!  A solid three star start and I’ve heard they continue to improve as the books go on.  I liked Chief Inspector Armand Gamache…is he a modern day Hercule Poirot?  We’ll see.  (I read this one for the Alphabet Reading Challenge.)

#57. WORLD MADE BY HAND by James Howard Kunstler // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

This novel is a post-apocalyptic story about a world without electricity.  It had some really weird parts, but I did enjoy the thought experiment.  How long could my family and community survive without all of the luxuries we take for granted?

#58. VIOLET IS NOWHERE by Faith Gardner // ★★☆☆☆
(amazon // bookshop)

I was excited about this near-future dystopian thriller because it sounded so interesting: A rising rock star is kidnapped from her LA home. She wakes up locked inside a cabin with a note and a burner phone that only dials one number to a stranger.  The mysterious note says the two have just one week to figure out the connection between them. Otherwise someone or something will take her life.  Sounds intriguing, right?  Unfortunately, I found the pacing really off and it didn’t get interesting until more than halfway in.  The futuristic dystopian twist was interesting, but almost anti-climactic?  I may not be the target audience, but this one was just okay for me.  Also: there was so much language – I can appreciate the appropriately placed cussword, especially in a book, but this was a little over the top.  (Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.  Violet is Nowhere was published on September 22, 2022!)

#59. LAY SAINTS: MODELS OF FAMILY LIFE by Joan Carroll Cruz // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // better world books)

I appreciated this collection of saintly laity and their stories throughout the centuries.  Lots of new saints that I was unfamiliar with.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

#48. CHRISTUS VINCIT: CHRIST’S TRIUMPH OVER THE DARKNESS OF THE AGE by Bishop Athanasius Schneider // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

I really enjoyed this book.  Written in question and answer form, Bishop Schneider addressed many issues happening within the Church in a clear and balanced way.  Like society at large, the Church sometimes seems extremely polarized on issues and it was a breath of fresh air to read someone intelligently discuss the good and bad of each side without compromising on Church teaching.  We attended a Solemn Pontifical Mass with Bishop Schneider last year and it was beautiful.  He is a holy man.

#49. THE QUINTLAND SISTERS by Shelley Wood // ★★★☆☆
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This story was so infuriating, even more so because it was based on a true story!  Have you heard of the Dionne Quintuplets?  Five baby girls born in 1934 and taken from their parents by the Canadian government to become wards of the state.  They quickly became a tourist attraction and were paraded around like a circus.  I went down another rabbit hole and it appears that the rest of their lives didn’t get much better.  So so sad.  I’d be interested to read their autobiography someday.  (I picked this for my Reading the Alphabet Challenge.)

#50. ROOTS OF THE REFORMATION by Karl Adam // ★★★☆☆
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This slim little book was mentioned by someone as one that helped in their conversion to the Catholic Church, so I was intrigued.  At times an easy read and at times really dense, I found it very fair and thought provoking.

#51. THE RECKONING AT GOSSAMER POND by Jaime Jo Wright // ★★★☆☆
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This one is a Christian romance suspense novel…did you know that was even a thing?  I didn’t!  It had duel timelines and lots of secrets.  I appreciated the “clean” reading experience, but found the book pretty forgettable.  Good, but not great.

#52. INDESTRUCTIBLE: THE UNFORGETTABLE MEMOIR OF A MARINE HERO AT THE BATTLE OF IWO JIMA by Jack H. Lucas // ★★★☆☆
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The crazy true story of a teenage boy who fibbed his way to the front lines of WWII and the battle of Iwo Jima.  There, in an act of true heroism, he covered two grenades with his body to protect his fellow Marines…and survived!

#53. MOTHER DAUGHTER TRAITOR SPY by Susan Elia MacNeal // ★★☆☆☆
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This book is loosely based on a real life mother/daughter duo who became spies to foil Nazi plans within the United States during WWII.  Definitely well researched (the author cites all of her sources in the back), but I found the storyline itself slow and the characters one-dimensional.  There were also a few parts where I had to suspend my disbelief at the spy skills of two civilians – would Nazi sympathizers really be so trusting and gullible?  I don’t know…just an okay read for me.  (Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!  Mother Daughter Traitor Spy will be published on September 20, 2022.)

