2015 Reading Round UP

These are the books are read in 2015. It is quite the mixed bag. I read 36 books this past year.

Angel Falls by K Hannah The Woman Who Heard Color by K Jones Rival to the Queen by C Erickson Department of Speculation Big Girl by D Steele Just Mercy by B Stevenson The Last Summer by J Kinghorn Saint Anything by S Dessen The Pearl That Broke It's Shell by N Hashimi A Tale for the Time Being by R Ozeki The Royal We One Plus One by J Moyes Me Before You by J Moyes Outlander by D Gabaldon The Queen's Governess by K Harper The Glitter and Gold: The American Duchess by C Balsan Songs Willow Frost by J Ford The Orchard House by T Weaver Amy & Roger's Epic Detour By M Matson A Walk in the Woods by B Bryson The Secret Place by T French Still Alice by L Genova North of Beautiful by J Headley The Queen of the Tearling by E Johansen Miles from Nowhere by B Savage Girl at the End of the World E Esther Breaking Dawn by S Meyer Eclipse by S Meyer New Moon by S Meyer Twilight by S Meyer City of Woman by D Gillman Postcards from Cookie by C Clarke The Rent Collector C Wright The Maze Runner by J Dashner Tracks by R Davidson Boys in the Boat by D Brown Below are some of my gottta reads from 2015

Below Are the Books I most recommend from my 2015 Read List

The Orchard House.  This book is a memoir. This is the one I most recommend.  This is a perfect Pacific Northwest Book.

Boys in the Boat - This was our county's reading book of the year.  I thought it was really good choice.

Postcards from Cookie

Amy and Rogers Epic Detour This book was recommended on The Modern Mrs Darcy's Summer reading list.  I think it a great road trip book.

Miles from Nowhere - I loved this great adventure book.  This was an amazing adventure.

What I read December

I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy in her Quick Lit Linky.  Check out what everyone has been reading.

The Last Summer by Judith Kinghorn
The general gist of the story is Clarissa Granville lives in a grand English country house and falls in love with Tom the housekeeper's son. There was a whole upstairs-downstairs friendship turned into romance. 

This was a read that got suggested if you like Downton Abbey.  I am a big Downton Abbey fan. This was interesting a bit more on the risque side than some people might be comfortable with. This book covered the time period around World War One. 

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Bryan Stevenson started the Equal Justice Initiative a legal practice defending the poor, wrongly condemned on death row, and juveniles convicted as adults.  One of his cases was that of Walter McMillian who sentenced to die for a murder he did not commit.

What a book! This book will definitely have you rethink your views on Justice and how it is served.  The end of this book made me cry but this isn't a sad book.  Once again I was reminded that we as a country have a lot to rethink about how we serve justice with life sentences and the death penalty.

I need to briefly step into the reading confessional.  I read a Danielle Steel book - Big Girl over Thanksgiving Break.  It was not one of her better ones but I kept reading anyway.  Danielle Steel has a way of getting her hooks into you.

What I Read November

So many good books, so little time.  Either I have too little to read or too much.  That is what keeps my library fines high. I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy's Quick Lit. Check out what everyone is reading.

I read The Pearl that Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi.  I enjoyed learning about the seldom talked about tradition of  Bacha Posh in Afghanistan where a young girl assumes the identity of a boy. The girl is treated as a son and given all the privileges that entails until they reach puberty.  This is told through two women one in the more present and one in the past.  I enjoyed the story but the ending left me somewhat wanting. I am struck once again about the differences in culture on how women are seen and treated. 

*** Very a la Modern Mrs Darcy aka some Book Parings that would go along well with this book

Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez

Finding Nouf  by Zoe Ferraris (part of a 3 book detective series so far) my review

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen is a young adult author who I really enjoy.  She really hooks you into the story.The story is about Sydney and how her brother is imprisoned for drunk driving and how her mother stops really seeing her. Everything in her family life becomes about her imprisoned brother.  Sydney feels acceptance for the first time after changing high schools and meeting the Chatham family. I love the quote from the book below.

Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker - Reading is my Jam

Dear Diary
Life at times just seems too much .  I like to escape into a book.  Everything is possible in a book. Reading is my main way of de-stressing.  In other words, reading is my jam. I am an equal opportunity reader.  I will read just about anything once.

