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 June 2019 Reading List, my brief reviews and book recommendations for June 2019. Hopefully I’ll provide you with some inspiration for your future reading as well!

Books Finished:

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

Borrowed from library.

This was our book club’s June pick. The story follows children who live on a riverboat with their parents during the Depression. They are stolen from their family and put into a group home orphanage. Conditions are horrible. And their lives take interesting and heartbreaking turns. It presented lots of fodder for discussion, and was generally liked by my book club.

Atonement by Ian McEwan

Already owned physical book.

This book started SLOW, and I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to read through to the end. But boy, am I glad that I finished it. I don’t want to give too much away about the ending, and I why I loved it so much. It is the story of two teenagers who have known each other since they were small children, and the younger sister who misunderstands the actions of those teenagers.

Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis

Borrowed from library using Libby app.

After reading Girl, Wash Your Face, I started following Rachel Hollis on Instagram and listening to her podcast RISE. So when I heard about her new book, I knew that I had to read it. And Rachel Hollis narrates her own books, so I had to have the e-book. This was powerful material, and I recommend this book for all women to read.

The Huntress by Kate Quinn

Borrowed from library using Libby app. 

The story of a woman who is a Nazi war criminal, and those who hunt her, and how their lives intersect. The action lasts right up to the very end of the book, and it’s a page turner until that point. A great read, for sure.

From Beirut to Jerusalem by Thomas Friedman

Already owned physical book.

I’ve been a fan of Thomas Friedman’s books for years, and had this one in my collection of unread books. I decided now was the time to read it. Because the events of Israel’s founding were before I was born, and I was a toddler when Beirut was enmeshed in civil war, this was an enlightening look at why some of the players in the Middle East take the positions that they do, and why we can’t seem to make any progress toward peace in the region.

White Gardenia by Belinda Alexandra

Purchased physical book this year.

Following a White Russian girl, this story moves across the world and through all kinds of unimaginable circumstances. This book is incredible, and I recommend it. I’m really glad that I stumbled across it at the book sale.

Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton

Purchased physical book this year.

Pirates + heist + sea monsters + intrigue = a fantastic page-turner of a book. I picked this up at the local Friends of the Library book sale, and finished it in just a few days, because I couldn’t wait to see what happened next.

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Drake

Borrowed from library using Libby app.

Told from the perspective of a little girl who has cerebral palsy, and is trapped in a body that doesn’t cooperate, and who can’t speak. People think that she’s mentally handicapped. Until she gets a device that enables her to communicate. And then they realize how smart and funny she is. Her life is not easy, and heartbreak happens even to her. But that makes this book even more wonderful. I recommend this book very much.

Joan of Arc: A Life Inspired by Wyatt North

Purchased Kindle e-book this year.

An interesting figure from history, I would be that most have heard of Joan of Arc, but few really know anything about her. This short little book is big on details and information, so that you finish the book knowing quite a lot about Joan of Arc, the good and the bad.

The Victory Garden by Rhys Bowen

Borrowed from Kindle Owner’s Lending Library.

Rhys Bowen is a master of historical fiction. She writes powerful stories, that are exciting and moving. This one is no exception. It follows Emily, who is raised in an upper-class English household, and meets an Australian who convinces her that she can do more than she ever imagined.

1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die

Purchased physical book this year.

While setting up for our local Friends of the Library book sale, I found this one and had to take it home with me. It is a great addition to my collection of books about books. (I received a book about the 100 great American reads earlier this year.) I just love finding out interesting tidbits about my favorite books and the most important books in literature.

Books In Progress:

The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan (Already owned physical book.)

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.)

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving (Borrowed from library using Libby app.)

Books Abandoned:

Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance Between Astrophysics and the Military by Neil deGrasse Tyson and Avis Lang (Already owned Kindle e-book.)