2012 Book of the Year

I read 61 books in 2012 (currently reading The Life of Pi)! I had big plans when I started the year to only read classics, but I got bogged down in Oliver Twist (it was SOOO depresssing!!) so that didn't last long! So, what you've all been waiting for...the 3rd Annual Darbi's Book of the Year Blog! :) Fiction: I read some great books this year, but hands down I am giving my fiction recommendation to the Chop, Chop series by L.N. Cronk.

I have read the first seven books of the series and am eagerly awaiting Book 8. These books are sweet, Christian fiction, but the characters are so real that I found myself laughing and crying throughout the series. And...(a true test)..I have read books 1&2 to Blu and he loved them as well. The first book is probably more geared towards teenage readers, but as the series progresses (follows the same characters basically from preschool through their 60s), older readers will find that they can't put it down! Try it!! The first book is free on the Kindle! Nonfiction: I struggled more with this one. I REALLY enjoyed George Bush's autobiography, and if you are a football fan, then Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy's autobiographies are must reads. Kisses from Katie changed my life and how I look at the Zambians around me. BUT...I am going to give my nonfiction book of the year recommendation to...

His Needs, Her Needs by Dr. Willard Harley Someone told us years ago we should read this book, but we didn't get around to it until this year. I think God gives each person something that they are passionate about - something that causes their hearts to break and that they grieve over. I hope that makes sense. Most would assume that my "passion" is orphans, and of course that is one of my passions. But something I have recently discovered is how my heart breaks over divorce. Please hear me out - I am not saying in judgment "If you are divorced, you are a terrible person." I am just saying that very few things make me sad like divorce does. This year I witnessed family members who were separated reconcile. They are now back together, raising their children in a godly home. I also witnessed two long-time family friends divorce, and it shook me to the core. I'm not saying that this book is the cure-all for any and every potential divorce. But I will say that it opened my eyes to things about my husband that after 11 years of marriage, I didn't know. And it woke me up to how nobody, Christian or not, can expect a marriage to work without effort. I read that the vast majority of divorces occur in the 20-25 year mark of a marriage, once the children have left the nest. That surprised me, and it made me realize that you don't reach a certain year mark in your marriage and suddenly you have made it over the hump and you are guaranteed a smooth-sailing marriage. It is constant work, and this book helped me see ways that I could be a better wife to my husband. Admittedly, there are some cheesy parts, but Blu & I laughed through them and both came away learning a lot about each other. Leave me comments of your favorite books you read in 2012, and I'll make sure I get to them in 2013! :)