I thought I would share a few picks for reading.

 The Orchard House- (full review)

Growing up were you intrigued by the book the Secret Garden?  Do you have complicated relationships?  Do you enjoy gardening?  Do you love to help the little people in your life explore the outdoors?  Well this book hits all of these sweet notes. Tara writes a moving memoir about her and her mom's garden in Seattle.  Her mom purchased a distressed property with an amazing overgrown garden.  Tara discusses how her relationships changes and how it relates to the garden that her mom and her are creating. (from my review)

This is my top read for this year. I also think this would make a great candidate for my county reading program - Whatcom Reads

I also have a few books I like to read over and over.  Here is where I profess my love for the Twilight series. I shamefully won't tell you how many times I have read the entire series.

Do you realize that the twilight book is 10 years old? For the anniversary Stephanie Meyers came out with a new edition Life and Death. In this new edition the vampire is female and it is a teenage boy.  I haven't read it but strangely I do want to read it.

Check out my entire series - Diary of a Mediocre Homemaker 
I am linking up with Write31Days 

What I read October

I finally cracked open the Whatcom Reads Book, A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki.  Whatcom Reads picks a book for the whole county to read together for the year.  Usually, the book is written by a Washington State Writer.

“A time being is someone who lives in time, and that means you, and me, and
every one of us who is, or was, or ever will be."

~ A Tale for the Time Being ~

This years book is A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki. The premise is a diary in a old French book, letters, and watch wash up on the beach in a Ziploc bag. A writer, Ruth, discovers the bag washed up on the beach.   Ruth is a struggling writer who lives on an isolated island. The diary is that of a young Japanese girl, Nao, and discusses her move to Japan after her father loses his job in the United States  during the dot.com bust.  She talks about her trouble assimilating back into the Japanese culture, about her father wanting to commit suicide, and her 104 year old great grandmother who is a Buddhist nun. This book might not be a good fit for all readers subjects due to some of the subject matter. Suicide and prostitution are discussed. I have mixed feelings about this book.  The book has both Ruth portions and Diary portions by Nao.  I found the diary portions challenging.  Maybe it was the teenage voice and lots of footnotes on Japanese terms.  The flow was off for me. Then there is the whole quantum physics twist.

Some of my piles of beach finds

I relate to finding things on the beach.  I love hunting for beach glass aka sea glass.

Sea Glass Collection

It is so fascinating to me what washes up on the beach. The book also discusses the trash in the ocean and how the tsunami has brought Japanese trash to the shore of  British Columbia, Canada and Washington State.  My friends are always on the lookout for Japanese trash at our local beaches. My friends found this cool tooth .

There is a decent interesting story here in A Tale for the Time Being and I can see why they chose it for this years Whatcom Reads.

I am linking up to Modern Mrs Darcy's Quick Lit

What I read September

*** I am linking up to Modern Mrs. Darcy's Quick Lit .  Check out what everyone else is reading.

It is Fall at last and my reading has picked up as the weather has cooled.  It also helped that we lost our electricity so I got lots of reading done.

I finally read Me Before You.  This should of come with a Kleenex warning. This has been on my to read list for quite a while. In part JoJo Moyes  based this on a true story.  This book is about euthanasia and I had known that from the outset I don't know if I would of read it.  I am glad I did.  The book made me think about that subject differently. The book is set to be made into a movie released spring of 2016.  The movie is to star Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin.

I also read One Plus One by JoJo Moyes as well.  This one to me took a bit to get into.  I loved the ending and the point about finding people own tribe. This is a book about a single mom just trying to get her daughter to a Math competition in hopes that she might win and attend private school. They take a remarkable quirky interesting road trip to get to this math competition.

Other books I enjoyed by JoJo Moyes

 The Girl left Behind - This is actually my favorite.
Last Letter From Your Lover

What I Read August

Ah summer is coming to a end.  I am late to this reading party. I linking up to Modern Mrs. Darcy's What Have You Been Reading. Check out what everyone else is reading.

My reading has lately been an eclectic mess

The Queen's Governess by Karen Harper - I have been interested in the Tudor so this ties into that interest.  I thought the slant the story took exploring the governess angle was interesting. I think this is a worth while read if you are interested in this time period.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon - I re-read this.  I got in on the deal for all 6 books in the series on Kindle.  I have enjoyed reading it again.  I forgot that the start is a bit on the slow side.  After that the story is a hard one to put down.  It is a bit more racy than some readers would like but I enjoyed it.

