Books I read in 2018

I did it!  I reached and passed my goal of 24 books read this year (not all pictured above)!  I participated in courses and book clubs that pushed me to read more than I usually do, which helped me a lot in my goal.  Rediscovering the Libby and Hoopla audiobook apps was also a big help.  I still borrow as many books as I can from the library, though I did get a few hard copy books because I knew I'd want to mark notes in them (looking at you, Brené Brown).  We have a Kindle that helps us keep our book count down, which helps me keep sanity and integrity with minimalism.

I joined the goodreads app this year to track my reading.  Having that visual aid kept me motivated and gave me an easy place to write reviews, too.  I haven't written reviews for everything I've read, but if you're interested, you can follow me and see what's next on my lists here.

* indicates required reading for leadership courses from my church.
Bold indicates books I especially enjoyed highly recommend.

Religion

• The Forgotten Desert Mothers, Laura Swan
• Half the Church, Carolyn Custis James - Uncovering God's full purpose for women
• * Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, Peter Scazero
• * The Jesus Storybook Bible, Sally Lloyd-Jones
• The Bible Tells Me So, Peter Enns - The Bible is more than you ever knew.
• * Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands, Paul David Tripp
• * Can Man Live Without God, Ravi Zacharias
• * Renovate, Léonce Crump
• Inspired, Rachel Held Evans
• Falling Upward, Richard Rohr - The two halves of life and how to navigate the transition
• The Day the Revolution Began, N.T. Wright - Coming back to a biblical view of atonement

Fiction

• Laurus, Evgenij Vodolazkin - An enchanting story of an herbalist monk in the Middle Ages
• The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood
• The Yellow Wall-Paper, Charlotte Perkins Gilman
• The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins - This thriller had me hooked like few books hook me.

Professional Development

• * The Leadership Challenge, James M. Kouzes
• * Emotional Intelligence 2.0, Travis Bradberry
• Teaming, Amy C. Edmondson - Research and insights on psychological safety in the workplace

Other Nonfiction

• They Thought They Were Free, Milton Sanford Mayer
• Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Harriet Ann Jacobs - The life and sufferings of a black slave girl in the South
• Braving the Wilderness, Brené Browne - Vulnerability and belonging matter.
• Atlanta Chef's Table, Kate Parham Kordsmeier
• Eating Viet Nam, Graham Holliday - Lifely stories about meeting Vietnamese street food
• Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, Neil deGrasse Tyson
• The Most Beautiful Thing I've Seen, Lisa Gungor
• Girl Wash Your Face, Rachel Hollis
• 'Tis, Frank McCourt
• Rising Strong as a Spiritual Practice, Brené Browne