2024 Reading List

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BOOKS & STORIES I FINISHED READING IN 2024

70) Dwell: 90 Days at Home with God

~ by Sandra Byrd

This is a lovely devotional book. From the back cover: "With a story from real life and a gentle word from Scripture, Sandra invites you into her own home and garden."

69) The War Against the Bible: Ishmael, Esau and Israel at the End Times

~ by Rabbi Elie Mischel

I borrowed this book from a friend who wanted me to read it. The author is the Director of Education at Israel365. This book is his analysis after the events of October 7, 2023. It took me a while to get through the book, although I read the latter third at a much quicker pace. It was very interesting to read something written from a Rabbi's perspective.

68) Confessions of an English Opium-Eater

~ by Thomas De Quincey

This is an autobiographical account written about 200 years ago. It was referenced in a book I read earlier this year (see #18 below), so I decided to check it out. The Kindle version was free or else I probably wouldn't have bothered. It was bizarre, of course, and the fact that it was written 200 years ago adds to the overall bizarreness.

67) Gabriel, a Sugar Cane Kid

~ by Betsy Klopotoski; illustrations by Cara Connors

This is a nonfiction kid's book based on the life of Graviel Nuel Jacobo. He spoke at our church earlier this year. To learn more about him and the non-profit clinic for amputees he is building in the Dominican Republic, please check out this website: Centro de Prótesis.

66) Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis

~ by J. D. Vance

An interesting memoir by the soon-to-be Vice President of the United States!

65) An Irish Country Doctor: A Novel

~ by Patrick Taylor

This is Book #1 in the Irish Country series. This book features two doctors, the older of which reminded me a bit of Doc Martin. I enjoyed the book, but I probably won't read any more of the series.

64) The Enemy Within: Straight Talk about the Power and Defeat of Sin

~ by Kris Lundgaard

Such a good book. An excerpt from the last chapter that I highlighted in my Kindle version:

"Look to Christ's death for power. Look to his death, become like him in his death, and die to sin. Look on him groaning under the weight of your sins, praying, bleeding, and dying for you. Apply his blood to your guilt and shame. Do this every day."

63) Whirligigs

~ by O. Henry

Another collection of short stories by the master of irony.

62) Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

~ by Alfred Lansing

This book is about a fascinating few months in the history of Antarctica exploration. Ernest Shackleton led an amazing crew of men that faced crushing adversity. It's a story that will make you say, "Wow."

61) Shepherds for Sale: How Evangelical Leaders Traded the Truth for a Leftist Agenda

~ by Megan Basham

The author did a lot of research in the writing of this book. It was excellent, and I think I convinced my husband to read it. Highly recommend.

60) This Side Up: The Road to a Renovated Life

~ by Amy Mangan

The author refers to rooms of the home in the writing of this memoir. She and her family have had their share of trials. She mentions spiritual things a few times, but it wasn't clear what sort of faith she and her family have. I hope she knows the Lord. The book was very good, and I think I would enjoy hanging out with her!

59) Arsenic and Old Puzzles

~ by Parnell Hall

This is the 14th book in the Puzzle Lady Mystery series. It had four sudoku puzzles and four crossword puzzles to solve. (The solutions were shown later in the book, but I did them on my own first.)  I didn't really care for Cora, the main character, a.k.a. The Puzzle Lady. She annoyed just about every character in the book, and she annoyed me, too! Ha ha!

58) The History of Gutta-Percha Willie

~ by George MacDonald

What a fun story! Willie is a sweet boy who is very intelligent and resourceful. He uses his brilliance to help others. This is a great tale about being a true friend.

57) Following the Call: Living the Sermon on the Mount Together

~ edited by Charles E. Moore

Similar to entry #9 below, this book has 52 chapters and can be used as a small group study. I read it on my own. Most of the chapters contain excerpts from other writings, and a few chapters were written specifically for this collection. The contents are offered in four parts:

1. Kingdom Character (Matthew 5:1-16)
2. Kingdom Commands (Matthew 5:17-48)
3. Kingdom Devotion (Matthew 6:1-18)
4. Kingdom Priorities (Matthew 6:19-7:29)

The discussion guide at the end of the book contains questions and related Scripture references for each chapter.

