Every month I try to read at least one book from the following categories: nonfiction, devotional, and fiction. And this year I’m participating in the 2018 PopSugar Reading Challenge, so 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 my May 2018 Reading List, my brief reviews and book recommendations for May 2018. Hopefully I’ll provide you with some inspiration for your future reading as well!

Books Finished:

Plastic Donuts: Giving That Delights the Heart of the Father by Jeff Anderson

My church recommended that the parishioners read this book as we contemplated what level of giving was most appropriate in an upcoming capital campaign. It’s very short, and I finished it in one day. I appreciated that he looked at what the bible does and does not say about giving and that we should give in a way that will be pleasing to the Lord. But I also appreciated that this book isn’t a guilt trip, and recognized that sometimes other things (such as paying off debt before giving) are where the Lord is leading us.

Why the Sky Is Blue by Susan Meissner

A Christian woman is sexually assaulted and ends up pregnant from the assault. What options does she have? This book was painful and heartwarming. I cried while reading it, but enjoyed it very much.

Exit Row: The True Story of an Emergency Volunteer, a Miraculous Survivor and the Crash of Flight 965 by Tammy Kling

This book is probably not one that you’ll want to read if you have a flight coming up soon, as it is about a plane crash. The book is written by a former airline employee who is on the airline’s emergency response team. She does tasks both mundane and emotionally trying. The book was informative and easy to read, but could have used a bit more editing (the last few chapters were off-topic, and there was an undercurrent about the author’s dysfunctional family that was completely unrelated).

The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

2018 PopSugar Challenge: your favorite prompt from the 2015, 2016, or 2017 POPSUGAR Reading Challenges (2017—a book that’s more than 800 pages) A Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

I loved The Name of the Wind so much last month, that I jumped right into this…all 1000 pages! And I loved this book even more than the first. Now I’m impatiently waiting for the release of the third book telling Kvothe’s story. I’m not going to talk more about this book, as I don’t want to spoil anything if you’ve not yet read The Name of the Wind. But it is best categorized as an epic fantasy.

Scuba Confidential: An Insider’s Guide to Becoming a Better Diver by Simon Pridmore

I listened to this on Audible, as it was in Mike’s library (which we recently learned how to share). It has a lot of really good information, and prompts readers to think differently about things like gear configuration, choosing a dive buddy, and preparing for potential emergencies. Highly recommended for all scuba divers.

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

2018 PopSugar Challenge: a book set in a country that fascinates you

This book is the story of two sisters and their mother, and their mother’s secrets given to the girls as a fairy tale. Part of the book takes place in Russia during the Bolshevik Revolution, which is incredibly heartbreaking and poignant.

TIME The Magic of Harry Potter Special Edition

It’s no secret that I’m a huge Harry Potter fan, so when I saw this at the store, I had to pick it up to relive some of the glory of the series, as well as to find out what’s on the horizon. Although this is technically a magazine, it’s a long-form issue all on the same topic, and I’ve shelved it with my Harry Potter books, so I thought I’d include it here.

The Last Town by Blake Crouch

I finally finished up this series, and am not sure why I waited so long, as I’ve had this on my Kindle for several months. This is the third book in the Wayward Pines trilogy. It was probably my least favorite of the three books, but still had an impressive Blake Crouch ending. His writing really is superb in terms of catching you off-guard just when you think that you have everything figured out.

The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

2018 PopSugar Challenge: a book you borrowed or that was given to you as a gift

I borrowed this from the library after reading and thoroughly enjoying The War That Saved My Life which was a Newbery Honor Book. I liked this one, but not quite as much as the first. It is the story of a little girl who has been evacuated from London and an abusive mother and is living in the country during World War II.

Short Stories (Dover Thrift Editions) by Edith Wharton (including Expiation, The Dilettante, The Muse’s Tragedy, The Pelican, Souls Belated, Xingu, and The Other Two)

I previously read Ethan Frome and didn’t care for it, which made me think that I didn’t like Edith Wharton’s writing. Earlier this year, we read The Old Maid, which made me reconsider Wharton’s writing, as I really liked it. I’d picked this up by mistake when looking for The Old Maid, so I thought I’d dive into this short story collection for a broader taste of Wharton, and am glad that I did. These short stories were realistic, with complex character portrayals despite their short length. I’m now firmly in the Edith Wharton fan club after exposure to more of her writing. If you’re not sure about her, start with a short story collection such as this one and see for yourself.

Books in Progress:

All in All Journaling Devotional: Loving God Wherever You Are by Sophie Hudson (I’ve been working my way through this book over the last couple of months, but forgot to list it. Oops!)

Twelve Women of the Bible by Lysa TerKeurst (My bible study just started working through this book and the associated videos)

Life by Keith Richards and James Fox

Testament of Youth: An Autobiographical Study Of The Years 1900-1925 by Vera Brittain

Mischling by Affinity Kovar

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

Inside the Mind of BTK: The True Story Behind the Thirty-Year Hunt for the Notorious Wichita Serial Killer by John Douglas and Johnny Dodd
2018 PopSugar Challenge: a book by two authors

Gods in Color: Polychromy in the Ancient World by Vinzenz Brinkmann, Renee Dreyfus, and Ulrike Koch-Brinkmann

Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t by Simon Sinek (My overdrive checkout expired on this, so I’m waiting for my new hold to come up on it so that I can finish it.)

Books Abandoned:

None.