Goodreads | Still Life with Bread Crumbs

Does that blanket look casually strewn? And that stack of books … perfectly haphazard? Because I really just want to straighten the pile and stack the books biggest to smallest, or maybe according to color. This photo is my attempt at seeming easy breezy. Like I just happen to stack my books perfectly imperfect. But really I was the 6-year-old girl who organized her pile of presents on Christmas morning (in a straight line, each touching the present before). The picture fools you though, huh?

In case you're wondering what I've been doing this winter, this is it. I've been curled up on that edge of my couch reading book after book. It makes for a really pleasant day when it's 0 degrees outside. Actually, I think it might even be -5 or -12 today. I can't keep track. Basically it's very, very cold.

In case you're stuck inside looking for new books to read, I've got you covered. As always, you can follow my reading list on Goodreads.

The Lemon Tree: An Arab, A Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East by Sandy Tolan The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is so complex and heartbreaking that sometimes it seems utterly hopeless, especially to me, someone that has a vested interest from thousands of miles away and isn't sure what to do or how to help. The Lemon Tree brings the region to life and melds the facts with a true, peaceful human-interest story of an Arab and a Jew and one shared house. I thought about this story long after I finished the book. (*****)

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling I laughed out loud more than a couple times while reading Kaling's memories and musings on her own life (The part about her jumping off the high dive as a kid? I died.) But as I went on I kinda felt like the funniest parts were concentrated at the beginning of the book and I lost a little bit of my interest. I recommend picking this up if you're in the mood for a fluffy, easy read. (***)

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt An engrossing, suspenseful, sometimes highly disturbing read (in the best possible way!) that surprised me with just about every page turn. I feel like I can't sum the story up in one sentence, so if you're into thrillers and really beautifully written prose then you need to pick up this book. (****)

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris David Sedaris' wittiness amuses me to no end. He makes me laugh. He makes me cry (because I'm laughing so darn hard!). Mostly I just can't believe that one human being can have such a smart sense of humor. Me Talk Pretty One Day is a book of satirical short stories based on Sedaris' life. (****)

The Zimzum of Love: A New Way of Understanding Marriage by Rob and Kristen Bell Rob Bell has such an engaging writing style, and I thoroughly enjoyed his newest venture written with his wife. I haven't read a lot of books on marriage (although I probably should!), but this one was such a positive, gentle reminder of how a good marriage should look … and how you can get there if you aren't there yet. (*****)

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis A must-read for anyone exploring Christianity and those who are already there. Lewis breaks down Christianity and builds it back up in a compelling and intelligent way. I need to read this book about 50 more times to completely absorb the enormity of it all. (****)

Still Life with Bread Crumbs by Anna Quindlen I really enjoyed this fiction story about a once-famous photographer trying to find herself again. This is an entertaining and relatable read for all people, not just photographers! (*****)

Stitches by Anne Lamott This is my favorite Lamott piece yet. She expertly combines wittiness with really big and important notions, like what we do and where we turn after life takes a detour. Her authenticity and relationship with God inspires me. I'll be coming back to this one again and again. (*****)

Goodreads | And the Mountains Echoed

You guys. I'm reading The Goldfinch right now and I am loving it! I can't wait to review it on the blog, but it's huge so it might take me awhile. (Yep, I'm definitely over my intimidation of big books.)

For now, I'm continuing on with my book list from the past year. I hope December is brining you lots of time to read!

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini I really love everything Hosseini writes, so I knew I would like his newest novel. This one is again set in the Middle East (although it kind of takes you around the globe) and follows a little boy and his sister as they grow up separated. It's heartbreaking and uplifting in the way Hosseini has mastered, and I really can't say enough good things about it. I will read everything this author writes! (****)

Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion by Gregory Boyle Wow! This book surprised me. First of all, the work that Boyle has done in inner-city Los Angeles is just mind-blowing. His experiences, and how transformative they've been for himself and the kids he serves, were just begging to be written down, and I'm so glad he published Tattoos on the Heart. The theme of unconditional love was evident in every chapter and that mixed with Boyle's quick wit makes this book irresistible. (****)

The First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom This book brings me right back to our little bed and breakfast in Doolin, Ireland. I finished this book on our big trip, and while it was the perfect light, entertaining read for vacation, it left me feeling a little corny. I'm not sure that's the right word--the story really did have me wanting to keep reading (a handful of people in Michigan get phone calls from heaven)--but at the end I felt like I had just watched a Hallmark movie. Uplifted but contrived. (***)

Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China by Leslie T. Chang Factory Girls opened my eyes to a part of the world I've never really explored. It follows a couple girls who have left their rural Chinese homes to start factory work in southern China. Called migrant workers, these teens are part of a huge population that is continuously growing, right along with the factories that employ them. The story is almost unbelievable and SO incredibly different than any life I've ever known. Note: Chang's style of writing is a bit more journalistic than a typical non-fiction book. It took me a little while to get used to it. (****)

The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon This is a beautifully imagined story (no pun intended!) about three people being brought together in the most unusual, but necessary, circumstances. Like The First Phone Call from Heaven, it was a bit contrived for me, but still an entertaining read. (***)

Goodreads | Film is Not Dead

I had a goal to read 25 books in 2014. Whew. That's a lot of reading I'm realizing now. I'm currently on book #17 and while I'm not going to reach my (lofty) goal, I realized that the whole point was just to READ MORE. I'm a huge bookworm (remember when I only wanted to be a librarian?) but I tend to push reading to the back burner when I have lots of other stuff going on. In college? I hardly read at all. Somehow, my multitasking-loving self couldn't fathom picking up another book after class.

So while this year was crazy busy, I'm so happy I made time to just sit with a book and unwind. Holding a good hardcover book in your hands does something for your soul. That's obviously why I wanted to be a librarian.

Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen My family refers to Henri Nouwen, a Catholic priest, all the time (have I mentioned that my mom is a minister?), so I thought it was about time I finally read this book cover to cover. It was a pretty quick read in the sense that there weren't as many pages as lots of other books but Nouwen digs deep into spiritual life in every one of those pages. A good starting point for people exploring Christianity. (****)

Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver For some reason, Barbara Kingsolver's novels have always intimidated me. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed The Poisonwood Bible in high school, but every one of her books are so big. Maybe I've grown up and gotten past the size of books freaking me out because I really loved Flight Behavior. It's not the type of subject I would normally go for (kinda science-y … that was my very worst subject in school), but it was so engrossing, and I learned so much about butterflies and climate change, that a couple pages in I couldn't remember why I almost didn't pick this up in the first place. (****)

Film is Not Dead by Jonathan Canlas This book has been on my to-read list since I picked up a film camera last year. It was chock-full of good information that my eager film-learning self hungrily devoured. Plus it had lots of pretty pictures. Canlas is funny and doesn't take himself too seriously, which I also appreciated. (****)

Prayers for the Stolen by Jennifer Clement My mom does such a good job picking out books for me. This is another one I never would have found on my own, but thanks to her I found a new favorite. The story takes place in Mexico and explores what it's like to be a woman in a city that revolves around the drug trade. It was hard to read at times but so, so important. (*****)

Goodreads | I Am Malala

I've been doing a lot of reading since the beginning of the year, and am currently on books #7 and 8 of my 25 in 12 challenge! Speaking of reading two books at once … it's not something I normally do but I find that when I'm reading a business book, I want to curl up with something a little lighter before bed. How about you guys? Do you read multiple books at a time? I'm learning to set aside my Type A ways and be open to change. ;)

Here's my take on the books I've read since the beginning of the year:

Help, Thanks, Wow by Anne Lamott I can't believe this was my first Anne Lamott book, with how much my family and friends rave about her work. Lamott is just as witty, yet thought-provoking, as everyone says she is. She's a smart writer, and this is a good intro book into her faith and how prayer plays a part in our everyday lives. (****)

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai I loved this book in a painful kind of way. Having not read much about Pakistan, and especially not by a Pakistani, Malala opened my eyes to another side of the conflict in that part of the Middle East. The short of it: At 15 years old and on her way home from school, Malala is shot in the head by a Taliban member. She survives (!) and dedicates her life to fighting for women's right to education. (*****)

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe A touching memoir about a son's (Schwalbe) relationship with his dying mother. Schwalbe's mother was so inspiring and made me want to get out there and do something amazing with my life. (****)

MWF Seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend by Rachel Bertsche I listend to this on my way to Chicago to meet three of my best friends from college. It really hit home at the perfect time as I was greeting and then saying goodbye to three dear friends who live across the country. Having moved multiple times in the last 10 or so years, I really identified with Bertsche, who found herself living in Chicago with no girlfriends and no prospect to meet any new ones. I loooove my friends and having close girlfriends is really important to me, so this book was fascinating and really made me think about friend-making post-college. (****)

The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafek OK. I liked this book until the ending. I won't tell you what happens, but for me it was just way too unrealistic and, quite frankly, really annoying. Besides the ending, I enjoyed the story that switched between an unhappy housewife in present-day America and various narrators in 13th-century Turkey, including the poet Rumi and his companion, Shams. This book is all about love (and spirituality) and what people go through to find it. (***)

And just to keep me accountable, here's my progress on my 25 in 12. If you have any recommendations, send 'em my way! :)

1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
2. Help, Thanks, Wow by Anne Lamott
3. I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
4. Film is Not Dead by Jonathan Canlas (in progress)
5. Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen (in progress)
6. Blog, Inc. by Joy Deangdeelert Cho
7. The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak
8. Emma by Jane Austen
9. The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe
10. Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid by Jimmy Carter
11. Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver
12. Boundaries by Henry Cloud
13. The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan
14. The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon
15. Girl Meets God by Lauren Winner
16. Tattoos on the Heart by Gregory Boyle
17. And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
18. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
19. MWF Seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend by Rachel Bertsche
20. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
21. The Paris Wife by Paula McLain