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 July 2016, my brief book reviews and recommendations, and there were some great books.

Books Finished:

Wreckage by Emily Bleeker

2016 PopSugar Challenge: a book recommended by a family member

My sister-in-law Charla recommended Wreckage. And I’d picked as part of the Kindle First program quite some time ago, but hadn’t gotten around to reading it. I can’t believe that I hadn’t read it before! I don’t want to give too many details for fear of giving away the plot, but essentially it’s about two people who are in a plane crash and end up on a deserted island, and the lies that they later tell. Let me tell you, this book is fantastic!  I had a hard time putting it down, and recommend it very highly.

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

This classic is the story is of a man named Ethan Frome and his unfortunate and difficult existence. He is crippled from an accident; while his wife has a mysterious (and probably made-up) illness. His wife’s relative comes to live with them to help care for the house and prepare meals. The book is a relatively easy read, but depressing. I definitely didn’t see the twist at the end coming.

All About Jesus: The Single Story from Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John by Roger Quy

This wonderful book essentially blends the gospels together into a single unified story of Jesus. It’s not a substitute for reading the gospels themselves, but is a refreshing addition. I liked seeing how the different perspectives of the apostles meshed together.

Hanover House by Brenda Novak

I’ve never read anything by Novak before, but after this short prequel to her upcoming series, I doubt this will be the last that I read of her. I’ve already added the next entry of the Evelyn Talbot Chronicles, Her Darkest Nightmare, to my kindle wish list. The series is about a woman who was tortured and nearly killed in her teenage years, which has caused her to study psychopaths for a living. Still dealing with the trauma, her life is not full, until she moves to Alaska to run a facility to study psychopaths. The book was fast-paced and engaging.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald

2016 PopSugar Challenge: a classic from the 20th century

This is actually a short story, upon which a motion picture is based. But the short story is much more humorous than the movie, which is much more serious. I enjoyed both, but they are very different. The story is of a man who ages backwards–he is born old and gets younger over the course of his life, until he’s an infant in his old age.

A House for Happy Mothers by Amulya Malladi

This story follows an American-Indian woman who is infertile and opts to hire a surrogate in India, as well as the Indian woman who becomes her surrogate. It felt like an honest portrayal of what would be an incredibly emotional and difficult situation. Although not fast-paced, it was an engaging read.

Books Abandoned:

None.