Top 6 Reads of 2020

2020 was the year that offered me more time, and in that time, my 24 book goal turned into 75, and I even exceeded that. Since I read so many good books this year, it was EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to narrow it down to the favorites I wanted to share with you. Since I’ve done top 6 reads for the last few years, I’ll take it as a personal challenge to continue the trend.

I’m currently taking suggestions for the reads to start with for this year! In case you are interested in seeing the complete list of books I read this year, I’ve linked the two posts (Part 1 and Part 2) below!

(By the way, you can find even more of my favorites on my Amazon page here!)

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1. Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No, to Take Control of Your Life By Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend

This book opened my eyes to all of the ways I am not setting good boundaries in my life, even though I thought I was pretty good at boundaries! It gave me the confidence to set better lines and non-negotiables, and my favorite part about this book was that it was backed up with Scripture. After the first page, I was totally hooked and resonated deeply with it. I would definitely recommend it because even if you don’t think you struggle with boundaries, you likely do. Hehe.

Get your copy here on Amazon.

2. Living for God: Reclaiming the Joy of Christian Virtue by Frank M. Hasel

 I loved how simple and practical this book was. If someone were to talk to me about “Christian virtue” on the street before I read this book, I would have had a completely different idea as to what that meant. My favorite part of this book were the stories that beautifully illustrated each point in a practical and relatable way.

Get your copy here on Amazon.

3. The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row by Anthony Ray Hinton

Wow. After I finished this book, I put it down with reverence, relief, anger, and with a burning desire for justice all at once. The amazing true story about Anthony Ray Hinton, and just the raw thoughts he faced while on death row for 30 years - for a crime he did not commit. This book, by the way, was a great follow up to “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson, Mr. Hinton’s lawyer. Honorable mention for that book, by the way, because when I finished it, I wanted to quit my job and go to law school so I could help the falsely accused.

Get your copy here on Amazon.

4. Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely by Lysa TerKeurst

This book definitely touched me and even though I didn’t agree with absolutely everything in it, it stands out as a top book this year. As someone who has felt rejected, less than, lonely, left out, purposeless, and blinded to the beauty of Christ’s love, this book was such an encouragement. I will likely be re-reading this one.

Get your copy here on Amazon.

5. Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport

Absolutely a top read and one I recommend having a physical copy of, as it is a great one to refer back to later on. I enjoy practical books, which is why I liked this one so much. As a minimal-ish person, I appreciated the approach to minimalism when it comes to technology and our devices that play such a huge role in our lives.

Get your copy here on Amazon.

6. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Okay, so I honestly did not think I was going to like this one as much as I did but I could not put it down! I don’t generally gravitate toward this time period or even this genre of fiction, but the guy at the book store couldn’t stop raving at it. I picked it up out of curiosity and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it - well, clearly, I enjoyed it because it made my top 6 this year!

Get your copy here on Amazon.

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What were some of the best books you read in 2020? I'd love some recommendations for 2021!

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Books I've Read in 2020 (Part 2)

Here we are for part 2 of the books I read this year (click here to check out part 1)! It became very evident, after passing my book goal in the first 3 months of 2020, that I would need to up my numbers. I went for 75 books, and thanks to being on lockdown quite a bit, I was able to achieve that - or exceed it, really, getting in 82 books. Not going to lie, not all of these books were fantastic, but I’ll be doing a roundup of my absolute favorites from the year soon! You will quickly see that I’m a sucker for a series - I just have to figure out what happens even if I’m not totally into it, hehe.

I use a combination of Libby (free library app - you just need a library card!) and Kindle Unlimited (use this link to try it free for 30 days!)  to read so that I don’t collect more books than I already own and spend more money that I should probably save. I’ll link the books below (affiliate links that help us keep Maple Alps going!) as well so you can grab your copies easily. You can find some other favorites of mine in my Amazon Storefront as well!

I haven’t sent a book goal for this year of 2021 yet, but I honestly do not anticipate reading as many as I was able to this last year! By the way, if you want to be friends on Goodreads, you can find me here! I finally updated my account.

