Goodreads | Film is Not Dead

I had a goal to read 25 books in 2014. Whew. That's a lot of reading I'm realizing now. I'm currently on book #17 and while I'm not going to reach my (lofty) goal, I realized that the whole point was just to READ MORE. I'm a huge bookworm (remember when I only wanted to be a librarian?) but I tend to push reading to the back burner when I have lots of other stuff going on. In college? I hardly read at all. Somehow, my multitasking-loving self couldn't fathom picking up another book after class.

So while this year was crazy busy, I'm so happy I made time to just sit with a book and unwind. Holding a good hardcover book in your hands does something for your soul. That's obviously why I wanted to be a librarian.

Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen My family refers to Henri Nouwen, a Catholic priest, all the time (have I mentioned that my mom is a minister?), so I thought it was about time I finally read this book cover to cover. It was a pretty quick read in the sense that there weren't as many pages as lots of other books but Nouwen digs deep into spiritual life in every one of those pages. A good starting point for people exploring Christianity. (****)

Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver For some reason, Barbara Kingsolver's novels have always intimidated me. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed The Poisonwood Bible in high school, but every one of her books are so big. Maybe I've grown up and gotten past the size of books freaking me out because I really loved Flight Behavior. It's not the type of subject I would normally go for (kinda science-y … that was my very worst subject in school), but it was so engrossing, and I learned so much about butterflies and climate change, that a couple pages in I couldn't remember why I almost didn't pick this up in the first place. (****)

Film is Not Dead by Jonathan Canlas This book has been on my to-read list since I picked up a film camera last year. It was chock-full of good information that my eager film-learning self hungrily devoured. Plus it had lots of pretty pictures. Canlas is funny and doesn't take himself too seriously, which I also appreciated. (****)

Prayers for the Stolen by Jennifer Clement My mom does such a good job picking out books for me. This is another one I never would have found on my own, but thanks to her I found a new favorite. The story takes place in Mexico and explores what it's like to be a woman in a city that revolves around the drug trade. It was hard to read at times but so, so important. (*****)

Goodreads | 25 in 12 + Reviews

Happy Monday, friends! I had the most wonderful and relaxing weekend, which included lots of time to read—one of the goals included my New Year's Resolution for better balance in 2014. I realized last year that I was turning on the TV way more often than picking up a book, and half of the stuff I was watching was just plain stupid. I knew I would feel more accomplished and relaxed if I chose reading over TV, so I'm taking on a challenge: Read 25 books in 12 months. And guess what? I've already finished one book! It feels so good to fill my mind with meaningful and poignant stories instead of ridiculous stuff on TV. (This is not to say I'm not watching any TV. Of course I still have my favorite shows that I can't give up. :) )

So, I'd LOVE to hear your very favorite book recommendations to add to my list for 2014. Here's what I've got so far (taking care to mix fiction with non-fiction with spiritual with business, etc., for a well-rounded, book-filled year!):

1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
2. Help, Thanks, Wow by Anne Lamott
3. I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
4. Film is Not Dead by Jonathan Canlas
5. Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen
6. Blog, Inc. by Joy Deangdeelert Cho
7. The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak
8. Emma by Jane Austen
9. The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe
10. Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid by Jimmy Carter
11. Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver
12. Boundaries by Henry Cloud
13. The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan
14. The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon
15. Girl Meets God by Lauren Winner
16. Tattoos on the Heart by Gregory Boyle
17. And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
18. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

As a thank you for helping me complete my list, I have some reviews for you on my recent reads. Some are great! Some are not so great. Did you read any of these? What did you think?

The Butterfly's Daughter by Mary Alice Monroe. I'll start with my least favorite and work my way on up. This book was just a little too corny? Unbelievable? Annoying? I can't quite put my finger on it, but I just couldn't get into it. The gist of the story is that Luz, who is recently left alone when her grandmother guardian passes away, goes on this journey to Mexico to follow the monarch butterflies as they migrate south. The butterflies symbolize her grandmother, which is beautiful and all, but the whole thing was just a little too much for me. (**)

Weird by Craig Groeschel. I really enjoyed the premise of this book—that we should try to be more than normal in a society that's all about fitting in—and the two sections on time and money were right up my alley (especially because I read this towards the end of the year when I was feeling out of sync). But then I realized I had some major ideological differences than Groeschel and I just couldn't get over them as I finished the book. Hint: He rags on Ellen. ELLEN! (**)

