2018 Reads: Books 96-100

Nina Browning is living the good life. Her husband sold his tech company and she's now in the Nashville elite.

Tom Volpe is a single dad who is dedicated to raising his headstrong and independent daughter, Lyla.

The two parents both love their children and are content with their lives, but have their moments of questioning how they got to where they are.

One night, Tom's daughter and Nina's son cross paths in a way that neither could have expected. One photograph changes the lives of both parents and families - leading both parents to question the meaning of family, life, and happiness.

If you haven't read Mary Morris - add her to your list.

Gateway to the Moon follows a family through centuries - from a member who plays the role of translator for Columbus to a present day teenager who wants to discover his roots.

This book is honestly difficult to summarize, but it is a great piece of literature.

I was inspired to read this book after I read The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton, one of Stevenson's clients.

Bryan Stevenson and his staff are on a mission to gain justice for every soul in prison that has been wrongly accused or mistreated. By founding the Equal Justice Initiative, Stevenson has been on the forefront of ending the death penalty for juveniles and for those with mental disabilities.

He has worked with countless clients and he shares several of their stories his book. Each story is truly eye opening and shows where the cracks in our justice system lie.

In 1967, Susanna Kaysen is committed to a psychiatric hospital at age eighteen. After one session with a psychiatrist, she spent two years in the ward that was full of other young women facing the same issues as Kaysen.

I loved that this read as a journal. It's an eye-opening read that is brutally honest, somewhat heartbreaking, and a bit funny, too.

Mort Lear was a world-famous author and illustrator of children's books - but he was just starting out when he first met a young Tomasina Daulair in a park and asked if he could sketch her brother for a muse.

This chance encounter in a park led to a lifelong friendship between Tommy and Mort - one that led to a live-in employment between Tommy and Mort.

After Mort passes away, Tommy finds herself learning more about his life than she realized was hidden.

It's a great book that was very intelligently written and completely original. I loved Glass' writing and was happy to end my year with this read!