Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

The Books of 2018 (so far)

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Well, happy summer! Let’s talk about books.

(I know, you want to hear stories about our Guatemala trip. And you will hear plenty more about our wonderful week. But I haven’t had time to get the stories out of my head and journal yet, thanks to a pile of mail, loads of laundry, and the need to be in the pool during these hot, hot days Kentucky is experiencing.)

I’ve taken a break from a lot of non-fiction books because all the voices were becoming way too noisy. I have enjoyed five memoirs so far this year and a few other non-fiction titles that were more like resources for what I’m walking through in real life. That has freed me up, both in regards to time and what’s in my head, to read more fiction. Twenty fictions books, to be exact. And, y’all, I have read some good ones.

Fiction

  1. “Comfort & Joy” by Kristin Hannah
  2. “Every Last Lie” by Mary Kubica
  3. “The Mailbox” (Sunset Beach #1) by Marybeth Whalen
  4. “The Perfect Stranger” by Megan Miranda
  5. “The Fever” by Megan Abbott
  6. “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah
  7. “Weight of Lies” by Emily Carpenter
  8. “Burying the Honeysuckle Girls” by Emily Carpenter
  9. “Picture Perfect” by Jodi Picoult
  10. “The Great Alone” by Kristin Hannah
  11. “Dead Drift” (Chesapeake Valor #4) by Dani Pettrey
  12. “Tell Me Three Things” by Julie Buxbaum
  13. “Speak Now or Forever  Hold Your Peace” by Becky Monson
  14. “Witness in Hiding” (Secret Service Agents Series) by Lisa Phillips
  15. “The Way Life Should Be” by Christina Baker Kline
  16. “I Am Watching You” by Teresa Driscoll
  17. “The Castaways” by Elin Hilderbrand
  18. “The Light Between the Oceans” by M.L. Stedman
  19. “A Long Time Gone” by Karen White
  20. “All the Breaking Waves” by Kerry Lonsdale

Memoirs

  1. “A Fierce Love: One Woman’s Courageous Journey to Save Her Marriage” by Shauna Shanks
  2. “In Bloom: Trading Restless Insecurity for Abiding Confidence” by Kayla Aimee {Review}
  3. “Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis” by J.D. Vance {Review}
  4. “Why I Hate Green Beans: And Other Confessions about Relationships, Reality TV, and How We See Ourselves” by Lincee Ray {Review}
  5. “A Place to Land: A Story of Longing and Belonging” by Kate Motaung {Review}

Non-fiction

  1. “Small Church Essentials: Field-Tested Principles for Leading a Healthy Congregation of Under 250” by Karl Vaters {Review}
  2. “The Friendship of Women: The Beauty and Power of God’s Plan for Us” by Dee Brestin

Studies & Resources

  1. “This I Know: Trusting Your Unknown Future to a Known God” by Laura Dingman {Review}
  2. “100 Days to Brave: Devotions for Unlocking Your Most Courageous Self” by Annie Downs
  3. “Taking Charge of ADHD: The Complete, Authoritative Guide for Parents” by Russell Barkley

*****

I usually leave starred reviews on Goodreads, if you want a quick reference for what I thought about books. I’ve linked all the titles to Amazon and any reviews I’ve shared on my blog. You can always reach out and talk books with me.

Here’s my 2017 list, if you’re looking for more recommendations. I also keep a list of favorites on Amazon for easy access.

*****

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May days! Stories from the porch

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Oh, May, you’re my favorite, and I’m always so sad you happen quicker than I wish. This month was like one big celebration of life, so I’m hoping to carry to joy with me into June.

Highlights

The highlights in this month are easy: I turned 39 and my oldest turned 11. We let our birthdays linger into Mother’s Day and then into her party two weeks later, conveniently scheduled the day after my kids’ last day of school. We also got to double date to an escape room and Red Lobster with our best friends for my birthday.

We officially kicked off summer at Kentucky Lake with my siblings, their families, and my parents this past {long} weekend. Spending Memorial Day weekend there together has become a tradition I love. We ate well, played games, went out on the boat, and enjoyed being together for the first time in many months. There also was plenty of swimming, fishing, and kayaking, depending on who wanted to do what.

Hey, the more celebrations the better. That was pretty much our unspoken motto in May.

Plus I got to meet one of my favorite authors! Be sure to read about that experience, if you haven’t already!

Oh, and our pool water is already into the mid-80s and the air temperature has been higher than that most days, so we’ve been swimming often. We’ve started inviting people over to join on the porch and around the pool too. Y’all know that’s my favorite.

