Books: 2014 Part 3

I read 48 books this year. So close to 50! I blame Gilmore Girls. I don't think I picked up a book for the entire month of October.

Part 1 here.
Part 2 here.

1. How To Take the Ex Out Of Ex-Boyfriend by Janette Rallison ** I admit, the main reason I checked this book out was because the author has the same name as me. (It's even spelled the same!!! A rare occurrence.) Buuuuuut the book didn't quite live up to my high expectations. The characters were kind of blah (generic nice girl, generic nice boy), and the writing was also kind of blah. I can't even remember the story now.

2. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery *** Um, did you know that L.M. Montgomery wrote other books besides Anne of Green Gables? Because I did not. And I love Anne of Green Gables. So I guess my expectations were a little high, because I wasn't too enamored with this book, although I did enjoy it. Valency gets a "shocking diagnosis" and transforms her life to the way she really wants to be living. A sweet love story, but man alive she goes on and on and on about the wonders of nature (which admittedly I'm not the best audience for, so don't take my opinion too seriously.)

3. A Year of Biblical Womanhood by Rachel Held Evans ***** EXCELLENT. The author decides to literally live by the Bible. Chocked full of things to think about and I really appreciated her insights on some of the more difficult aspects in the Bible about the supposed inferiority of women. And it's not all intense heavy reading - I laughed out loud at many parts (the robot baby story had me in tears.) I think everyone should read it.

4. The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd ***** So so so good. And I was almost to the end of the book before I realized it was based on a real person! Historical fiction about Sarah Grimke, who was a well-known suffragette and abolitionist and Hetty, a (made-up) slave who grew up alongside her. Beautiful, clear writing and I loved seeing the parallels and differences between these two strong women as they struggle for their own kind of freedom.

5. Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer **** I love Georgette Heyer books. The main character in this one irked me - such a jerk! He kidnaps a girl! But somehow I was still rooting for him. It's the writing. It's too good.

6. Lady of Quality by Georgette Heyer **** So, I went on a Georgette Heyer binge. I borrowed a few from my SIL with the intention of spacing them out because I had other books on my nightstand to read, but... turns out I love Georgette Heyer books too much to do that. Lots of snappy dialogue in this one that I loved.

7. A Convenient Marriage by Georgette Heyer *** Another one. Don't judge me. Although I didn't like this one quite as much as the first two. The pace and the dialogue seemed slower to me compared to the other ones. And the characters weren't as endearing. Or maybe I was getting burnt out on regency romances by now? I didn't even know that was possible for me....

8. The Talisman Ring by Georgette Heyer ***** Nope. It's not possible. I love them! And especially this one! My favorite of the four. There is always the best intrigue and comedy and romance in Georgette Heyer's books, but this one seemed to blend them together perfectly. I laughed, I cried, I loved reading it. (I didn't really cry.)

9. Persuasion by Jane Austen **** It occurred to me that I hadn't actually read all of Jane Austen's books, which seems insane for someone with reading tastes like mine (see: Georgette Heyer binge), so I decided to remedy that. Short and sweet and it has all the elements that make Jane Austen so fantastic: clever writing, characters you love, witty dialogue, etc.

10. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell **** OK, this was just cute. I really love Rainbow Rowell's books. It's the way she writes. The characters and their dialogue seem very modern and accessible and believable. Cath, a fanfic writer, has to navigate college and boys without her twin sister.

11. The Crucible of Doubt by Terryl and Fiona Givens ***** I can tell I will be rereading this one. I really appreciate the way they approach difficult topics within the Mormon faith. I think it would be a good read for all Mormons, whether you're struggling with doubts or not, if only to get a stronger and clearer idea of what our doctrine is and is not.

12. The Gift of Fear by Gavin deBecker ***** Powerful. Important. If you are a woman you should read this. It has given me the tools to trust my intuition and to disregard unnecessary worries. Not that I am constantly surrounded by violence, but you never know. It has very good concrete information: lists and mnemonic devices and specific phrases to use and such. I highly recommend it.

Yes, eight out of twelve are romances. When your capacity to think goes dead by the end of the day with two toddlers, sometimes you just want a fluffy romance novel to read. DEAL WITH IT.

But suggestions for non romance novels would be good too....