56) Essential Truths of the Christian Faith

~ by R.C. Sproul

Contains 102 total entries falling into ten different sections:

1. Revelation
2. The Nature and Attributes of God
3. The Works and Decrees of God
4. Jesus Christ
5. The Holy Spirit
6. Human Beings and the Fall
7. Salvation
8. The Church and Sacraments
9. Spirituality and Living in This Age
10. End Times

From the cover: "100 Key Doctrines in Plain Language."  (As stated above, there are actually 102.) Each entry is brief and provides Bible references for reflection. I've had this book for years and finally read it; I'm wishing I hadn't taken so long! It will remain on my bookshelf for future reference.

55) The Writer's Devotional: 365 Inspirational Exercises, Ideas, Tips & Motivations on Writing

~ by Amy Peters

I didn't take a year to go through this book. A week's worth only took about 5 minutes to read, so that's how I read it. Some great tips and interesting quotes by authors. One of the biggest tips: just keep writing. That I must do.

54) I'll Stop the World: A Novel

~ by Lauren Thoman

Two different decades and lots of characters. Time travel for one of them, a teenager named Justin. Who started the fire at the school that killed his grandparents decades earlier? The story was rather interesting, but it contained a romantic relationship between two teenage girls. I almost stopped reading the book because of it, but I decided to finish because of the main storyline. (Closure!)

53) Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect

~ by Benjamin Stevenson

This mystery novel is a sequel to Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone, which I have not read. This story stands alone, although it does make reference to the earlier story about the family. I enjoyed the humor in the story; I had to stifle laughter at one point so I wouldn't wake up Lew!

52) Keep Moving: And Other Tips and Truths About Aging

~ by Dick Van Dyke

I've enjoyed watching everything that Dick Van Dyke's been in. He starred in some great movies, and I especially liked the TV series Diagnosis Murder. This book was a fun read. Autobiographical, of course, but he did give some good tips. He didn't try to hide his liberal politics, but I won't hold that against him. To each his own, as they say.

51) A Christian's Pocket Guide to Mary: Mother of God?

~ by Leonardo De Chirico

This book provided helpful information regarding Mariology. I wanted to read it since my coworkers are primarily Roman Catholic. 

50) Double Indemnity

~ by Robert Whitlow

A murder mystery. Many characters of Christian faith. This author's novels never fail to keep me up late at night... I can't stop reading!

49) Number Seventeen: A Tale of Intrigue and Murder in London

~ by Louis Tracy

This story kept my interest. The characters were fun and their interactions often humorous. I was not expecting how the murder mystery got resolved.  Note: Some of the language is "culturally dated" in reference to race and women.

48) Oslo, Maine

~ by Marcia Butler

A so-so novel with so-so characters. I read it because of the title, of course! It wasn't horrible, but the moose storyline was sad.

47) The Measure of Silence: A Novel

~ by Elizabeth Langston

A multi-generational story about a family with a secret. The youngest generation (two adult sisters) are left with multiple clues from their late grandfather. The story jumps back and forth. One of the timelines is the day of JFK's assassination. That day has a lasting effect on the family. The story kept me interested.

46) My Favorite Terrible Thing: A Novel

~ by Madeleine Henry

I have mixed feelings about this book. I got the Kindle version for free, so at least I didn't pay for it. The main character is a female detective who is hired to find a famous novelist (also female). I was interested in the story, but then it took a very weird psychological turn. I would say "pass" on this one, although I think I'm happy I read it. I think....

45) Pray Big: Learn to Pray Like an Apostle

~ by Alistair Begg

Introduction, 8 Chapters, Epilogue. I recommend for anyone who needs a little push to get their prayer life on track. (Isn't that everybody?!)

44) A Beautiful Blue Death (Charles Lenox Mysteries Book #1)

~ by Charles Finch

Per the Amazon description of this book, Charles Lenox is a "gentleman detective in Victorian London who investigates crime as a diversion from his life of leisure." I really enjoyed the story and I hope to read more of this series.

43) Making Good Return: Biblical Wisdom on Honoring Aging Parents

~ by Kathleen B. Nielson

There are ten chapters in this lovely book; five topics with corresponding responses:

1. God Sovereignly Ordains Our Aging
2. Responding with Humility
3. God Calls Us to Honor Our Elders
4. Responding with Respect
5. God Sees the Suffering of Age
6. Responding with Compassion
7. God Helps Us to the End
8. Responding with Faith
9. God Reveals What Is to Come
10. Responding with Hope

I will be reading this entire book again at some point. But may be re-reading the last two chapters sooner. So very good.

42) The Last Thing He Told Me: A Novel

~ by Laura Dave

I really enjoyed this story. I especially like that the ending was not wrapped up in a nice neat bow. I often find that otherwise interesting books have a "flat" ending, but this one delivers in my opinion.  I do recommend it, with the caveat that there is some rough language.