Favorite things

In addition to the pool and people being here, cookbooks are topping my favorites list. Oh, let’s be honest, it’s the food I’ve made from the recipes and the stories that go along with them that I really love. I got “Magnolia Table” by Joanna Gaines and “The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Come and Get It!: Simple, Scrumptious Recipes for Crazy Busy Lives” by Ree Drummond for my birthday and Mother’s Day. They’re both beautiful and include stories about the recipes and the people for whom they cook. And they both provided much-needed inspiration for me to get in the habit of cooking again.

I shared four things I’m loving in a post earlier this month, so those things (a summer planner, a clamp that holds my Kindle, new kids’ music, and a devotional book) could certainly be added here.

From the bookshelf

“Dead Drift” by Dani Pettrey – This is the fourth (and final) book in the Chesapeake Valor Series that I’ve loved. I love the group of friends whose stories are developed throughout their suspenseful adventures together. It officially releases July 3, but you can preorder it now. And if you haven’t read the earlier books in the series, I recommend those too.

“Tell Me Three Things” by Julie Buxbaum – This may be a young adult novel, but I seriously loved it. It reminded me a teenage version of “You’ve Got Mail” (which I adore) and did a good job navigating grief.

“Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace” by Becky Monson – This one was just okay. It was good enough that I wanted to find out what happened and enjoyed some funny parts. But the main character’s indecisiveness got on my nerves.

“Witness in Hiding” by Lisa Phillips – I read this book in one day, which tells you how into the story I was! I really liked the suspense of why Zoe was hiding being woven throughout the plot of the story. Zoe and Jude are likable and I definitely found myself rooting for them, professionally and personally.

“The Way Life Should Be” by Christina Baker Kline – This was no “Orphan Train,” but I still enjoyed it. I have been to the area of Maine in which the story is set, so that was a fun factor.

“I Am Watching You” by Teresa Driscoll – I don’t remember where I heard about this one, but I really enjoyed it. I liked how the perspectives of the plot switched among different people, including the father, the friend, and the witness.

I keep a running list of book recommendations (including some of these!) on Amazon.

On the screen

Well, most of my shows are on summer break, but I’m looking forward to “The Resident,” “Blue Bloods,” and “Madam Secretary” returning. They each had good finale episodes. I’m hanging onto “Black List” too, but I’m ready for the story to really wrap up at this point.

Three of the four finalists on “The Voice” were my favorites. I would have traded Kaleb for Kyla, but it was an enjoyable first experience with that show. Brynn for the win!

What kind of celebrating did you do in May?
It’s time for #PorchStories!

{Tweet that.}

*****

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How storytelling connects us

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I’ve always loved stories.

As a kid, I befriended my neighbor with stories that quickly became intertwined throughout middle school and then high school and then into adulthood. Stories have birthed so many other friendships throughout the years. As a student, I’d always prefer a paper over a test. I’ve told stories on porches, in letters, in the gaps of working in newsrooms and while parenting. I’ve listened to others’ stories and forged bonds over words and experiences.

And, of course, I’ve read many books and strung together many words bound up in my own book and my own soul.

As I was settling into post-college young adulthood and figuring out who I was, I read “All Over But the Shoutin’” by Rick Bragg. I was a young newspaper reporter at the time soaking up a veteran reporter’s storytelling about his home. His childhood and career path were different than mine, but his words brought me home to my own experiences and places and people.

(Here’s a list of all of his books if you’re interested.)

We all have stories that connect us.

{Tweet that.}

I got to meet Rick Bragg last weekend right here in the small Kentucky town I call home that’s probably not so different than his small neck of the woods in Alabama. I listened to him tell some stories and read a few paragraphs from his newest book, got to shake his hand, and share a tiny piece of my own story.

And, of course, I bought his newest book – “The Best Cook in the World: Tales from My Momma’s Table.” Yes, it has recipes inside, but, perhaps more importantly, it has the stories from around his family’s table.

When it was my turn to get his book – okay, BOOKS, plural, because I brought my favorite “All Over But the Shoutin’” with me too – the librarian I know introduced me as a former newspaper reporter who still writes and is a stay-at-home mom. I appreciated her letting him know where our stories overlapped and his words of encouragement were a blessing. (See that note and autograph above.)

Funny story about the other book I had him sign: I bought “All Over But the Shoutin’” at a thrift store or yard sale and it was already autographed to someone else. So he changed that and obviously enjoyed doing so. I didn’t know if I was going to have him (re) sign it, but when he talked about thrift stores in his presentation, I knew he’d appreciate me being introduced to him through someone else.

I’d love to hear about a storyteller you love.

*****

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