This post contains affiliate links

Nonfiction

// 1. “Walking From East to West: God in the Shadows” by Ravi Zacharias (get your copy on Amazon here) // 2. “Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World” by Cal Newport (get your copy on Amazon here) // 3. “Wisdom from a Humble Jellyfish And Other Self-Care Rituals from Nature” by Rani Shah (get your copy on Amazon here) // 4. “Night” (The Night Trilogy #1) by Elie Wiesel (get your copy on Amazon here) // 5. “Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption” by Bryan Stevenson (get your copy on Amazon here) // 6. “The Origin of Names, Words, and Everything in Between” by Patrick Foote (get your copy on Amazon here) // 7. “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man” by Mary L. Trump (get your copy on Amazon here) // 8. “Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don’t Know” by Malcolm Gladwell (get your copy on Amazon here) // 9. “Waiting to Be Heard: A Memoir” by Amanda Knox (get your copy on Amazon here) //10. “Cozy Minimalist Home: More Style, Less Stuff” by Myquillyn Smith (get your copy on Amazon here) //11. “Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams” by Matthew Walker, Ph.D. (get your copy on Amazon here) //12. “The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row” by Anthony Ray Hinton (get your copy on Amazon here) //13. “Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain” by John J. Ratey, MD (get your copy on Amazon here) //14. “So You Want to Talk About Race” by Ijeoma Oluo (get your copy on Amazon here) //15. “The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story” by Hyeonseo Lee (get your copy on Amazon here) //16. “Didn’t See That Coming: Putting Life Back Together When Your World Falls Apart” by Rachel Hollis (get your copy on Amazon here) //17. “We Were the Lucky Ones: A Novel” by Georgia Hunter (get your copy on Amazon here) //18. “Why Not Me?” by Mindy Kaling (get your copy on Amazon here)

Christian Nonfiction

// 1. “Living for God: Reliving the Joy of Christian Virtue” by Frank M. Hasel (get your copy on Amazon here) // 2 . “It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way: Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered” by Lysa Terkeurst  (get your copy on Amazon here) // 3. “One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are” by Ann Voskamp (get your copy on Amazon here) // 4. “Relationship Goals: How to Win at Dating, Marriage, and Sex” by Michael Todd (get your copy on Amazon here) // 5. “More or Less” by Jeff Shinabarger (get your copy on Amazon here) // 6. “Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life” by Henry Cloud and John Townsend (get your copy on Amazon here) // 7. “The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God” by Timothy J. Keller (get your copy on Amazon here)

Historical Fiction

// 1. “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” (The Tattooist of Auschwitz #1) by Heather Morris (get your copy on Amazon here) // 2. “Cilka’s Journey (The Tattooist of Auschwitz #2) by Heather Morris (get your copy on Amazon here) // 3. “Land of Silence” by Tessa Afshar (get your copy on Amazon here) // 4. “A.D. 30” (A.D. #1) by Ted Dekker (get your copy on Amazon here) // 5. “A.D. 33” (A.D. #2) by Ted Dekker (get your copy on Amazon here) // 6. “Becoming Mrs. Lewis” by Patti Callahan (get your copy on Amazon here) // 7. “The Book of Lost Names” by Kristin Harmel (get your copy on Amazon here)

Baxter Family Series

// 1. “Return” (Baxter Family Drama Redemption Series #3) by Karen Kingsbury (get your copy on Amazon here) // 2. “Rejoice” (Baxter Family Drama Redemption Series #4) by Karen Kingsbury (get your copy on Amazon here) // 3. “Reunion” (Baxter Family Drama Redemption Series #5) by Karen Kingsbury (get your copy on Amazon here) // 4. “Fame” (Baxter Family Drama Firstborn Series #1) by Karen Kingsbury (get your copy on Amazon here) // 5. “Forgiven” (Baxter Family Drama Firstborn Series #2) by Karen Kingsbury (get your copy on Amazon here) // 6. “Found”  (Baxter Family Drama Firstborn Series #3) by Karen Kingsbury (get your copy on Amazon here) // 7. “Family”  (Baxter Family Drama Firstborn Series #4) by Karen Kingsbury (get your copy on Amazon here) //8. “Forever” (Baxter Family Drama Firstborn Series #5) by Karen Kingsbury (get your copy on Amazon here) //9. “Sunrise” (Sunrise Series #1) by Karen Kingsbury (get your copy on Amazon here) //10. “Summer” (Sunrise Series #2) by Karen Kingsbury (get your copy on Amazon here) //11. “Someday” (Sunrise Series #3) by Karen Kingsbury (get your copy on Amazon here) //12. “Sunset” (Sunrise Series #4) by Karen Kingsbury (get your copy on Amazon here) //13. “Take One” (Above the Line #1) by Karen Kingsbury (get your copy on Amazon here)

Christian Fiction

// 1. “Till We Have Faces” by C.S. Lewis (get your copy on Amazon here) // 2. “The Last Sin Eater” by Francine Rivers (get your copy on Amazon here) // 3. “Bread of Angels” by Tessa Afshar (get your copy on Amazon here) // 4. “Theif of Corinth” by Tessa Afshar (get your copy on Amazon here) // 5. “Daughter of Rome” by Tessa Afshar (get your copy on Amazon here)

Non-Christian Fiction

// 1. “The Simple Wild” (Wild #1) by K.A. Tucker (get your copy on Amazon here)
//2. “Wild at Heart” (Wild #2) by K.A. Tucker (get your copy on Amazon here) //3. “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett (get your copy on Amazon here) //4. “Say You Still Love Me” by K.A. Tucker (get your copy on Amazon here) // 5. “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman (get your copy on Amazon here)

Love in the Time of Corona: What Our Marriage Looks Like This Season

Okay, y’all. It’s about to get real on the blog this week.

