Booking it

I have never been more excited about reading than I am lately. I've been able to allowed myself to sit down and read more than ever before, and a generous addition to my book collection over Christmas has sparked the excitement even more. Combine that with hearing about books on the radio, combing through a new library, and accepting my Mom's English-teachery suggestions (she's either going to love or hate that I made that description up), I had to create an Up Next list for books. I've never imagined myself doing a book review post, but I've read so many good ones lately that I hope to pass on the excitement! Here's a quick peek at what I've been reading lately. Please grab one of them and curl up on your couch with a blanket and some tea. I know you're cold- this will warm you up.

Source

Shepherd's Abiding - Jan Karon I picked this gem up at the library the morning before Keagan and I hit the road for a 20-hour drive to Iowa. Although I didn't get around to reading the book on the way up, I started it during our vacation and finished it shortly after we got home. I've read Jan Karon's Mitford series before, and love the characters she's so gently placed into her fictional small town. Somehow, I always passed over this book, but decided to give it a go in the spirit of Christmas. If you've ever read a Mitford book, this does not disappoint. Every book is like going back to visit your hometown and reconnecting with the stories of those around you in the most delightful way. Karon's fiction is always an easy, delightful read, but also helps to challenge and inspire a faith-filled life of ministering to others while also pursuing balance in our own lives.

Source

Light From Heaven - Jan Karon Light from Heaven was another Mitford book I had missed. I also picked this one up before our long trip, and read it in a hurry before it's due date at the library. I'm glad I had missed this one, because it was so exciting to enjoy further tales of Father Tim and Cynthia that I didn't know existed! What an indulging read. Karon shifts away from Mitford a bit, as Father Tim and Cynthia take on a new adventure at Meadowgate Farm and beyond. Many of the favorite Mitford characters are present, but Karon also introduces us to a whole new crew of people I desperately wish were real. Of course, she can't resist throwing in a surprise here and there, and the last page will have you in tears. If you haven't read #9 of the Mitford series, please do. If you haven't read any book of the Mitford series, get to your library ASAP.

Source

The House of the Scorpion - Nancy Farmer When I told my brother-in-law that I wanted a book with his stamp of approval for Christmas, he gifted me this. This book is not a normal Hannah book. It's a little more sci-fi than I usually enjoy, and when I opened it I went in with the expectation that I was going to put it away after a couple chapters. However, I was proven wrong. Farmer's story-telling was simple, yet intriguing and I read it in less than a week. The main character, Matt, journeys through different levels of self-awareness, societal acceptance, safety, friendship, trust, and moral dilemmas. This journey is intertwined with his growing awareness of the dysfunctional family he is surrounded by, and later, a society completely new to him. If you're looking for something a little different than your normal reading, check it out.  It's technically Young Adult Fiction, but I feel that it will appeal to any reader older than that. I may have ordered the sequel the night I finished reading it... Thanks Wyatt for the suggestion and helping me to enjoy something that I normally wouldn't give a chance!

Source

Love & War - Mary Matalin and James Carville This book is proof that my interests are expanding thanks to my very politically-minded husband. As we were listening to NPR one day (yes, we do that now), Mary Matalin was a guest on one of their shows. I immediately loved her. She was sarcastic, honest, and had the same kind of humor that I've always loved (the kind that runs rampant on the Hansen side of the family). She mentioned a book that she recently wrote with her husband, and I had to get it from the library right away. To be honest, the book was not as sarcastically funny as I expected, but I loved it just as well. Reading a memoir was a good change of style for me, although I didn't read it as fast as I generally read other books. Oh, man, was it good though. Mary's strong Republican background and beliefs are so strikingly paired with her husband James' strong Liberal beliefs. It's a good eye-opener to each side of the story and reading about their unlikely successful marriage was refreshing. This book is a great insight on the political life of Washington, D.C., and after living in the area, I found it even more compelling than I probably would have in the past. Even though it kept me up way too late, I couldn't put down the book until I finished the section on 9/11. Mary was working for VP Cheney in the White House at the time, and her recollection of that day and the days to follow made an event that my 10-year-old self didn't really understand so much more real. If you're looking for an honest, insightful, and entertaining read...go for this one. There's so much diversity- from politics, to marriage, to parenting, to later life in Louisiana. James and Mary tell a great story.

Source

Unbroken- Laura Hillenbrand So, I'm cheating a little bit because I read this one in June, but I still can't stop thinking about it and strongly suggest you get to it before it comes out as a movie this December. Do yourself a favor and read it. Now. I read it after seeing many good comments about it. After I read it, I told at least 8 people to read it and they all loved it. So don't wait. Get to it. I might just have to read it again.








Up Next:

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
Tuesdays with Morrie - Mitch Albom
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail - Cheryl Strayed
The Eliot Family Trilogy - Elizabeth Goudge
In the Company of Others - Jan Karon
The Lord of Opium - Nancy Farmer

I just realized I have 6 more books I want to add to this, but to avoid crazy book lady status, I'm not going to. Please give me grace and pretend you didn't read this sentence.