Monday, November 14, 2016

Book List

I'm an unapologetic list-maker and a voracious reader.  When these two traits combine, I end up with lists of books that I want to read and lists of books that I've read.  I just turned the page on my book journal and wanted to share with you some of the highlights of my most recent reads.

The World's Strongest Librarian by Josh Hanegarne
This is one of the best books I've read this year.  Josh wrote his memoir about being a reader, a member of the LDS church, a man with Turret's syndrome, and a strongman.  This man has heart and I hope he continues to write about his life.  If you want a taste of him, watch this interview he gave at the Hartford Public Library.

The Amateur by Robert Littell.
This was an excellent read.  I read Littell's The Company and The Amateur was much faster-paced.

Deception Point by Dan Brown
I'm not a huge Dan Brown fan, but I read all of his books just to stay current.  This is the only book of his that I like.  It's rare that I get surprised by the story, but this book surprised me making it worth a mention.

The Tenth Justice by Brad Meltzer
I've never read any of his books before, but I will certainly read more of his legal thrillers.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
I'm a sucker for any WWII novel and this one was beautifully written with characters I cared deeply about.

Half a King by Joe Abercrombie
I picked this one off the library shelf randomly and adored it more than I can say.  I read the entire trilogy.  It began better than it ended, but that could have been me and not the books.  Hard to tell.

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson
I don't remember how I came upon this series but I'm so glad that I did.  Now, I only wish that my library system carried the rest of this series on CD.  I think I'm going to have to buy them for the library just so I can borrow them.

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
Groundhog Day set in WWII.  I loved this book.  If only one life were recorded in this novel, I would have read it and loved it and enjoyed the beautiful writing.  My friends weren't in love with the ending but I couldn't have been more satisfied with any other possible ending.

The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey
I started reading this after watching the (less than satisfying) movie.  The book was better.  Way better.  And I'm a total sucker for angsty young adult fiction.

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