Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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Books of 2021

December 30, 2021 by Kristin Leave a Comment

I link all the titles to Amazon, where I also keep a big ol’ list of recommended reads, and have links to reviews on social media if you want to know what I thought of the books. Plus, now I tag all my reading-related posts on Instagram and Facebook with #KHTreads, so follow along there too!

Some things to know about my reading habits: I like actual books, but I do sometimes read on my Kindle. I like reading Kindle books even more now on my new, waterproof Kindle Paperwhite. I will quit books if I can’t get into them, although I’ve gotten better about selecting books I anticipate liking. I almost always have a book with me, you know, just in case I happen upon some time to read. (Here are some other tips for making time for books and reading more.)

I can’t choose favorite books, but how about some superlatives before we dive into the whole list of 62 books.

  • BEST HISTORICAL FICTION BY AN AUTHOR WHO USUALLY WRITES SUSPENSE: “Eternal” by Lisa Scottoline
  • BEST SUSPENSE BY AN AUTHOR WHO USUALLY WRITES SOUTHERN FICTION: “Mother May I” by Joshilyn Jackson
  • SLOWEST BOOK that I don’t actually recommend: “Sunflower Sisters” by Martha Hall Kelly
  • MOST UNIQUE WORLD WAR II NOVEL that I do recommend: “The Forest of Vanishing Stars” by Kristin Harmel
  • WEIRDEST BOOK THAT I ALMOST QUIT: “Golden Girl” by Elin Hilderbrand
  • READ IN ONE SITTING: “The Secret Keepers of the Old Depot Grocery” by Amanda Cox
  • FELT LIKE THERAPY (IN A GOOD WAY): “Share Your Stuff. I’ll Go First.: 10 Questions to Take Your Friendships to the Next Level” by Laura Tremaine
  • STUMBLED ON DELIGHT: “The Accidental Text” by Becky Monson
  • WISHED I LISTENED TO ON AUDIO: “Greenlights” by Matthew McConaughey
  • HELPED ME ESTABLISH A GOOD MORNING HABIT WITH MY KIDS: “Roar Like A Lion: 90 Devotions to a Courageous Faith” by Levi Lusko
  • MOST EERIE, ESPECIALLY AFTER 2020: “Station Eleven” by Emily St. John Mandel
  • SUSPENCEFULLY SET IN COVID TIMES: “56 Days” by Catherine Ryan Howard
  • LEAST FAVORITE: “Friends and Strangers” by J. Courtney Sullivan

Now, here’s the whole list:

Historical Fiction

  1. “Atomic Love” by Jennie Fields {Instagram Review}
  2. “Summer of ’69” by Elin Hilderbrand {Instagram Review}
  3. “The Four Winds” by Kristin Hannah {Facebook Review}
  4. “Send for Me” by Lauren Fox {Instagram Review}
  5. “The Secret Stealers” by Jane Healey {Instagram Review}
  6. “The Beantown Girls” by Jane Healey {Related Facebook Post}
  7. “Eternal” by Lisa Scottoline {Instagram Review}
  8. “Sunflower Sisters” by Martha Hall Kelly {Instagram Review}
  9. “The Last Bookshop in London” by Madeline Martin {Facebook Review}
  10. “Sold on a Monday” by Kristina Morris {Instagram Review}
  11. “The Forest of Vanishing Stars” by Kristin Harmel {Facebook Review}

Contemporary Fiction

  1. “Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe” by Heather Webber {Facebook Review}
  2. “The Chicken Sisters” by K.J. Dell’Antonia {Instagram Review}
  3. “Friends and Strangers” by J. Courtney Sullivan {Instagram Review}
  4. “Only the Pretty Lies” by Rebekah Crane {Instagram Review}
  5. “Station Eleven” by Emily St. John Mandel {Facebook Review}
  6. “The Last Thing He Told Me” by Laura Dave {Instagram Review}
  7. “The Dutch House” by Ann Patchett {Facebook Review}
  8. “Malibu Rising” by Taylor Jenkins Reid {Instagram Review}
  9. “The Sixth Wedding” (a short story that follows “28 Summers“) by Elin Hilderbrand {Related Post}
  10. “The Accidental Text” by Becky Monson {Instagram Review}
  11. “The Magic of Found Objects” by Maddie Dawson {Facebook Review}
  12. “Eliza Starts a Rumor” by Jane L. Rosen {Instagram Review}
  13. “Under the Southern Sky” by Kristy Woodson Harvey {Facebook Review}
  14. “Summer Rental” by Mary Kay Andrews {Instagram Review}
  15. “The Secret Keepers of the Old Depot Grocery” by Amanda Cox {Review}
  16. “Golden Girl” by Elin Hilderbrand {Goodreads Review}
  17. “Where the Grass is Green and the Girls Are Pretty” by Lauren Weisberger {Instagram Review}
  18. “The Newcomer” by Mary Kay Andrews {Instagram Review}
  19. “The First Husband” by Laura Dave {Instagram Review}