March 13, 2020 was the official start of self-isolation for us. Days turned into weeks which turned into months of living pretty much 24/7 within earshot of each other. Days/Weeks/Months of eating lunch with the same person every day. Days/Weeks/Months of not having very little outside interaction.

So how are we holding up? Has our marriage survived coronavirus?

That’s what you’re going to be finding out today. Below you’ll find a few questions posed to each of us (Amanda and Jonathan) during the time of self-isolation. Enjoy getting the inside scoop of how we’re staying a couple in love during the COVID crisis. Nothing too deep. Something fun and light is what we all need sometimes.

What is the hardest part about being home with your spouse all day?

A: It’s not that hard, honestly, and I’ve gotten used to it. We have our own space, thankfully. Maybe something difficult is when one of us is recording something like a video for work and the other unintentionally makes noise.

J: It’s easy to think it’s the weekend when both are home all day, which can give you the feeling that you can slack with work. Also being able to eat together and talk can make lunch break a little longer than usual. But that’s not necessarily bad. If you are both in the same room working, it’s easy to get distracted cause my wife is the most attractive woman in the world. (A: awwe, thanks!)

What do you enjoy most about being home with your spouse all day?

A: It’s nice to be able to eat meals together or run something by him real quick. I also love that we can exercise and go outside together! Also fun? Blanket forts and hanging out on the deck with our work.

J: Living on the same schedule. Getting up and going to bed at the same time, and eating together! Also having a fresh, home cooked meal is pretty amazing! I am a lucky guy!

You know the game about being stranded on an isolated island, but this time you’re stranded in your house. Is there anything or anyone else you’d like to be stranded with currently?

A: If we had a piano, that would be great.

J: I’d like to be stranded somewhere else! If I can work from anymore, which it shows that I pretty much can, then why not have my ‘home office’ in Hawaii, Bali, or New Zealand?

In your view, how has your marriage changed (if at all) as a result of self-isolation?

A: I don’t think it has really changed. Maybe it’s gotten better because we have more time together to talk things out and get things done together. Now is the perfect time to get house projects completed, and we’ve managed to do several with minimal difference of personality issues that we’re famous for, haha!

J: Every day impacts your marriage. So, yes, COVID-19 has definitely affected our marriage. I feel it has become stronger. We are fighting together against this crazy virus: Exercising, eating more healthy, wiping things down with Clorox etc. A common enemy unites lol. Also being able to spend 24/7 with each other is a privilege in a way! I would be struggling if I was alone to be honest.

Have you learned anything new about your spouse lately?

A: Hmm. That’s tough. I recently found out that his nostalgia (and boy is he nostalgic!) goes as far as downloading an app on his iPhone that acts like playing snake on a Nokia. Thought that was cute. He’s also...really…loud and doesn’t realize he’s quite loud. Or maybe I’m just extra sensitive? Who knows.

J: That introverts are dealing much better with lock downs than extroverts!

What is a piece of advice you have for a couple during corona time?

A: Even though you spend the whole day together, it’s still important to set time aside to be a couple. Having a weekly date night where you don’t discuss work or the to-do list but focus instead on growing as a couple is really important to keep your relationship strong. It’s easy to fall into the trap of “oh, well we see each other all day, so we don’t need to do anything fun together.” It’s also okay and very healthy to take breaks from each other!

J: Stay healthy and encourage each other, don’t waste this special time you have been given, but do uplifting activities together. Go hike, sync your routines and enjoy yourself (while following the guidelines of the state and health authorities)! “Normality” will eventually come back and you will want some great memories from when you lived through the wild year of 2020!

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Are you at home with family? How has this season affected your relationships?

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Running Essentials

I started endurance running when I was in high school. My family was extremely confused when I started getting up before the sun was out and pushing myself up hills and around the neighbourhood. My dad even made me carry a whistle and keep my keys in my hand just in case - but I only ever saw one other person on my morning runs. It was an old man who walked forward and then backward. We had an understanding.

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I think besides the high of feeling accomplished after a long run, or pushing myself to my limits, my next favorite thing about running are all of the faces that begin to look familiar that eventually become knowing nods and friendly waves.

Now that self-isolation has me upping my running goals, maybe you want to try the same! Today I’m sharing some of my favorite running essentials for taking on the trails with me. Enjoy!

