I watched a season of Dancing with the Stars, just to see what it is about. (It was the season where cute little Shawn Johnson from the 2008 Olympic gymnastic team won.) Not that I know anything about ballroom dancing (except that you should really let your husband lead, or you might lose a toenail), but I always thought it would be fun to be one of the judges. The announcer's booming voice would call my name, and I would shout out a score while flipping up a bedazzled ping-pong paddle scorecard. When I was reflecting upon the books I read this past year, I was surprised by how many I had actually managed to read. Now, if these books could rumba, waltz, or tango these are the ones I would honor with the coveted score of "10!" Below are my top book picks for 2016, in no particular order. And, just to keep things interesting, I'm including one that would receive a score so low, it might get sent home tonight...

{best read for a vacation}

Dear Mr. Knightley: A Novel by Katherin Reay

What it's about*:  23-year-old Sam (Samantha) has hidden from her difficult past by burying herself in classic literature. An anonymous benefactor (calling himself Mr. Knightley) offers to put Sam through Northwestern University’s prestigious Medill School of Journalism. There is only one catch: Sam must write frequent letters to the mysterious donor, detailing her progress.

Why I like it: I share the protagonist's love of classic literature, so I really enjoyed the frequent references to Lizzie, Emma, Jane, and other characters gracing the pages of Austen's and Bronte's novels. The format of this book is fun and different, consisting almost entirely of one-sided letters to someone using the pseudonym "Mr. Knightley" (a character from Jane Austen's Emma). The story itself is relatively light, but it contains enough grit and depth to keep it from being fluffy. I could easily see it being made into a romantic comedy. You won't regret taking this one with you on your tropical vacation. You know, the one you promised you'd take me on? 😉

{best fiction}

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

What it's about: From the highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning Anthony Doerr, the beautiful, stunningly ambitious instant New York Times bestseller about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.

Why I like it: I feel like I might be the last person in the world to read this novel, so I'm sorry if you're seeing this recommendation for the millionth time. I am not surprised at all that All the Light We Cannot See won the Pulitzer Prize. It is completely gripping and beautifully written. I love how Doerr looks at World War II from a different angle. Most of the books I've read about WWII focus on the Jews and the concentration camps, but this one focuses on two very different people: a French girl who is blind and a brilliant young German boy who is cherry-picked and groomed by the Nazis. Although their paths seem impossibly distant at the beginning of the book, the two characters' stories end up intertwining. This is a pretty lengthy book, and I devoured it in about two days. Be warned that there are a few disturbing scenes, as would be expected from a book about WWII, but I cannot recommend this one more highly.

{best non-fiction: memoir}

Anchored: Finding Hope in the Unexpected by Kayla Aimee

What it's about: We count a pregnancy by weeks, and Kayla Aimee had only ticked off 24 of the 40 when she unexpectedly went into labor. She thought her church upbringing had prepared her for every circumstance but when she gave birth to her micro-preemie daughter, Scarlette, it felt as though once solid ground had turned to glass beneath her feet, destined to shatter everything she held sacred.

Why I like it: I already talked about this book here, but I had to include it on this list. Once I started reading Anchored, I simply couldn't put it down. When I initially read the book's synopsis, I was worried that it would be depressing, and my eyes would be swollen shut by the time I had finished. (I am a crier under normal circumstances, but when I have pregnancy/postpartum hormones swirling through me, I'm a weepy mess!) I did cry. But! Anchored is far from depressing because (SPOILER ALERT: Scarlette ends up all right. She is about the same age as my son, Conner 🙂 END SPOILER ALERT), and Kayla Aimee is a talented author who tugs at your heartstrings and tickles your funny bone on the very same page. She had me laughing out loud on several occasions. Her story also reminds me to have faith not only in the good times, but also to lean (hard) on that faith during the difficult times.

**Note: The Kindle version of this book was $0.99 (a steal!) for quite a while around Black Friday. If you're into e-books, you might want to wait and see if the price drops in the future. Then again, this one is so good, you might just want to RUN and get any version of it!