What I Read July

 

I don't often stumble across a book and say, " YOU GOTTA READ THIS."  Well, I stumbled across and read this book, The Orchard House: How A Neglected Garden Taught One Family How To Grow  by Tara Austen Weaver and I want to tell everyone!!! This is the one time that the hot reads table actually pays off at the library.

Growing up were you intrigued by the book the Secret Garden?  Do you have complicated relationships?  Do you enjoy gardening?  Do you love to help the little people in your life explore the outdoors?  Well this book hits all of these sweet notes. Tara writes a moving memoir about her and her mom's garden in Seattle.  Her mom purchased a distressed property with an amazing overgrown garden.  Tara discusses how her relationships changes and how it relates to the garden that her mom and her are creating.

Tara reminds me that gardens have stories and those stories are about us. I  read this while at my mother in law's house. I felt like I was inside this book in some ways. I felt a strong personal connection to Tara's story even though it doesn't really mirror my own . While I read this story I was in my mother in law's garden doing a little of this and that.  My youngest and I were picking her cherries. Tara spends a lot of time with her nieces and nephew in the garden.

So I thought I would share a little story of my mother in law's garden. She bought a house with a large yard that she has been making her own.  We call the house the butter house for the yellow color. My mother in law is the ultimate seed saver and distressed plant buyer.  Here back yard is not ideal but she has terraced and made the best of yard she has. She added a cherry tree, blue berry bushes, lots of cool plants,  a container garden on her deck etc. She has transformed it. The book Orchard House reminds gardens are work and so are relationships.

Tara blogs at Tea and Cookies. This book also checks off my read something from 2015 in the Reading Challenge.

I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy's Quick Lit. Check out what everyone is reading.

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What I read June

I think I am recovering from my reading slump.  Thanks for all the great suggestions. Below is what I ended up reading last month. I am linking up to Modern Mrs Darcy's "What I have Been Reading".

The Secret Place by Tana French. 

This book was a slow burn for me.  The story could of unfolded just a touch faster but the who did it factor kept me reading. You can't go wrong with a murder mystery at a boarding school. I didn't realize until later this book is part of a series. Interestingly Modern Mrs Darcy had another one of Tana French's book on her Un-Put-Down-able List -The Likeness.

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

I love adventure books and especially those that about people who tackle these incredible long trails. Bill and his friend set out to hike the Appalachian trail. My favorite quote was this by Bill.

"We didn't walk 2,200 miles, it's true, but here's the thing; we tried"

This was on Modern Mrs Darcy's Summer Reading Guide. This is being made into a movie as well.



Lastly another book from the Summer Reading Guide, I read Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson.

 I loved loved it.  This YA book is a great summer read.  Their adventure driving from California to Connecticut is indeed EPIC.   Amy is dealing with tragic circumstance and Roger with a break up.

My favorite quote-

"I'd found out that when you're never going to see someone again. It's not the goodbye that matters. What matters is that you're never going to be able to say anything else to them. And you're left with an eternal unfinished conversation."

What I have been reading May edition.

I find myself with a book list of one.  This is unusual for me. I think this is the least amount of books I have read in ages.

I finally read a book everyone has read, Still Alice by Lisa Genova.  It made me cry. I seem to be on a tragic circumstance trip with books and movies.  I managed to read Still Alice and watch Remember Me, Listen to Me, and Fault in the Stars.  I couldn't finish Fault in the Stars. This book easily fits the box on the Reading Challenge as a book everyone else has read.

Does anyone else get in a reading rut or lack of finding quality books rut?  Well I am in one so I am going to be checking out Modern Mrs Darcy's Quick Lit.  Please pretty please leave a reading suggestion in the comments.

What I have been reading in April

I am linking up to Modern Mrs Darcy's," What I am reading. " Check out what  everyone is reading.

