5 Best Books of 2018 – My Favorite Reads of the Year in No Particular Order

I’m a bit of a book junkee. The only genres I generally steer clear of are modern day romantic fiction and sci-fi. But I did read a book by Stephen King this year that was about giant bugs trapping people in a grocery store, so I guess I dipped into sci-fi a bit. You might not care what I read, and that’s okay. But if you love to sit with a coffee and a warm blanket and pass a day reading, I recommend these five.

Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved

Kate Bowler

This was so so good. Just maybe don’t read it in public because it’s one of those laugh out loud one second and ugly cry the next second kind of books. Much better read in the privacy of your home 🙂 I loved her honesty, her humor and her perspective on life and on the fallacy of the prosperity gospel.

Buy it Here:  Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved

Exoneree

Glenda Faye Mathes 

I finished this one in two days. It’s such an incredible and well-written story. A powerful picture of the deficiencies of our criminal justice system and a beautiful picture of God’s grace and mercy. Good stuff. Plus it’s written by my writer friend. It’s always fun when you love a book written by someone you know.

Buy it Here: Exoneree

The Mountain Between Us

Charles Martin

I’ve heard the movie kind of stinks, but the book is one you don’t want to start unless you’ve got some free time on your hands. It’s so hard to put down. Loved the characters. Loved the story. Loved the relationship between the Ben and Ashley, and the relationship between Ben and his wife.

Buy it Here: The Mountain Between Us

Letters to the Church

Frances Chan

Thank you Frances Chan for this book. For someone who has been doing a LOT of thinking about what “church” should look like, this book hit so many spots that needed to be hit, and it helped me make sense of some of the struggles and questions that I’m currently working through. Good chance I’ll read this one again sometime in the next year.

Buy it Here: Letters to the Church

A River in Darkness

Masaji Ishikawa

This one broke my heart over and over. If you’re looking for something light and sappy, don’t read this. But if you want to enter a harsh unthinkable kind of a world that exists in real life, dig in. I learned a lot about North Korea, and I finished it immensely thankful that I was born and raised in the USA.

Buy it Here: A River in Darkness (this one is only $1.99 on Kindle right now)