Every month I try to read at least one book from the following categories: nonfiction, devotional, and fiction. In 2019 I’m not participating in a formal reading challenge, but rather The Unread Shelf Project 2019, a challenge to read books that I already own. So I’ll be listing where each book came from this year instead of listing a particular challenge category. This is my December 2019 Reading List, my brief reviews and book recommendations for December 2019. Hopefully I’ll provide you with some inspiration for your future reading as well!

Books Finished:

Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman

Borrowed from library using Libby app.

This short story is a father’s story to his children about the reason for his delay when going out to get some milk for breakfast. It is charming and fun, and definitely did not disappoint. If you need something a little lighthearted, choose this one.

Prognosis: A Memoir of My Brain by Sarah Vallance

Borrowed through Amazon Prime Reading.

A woman is bucked off of a horse and suffers a traumatic brain injury. This is her story of coping with it, as well as the changes to her life as a result. It’s an interesting story, but is also heartbreaking and eye-opening. In reading it, I also couldn’t help but think that if she’d suffered the injury now, that the treatment would have looked much different than when she sought treatment.

The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel

Borrowed from library using Libby app.

This is my book club’s January pick, and since it’s pretty long, I thought I’d get a jump start and read it early. The story is set in the prehistoric ice age era, which struck me as novel. I can’t remember ever reading a book, or even hearing about a book, set in this time frame before. And it follows early humans, including Neanderthals. The story is fascinating, if a bit heavy on the details at times. I enjoyed it enough that I decided to check out the second book in The Earth’s Children series.

The Valley of Horses by Jean M. Auel

Borrowed from library using Libby app.

The second book in The Earth’s Children, this book follows Ayla as she journeys on without the Neanderthals in search of the Others. I don’t know that I liked it as much as the first one, as it felt a little tedious at times. But seing Ayla grow in her independence and confidence was fun.

Following Christ: Losing Your Life for His Sake by Charles H. Spurgeon

Already owned Kindle e-book.

This book encourages Christians to move into action, and to listen to God in determining the best course of action for each of us, and the best time/place/manner for that action. It was written in the 1800s, so pieces of it would be interpreted a little differently in present time, and the language used is a bit different. But it remains a compelling book, and generally holds up well to the pasage of time.

The Coincidence Makers by Yoav Blum

Borrowed from library using Libby app.

This book is a bit of a mind bender, but in a really good way. It follows the coincidence makers, people whose job is to quite literally create the “coincidences” that lead to new thoughts or ideas or people to meet particular other people. There are also IFs, or Imaginary Friends. This book was fun at first, but more serious later on, and had a compelling narrative that tied together well in the end. Definitely recommended.

Ghost by Jason Reynolds

Borrowed from library using Libby app.

This is on the PBS Great American Reads list, and I decided to listen to the audiobook this month. It is well narrated, and I felt like the narrator captured Ghost’s voice well. The story is of a middle school boy trying to cope with past family trauma and navigate life. He stumbles across a track team and ends up on the team. And the ending of the book is just fantastic. I really enjoyed this book and can see how it ended up on the list, even though it was quite new when the list was put together.

The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas by Ann Voskamp

Already owned physical book.

This is my third time reading through this Advent devotional. This time around, I started right on December 1, so I didn’t need to read multiple entries to catch up, and I managed to actually make sure that I read each entry on time. This book is wonderful, and stands up well to re-reading, with the scripture passages, thoughts from the author, and questions at the end of each section. I just love this book.

 

Books in Progress:

Courageously Uncomfortable by Lisa J. Goins (Already owned Kindle e-book.) My bible study group is working through this book.

The Selected Letters of Willa Cather by Willa Cather, Andrew Jewell, and Janis Stout (Purchased physical book this year.)

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey (Borrowed from a friend.)

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien (Already owned Audible.)

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young: The Wild, Definitive Saga of Rock’s Greatest Supergroup by David Browne (Borrowed from library.)

Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad by M.T. Anderson (Purchased using Audible credit.)

The St. Nicholas Anthology edited by Henry Steele Commager (Already owned physical book.)

 

Books Abandoned:

Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World’s Greatest Nuclear Disaster by Adam Higginbotham (Borrowed from library using Libby app.)