Girl at the End of the World by Elizabeth Esther was a book that grabbed me from the hot reads table at the library.  Those darn librarians and their merchandizing. In all seriousness, this book details Elizabeth's escape from fundamentalism and how she finds her faith and voice.  I live in an area that has a high concentration of these fundamental  Christians.  I use to run into these types all the time when my children were younger.  I found her story fascinating as her grandparents were the founders of their group of fundamental Christians.  There was abuse within their church. I was also surprised to open her book and find a name I recognized on the dedication to Hana Alemu Williams.  Hana Williams is a adopted child who was starved to death by her adopted parents and is from the area I live in. ( Great post by Light of Day on Hana) Elizabeth's parents used the Pearl's book of child training.  Elizabeth has strongly come out against Micheal Pearl in an Anderson Cooper Interview.  There was an author's interview in the back of the book I read and it was extremely interesting and also goes into a bit of whye she transitioned to being catholic which is also discussed at the end of the book as well.

I also read Miles From Nowhere by Barbara Savage. This is one of those real life adventure books I love.  This documents Barbara and Larry's round the world bicycle adventure. They biked across the US, England, Italy, Spain, Egypt(!), Thailand, New Zealand, India.  I loved their commentary and I can't imagine bicycling in many of the places they did.  They talk about the encounters and the absolute kindness of strangers.  I was sad to see at the end of the book there was a remembrance page for Barbara.  She was killed in a head collision with a car on her bike.  I thought of all the dangerous places she biked and then to be killed right outside of her home in the US.

The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen is from a genre I don't usually read, fantasy.  I did enjoy it and found it a quick read.  This is the first book in a proposed trilogy and I believe this book is in development for a potential movie. There was some aspects of the book I felt could of be fleshed out a bit more but overall a good storyline - Princess returns to become Queen and set kingdom to rights.  This new Queen is not your typical pretty face. 

I really didn't think I needed to enter the reading confessional so soon again BUT I picked a book based on the fact it talked about geocaching.  My friends think I need a geocaching intervention. I read North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley.  North of Beautiful is a young adult book.  It is a book about Terra who has a large birth mark and how she feels flawed. She wants o escape her life and she meets a boy who changes how she thinks about herself and her current circumstances. The boy also teaches her to geocache.

What I Read In March

I am linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy's Quick Lit.  My reads were an eclectic bunch. Need suggestions on what to read next check out what everyone else is reading.

Postcards from Cookie by Caroline Clarke.  This is an autobiographical book. A daughter not really looking for her Mom but rather medical information finds her birth mom. It turns into a 7 year journey of getting to know her mother. Her birth mother Cookie is a prolific postcard sender. There are interesting circumstances that bring them together and less than 7 degrees of separation. This is not your typical adoptee story.

 Award-winning journalist and host of Black "Enterprise" Business Report Caroline Clarke's moving memoir of her surprise discovery of her birthmother—Cookie Cole, the daughter of Nat King Cole—and the relationship that blossomed between them through the heartfelt messages they exchanged on hundreds of postcards. - Amazon

City of Woman by David Gillman - This book was on our hot reads table.  The hot reads table at the local library is my kryptonite. Interesting look at WWII and the German woman left behind.  Rarely is it discussed about the choices of the German women who were left behind during the war.  The paranoid atmosphere, the constant bombing, the moral dilemmas they faced. This is definitely a PG book if not R.  The topics of infidelity and martial affairs. It was just ok but very thought provoking.

I hesitate to write what I read next.  I need to enter the book reading confessional. Well here it goes.  I reread the Twilight series.  Yes, I READ THE ENTIRE SERIES AGAIN. I know it isn't good literature. But it is familiar and I needed that right now. There is something comforting knowing the characters and the ending. 

FEEL FREE TO LEAVE A READING CONFESSION IN THE COMMENTS. 

What I Read February

 

I decided to participate in Modern Mrs Darcy's "What I am Reading" aka quick lit. Check out what everyone else is reading. Well, I tackled 2 books recommend by family and friends and read some additional books as well.

Tracks is a book that was recommended by Nonna (MIL). The sub title of this book is one woman's journey across 1,700 miles of Australian Outback. Robyn travels with her 4 camels and dog from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean.  I wish before I read this I knew more about Australia and the abordingnal issues. That being said, this is remarkable story and like most adventure stories of Robyn is searching for herself.  I learned a lot about camels.  They really are truly amazing animals. 

Of course, my immature mind goes to The Hump Day Commercial.



