Once upon a time, I gave you regular updates about the best books I’ve been reading. This year, I have failed at that task, but since it’s the end of the year, I’ll try to make up for it and tell you about the books I can’t forget. They follow, in no particular order except to be separated by non-fiction and fiction.
Non-fiction
The Road Back to You by Ian Cron and Suzanne Stabille. If you haven’t caught on to my obsession with the Enneagram yet, well, you’re probably not missing anything. Except a changed life. Okay, I know that’s probably overselling it, but this book is one of the few books I’ve read in my life that helps me understand me. If you’re into personality studies or self-reflection, put this one at the top of your list.
City of Thorns by Ben Rawlence. If you’ve also missed my passion for refugee advocacy and awareness, then I have to wonder if you’re reading my blog at all! This book takes a look at nine people who live in the world’s largest refugee camp in Kenya. How they got there, what life is like there, what their future could be. Because few of us have the chance to go to a refugee camp and see for ourselves, I recommend this book to further your knowledge of one aspect of the refugee crisis
Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr. Doerr is known more for his haunting, beautiful fiction, but this book is about a year his family spent living in Rome, and I loved it. He talks about trying to write the work of fiction that so many people have praised and how difficult it was, which is a peek behind the curtain that always inspires me as a writer. 
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond. Like City of Thorns, this book is a journalistic endeavor featuring eight families in Milwaukee’s poorest neighborhoods. In storytelling fashion, Desmond chronicles the challenges of finding secure housing in urban settings and how the lack of secure housing impacts other areas of a person’s life. One of the families featured is also a landlord, which I felt lent a balance to the book as well. I am only somewhat aware of the housing challenges in my city, so I was grateful for the recommendation from a friend about this book. Eye opening and unforgettable. Read my full review here.
Fiction
The Confessions of X by Suzanne M. Wolfe. I did not love this book immediately, but by the end, I was enthralled by it. It is the fictional account of St. Augustine’s mysterious lover (before he was a saint). It is so different from most novels I’ve read that I had to include it on this list. If you’re a fan of historical fiction that isn’t typical, give this one a try.
The Feathered Bone by Julie Cantrell. I’m not overly emotional when I read books or watch movies, so when a book evokes tears or gasps from me, it is memorable, and this one did both. This is fiction that will leave you not necessarily with a feel good attitude or a happily ever after sigh but it will inspire you to believe that hope can co-exist with tragedy. This one is set in Louisiana both before and after Hurricane Katrina, which is the backdrop for some more personal storms for the characters. I repeat: if you like endings that are only 100 percent feel-good happy, move on. You can read my full review here.
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I know that’s a lopsided list, but I read a lot of great non-fiction this year. My fiction habits changed a bit early in the year. Either way, it’s always difficult for me to choose favorites at the end of the year. If you’re also an avid reader and you want to see everything I read this year, check out my Goodreads profile. You can see what I’ve been up to reading-wise.
And as a disclaimer, this post contains affiliate links for Amazon, so if you’re shopping for one of these books, clicking the title will take you straight to Amazon, and I’ll get a tiny portion of your purchase for referring you there.
What are the most memorable books you’ve read this year?
If you know someone who is dealing with grief, especially the loss of a child, this is an gut-level honest account of what that’s like. And even if that kind of grief hasn’t reached your circle of family and friends yet, it’s still worth reading. Bring the tissues.
If you feel the nudge for something more in your life, Allen’s book can help you discover your unique role in God’s kingdom. And she does it with encouragement and grace and her own admissions of fear and failure.