What I've Read Lately {April}

This month I read 5 books, and my favorite book hands down was Uninvited. And my second favorite was a Great Reckoning. I'm always looking for book recommendations, so tell me, what are you reading?

Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst 

I enjoyed this book so much. It's a book written for all of us, but especially for women who have faced rejection in their life. There were bits I even read outloud to Peter about a time the author wasn't selected for a job position and how that story of rejection played out. I highlighted so much of the text and I loved how it was steeped in scripture and biblical truths. I found myself raising my fist upwards and shouting yes, this, so good! It's all about living loved and remembering that our worth is in the Lord! Whether that's stuff you need to hear right now or someone close to you does..it will be worth the read. "Let the breaking of you be the making of you." You're welcome.

Goodreads blurb, "The enemy wants us to feel rejected . . . left out, lonely, and less than. When we allow him to speak lies through our rejection, he pickpockets our purpose. Cripples our courage. Dismantles our dreams. And blinds us to the beauty of Christ’s powerful love. In Uninvited, Lysa shares her own deeply personal experiences with rejection—from the incredibly painful childhood abandonment by her father to the perceived judgment of the perfectly toned woman one elliptical over. With biblical depth, gut-honest vulnerability, and refreshing wit, Lysa helps readers:
Release the desire to fall apart or control the actions of others by embracing God-honoring ways to process their hurt. Know exactly what to pray for the next ten days to steady their soul and restore their confidence. Overcome the two core fears that feed our insecurities by understanding the secret of belonging. Stop feeling left out and start believing that "set apart" does not mean "set aside."
End the cycle of perceived rejection by refusing to turn a small incident into a full blown issue."

A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny

I really enjoyed this book, a good read. The first book I've read by Louise Penny and I'm sure it won't be my last. I enjoy mysteries and always appreciate how quickly I can turn the pages!

Goodreads blurb, "The next novel in Louise Penny's #1 New York Times bestselling series featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. When an intricate old map is found stuffed into the walls of the bistro in Three Pines, it at first seems no more than a curiosity. But the closer the villagers look, the stranger it becomes. Given to Armand Gamache as a gift the first day of his new job, the map eventually leads him to shattering secrets. To an old friend and older adversary. It leads the former Chief of Homicide for the Sûreté du Québec to places even he is afraid to go. But must. And there he finds four young cadets in the Sûreté academy, and a dead professor. And, with the body, a copy of the old, odd map. Everywhere Gamache turns, he sees Amelia Choquet, one of the cadets. Tattooed and pierced. Guarded and angry. Amelia is more likely to be found on the other side of a police line-up. And yet she is in the academy. A protégée of the murdered professor. The focus of the investigation soon turns to Gamache himself and his mysterious relationship with Amelia, and his possible involvement in the crime. The frantic search for answers takes the investigators back to Three Pines and a stained glass window with its own horrific secrets. For both Amelia Choquet and Armand Gamache, the time has come for a great reckoning."

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi 

I really enjoy reading books by authors from different cultures, and this was Gyasi's first novel and she's only 26!! I also really enjoy reading books about different cultures, and this was about Ghana. I enjoyed this, but it was hard to follow at times as it spans countless years and many characters.


Goodreads blurb, "The unforgettable New York Times best seller begins with the story of two half-sisters, separated by forces beyond their control: one sold into slavery, the other married to a British slaver. Written with tremendous sweep and power, Homegoing traces the generations of family who follow, as their destinies lead them through two continents and three hundred years of history, each life indeliably drawn, as the legacy of slavery is fully revealed in light of the present day. Effia and Esi are born into different villages in eighteenth-century Ghana. Effia is married off to an Englishman and lives in comfort in the palatial rooms of Cape Coast Castle. Unbeknownst to Effia, her sister, Esi, is imprisoned beneath her in the castle’s dungeons, sold with thousands of others into the Gold Coast’s booming slave trade, and shipped off to America, where her children and grandchildren will be raised in slavery. One thread of Homegoing follows Effia’s descendants through centuries of warfare in Ghana, as the Fante and Asante nations wrestle with the slave trade and British colonization. The other thread follows Esi and her children into America. From the plantations of the South to the Civil War and the Great Migration, from the coal mines of Pratt City, Alabama, to the jazz clubs and dope houses of twentieth-century Harlem, right up through the present day, Homegoing makes history visceral, and captures, with singular and stunning immediacy, how the memory of captivity came to be inscribed in the soul of a nation."

Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson

This was a quick read, and it was interesting, but I don't think I'd recommend it. There are far too many other books that I think you'd enjoy more!

Goodreads blurb, "Running into a long-ago friend sets memories from the 1970s in motion for August, transporting her to a time and a place where friendship was everything—until it wasn’t. For August and her girls, sharing confidences as they ambled through neighborhood streets, Brooklyn was a place where they believed that they were beautiful, talented, brilliant—a part of a future that belonged to them. But beneath the hopeful veneer, there was another Brooklyn, a dangerous place where grown men reached for innocent girls in dark hallways, where ghosts haunted the night, where mothers disappeared. A world where madness was just a sunset away and fathers found hope in religion."

Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate

256 pages, and I flew through it. Think I might have finished it in a few days as it reads really easily with short prose. And I really enjoyed it, but like I said, I really enjoy reading books about other cultures, and this was a book about a boy from South Sudan I think? They don't really mention the specific country, but he is in a refugee camp, and eventually comes to Minnesota, where he lives with his aunt and his cousin. And the book follows his journey of transitioning to life in the states.  

Goodreads blurb, "Kek comes from Africa. In America he sees snow for the first time, and feels its sting. He's never walked on ice, and he falls. He wonders if the people in this new place will be like the winter – cold and unkind. In Africa, Kek lived with his mother, father, and brother. But only he and his mother have survived, and now she's missing. Kek is on his own. Slowly, he makes friends: a girl who is in foster care; an old woman who owns a rundown farm, and a cow whose name means "family" in Kek's native language. As Kek awaits word of his mother's fate, he weathers the tough Minnesota winter by finding warmth in his new friendships, strength in his memories, and belief in his new country. Bestselling author Katherine Applegate presents a beautifully wrought novel about an immigrant's journey from hardship to hope."

 Books for June // July // August // September // October // November // December // January // February // March

What I've Read Lately {March}

This month I read 6 books, and there were actually quite a few of them that I've enjoyed and at least one or two that I've spent time talking about in conversations, so then I know I really did like them! My favorites this month were Hillybilly Elegy, the Last Mile and Underground Railroad.  

Hillbilly Elegy: a Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance 

You guys I loved this book! It was so enlightening, as I really have no idea what poverty looks like in Appalachia or really white working class poverty, and the author shares about the generational impact it has. Read it, definitely worth your time, especially if you are from this area or have family that lives there!

Goodreads blurb, "From a former Marine and Yale Law School Graduate, a poignant account of growing up in a poor Appalachian town, that offers a broader, probing look at the struggles of America’s white working class. Part memoir, part historical and social analysis, J. D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy is a fascinating consideration of class, culture, and the American dream. Vance’s grandparents were “dirt poor and in love.” They got married and moved north from Kentucky to Ohio in the hopes of escaping the dreadful poverty around them. Their grandchild (the author) graduated from Yale Law School, a conventional marker of their success in achieving upward mobility for their family. But Vance cautions that is only the short version. The slightly longer version is that his grandparents, aunt, uncle, and mother struggled to varying degrees with the demands of their new middle class life and they, and Vance himself, still carry around the demons of their chaotic family history. Delving into his own personal story and drawing on a wide array of sociological studies, Vance takes us deep into working class life in the Appalachian region. This demographic of our country has been slowly disintegrating over forty years, and Vance provides a searching and clear-eyed attempt to understand when and how “hillbillies” lost faith in any hope of upward mobility, and in opportunities to come. At times funny, disturbing, and deeply moving, this is a family history that is also a troubling meditation on the loss of the American dream for a large portion of this country." 

The Last Mile by David Baldacci

I really liked this book, and I always enjoy mixing up the books I read. Think I've read a few books by David Baldacci, and they all have the same themes, but I enjoy them all the same. Quick and easy read, even if it is 432 pages!!

