With the year nearly at a close and basketball season at its peak, I must concede that I am about done with my reading for 2018. The good news, I suppose, is that I can make some great recommendations from my “Read” list!

I currently count 47 books completed this year (including Bible studies). Many asked how I did it, and here’s my secret: audiobooks! I finally got wise and used audiobooks to tear through popular fiction during my commute. Combine drive time with long walks and mindless data entry at work, and I could push through more than one book a week. Initially it felt like cheating, but I realized that I remembered what I heard almost as vividly as what I read. I can recall most of the stories I played, and a few of them made this list.

Now my drive is shorter and I keep a coach’s schedule, so I’m not reading at the pace I’d like. This lull has given me headspace to determine my favorite books I encountered this year. While I dabbled in many genres and enjoyed almost every word I absorbed, a few titles stand out as heavy hitters that I can’t help but recommend.

You ready? Here we go!

• Around the Way Girl by Taraji P. Henson – This book had tight competition for favorite memoir of 2018 with Pat Summitt’s Sum It Up (highly recommend for my athlete- and leader readers!), but I learned so much about Ms. Henson and the grit she acquired through her life story. I may’ve been on a Taraji film kick at the time, too. My favorite element: she narrated her own memoir. How can I not love hours of her?
• The Gospel Comes with a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield – If you haven’t heard of Rosaria Butterfield, she is a Christian with a phenomenal testimony of slow and steady friendship that led her to Christ via their “radical, ordinary hospitality.” This book is her third and it outlines the qualities of her ministry of table fellowship and purposeful hospitality. I felt challenged to open my home and my time more, a practice that my roommates (thankfully!) willingly and excitedly accept with me!
• Talent is Overrated by Geoff Colvin – This one is research tied with cultural philosophy, and I enjoyed it. Colvin breaks down the elements of success for elite performers, concluding that greatness may be more accessible than we think. I appreciated this encouraging look at the impact and potential of consistent, persistent, strategic hard work.
• And Then There were None by Agatha Christie – I hadn’t read anything by Agatha Christie except Murder on the Orient Express (go read that if you haven’t!). My mom told me she really liked this one, so I wanted to try it. With each plot twist, the story kept me listening a little longer than I planned. I occasionally caught myself checking if the doors were locked, a sign of quality suspense!
• The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah – Based in Alaska, this novel follows a fictional family as they begin a new life in America’s last frontier. Unfortunately, their expectations go unmet, and the family must adapt to survive not only the winter, but also their own relationships. This read isn’t for the faint of heart, but it contains powerful true-to-life stories in one of the most breathtaking places I’ve seen. *Flagged for domestic violence*

Bonus! I don’t count Bible studies as traditional books, but I feel just as accomplished completing them as I do regular books! So, here is my favorite Bible study from 2018:

• Voices: Hearing God in a World of Impostors, Old Testament by Pam Gillaspie – Do you know the difference between God’s voice and the voice of a liar? Part 1 of this study traces God’s words through the Old Testament, pointing out patterns of what, when, where, why, and how God spoke. Application questions helped me consider the implications and value that God’s Word has in my life. After 8 weeks of study and community this fall, I’m grateful to have learned so much with a beautiful group of women.

That’s my short list! If you want to check my up-to-date reading progress, look for me on GoodReads. I’ll gladly take your recommendations, too!

What have you read this year? What did you enjoy most?

Thanks for reading,

Rebekah

Looking to try audiobooks, but don’t know how? I took advantage of my local library’s access to Hoopla and CloudLibrary for both classic and popular titles. All I had to do was download the apps and use my library information. Ask your library what they offer and how you can use it!