41) Maine: A Novel

~ by J. Courtney Sullivan

How could I not read a novel named after my home state?! The story is about a family that has a summer place on Cape Neddick. The story held my interest, although I initially had trouble keeping the characters straight. Warning: Language.

40) Missing Mabel

~ by Nancy Mehl

The main character, Hilde Higgins, is a hairdresser for the deceased. (A niche job, for sure.) What happens when she thinks two bodies have been switched? Story contains some strong Christian characters, and even a little bit of romance. An easy, fun read.

39) The Cardinal's Curse (The Turner and Mosley Files Book #2)

~ by Lyndee Walker & Bruce Robert Coffin

See entry #24 below for Book #1, which I enjoyed. I think I liked this one even more! Another treasure hunt, more diving, and more jet-setting around the world. Book #3 is supposed to be out this October. I'll be watching for it.

38) Maisie Dobbs

~ by Jacqueline Winspear

Maisie is a nurse in WWI and later becomes a private detective, an unusual career for a woman in those times. This is book number one in a mystery series of the same name. I enjoyed the book and may read more in the series if I can get through the stack of books I already have. (So many books!)

37) True Fiction

~ by Lee Goldberg

This is the first book in the Ian Ludlow Thrillers series. The main character (Ian) is a writer. When he learns of a plane crash in Hawaii, he runs for his life. The plot is intriguing, and I feel like I'll be spoiling it if I say more. Caution: Some adult-themed talk.

36) Days at the Morisaki Bookshop

~ by Satoshi Yagisawa; translated from the Japanese by Eric Ozawa

There are interesting and enjoyable characters in this novel. I love the setting of the story; the bookshop is on a street with a lot of other used bookshops. That's my kind of neighborhood!

35) The Trial

~ by Robert Whitlow

I stayed up much too late reading this novel to learn how it ended, but I ended up having to finish it in the morning because my eyes eventually slammed shut! There are some strong Christian characters that share their faith throughout the story.

34) Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide, Volume 1

~ by Rupert Holmes

This was a quirky but highly entertaining novel. McMasters is a training school for those who wish to delete someone. ("Delete" being a euphemism for "murder.") The school does have a code of ethics, despite its mission. Very creative story. A side note: The author wrote "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" — a song that some find silly, but I like it.

33) Till We Have Faces

~ by C.S. Lewis

From the back of the book: "The famed author of The Chronicles of Narnia and a science-fiction trilogy tells his most compelling and eloquent narrative in this reworking of the myth of Cupid and Psyche." Compelling and eloquent... I have to agree!  I loved it.

32) Jack & Jill and the Blue Light Killer

~ by Christopher Greyson

Detective Jack Stratton is back! So are his wife, Alice, and their enormous dog, Lady. There are two murders for Jack to solve. He is teamed up with a new partner for the investigation. (Guess what her first name is?!) This is the 11th book in the series — 12th if you count the prequel. I do enjoy reading these.

31) Easy Bible Marking Guide

~ by Randy A. Brown

A friend wants to highlight her Bible in a strategic way, so I thought I would do some how-to reading. This short book gives great ideas — almost too many! One of the best tips he gives is to print off some sample Bible pages and practice marking them. Once you have an idea of what you want to do, then start writing in your Bible. He also recommends the kind of highlighters, pens, pencils, etc. you should try to use.

30) The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love & High Adventure

~ by William Goldman

Yes, this is the book that led to the movie. (Now I need to go watch it again!) The author is a riot. He had me wondering: Is Florin a real place? What else did S. Morgenstern write? Why is the "reunion scene" still not part of the story after all this time? I think I enjoyed finding the answers to these questions as much as reading the book!

29) Blank: A Novel

~ by Zibby Owens

This is a fun story. I think the author wrote it to tell her own opinion of the publishing industry. Interesting characters. An easy read.  [Warning: A couple "steamy" scenes.]

28) Scribes & Scripture: The Amazing Story of How We Got the Bible

~ by John D. Meade & Peter J. Gurry

This is a great book and you don't have to be a seminary student to understand it! The authors break the story into three major parts: 1) Text; 2) Canon; and 3) Translation. I learned a lot.

27) Strictly Business: More Stories of the Four Million

~ by O. Henry

More short stories with ironic twists, some of which I didn't understand, ha ha!

26) Death of a Minor Character

~ by E.X. Ferrars

This is the 4th novel of the author's "Virginia and Felix" series, although this is the first one I have read. The mystery was okay, the characters were okay, but I wasn't enamored enough to read more of the series.