Goodreads blurb, "Convicted murderer Melvin Mars is counting down the last hours before his execution--for the violent killing of his parents twenty years earlier--when he's granted an unexpected reprieve. Another man has confessed to the crime. Amos Decker, newly hired on an FBI special task force, takes an interest in Mars's case after discovering the striking similarities to his own life: Both men were talented football players with promising careers cut short by tragedy. Both men's families were brutally murdered. And in both cases, another suspect came forward, years after the killing, to confess to the crime. A suspect who may or may not have been telling the truth. The confession has the potential to make Melvin Mars--guilty or not--a free man. Who wants Mars out of prison? And why now? But when a member of Decker's team disappears, it becomes clear that something much larger--and more sinister--than just one convicted criminal's life hangs in the balance. Decker will need all of his extraordinary brainpower to stop an innocent man from being executed." 

Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

I LOVE historical fiction! It's one of my favorite genres as I always feel like I'm learning something about the past. And this was a good one. I really enjoyed it - so if you like historical fiction, give it a read!  

Goodreads blurb, "Cora is a slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia. Life is hellish for all the slaves but especially bad for Cora; an outcast even among her fellow Africans, she is coming into womanhood - where even greater pain awaits. When Caesar, a recent arrival from Virginia, tells her about the Underground Railroad, they decide to take a terrifying risk and escape. Matters do not go as planned and, though they manage to find a station and head north, they are being hunted. In Whitehead's ingenious conception, the Underground Railroad is no mere metaphor - engineers and conductors operate a secret network of tracks and tunnels beneath the Southern soil. Cora and Caesar's first stop is South Carolina, in a city that initially seems like a haven - but the city's placid surface masks an insidious scheme designed for its black denizens. Even worse: Ridgeway, the relentless slave catcher, is close on their heels. Forced to flee again, Cora embarks on a harrowing flight, state by state, seeking true freedom. As Whitehead brilliantly re-creates the unique terrors for black people in the pre-Civil War era, his narrative seamlessly weaves the saga of America from the brutal importation of Africans to the unfulfilled promises of the present day. The Underground Railroad is at once a kinetic adventure tale of one woman's ferocious will to escape the horrors of bondage and a shattering, powerful meditation on the history we all share."

Before the Fall by Noah Fawley

I really liked this one too, but I liked the first 3 more. However, I enjoyed this far more than I thought I would. A beautiful story about relationships and redemption and second chances. It's incredibly sad due to the nature of the story line, but I really liked it.

Goodreads blurb, "On a foggy summer night, eleven people--ten privileged, one down-on-his-luck painter--depart Martha's Vineyard headed for New York. Sixteen minutes later, the unthinkable happens: the passengers disappear into the ocean. The only survivors are Scott Burroughs--the painter--and a four-year-old boy, who is now the last remaining member of a wealthy and powerful media mogul's family. With chapters weaving between the aftermath of the tragedy and the backstories of the passengers and crew members -- including a Wall Street titan and his wife, a Texan
born party boy just in from London, a young woman questioning her path in life, and a career pilot--the mystery surrounding the crash heightens. As the passengers' intrigues unravel, odd coincidences point to a conspiracy: Was it merely dumb chance that so many influential people perished? Or was something far more sinister at work? Events soon threaten to spiral out of control in an escalating storm of media outrage and accusations--all while the reader draws closer and closer to uncovering the truth. The fragile relationship between Scott and the young boy glows at the heart of this novel, raising questions of fate, human nature, and the inextricable ties that bind us together."

The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion

This is the sequel to the Rosie Project, and if I'm honest, I liked the Rosie Project better. But I have this thing about finishing books, so I started it and I finished it. If you read the Rosie Project, you should give this one a read too.

Goodreads blurb, "Don Tillman and Rosie Jarman are back. If you were swept away by Graeme Simsion’s international smash hit The Rosie Project, you will love The Rosie Effect. The Wife Project is complete, and Don and Rosie are happily married and living in New York. But they’re about to face a new challenge. Rosie is pregnant. Don sets about learning the protocols of becoming a father, but his unusual research style gets him into trouble with the law. Fortunately his best friend Gene is on hand to offer advice: he’s left Claudia and moved in with Don and Rosie. As Don tries to schedule time for pregnancy research, getting Gene and Claudia back together, servicing the industrial refrigeration unit that occupies half his apartment, helping Dave the Baseball Fan save his business and staying on the right side of Lydia the social worker, he almost misses the biggest problem of all: he might lose Rosie when she needs him most. Get ready to fall in love all over again."