#54. WHEN I WAS YOU by Minka Kent // ★★★☆☆
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I was in the mood for a thriller so I chose one that’s been on my Kindle for ages.  I think I must have gotten it for free through Amazon?  It had plenty of twists that kept me guessing – just the book I was looking for.

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#42. THE GIRL WHO CHASED THE MOON by Sarah Addison Allen // ★★☆☆☆
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According to Goodreads, I have had this book shelved on my TBR list since 2010!!  At this point, I have completely forgotten who recommended it to me, so I went in completely blind.  And…it was okay.  It was a light read, felt very YA (although I don’t think it was), lacked character development and the plot was uninteresting.  I had qualms with the light touch placed on some heavy issues (like self harm), but maybe I’m just a curmudgeon.  But seriously: there was one male character who snuck into the bedroom of the girl he liked – multiple times! – just to watch her sleep. Am I the only one who finds that not romantic and incredibly creepy?

#43. ALIAS EMMA by Ava Glass // ★★★★☆
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I read this spy thriller in less than 24 hours!  The story is about a young spy on her first big assignment: bring an innocent man wanted by the Russian government to safety.  All she has to do is get him into MI6 before an assassination team gets to him first.  Such a page turner.  I especially loved that while there was a strong female protagonist, she was also fallible and didn’t treat the men in the story as idiots.  (A big pet peeve of mine.)  If this becomes a series, I will definitely keep reading.  (Alias Emma will be published on August 2, 2022.  Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!)

#44. HIDDEN AMERICA: FROM COAL MINERS TO COWBOYS, AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPLORATION OF THE UNSEEN PEOPLE WHO MAKE THIS COUNTRY WORK by Jeanne Marie Laskas // ★★★☆☆
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This was an interesting look at the jobs most of us take for granted.  For example, I don’t think many of us realize the amount of trust we give to air traffic controllers who make sure airplanes land safely and don’t crash into each other!  Another chapter was about drilling for oil on Oooguruk Island off of Alaska’s North Slope and I fell down a little rabbit hole.  The creation of the island is fascinating as well as just the act of drilling in general.  Did you know that the scale of drilling is actually pretty small?  “The drill bit ranges in diameter from six to thirteen inches; the pipe as small as three inches.  An oil well is a remarkably skinny hole.”  I also found the information about directional drilling technology really interesting: “[It] allows drillers to go down, over, up, snaking any which way through the earth and landing in ever sweeter sweet spots, reaching horizontally as far as four miles from the rig.  In the old days, a single vertical well exposed about 200 to 300 feet of oil reserves.  Now drillers can reach more than 20,000 feet of reservoir rock with one well, significantly reducing the footprint above ground, which in turn reduces costs and, in this part of the world, scarring to the tundra.” (p.217)  The more you know…

#45. PLAINSONG by Kent Haruf // ★★☆☆☆
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I usually enjoy small town Americana stories, even when the plot is slow and meandering.  This book was not bad, per se, and I loved the relationship between the teenage pregnant girl and the two farmer bachelor brothers who took her in.  (It had a Secondhand Lions feel that was endearing.)  However, the graphic sexual scenes were really unnecessary and didn’t carry the plot further.  Just an okay read for me.  (This was a pick for my Reading the Alphabet Challenge.)

#46. COPPER RIVER by William Kent Krueger // ★★★☆☆
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Number six in the Cork O’Connor mystery series.  A good one.

#47. THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK by Kim Michele Richardson // ★★★☆☆
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This historical fiction novel set me off on another rabbit trail!  The main character is an Appalachian pack horse librarian who has blue-tinged skin due to a blood condition called methemoglobinemia.  This article from 1982 about “the blue people” was interesting.  I also learned about the apparent controversy between this book and one of a similar flavor, maybe too similar?

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#34. THE BOUNDLESS by Kenneth Oppel // ★★★☆☆
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This middle grade novel was a recommendation from my 11 year old son.  It takes place on a train and is action packed and just a little bit scary!