The Sisters by Nancy Jensen. This is good old-fashioned fiction at it's finest. The Sisters really surprised me. The story is intricately woven through multiple generations of women, all stemming from two sisters in the late 1920s. After a complete misunderstanding, the sisters are separated and start very different lives of their own. Their daughters and granddaughters add to the story that's not as black-and-white as it seems. (****)

Their Eyes were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. For some reason, I tend to avoid reading classic novels. That sounds pretty terrible for a reader like me, but I think it's because it reminds me of school and I don't want to be reminded of school when I'm reading for fun. Anyways, after reading Their Eyes were Watching God, I realized I need to read more classics now that I'm older and can appreciate them. What a beautifully written love story that stems from complete bitterness and despair. I loved the redemption after all Janie Crawford, the main character, went through. A must read! (****)

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Oh my goodness, this book. I told my mom (who gave me this book!) just a few days ago that I couldn't get over how every character in this book talks (totally unrealistic! I obviously have a problem with using my imagination!), but after finishing it three days later, I don't even care. John Green weaves the most breathtaking and heartbreaking story, and I couldn't get enough. Hazel, who is the heroic narrator, suffers from terminal cancer, which doesn't define her necessarily but obviously greatly affects the way she sees the world and lives her life. When she meets Augustus, a fellow cancer survivor, her world is turned around. I really can't do the book justice with my words, so you'll just have to go pick it up! (*****)

Goodreads | 7

So I know I just did a Goodreads post, but I tore through a couple books on vacation and had to share my beach edition with you all ... complete with sand. :) Really, is there anything better than soaking up the sun with a good book in your lap? We relaxed hard in St. Lucia and that means reading an entire book in one day. Enjoy!

7 by Jen Hatmaker. I needed this book. Badly. Nathan and I found it really ironic that I was reading it while vacationing on a tropical island because the premise of the book is how to live a simpler life. Everyone can use some simplifying, yes? I know I do, and Jen's (yes, we're on a first-name basis) seven areas in which she simplified were really perfect: clothes, shopping, waste, food, possessions, media and stress. Every month, she (and sometimes her family) would work on cutting back in one of these areas (read: only eating seven different foods for an entire month) to learn what it feels like to NOT have everything you want right at your fingertips. Did I mention that Jen is hil-AR-ious? For proof, check out her blog.

Every chapter spoke to me, but media, possessions and stress hit me the hardest. I realized how much time I waste by giving in to stress. It's MY choice to be stressed and I'm embarrassed to admit how much I let it take me over. This is an amazing, eye-opening read. I especially admire Jen's faith and her dedication to social justice issues, which are both the inspiration for the book. Read. Now! (*****)

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen. This was the book that I read in one day on the beach. It was a super easy read (if you couldn't tell!) and a mindless mystery about a fictitious Southern town. The main character and a new/old friend stumble across a disturbing scene at an old mansion that's being restored. This leads them to uncover secrets that may or may not have to do with their own relatives. Kinda predictable. Kinda cheesy. But definitely entertaining. (***)

Goodreads | Run & The 19th Wife

Now that I'm not planning a wedding or working three jobs (ridiculous), I have some extra time to read! My goal this year is to read more often and pick up some books that I wouldn't normally. If you have any recommendations, please leave them in the comment box below! And I hope a couple of you pick up one or both of my Goodreads recommendations (they both got 4 out of 5 stars on my Goodreads shelf): Run by Ann Patchett. My dear friend Leah recommended this book, and it did not disappoint! I was about three-fourths of the way in before I realized that the entire book had taken place over the course of about 24 hours. That's the sign of a good piece of fiction ... you get so wrapped up in the story that you forget about the logistics. This modern-day novel follows a family through a Boston snowstorm and beautifully uncovers the lasting impact that the storm will have on the family's makeup. The snowstorm, however, doesn't define the story; it's more of a secondary character that subtlety nudges the book in a certain direction.

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff. Before I opened this book, I knew next to nothing about polygamy. Yep, you heard me ... I don't watch "Sister Wives." (Because, clearly, that's the best place to go to learn about polygamy!) Really, even after having read this book I'm not sure I can say I'm an expert because the story is obviously a work of fiction, BUT it was fascinating nonetheless and I feel a little more informed about the history of the practice. Ebershoff intertwines a present-day murder mystery involving a polygamous and fundamentalist sect of the Church of Latter Day Saints with Ann Eliza Young's (Brigham Young's infamous estranged wife) memoirs about her fight to end polygamy. Certainly an entertaining read if nothing else!