Suspense Novels

  1. “The Survivors” by Jane Harper {Instagram Review}
  2. “You Are Not Alone” by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen {Facebook Review}
  3. “The Wife Between Us” by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen {Instagram Review}
  4. “An Anonymous Girl” by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen {Instagram Review}
  5. “The Half Sister” by Sandie Jones {Facebook Review}
  6. “Mother May I” by Joshilyn Jackson {Instagram Review}
  7. “Northern Spy” by Flynn Berry {Instagram Review}
  8. “A Double Life” by Flynn Berry {Facebook Review}
  9. “56 Days” by Catherine Ryan Howard {Instagram Review}
  10. “Not a Happy Family” by Shari Lapena {Instagram Review}
  11. “Everything We Didn’t Say” by Nicole Baart {Facebook Review}
  12. “You Were Always Mine” by Nicole Baart {Instagram Review}

Romance / Romantic Comedies

  1. “The Unhoneymooners” by Christina Lauren {Instagram Review}
  2. “The Dating Plan” by Sara Desai {Facebook Review}
  3. “One to Watch” by Kate Stayman-London {Instagram Review}
  4. “Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating” by Christian Lauren {Instagram Review}
  5. “People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry {Facebook Review}
  6. “Field Notes on Love” by Jennifer E. Smith {Instagram Review}
  7. “Tacos for Two” by Betsy St. Amant {Review}
  8. “Just Haven’t Met You Yet” by Sophie Cousens {Instagram Review}
  9. “We Met in December” by Rosie Curtis {Facebook Review}

Memoirs

  1. “That Sounds Fun: The Joys of Being an Amateur, the Power of Falling in Love, and Why You Need a Hobby” by Annie Downs {Review}
  2. “Share Your Stuff. I’ll Go First.: 10 Questions to Take Your Friendships to the Next Level” by Laura Tremaine {Review}
  3. “Growing Slow: Lessons on Un-Hurrying Your Heart from an Accidental Farm Girl” by Jennifer Dukes Lee {Review}
  4. “Greenlights” by Matthew McConaughey {Facebook Review}
  5. “Inheritance: A Memior of Geneology, Paternity, and Love” by Dani Shapiro {Instagram Review}

Devotionals & Non-fiction

  1. “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus: Experiencing the Peace and Promise of Christmas” edited by Nancy Guthrie
  2. “The Enneagram Type 1: The Moral Perfectionist (The Enneagram Collection)” by Beth McCord {Related Facebook Post}
  3. “Satisfied: Finding Hope, Joy, and Contentment Right Where You Are” by Alyssa Joy Bethke {Review}
  4. “Roar Like A Lion: 90 Devotions to a Courageous Faith” by Levi Lusko {Review}
  5. “When Change Finds You: 31 Assurances to Settle Your Heart When Life Stirs You Up” by Kristen Strong {Review}
  6. “The Wonder of Creation: 100 More Devotionals About God & Science” by Louie Giglio {Review}

Now it’s your turn. What should I add to my Amazon Wish List (aka my to-be-read list)?

*****

Need more recommendations? Here are lists from 2020, 2019, 2018, and 2017.

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About Me

Telling stories is my therapy and I love sharing them with friends on my porch.

The main characters in my stories are my entrepreneur husband, our high school girl who never forgets, our middle school boy who has no fear, and our joy-filled first-grade girl. As we live out our stories, we seek God as the author of them all.

Learn more about my story here.

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I know, “everyone” is reading “Spare” by P I know, “everyone” is reading “Spare” by Prince Harry. But I also keep hearing different opinions about it. So here’s mine!

I am intrigued by the royal family and I liked watching “Suits,” just so you know my very loose interest. I had also watched the @netflix documentary Harry and Meghan released. 

Short answer: I really enjoyed listening to this book. 

An heir, then a spare. Deep grief as a child when his mom dies that he doesn’t really confront until he’s older. An institution that governs every decision in his life yet doesn’t protect him when he felt like he needed it. That’s some heartbreaking makings of a good story. And I appreciate Prince Harry telling it — even though I’m sure parts were incredibly difficult. I also appreciate why he and Meghan did what they did and are trying to establish new, different roots. 

Ultimately, this book is about death and life and all the moments in between. I’d recommend listening to it because his voice is a good one. 

One minor, silly complaint: There are 232 chapters, although they’re numbered starting with one in each of the three sections. That makes the audiobook not flow quite as well as it would otherwise because most of them are just a few minutes long. 

I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and I’d love to hear what you think because, you know, everybody is reading it! #KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #readersofinstagram #audiobooks #audible #princeharry
We are all in for basketball season! Tonight was @ We are all in for basketball season! Tonight was @murraystateuniv Spirit Night at the @memgrizz game. We had some pre-game fun with friends, watched the Grizzlies come back from 19 down to win, and witnessed Ja Morant’s triple double.

#memphisgrizzlies #basketballseason #NBA #TeamTaylor #bettertogether #weekending #favoritethings #RacerNation #MurrayState #WeAreRacers
Cheering for our Racers — and, really, most ever Cheering for our Racers — and, really, most everything in life — is more fun with friends! What an awesome atmosphere at the CFSB Center today with a Murray State win, Ja Morant in the arena, and more memories.