25) The 100-Year-Old-Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared

~ by Jonas Jonasson

This is the last of the novels that my friend recently gave to me. (See #17, 18, 19, and 21 below.) It's one of those stories that flips back and forth from the present time to the past.  Allan, the 100-year-old man, had a lot of (fictional) influence on history, a la Forrest Gump. It took me a while to get into the story, but once I did I quickly finished reading the book. This book was written in Swedish; I read an English translation, of course.

24) The General's Gold (The Turner and Mosley Files Book #1)

~ by Lyndee Walker & Bruce Robert Coffin

A high school friend — Bruce — is a co-writer of this action-packed novel. (They currently have two more books planned for this series.) Avery Turner and her scuba diving instructor, Carter Mosley, team up on a hunt for treasure that has been missing since Civil War times. They aren't the only ones seeking the treasure, and they run into some pretty bad guys. How does it end? I read the book in a couple days to find out!

23) Adorned: Living Out the Beauty of the Gospel Together

~ by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

This is a wonderful book based on Titus 2:1-5,10. After reading each of  the 14 chapters, I watched a video lesson online. The videos are from a 2017 conference. (About halfway through, I realized that by going directly to the playlist on the YouTube channel, I could also watch the dramatic skits from the conference.) I think I probably will read Adorned again at some point. I plan to read Titus often.

22) Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren't Growing Up

~ by Abigail Shrier

The author believes that today's youth are not allowed to learn from mistakes, heartache, disappointment, etc., and that they too quickly are diagnosed with ADHD and other mental disorders. Kids aren't being told to "get a grip" (my words). The author's analysis is pretty one-sided, but it would be wise for adults to consider what she is pointing out. This is a well-researched book with lots of footnotes. 

21) The Cannibal Galaxy

~ by Cynthia Ozick

At just over 160 pages, this novel didn't take too long to read. The inside flap of the dustcover says, "It is the story of Joseph Brill, a middle-aged French Jew, Principal of a school in the American Midwest where he teaches his version of enlightenment...." He wants to make a difference, yet sees nothing but mediocrity around him. He becomes obsessed with the mother of one of his students because of her great mind — the mother's great mind, not the student's. And I believe that is the crux of this somewhat odd story. (This novel was given to me by the same friend as #18 below. She also gave me #17 and #19.)

20) I Never Promised You a Disneyland

~ by Jay Kesler, with Tim Stafford

The author was president of Youth for Christ International. In this book, he addresses ten issues that youth face. The book has a copyright of 1975, so some of the cultural references are outdated. But the advice is good. Really, really good.

19) Can You Keep a Secret?

~ by Sophie Kinsella

I guess one would classify this novel as "chick lit." I did enjoy the story, although I wish the author had refrained from using some not-very-ladylike language.

18) Confessions of a Memory Eater

~ by Pagan Kennedy

After warning me not to judge this book by its cover, a friend gave me this novel. It's less than 200 pages, so it didn't take long to read. Bizarre, bizarre, bizarre story, but I can see how it could spark an interesting discussion. It definitely is not written from a Christian perspective. (Also, the author's given first name is Pamela, per Wikipedia. I'm glad to know her parents didn't name her Pagan.)

17) The Dictionary of Lost Words

~ by Pip Williams

This is an intriguing historical novel that surrounds the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary in the late 1800s to early 1900s. Esme, the main character, grows up loving words. She learns that some words are left out of the dictionary because they aren't written down. These words are spoken by working, poor women, and many of the words are vulgar. Esme starts "collecting" these words. There are other interesting characters in the story: Esme's father, the "bondmaid" Lizzie, the suffragette Tilda, and many more. I enjoyed this novel more than I expected I would.

16) The Woman Beneath the Stairs

~ by Christopher Greyson

I enjoy this author's novels. This one takes place on an island off the coast of Maine. The main character, Ally, is convinced she hears a woman's voice coming through the water pipes. What secrets is her husband's family hiding? Who can she trust? An interesting story.

15) Fifteen Minutes: A Novel

~ by Karen Kingsbury

A young Christian man tries out for the singing competition "Fifteen Minutes" (think, "American Idol") and faces some tough times as a result. The storyline was okay, but I found the description of the characters' thoughts to be repetitive. Still, a good diversion!

