May Reflections

In May, I read 33 books. I indulged in a few rereads this month--something that I just love to do!!! I reread The Schwa Was Here, Unwind, The Book Thief, Divergent, and Twelfth Night. I was also able to read a few mysteries this month, including two Rex Stout mysteries, and an Agatha Christie mystery. Not counting the books I reread, my two favorite-favorites were both biographies.

Favorite Couple: Four and Tris in Divergent
Favorite Narrator: Death in The Book Thief
Favorite Austen Adaptation: Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange
Favorite Verse Novel: Looking for Me. Betsy R. Rosenthal.
Favorite (Christian) Biography:  Kisses From Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption. Katie Davis.
Favorite Biography: Mascot: Unraveling the Mystery of My Jewish Father's Nazi Boyhood. Mark Kurzem.
Favorite Christian Nonfiction: The Explicit Gospel. Matt Chandler. 2012. Crossway Books. 240 pages.
Favorite (Not-a-Reread) YA Novel:  The Selection. Kiera Cass.

Board Books, Picture Books, Early Readers:

1. A Nest in Springtime: A Mandarin Chinese-English Bilingual Book of Numbers. Belle Yang. 2012. Candlewick Press. 24 pages.
2. Summertime Rainbow: A Mandarin Chinese-English Bilingual Book of Colors. Belle Yang. 2012. Candlewick Press. 24 pages.
3. Mrs. Noodlekugel. Daniel Pinkwater. Illustrated by Adam Stower. 2012. Candlewick. 80 pages. 

Middle Grade and Young Adult Novels:

1. The Schwa Was Here. Neal Shusterman. 2004. 240 pages.
2. Unwind. Neal Shusterman. 2007. Simon & Schuster. 336 pages.
3. The Book Thief. Markus Zusak. 2006. Random House. 560 pages.
4. Divergent. Veronica Roth. 2011. May 2011. HarperCollins. 496 pages.
5. Looking for Me. Betsy R. Rosenthal. 2012. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 176 pages.
6. The Selection. Kiera Cass. 2012. HarperCollins. 327 pages
7. Enchanted. Alethea Kontis. 2012. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 320 pages.
8. Miracle. Elizabeth Scott. 2012. Simon & Schuster. 224 pages.
9. My Mixed-Up Berry Blue Summer. Jennifer Gennari. 2012. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 119 pages.
10. The Lunatic's Curse. F.E. Higgins. 2011. Feiwel & Friends. 352 pages.

Adult Books:

1. The Secret of Chimneys. Agatha Christie. 1925/2012. HarperCollins. 336.
2. Mr. Darcy's Diary. Amanda Grange. Sourcebooks. 2007. 320 pages.
3. Henrietta's War: News from the Home Front, 1939-1942. Joyce Dennys. 1985/2010. Bloomsbury. 176 pages.
4. Henrietta Sees It Through. Joyce Dennys. 1987/2011. Bloomsbury. 208 pages.
5. Glamour in Glass. Mary Robinette Kowal. 2012. Tor. 336 pages.
6. The Lord is My Shepherd. (Psalm 23 Mysteries) Debbie Viguie. 2010. Abingdon Press. 320 pages.
7. Twelfth Night. William Shakespeare. 1601-02. 272 pages.
8. Too Many Women. Rex Stout. 1947/1985. Bantam Books. 176 pages.
9. Champagne for One. Rex Stout. 1958/1995. Random House. 224 pages.
10. Lady Baltimore. Owen Wister. 1906. 272 pages.
11. The Flight of Gemma Hardy. Margot Livesey. 2012. HarperCollins. 447 pages.

Nonfiction Books:

1. Mascot: Unraveling the Mystery of My Jewish Father's Nazi Boyhood. Mark Kurzem. 2007. Penguin. 432 pages.

Christian Fiction and Nonfiction:

1. The Explicit Gospel. Matt Chandler. 2012. Crossway Books. 240 pages.
2. Surprised by Grace. Tullian Tchividjian. 2010. Crossway. 192 pages.
3. Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible. Edited by Wayne Grudem, C. John Collins, Thomas R. Schreiner. Contributors: Vern S. Poythress, C. John Collins, Gordon Wenham, David Howard, David Reimer, Paul House, J. Julius Scott, Jr., David Chapman, John Delhousaye, Thomas R. Schreiner, Darrell Bock, Dennis Johnson. 2012. Crossway. 160 pages.
4. Kisses From Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption. Katie Davis. 2011. October 2011. Howard Books. 288 pages.
5. Experiencing the Presence of God: Teachings from the Book of Hebrews. A.W. Tozer. 2010. Regal (Gospel Light) 224 pages.
6. God's Pursuit of Man. A.W. Tozer. 1950/2007. Wingspread. 140 pages.
7. The Pursuit of Lucy Banning. Olivia Newport. 2012. Revell. 304 pages.
8. Retro-Christianity: Reclaiming the Forgotten Faith. Michael J. Svigel. 2012. Crossway Books. 320 pages.

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews