I used to write monthly book reviews on my blog, and somewhere along the line I quit doing that. I still go back and forth between bringing them back or just not spending the time working on them. I love to read and I love to write book reviews, but sometimes it feels like expanding maximum effort and I don’t even know if anyone reads them at all.
I did open an Instagram//bookstagram account to review all the books that I read, so if you are dying for book reviews and have an Instagram, that would be the best place to follow me. Its @nomundanebook. I also keep track of what I’m reading on Goodreads, but I rarely post any reviews over there.
Since I haven’t written a book review post in a long time, I figured it was time to at least compile a blog post of those TOP reads I’ve read in 2021. So far I have read 65 books this year- already surpassing my goal of 52 books for the year. As I went through my reading record for the past year, I discovered that I have read more nonfiction than fiction, which really surprised me! And most of the ones that I am recommending now are nonfiction. I almost feel like I’ve been holding myself back from reading fiction because
I find it hard to recommend fiction books, because I find that even more than non-fiction they do not have a set audience. An elementary teacher, a lawyer, a police officer and a stay at home Mom can all like the same fiction book, but when I’m writing a review for non-fiction, I find it a lot easier to say “if you are a Christian Mom, this book is for you!”.
Here are some of the best books I’ve read this year:
A Better Life
I get fairly tired of the self-help Christian blog-post type memoir that is turned into a book and hyped by all of the other self-help blog Christian women. This book was so different, and that was what really drew me to it. Rebecca Smith writes about doing the things that don’t make the most sense, as long as God is the one calling us to it. She writes about slowly gaining success, or really maybe gaining no success at all. Her entire memoir is not a “be successful” tale, it’s a “be faithful in the middle of all of it, and maybe you will be successful, but also maybe not”. And that is exactly what I needed to hear at this point in my life. Highly recommend this one.
Fall and Rise
I will always have a very soft spot in my heart for The Only Plane in the Sky, which is probably one of the top 5 books I’ve ever read. Yes, EVER. Fall and Rise is a very similar book, chronicling the story of September 11, 2001 in great detail. It is heart-wrenching and jaw-dropping learning so many little facts about the day. This is a book that I recall to memory quite often in conversation, asking “did you know…..?” I don’t know how to describe and HIGHLY RECOMMEND a book that is both so heart-wrenching and somehow beautiful, but here it is. I highly recommend both of these books.
Daughter of Rome
I have read a few biblical historical fiction in the past, but it was a long time ago and I don’t think I’ve read any during my adult life. So I was so, so pleasantly surprised when I opened this one and began reading. I felt like I could really understand the biblical times better and I really enjoyed the story! I liked it so much that I added all of this author’s other books to my TBR list.
The Well-Watered Women
This book was exactly what I needed- I needed to hear that even in the mundane moments of life, even in the deepest, darkest valleys, even in the highest moments of great joy – I need to be a woman who puts my roots deep down in the Word of God. I read this book on audio, but I would love to have a physical copy of it, too- because it is BEAUTIFUL!
The Accidental Beauty Queen
As I mentioned above, I find fictional books so subjective, so I sometimes feel a bit embarrassed about recommending them. Perhaps I just read it in a time when I really needed something light and fluffy. Or perhaps there was a character aspect that I just really resonated with. Either way, this book wasn’t high quality, but I really liked it. It’s the twin-switching-places trope, but I just loved the pace and the character building and the slight plot twists.
The Lazy Genius Way
I was skeptical of this one, because again- it seems that there is a Christian women Instagram group that wayyyy over-hypes one anothers books, and Im always slightly disappointed in the lack of meat in their books. But this one was really, truly and actually helpful. I love how Kendra doesn’t prescribe what she thinks everyone should do to be a lazy genius, but instead describes how to become one. I found so many of her tips helpful and useful and so practical. I so rarely find self-help books that fit into our law enforcement schedule/lifestyle so it was a pleasant breath of fresh air to find tips that actually fit with our wonky life.
Adventuring Together
I just adored this book. I loved how she captured the joy of adventuring together with kids. She made it come alive and although she was very realistic about the challenges, I just found this to be such a practical and inspirational book for the kind of childhood I want to be able to provide for my kids.
Mama Bear Apologetics
Forget the “Mama Bear” in this title- I think that everyone (Christian) should read this book. She breaks down Apologetics and why it is important to lead our kids through developing their apologetic thinking. She breaks down many of the lies that culture is telling us and our kids, and how to refute them biblically. I found that I was listening to learn for myself as well as to teach my kids!
House Lessons
I literally wanted to give this book a hug when I finished it. I just LOVED it. It was a memoir of a family buying a hoarders home and turning into their own dwelling. From sifting through all the junk left behind, to fixing it one step at a time. The author ties in parenting and marriage and life lessons that go along with all the lessons they were learning through fixing up the house. I just adored this book!
Gay Girl, Good God
Jackie Hill Perry is an incredible woman with an incredible testimony. She’s intimidating because she tells it like it is- and sometimes that is NOT what I want to hear. This is her story of being a lesbian and then coming to Christ and turning away from being a lesbian. But do not write it off if you think you disagree with her take on it. Because even though I felt like I was “on her side” going in, I was convicted left and right to think about how I am thinking and acting and where I am getting my information from. It was an excellent read, and on audio she read it like spoken word, which made it come even more alive.
The Soulmate Equation & The Unhoneymooners
Again, these are both books that have no “point”, except to be read for fun. And I really enjoyed reading them – both- for fun! As a quick note, these are more “open door” romance than I would typically grab, but I enjoy Christian Lauren for their ability to make light and fluffy rom-coms with a little bit of meat. It’s the perfect balance that I like in my fiction reading.
Clap When You Land
This book was unlike any other book I have ever read. Honestly, the characters were alright and the plot itself was decent (not fantastic), but the way this book was written in verse just absolutely blew me away. It actually took me a little bit to get into the book because my brain struggled to wrap my mind around the plot in verse but once I got it, it was so beautiful! This does have some liberal themes running through it, so be aware of that, but I was just thoroughly impressed with the format of this book.
That’s all I have for this post! Remember to follow me on Goodreads and at my bookstagram account if you want to really stay updated on books I’m reading. I’m excited for some of the books I have coming up on my TBR!