The Maze Runner was recommended by 2 Colby's and is a young adult book. Of course, there is also the Maze Runner movie as well.  I enjoy this book in a way it reminded me a lot of Hunger Games  I can definitely see the appeal to teenage boys and even teenage girls. 

I also read The Rent Collector by Camron Wright. I really loved it. 




Below is my favorite quote from the book
"Literature's lessons repeat because they echo from deeper places. They touch a chord in our soul because they're notes we've already heard played. Plots repeat because, from the birth of man, they explore the reasons for our being. Stories teach us to not give up hope because there are times in our own journey when we mustn't give up hope. They teach endurance because in our lives we are meant to endure. They carry messages that older than the words themselves, messages that reach beyond the page." - The Rent Collector

Lastly, I read The Dept of Speculation by Jenny Offill.  I have never read a book written the way this one was written.  The story is basically told with snippets and observations mixed in with quotes and facts. You feel a little bit like a detective seeing how each piece of information relates to the next snippet. I am glad this was a short book.  I felt a little over my head in this one but overall a fast quirky read.

What is saving me- BIG and small

I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy- What is Saving You?  We are at winter's half way point.

What literally saved me this past month was having my Gall Bladder out on Jan 1.   Yes, I know how to ring in the new year.  It was a wake up for me to change up my diet.  Who knew that 3 ounces could cause so much pain and anguish.  I can't believe how much better having my gall bladder out.  It made me realize that I had been in distress for a long time. I haven't walked up to anyone yet and said, "Wanna see my scars." I have been eating a lot of oatmeal in the mornings. 

The small thing that has been cracking my Husband and I up and making our day lighter is simply an observation. This has been literally the year of the random odd sock. 

Don't have any pictures of our random
sock finds so I decided just to share a
bright sock picture

What I mean, as we were in the ER parking lot we spotted a sock on the ground on our path on the first day of the year. You know the day, I had my worst gall bladder attack EVER.  My husband at once began to notice a pattern of the random odd sock and it seems like hardly a day goes by without a sighting - freeway, airport parking lot, casino.   My hubby and I have been noticing them.  It is our inside joke.  There are a lot of bigger things we could be paying attention too but this is cracking us up.

Rooting for the Seahawks has been a lot of fun.  It is amazing how much 12th man spirit is out there. Seahawk fans are the BEST! The whole family has gotten into it.  A lady just gave my hubby a knitted Seahawks hat.

 I am not sporty but I do enjoy watching the Seahawks play.

Marking something off my travel bucket list - Geocaching the ET Highway.  It is something that both my husband and I have wanted to do for a while and we made it happen. We ended up in 4 days getting around 307 geocaches.  (Travel Details)

Lastly, the winter's here are dark.  They haven't been as cold this year.  Thank you El Nino! Books are my light in the dark.  I finished Boys in the Boat but I have been working on Tracks, Maze Runner, and The Rent Collector.

Reading Challenge, Boys on the Boat, Seattle Seahawks

I am taking Modern Mrs Darcy Reading Challenge.  Details are here and in the graphic above.  I am also linking up to Modern Mrs Darcy's Quick Lit. Check out what everyone is reading.

I read the Boys on the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olymipics by Daniel James Brown. This book is also part of our county's reading program - Whatcom Reads. In addition, this also falls into the category of a "Book I Kept Meaning to Read".  I kept putting this off even though the book has gotten rave reviews.  I didn't know if I would like a book about Washington State Crew Racing and their 1936 Olympic Bid. 

I loved the book.  It is about the Washington State University Crew that went to the Olympics in Berlin.  Several things resonated with me.  First the book is written from the perspective of Joe Rantz.  Joe had a incredibly hard up bringing and was a self made man.  His family was dysfunctional and there was a lot of turbulence in his younger years.  Everything he earned came through hard work.  Joe's work ethic reminded so much of my grandparent's and Pappy's drive to succeed.

Secondly, I have watched crew competitions in the past but now I want to watch again simply because  the writing in the book draws you in. I want to know more about crew. 

Lastly, this book talks a lot about teamwork, fluidity, and being in the zone without using any of those words.  In order to be a crew and crew member each person needs to care more about the person sitting in front of them and behind them.  This similar sediment was espoused by Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks Quarter Back and Pete Carroll, Seahawks Coach. I actually finished book during the Seattle Seahawk playoff game with the Panthers. GO HAWKS!