#35. THE FILTER BUBBLE: WHAT THE INTERNET IS HIDING FROM YOU by Eli Pariser // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // better world books)

Even though this book was written over 10 years ago, I found it very relevant and thought-provoking.  There were quite a few, but one of the biggest takeaways for me was that “over-personalization” of your online experience greatly decreases the ability to think creatively.  As an example, he talks about serendipity, the process of stumbling across the unintended.  I recently experienced this as I used Pinterest to find a recipe.  Years ago, I would be able to see a wide variety of things on my home page, especially what all of my friends were pinning…now all I see as I scroll is more of the same topics I have searched for in the past.  It’s becoming harder to discover something fresh and new, something that excites me and raises my curiosity.  Like Pariser says in the book, “Google is great at helping us find what we know we want, but not at finding what we don’t know we want.” (p.104)  It takes intentional effort to pull yourself from the bubble the Internet creates for you, but I’m inspired to try.  (I chose this book as part of my non-fiction Alphabet Reading Challenge.)

#36. THE GOOD DAUGHTER: A MEMOIR OF MY MOTHER’S HIDDEN LIFE by Jasmin Darzink // ★★★★☆
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This memoir was so good.  The author is an Iranian immigrant who moved to the US when she was young.  In her early twenties, she was helping her mother move when a photograph fell from a stack of old letters. The photograph showed her mother wearing a wedding veil, but the man at her side was not her father.  When Jasmin inquired, her mother refused to speak about the photograph.  Months later, however, she received from her mother a handful of recorded cassette tapes that would bring to light the story of her family’s time in Iran.  I flew through this book and found it both fascinating and utterly heartbreaking.  The writing was beautiful.

#37. THE FOUR WINDS by Kristin Hannah // ★★★☆☆
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Elsa had never thought of land that way, as something that anchored a person, gave one a life.  The idea of it, of staying here and finding a good life and a place to belong, seduced her as nothing ever had. (p.52)

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I’m on the fence about whether Kristin Hannah’s books are a good fit for me.  I loved The Nightingale but had issues with The Great Alone…where would this one fall?  I’m fascinated by the Great Depression and thought the book was good, but it felt like a hundred pages too long.

#38. THE NEW NEIGHBOR by Karen Cleveland // ★★★★☆
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Karen Cleveland wrote one of my favorite thrillers, so I was excited to get my hands on her latest book!  Super fast read and I didn’t guess the twist at the end.  Need to Know is still my favorite, but this was fun.  (The New Neighbor will be released on July 26, 2022.  Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!)

#39. THE END OF THE PRESENT WORLD AND THE MYSTERIES OF THE FUTURE LIFE by Father Charles Arminjon // ★★★☆☆
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This is a beautiful book, but for whatever reason, it took me forever to get through!  I would definitely like to read it again sometime in the future.

#40. ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF IVAN DENISOVICH by Alexander Solzhenitsyn // ★★★☆☆
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This one is about a grueling day in the life of a prisoner serving time in a Siberian labor camp.  So brutal.  (This was also my 1962 pick for the 20th Century in Literature Challenge.)

#41. NOTHING TO HIDE by J. Mark Bertrand // ★★★☆☆
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This is the third and last book in the Roland March Mystery series.  Fast paced with plenty of twists and turns.

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#27. DIRT TO SOIL: ONE FAMILY’S JOURNEY INTO REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE by Gabe Brown // ★★★★☆
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I really, really enjoyed this book!  It was a crash course on soil health and a blueprint for how I can care for our pastures as we begin raising animals on our homestead.  The advice was generally for bigger acreage, but I still found tons of inspiration throughout.

#28. THE MANDIBLES: A FAMILY, 2029-2047 by Lionel Shriver // ★★★☆☆
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To set the stage, I’ll quote part of the blurb on the back: “In 2029, the United States is engaged in a bloodless world war that will wipe out the savings of millions of American families.  Overnight, on the international currency exchange, the “almighty dollar” plummets in value, to be replaced by a new global currency, the bancor.  In retaliation, the president declares that America will default on its loans.  The government prints money to cover its bills.  What little remains to savers is rapidly eaten away by runaway inflation.”  The book is about one formerly well-to-do family and how they survive when their money seems to evaporate.  I’ve been learning a lot about finance and the Federal Reserve lately and reading this dystopian speculation made me nervous!  I hope we’re not headed toward a future like this described.  Thought-provoking.