{best non-fiction: self-help}

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

What it's about: This #1 New York Times best-selling guide to decluttering your home from Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes readers step-by-step through her revolutionary KonMari Method for simplifying, organizing, and storing. With detailed guidance for determining which items in your house “spark joy” (and which don’t), this international bestseller featuring Tokyo’s newest lifestyle phenomenon will help you clear your clutter and enjoy the unique magic of a tidy home—and the calm, motivated mindset it can inspire.

Why I like it: The concept of "minimalism" is huge right now, and for good reason. We, as Americans, have way. too. much. stuff. It weighs us down both physically and mentally. For me at least, keeping things tidy is life-changing. If my bed is made, the counters are cleared, our sink is shiny, and our carpets have just been skimmed by our Roomba, my mind feels freer and more prepared to take on the day. I have boxes and boxes of stuff lurking in our basement that I need to declutter, and I cannot wait to use the KonMari Method to pare down. Marie Condo is Japanese, so her philosophy is quite different from that of a typical American. Some of the things she says in her book strike me as being kind of wacky (how inanimate objects are personified, for example), but I also feel like I am getting a bit of a mini-lesson in Eastern philosophy and culture, which adds to the book's interest.

{the one I didn't finish}

The Confession (The Heritage of Lancaster County #2)

What it's about: Katie Lapp has known no other world than that of the Amish who raised her. Since her refusal to accept their ways fully has resulted in her being shunned (see The Shunning), Katie takes refuge with a Mennonite family and tracks down her biological mother. However, Katie soon realizes that Laura Mayfield-Bennett is not only mortally ill but also married to a man more concerned with her money than with her.

Why I didn't like it: So, here's how I stumbled upon this book. I was attending Bible study, and one of the women there was talking about the Amish. She seemed very knowledgeable on the subject and mentioned that she had learned about their culture and beliefs by reading novels by Beverly Lewis. I've always been interested in the Amish, so I made a mental note to check out these books sometime. I was in the church library one day with a particularly naughty energetic two-year-old, and I found Lewis' books sitting on one of the shelves. I checked out the first novel in the series, The Shunning. I wasn't super-impressed, but I was interested enough in the story that to want to find out what happened in the second novel.

I wanted to like this book, I really did. (Sort of like how I really wanted to like When Calls the Heart [the TV show], but just couldn't do it once Jack's ex-fiance, Rosemary, made her debut.) Lewis lost me in a few different ways. To begin with, at the end of her first book in the series (The Shunning), one of Lewis' characters does something that greatly affects the plot. Lewis must have regretted this literary decision between writing books one and two, because in the second book, she writes it as though that character hasn't performed that action. (I apologize for the vagueness. It's a major plot twist, so I don't want to spoil it in case anyone wants to read these.) As an aspiring writer myself, I take issue with this. I think that, once a book has been published, the author has committed. The readers (at least this one!) are going to notice if the author makes a major plot change from one book to the next. I understand that authors sometimes wish they would have written something differently, but I think Lewis should have found a creative way to work around the problem in the story instead of pretending it didn't happen that way in the first place. Sorry, rant over. 🙂 Second, Lewis relies heavily on coincidence. So much so, that the book is not believable. Lastly, and this is the one that made me snap the book closed in frustration, the protagonist (who is supposed to be strong-spirited) doesn't seem to mind that someone has stolen her identity and is trying to rob her of a relationship with her dying mother. In fact, she is too timid to speak up and tell the truth, so she accepts a paid position as a maid in her mother's house. Then, as a hired maid, she is so excited to have a pretty room of her own, that, feeling like a princess, she twirls around it. What?! I'm sorry, I couldn't. I just could. not. (Incidentally, I told my mother that I didn't finish the book, and she gasped. I always finish books.)

What do you think, friends? Have you read The Confession and found it to be quite the pleasant experience? If so, call the toll-free number at the bottom of your screen or vote online and save it from being sent home tonight! Ha-ha. I don't mean to be overly critical... I must be missing something, because this novel was made into a made-for-TV-movie. 🙂

What books did you read in 2016 that you absolutely love? (I want to start working on my reading list for 2017!) Are there any I should avoid?

{Synopses adapted from Amazon editorial reviews.}
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