14) Impossible Christianity: Why Following Jesus Does Not Mean You Have to Change the World, Be an Expert in Everything, Accept Spiritual Failure, and Feel Miserable Pretty Much All the Time

~ by Kevin DeYoung

Yes, that really is the length of the subtitle! And the book itself is relatively brief. (It could be read in one sitting, although I didn't do that myself.) From the inside front flap of the dustcover: "Bestselling author Kevin DeYoung helps readers overcome their fears of spiritual failure, reassuring them that it is possible to be faithful, fruitful, and pleasing to God. Biblical wisdom and engaging personal stories clarify what the Bible actually teaches about following Jesus and invite believers to find lasting joy in sincere and simple obedience to God." The book delivers. Recommend!

13) Still Life: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel

~ by Louise Penny

This is the first book in the Inspector Gamache series. I read it on the recommendation of some New Year's Eve party friends. I did enjoy the story, despite the veiled social agenda. There are several more books in the series, and I will read more if they are ever on sale for Kindle.

12) Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come: One Introvert's Year of Saying Yes

~ by Jessica Pan

As a self-diagnosed introvert, I was intrigued by the title; I can especially relate to the "I Didn't Want to Come" phrase. Other than the author's use of some irreverent and bad language, I really enjoyed this book. She humorously describes the many activities she undertook to do "extrovert" things over the course of a year. A fun memoir.

11) Elijah in Jerusalem: A Novel

~ by Michael D. O'Brien

See #8 below. This is the last of the three books. The book centers around whether Elijah will be able to get near enough to confront the President. I liked this three-book series. I'm kind of sad to be finished.

10) Heather and Snow

~ by George MacDonald

I had trouble reading some of the dialogue since much of it was an old Scotch dialect. But I did get the gist of this sweet story. 

9) Called to Community: The Life Jesus Wants for His People

~ edited by Charles E. Moore

This book has 52 short chapters and can be used as a small group study over the course of a year. I read it on my own, usually one chapter a day. Most of the chapters are excerpts from other writings. A few chapters were written specifically for this book. I really enjoyed reading it, and there are several entries I want to revisit.

8) Father Elijah: An Apocalypse

~ by Michael D. O'Brien

See #2 below. This is the second of the three books. The Jewish youth David, after the start of what could have been a notable political career, becomes a Catholic priest known as Father Elijah. He is called on to confront the President of the Europarliament, a powerful man who could be the Antichrist. After a series of events, Father Elijah is appointed as a bishop in pectore and then temporarily must go into hiding. Now I'm on to the last of the three books....

7) Five-Minute Cozy Mini Mysteries (with Solutions): 26 Whodunits That Test Your Amateur Sleuthing Smarts

~ by Loretta Martin

I want to try writing stories like this, so I read this book to get ideas of the flavor. Plus I enjoyed solving the mysteries.  😎

6) Christianity and Liberalism

~ by J. Gresham Machen

This was WORLD Magazine's "Book of the Year" in 2023... one hundred years after the book was first published! This book could have been written today. It's still relevant. I've gifted two copies of it so far.

5) A Christian's Guide to Mental Illness: Answers to 30 Common Questions

~ by David Murray and Tom Karel Jr.

From the description on the back cover: "Written in an accessible Q&A format, this practical resource answers thirty commonly asked questions about mental health from a Christian perspective." I believe it delivers. Highly recommend.

4) Daily 5-Minute Readings for a Month

~ by Thomas à Kempis

A small book of brief selections by the 15th-century monk. Below is a picture of the cover of the old copy I have; it's seen better days. Some of the pages inside contain artwork similar to that of the cover. I like this little book, and I may pull it out a few more times this year.

3) Options

~ by O. Henry

I'm enjoying reading O. Henry's short stories collections. He really is the master of irony. But you can tell he wrote in a different era, since some of the terms he used are very inappropriate in today's world.

2) Sophia House

~ by Michael D. O'Brien

This novel is a prequel to two other novels I will be reading shortly. This was on my book wish list for a few years, and I finally ordered it (as well as the two sequels) during December 2023. There is a play within this book, written by the main character, Pawel Tarnowski. The non-Jewish Pawel lives in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation of WWII. He is hiding a Jewish youth named David in his attic. There is a lot of thought-provoking dialogue between Pawel and David about serious topics. I would not call this book "a light read." I would call the author "a great storyteller."

1) The Golden Key

~ by George MacDonald

I continue my quest to read everything by George MacDonald — well, to read almost all of his works anyway. The Golden Key is a fairy tale with a spiritual component. I haven't fully grasped the meaning of everything in the story, but perhaps I am not supposed to. I'll ponder it some more, as well as read what others have said.