#29. THE HOURS OF THE PASSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST by Luisa Piccarreta // ★★★★☆
(amazon)

I first read this beautiful reflection of the Passion back in 2020 and brought it back out to read during Holy Week this year.  It ended up taking me longer than that one week, but I think that’s okay because I was able to really meditate on each hour.  So good.

#30. NEWS OF THE WORLD by Paulette Jiles // ★★★☆☆
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This was a quiet little novel about a traveling gentleman who reads the news and a little girl who was captured by the Kiowa Indians and rescued.  The story follows their adventure to reunite the girl with her family.  The writing was beautiful but there were some little things that bugged me (no quotation marks!!) and I thought there could have been less of the end and more of the middle.  How’s that for an opinion, ha!

#31. THE WOMAN IN THE LIBRARY by Sulari Gentill // ★★★☆☆
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The structure of this book is unique and I was intrigued from the start.  The premise is that four strangers are sharing a table at the Boston Public Library when they hear a scream.  That experience (and the later discovery of a dead woman) bonds the four strangers and they quickly become friends.  But are they now friends with a killer?  A good story, but the ending was just okay.  (The Woman in the Library will be published on June 7, 2022.  Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!)

#32. ESCAPE FROM CAMP 14: ONE MAN’S REMARKABLE ODYSSEY FROM NORTH KOREA TO FREEDOM IN THE WEST by Blaine Harden // ★★★☆☆
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“I did not know about sympathy or sadness,” he said.  “They educated us from birth so that we were not capable of normal human emotions.  Now that I am out, I am learning to be emotional.  I have learned to cry.  I feel like I am becoming human.” (p.192)

Man.  Escape from Camp 14 is the incredible story of Shin Dong-Hyuk who was born and raised in a North Korean labor camp.  During the time he stayed in the camp, he endured starvation, hard labor and torture…and considered it all a normal way of life.  Thankfully, due to the influence of another political prisoner, he was introduced to the idea of freedom and then became (as of the writing of the book) the only person to successfully escape to the free world.  A really important read.

#33. THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS by Lisa Jewell // ★★☆☆☆
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I was in the mood for another easy thriller/mystery, so decided to pick this one up.  Meh.  It was a fast read, but I thought it was weird.

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#21. THE KITE RUNNER by Khaled Hosseini // ★★★☆☆
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Man, this one was brutal.  Well written and I liked the pacing, but the scenes of rape and child sex slavery were tragic and terrible.  (I went into this one completely blind and was pretty shocked when I stumbled on them.)  If you go into the book prepared for a tough read, I’m sure the experience could be different.  Solid three stars.

#22. MERCY FALLS by William Kent Krueger // ★★★☆☆
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Book #5 in the Cork O’Connor series!  Not every book in a series is a show-stopper; this one was good, but not great.

#23. A MEMORY FOR WONDERS by Mother Veronica Namoyo Le Goulard, PCC // ★★★☆☆
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This one is a memoir/conversion story about a French girl from a Marxist family who grew up in a wild Morocco frontier.  She ultimately converted to Catholicism and then became a religious nun.  Interesting.

#24. BREATHLESS by Amy McCulloch // ★★★☆☆
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From the description: “A high-stakes thriller set in the world of extreme-altitude mountaineering that takes a dark turn when a series of deaths can no longer be written off as accidents.”  I learned a ton about mountain climbing (and now have no interest in ever doing it myself!) but I felt like the “thriller” part of the book fell flat.  An entertaining read, but somewhat forgettable.  (Breathless will be released on May 3, 2022.  Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!)

#25. THE LIGHTKEEPER’S WIFE by Sarah Anne Johnson // ★★☆☆☆
(amazon // better world books)

This book was nothing like I expected it to be from the blurb on the back!  While I liked the descriptions of the coast and the lighthouse, the book primarily focused on gender and discovering sexuality.  Not necessarily a bad thing for the right reader, but definitely not for me.

#26. THE RISE AND FALL OF MOUNT MAJESTIC by Jennifer Trafton // ★★★★☆
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Our read aloud for April.  A fun one with some laugh out loud moments.  The kids loved it.