My Top Ten Books of 2021 + How to Read More in 2022
This year, I actually managed to finish several books, which was quite the feat for me! I loved reading growing up, but law school and then bar prep burned me out on reading for a few years. Here are ten of the books I’ve read and enjoyed this year (and recommend to other Christian women!), in no particular order.
Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World by Michael Hyatt. Think of this book as a what you need to know 101 on launching and building a blog and/or platform. The chapters are short and easy to read, so if you’re thinking about starting something of your own, whether it is a business or personal blog, start with this book.
Growing Boldly: Dare to Build a Life You Love by Emily Ley. I’ll sum this book up with this quote: “Building a life you love requires that you do something. It doesn’t mean we must have a perfect plan in place; it simply means we have to put one foot in front of the other, prayerfully, thoughtfully, and with bravery. Even if we’re unsure, even if we’re scared, we build. We act in faith. We work and act from a place of love.”
Growing Slow: Lessons on Un-Hurrying Your Heart from an Accidental Farm Girl by Jennifer Dukes Lee. As I enter my thirties, I have been feeling this tug to live more intentionally: to do less, while focusing more on what truly matters. I loved the lessons Jennifer drew from the change of seasons and how our lives follow different seasons too. I also enjoyed the lessons from a city girl in the country. I always pictured myself to be a city girl, but that dream has changed over the years. Now, my husband (who wants to be a farmer someday!) and I dream of owning our own plot of land in the country someday.
Expect Something Beautiful: Finding God’s Good Gifts in Motherhood by Laura Booz. As I prepare to become a mother, this was a book I needed to read. It is full of grace, turning the hardships of motherhood into something beautiful and God-honoring. I’ve had some anxiety and fear about this new season and Laura’s book gives me so much hope.
The True Woman: The Beauty and Strength of a Godly Womanhood (Updated Edition) by Susan Hunt. I’ve heard Susan speak at the Revive Our Hearts conferences and always loved how she exuded the light of Christ. This book was theologically deep, and I picked out a few nuggets of truth to carry with me. My top takeaway was to remember and live out the story of redemption as a woman.
We Should All Be Millionaires: A Woman’s Guide to Earning More, Building Wealth, and Gaining Economic Power by Rachel Rodgers. This is a secular book so it promotes wordly principles of wealth, but I still think it is a really good read for women. I took so much away about mindset and how to view wealth from a perspective of abundance, not scarcity, along with practical strategies and tips on becoming more financially wise.
Take Back Your Time: The Guilt-Free Guide to Life Balance by Christy Wright. I read this book on one plane ride and it is packed with good tips on how to manage your time better and get more done of what truly matters. I highly recommend it to every woman. I shared some of my takeaways in Issue No. 3 of the Corporate Manager!
Dare to Bloom: Trusting God Through Painful Endings and New Beginnings by Zim Flores. This year was a year of change for me, but I bought this book before I realized just how much change was coming my way, so it was just the book I needed in this season. Read it if you’re going through change or if you’re in a waiting season and praying for change.
Aging with Grace: Flourishing in an Anti-Aging Culture by Susan Hunt. This book’s intended audience is older women, but I enjoyed reading it at 29 nonetheless as a reminder to view our earthly bodies with an eternal perspective. This book is for every woman who sees her body changing with time while watching other women her age turn to makeup, cosmetic surgery and other methods to stay forever young.
Intended for Pleasure: Sex Technique and Sexual Fulfillment in Christian Marriage by Ed Wheat. My husband and I read this book while we were engaged and I highly recommend it for engaged and married couples to read together (especially newlyweds). While we’re on the topic of sex, I also read The Good Girl’s Guide to Great Sex by Sheila Wray Gregoire before I got married and highly recommend for every engaged and married woman to read, regardless of how long you’ve been married!
If you want to read more in the coming year, here are a few quick tips:
Read 10 pages a day (or a chapter a day). I don’t do this every day, but a couple times a week, I try to fit in a few pages before bed and that little by little adds up! Also, it is a good way to unwind before bed and give your eyes some rest from the blue light of looking at screens all day. Also, don’t say you’ll “try” to do this - just do it. If you’re a visual person, have a habits tracker where you check off each day in the month that you read 10 pages or a chapter.
Find the method that works for you: audio books, eBooks or print. I generally prefer to hold a physical copy of a book in my hands, but I also read books on my phone by checking them out for free from the library through the Hoopla app (which has eBooks and audio books available!).
Read books that you enjoy. If a book isn’t holding your interest after a few chapters, don’t feel like you must finish it. Maybe it will be more relevant in another season, or maybe you’ll never finish it and that’s okay! If you’re reading books you enjoy, you’re more likely too finish them.
Read multiple books at the same time. Okay, this one is controversial and up to personal preference! I read several books at once, so that I can pick up reading whatever I’m in the mood for that day.
Read a book instead of scrolling. Replace TV time or social media with reading. With apps like Hoopla providing free audio and eBooks, you can always have a book at your fingertips to read a few pages instead of looking at IG or watching yet another episode of Netflix.
I’m always sharing what I’m reading & learning in my weekly newsletter for Christian millennial women who work. Sign up below to get the next issue!
What books have you read and enjoyed this year?
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