Every month I try to read at least one book from the following categories: nonfiction, devotional, and fiction. And this year I’m doing things just a little bit differently than in the past. Since I decided to participate in the 2016 PopSugar Reading Challenge, I’m also going to be listing which category my books fulfill. If you want to join in on the fun, you can check out the list of categories here! This is What I Read in November 2016, my brief book reviews and recommendations, and there were some great books.

Books Finished:

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lewis Wallace

2016 PopSugar Challenge: a book that’s more than 600 pages

Wow. This is an epic book, and suitable for the 600+ page challenge. I’d previously seen the movie, which was fantastic; but the book was even better. Even though it’s quite long, I would recommend that everyone tackle it. I listened to it on Audible at 1.2 speed, which helped get through it just a bit quicker. I really liked the narration.

On the Road by Jack Kerouac

2016 PopSugar Challenge: a book about a road trip

 So, I read this. But I can’t say I loved it. The characters struck my as incredibly self-centered and immature. And although I read the ending three times, I just don’t understand it. There’s significance there, but it’s lost on me. I wanted very much to like this iconic road trip book.

The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck

I listened to this book on Audible. The narration was fine, but not among my absolute favorite narrators. The novel was good, but not exceptional. I did really appreciate how the various story lines from different time frames were tied together in the end. A sweet Christian story that is an enjoyable way to pass the time while driving on a road trip. 

It Is Well by James D. Shipman

Taking place just before and during World War II, this novel follows a single family as they try to continue living after the death of the mother/wife and coping with the war’s effects on American society. This book also tackled the topic of domestic violence, so warning if that’s a potential trigger for you. I really liked this book, especially how real events of Wake Island were interpreted into this fictional account.

The Daughter of Union County by Francine Thomas Howard

This was one of my Kindle owners lending library picks. I really enjoyed it, although it was at times difficult to read due to the subject matter being graphic and hard to think about. The book takes place in the post-Civil War south, and definitely tackles themes of slavery, racism, and oppression of women. I enjoyed it and was able to get through it quite quickly. But it isn’t my absolute favorite of the year.

The Fever Code by James Dashner

2016 PopSugar Challenge: a book and its prequel

I read the other books in the Maze Runner series earlier this year. This prequel is the last book of the series that I hadn’t yet read, so I thought I’d pick it up for this challenge category. After reading the other books and getting snippets of memories, it was nice to finally read about Thomas’s experiences with WICKED before going into the maze. I really liked the book, but then I enjoyed the rest of the series too.

Books Abandoned:

None.