#RacerNation #MurrayState #collegebasketball #basketballseason #bettertogether #WeAreRacers
I’ve worn a favorite sweatshirt that says “Let I’ve worn a favorite sweatshirt that says “Let heaven and nature sing” twice this week. I may not be singing Christmas carols anymore, but I still felt the depths of winter this week. The sweatshirt seemed right. 

The sun didn’t shine much this week, although seeing on Friday as we wrap up the work and school week was welcomed. It’s mostly been cold and gray. It’s felt like winter. 

A lingering tension needs resolution and understanding, but honestly the gap between seems so vast. I crave slow time at home and meals around our table. I miss some friends and was reminded of the heartache that can come with community, but I also felt the deep appreciation of friendship and remembered the beauty of sharing this life with others. I was excited for an invitation and easily accepted it. I started a new habit (hopefully) walking with a friend. 

While driving through my days, I remember how uncertainty is what makes me look up. I remember my Creator when I am slapped in the face with the reality I’m not actually in control. I remember (again) to surrender. 

Goodness happens in the gray of winter. Life may look and feel different, but new life is always preparing to break through the cracks of the ground. The gloom that tempts us to look down doesn’t last long when we believe the sun will break through the icy trees and the fog will lift. 

This is hope. Even in winter. Thank God for it all. Let’s let heaven and nature sing. 

#countryliving #latergram #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #reallife #weekending
I heard mixed reactions about this book from two d I heard mixed reactions about this book from two different friends, but I enjoyed it! 

I liked the backward timeline, although I was uncertain about how it would work until the end. Some of the twists and connections were so good! 

I also liked the bigger ideas Gillian McAllister tackles: We miss things when we are living our life at our normal pace. What if we could go back? What would be notice that would change our reality? And, of course, perhaps, there would be unintended consequences. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ It did get a little slow in the middle, but the end and beginning are quite good! #KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #kindlebooks #kindleoasis #readersofinstagram
This about sums up motherhood: My teenage girl in This about sums up motherhood: My teenage girl in the middle rebounding and playing hard and little sister photobombing the moment! 

Honestly, parenting has been hard lately. Nothing major. But so constant and always adjusting. 

Even so, I love watching them on the court and in life. There is so much excitement and goodness among the repetition and exhaustion. 

This is real life. And those are our 10-0 Lady Lions out there. 🦁💛

@ncca.lions #momlife #reallife #basketballseason #momconfessions #livingfaithfully #girlmom #firstborn #thirdchild
I finished studying Colossians today with my Prece I finished studying Colossians today with my Precept group. Paul wrote this letter to an established church that was still growing and learning and maturing in the faith — like us all.  I really loved this study because it spoke right into my life with encouragement for knowing Christ, walking in wisdom and truth, praying continually, letting peace rule, and giving grace. Plus Paul deeply loved his people. 

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” — Colossians 2:6-7

Too often I step out of God’s presence for two minutes while are loading up the van in the morning or I’m rushing kids to bed. Too often I don’t surrender my fleshy desires and feelings to the One who holds this whole wide world in His hands. Too often I think my plans are worth holding onto tightly. Too often I think I can bring peace to my household, minivan, or dinner table. 

But real peace passes all my understanding. It rests in God’s wisdom and knowledge alone. How amazing we have access to that, thanks to Jesus. How easily I forget where I’m rooted. 

I want to let peace rule — in my home, in my head, and in my heart. 

Today while I was driving, I noticed how lovely the road, land, and sky looked. But today was really windy, like feel-it-move-my-vehicle and knock-over-trash-cans windy. It almost felt deceptive with the beauty before me, but, really, that’s like life. 

Sometimes it seems I have it together. People know my gifts of organizing information and people. I show up on time and am responsible. But so many thoughts and feelings are swirling in my mind. I replay conversations and fight against the same insecurities from the previous day. 

I feel both lovely and like my swirling mind could knock me over at any moment. And that’s why I needed God, particularly through His words through Paul to the Colossians. 

#livingfaithfully #faithlife #churchlife #reallife #countryliving
This girl has been complaining of a sore throat th This girl has been complaining of a sore throat the last couple of days, but she hasn’t had a fever or any other symptoms so I kept telling her she was fine. Truth be told, she a bit of a hypochondriac and generally happy, so it’s hard to tell if she sick sometimes. 

The folks at Aligned Health took care of her this afternoon and are treating her for strep or whatever bacteria is making her throat look and feel rough. 

I’m thankful for access to medical care and an unexpected night at home.

#momlife #thirdchild #reallife #momconfessions #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #sickday
I really loved this book! “Life is the stuff th I really loved this book!

“Life is the stuff that happens in the cracks between your plans and expectations.” — from “One Night on the Island” by @josiesilverauthor 

The writing is excellent, the setting works well, and the story unfolds in some predictable but sweet ways. I also think it was the right book at the right time for me. 

#KHTreads #romcom #romcombooks #bookstagram #booklover #librarybooks #readersofinstagram
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