Related: Six Free Apps I Use to Track my Health

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Do you run? What are some of your must-haves?

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31 Books I Read in 2020 (Part 1)

I’ve officially exceeded my book reading goal for this year (thank you, COVID-19), so I’ve had to up my numbers. On Instagram, I did a poll to find out if you wanted a mid-year book list and 97% of you said you would like that. Here are the books I’ve read so far this year. I did not list any as DNF (did not finish), though at least three came very close. As you will see, the range of genres is pretty broad, even in the fiction/nonfiction realm but I wanted to keep the list simple. Reviews for my favorites will come later :)

I use a combination of Libby (free library app - you just need a library card!) and Kindle Unlimited (use this link to try it free for 30 days!)  to read so that I don’t collect more books than I already own and spend more money that I should probably save. I’ll link the books below (affiliate links that help us keep Maple Alps going!) as well so you can grab your copies easily. You can find some other favorites of mine in my Amazon Storefront as well, and keep your eyes out for part 2 of my 2020 books in January.

For the second half of the year, I plan to add some foreign language books (I have a few German ones on my shelf I’ve been meaning to get to) and some more nonfiction and memoirs. I haven’t gotten to more because I’m on a loooooong waitlist to get some of them. By the way, if you want to be friends on Goodreads, you can find me here! I finally updated my account.

Happy Reading!

This post contains affiliate links

Nonfiction

// 1. “Girl, Stop Apologizing: A Shame-Free Plan for Embracing and Achieving Your Goals” by Rachel Hollis (get your copy on Amazon here) // 2. “The Act of Marriage: The Beauty of Sexual Love” by Tim LaHaye (get your copy on Amazon here) // 3. “Scatterbrain: How the mind’s mistakes make humans creative, innovative, and successful” by Henning Beck (get your copy on Amazon here) // 4. “Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo (get your copy on Amazon here) // 5. “The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo (get your copy on Amazon here) // 6. “The Little Book of Hygge” (The Happiness Institute Series) by Meik Wiking (get your copy on Amazon here)
// 7. “Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave” by Joanna Gaines (get your copy on Amazon here) // 8. “Educated: A Memoir” by Tara Westover (get your copy on Amazon here) // 9. “Becoming” by Michelle Obama (get your copy on Amazon here)

Christian Nonfiction

// 1. “How People Grow: What the Bible Reveals About Personal Growth” by Henry Cloud (get your copy on Amazon here) // 2 . “Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely” by Lysa TerKeurst  (get your copy on Amazon here) // 3. “God’s Smuggler” by Brother Andrew (get your copy on Amazon here) // 4. “The Insanity of God” by Nik Ripken (get your copy on Amazon here) // 5. “More or Less” by Jeff Shinabarger (get your copy on Amazon here)

Historical Fiction

// 1. “Egypt’s Sister: A Novel of Cleopatra” (The Silent Years #1) by Angela Elwell Hunt (get your copy on Amazon here) // 2. “Harvest of Gold” (Harvest of Rubies, #2) by Tessa Afshar (get your copy on Amazon here) // 3. “Land of Silence” by Tessa Afshar (get your copy on Amazon here) // 4. “A.D. 30” (A.D. #1) by Ted Dekker (get your copy on Amazon here) // 5. “A.D. 33” (A.D. #2) by Ted Dekker (get your copy on Amazon here) // 6. “Becoming Mrs. Lewis” by Patti Callahan (get your copy on Amazon here)

Christian Fiction

// 1. “The Negotiator” (O’Malley, #1) by Dee Henderson (get your copy on Amazon here)
// 2. “The Guardian” (O’Malley, #2) by Dee Henderson (get your copy on Amazon here)
// 3. “An Heiress at Heart” (Love’s Grace, #1) by Jennifer Delamere (get your copy on Amazon here)
// 4. “A Lady Most Lovely” (Love’s Grace, #2) by Jennifer Delamere (get your copy on Amazon here)
// 5. “A Bride for the Season” (Love’s Grace, #3) by Jennifer Delamere (get your copy on Amazon here)
// 6. “Sensible Shoes: A Story about the Spiritual Journey” (Sensible Shoes #1) by Sharon Garlough Brown (get your copy on Amazon here)
// 7. “Redemption” (Baxter Family Drama Redemption Series #1) by Karen Kingsbury (get your copy on Amazon here)
// 8. “Remember” (Baxter Family Drama Redemption Series #2) by Karen Kingsbury (get your copy on Amazon here)

Non-Christian Fiction

// 1. “The Enlightenment of Bees” by Rachel Linden (get your copy on Amazon here)
// 2. “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens (get your copy on Amazon here)
// 3. “Wolf Hollow” by Lauren Wolk (get your copy on Amazon here)