Pumpkinflowers: a Soldier's story of a Forgotten War by Matti Friedman

I normally like war books, but this one didn't do it for me. It was hard for me to get through. And I actually thought about quitting it halfway through, but alas, it's so hard for me to leave a book unfinished, so I powered through.

Goodreads  blurb, "It was one small hilltop in a small, unnamed war in the late 1990s, but it would send out ripples still felt worldwide today. The hill, in Lebanon, was called the Pumpkin; flowers was the military code word for “casualties.” Award-winning writer Matti Friedman re-creates the harrowing experience of a band of young soldiers--the author among them--charged with holding this remote outpost, a task that changed them forever and foreshadowed the unwinnable conflicts the United States would soon confront in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. Part memoir, part reportage, part military history, this powerful narrative captures the birth of today’s chaotic Middle East and the rise of a twenty-first-century type of war in which there is never a clear victor, and media images can be as important as the battle itself. Raw and beautifully rendered, Pumpkinflowers will take its place among classic war narratives by George Orwell, Philip Caputo, and Vasily Grossman. It is an unflinching look at the way we conduct war today."

 Books for June // July // August // September // October // November // December // January // February

What I've Read Lately {February}

In February I somehow managed to read 5 books. I loved Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. So good. I learned so much about South Africa and the racial divide. If you're looking for a really quick read, then check out the Couple Next Door.

 Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

I loved this book and I would definitely recommend it, unless you don't find Trevor Noah funny, then maybe stay away from it? It's extremely informative and educational, yet he's a really good storyteller and he's funny. And I'm still left wondering how he ended up where he is today after the start he had.


Goodreads blurb, "The compelling, inspiring, and comically sublime story of one man's coming-of-age, set during the twilight of apartheid and the tumultuous days of freedom that followed. Trevor Noah's unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents' indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the earliest years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, steal him away. Finally liberated by the end of South Africa's tyrannical white rule, Trevor and his mother set forth on a grand adventure, living openly and freely and embracing the opportunities won by a centuries-long struggle. Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist. It is also the story of that young man's relationship with his fearless, rebellious, and fervently religious mother: his teammate, a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence, and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life. The eighteen personal essays collected here are by turns hilarious, dramatic, and deeply affecting. Whether subsisting on caterpillars for dinner during hard times, being thrown from a moving car during an attempted kidnapping, or just trying to survive the life-and-death pitfalls of dating in high school, Trevor illuminates his curious world with an incisive wit and unflinching honesty. His stories weave together to form a moving and searingly funny portrait of a boy making his way through a damaged world in a dangerous time, armed only with a keen sense of humor and a mother's unconventional, unconditional love."

The Mayor of Mogadishu: a story of Chaos and Redemption in the Ruins of Somalia by Andrew Harding

This book was really interesting, and I learned alot about Somalia. So if you're interested in learning about a different country, then give it a go, but if not, then I wouldn't recommend it. 

Goodreads blurb, "In The Mayor of Mogadishu, one of the BBC’s most experienced foreign correspondents, Andrew Harding, reveals the tumultuous life of Mohamoud “Tarzan” Nur - an impoverished nomad who was abandoned in a state orphanage in newly independent Somalia, and became a street brawler and activist. When the country collapsed into civil war and anarchy, Tarzan and his young family became part of an exodus, eventually spending twenty years in north London. But in 2010 Tarzan returned, as Mayor, to the unrecognizable ruins of a city now almost entirely controlled by the Islamist militants of Al Shabab. For many in Mogadishu, and in the diaspora, Tarzan became a galvanizing symbol of courage and hope for Somalia. But for others, he was a divisive thug, who sank beneath the corruption and clan rivalries that continue, today, to threaten the country’s revival. The Mayor of Mogadishu is a rare an insider’s account of Somalia’s unraveling, and an intimate portrayal of one family’s extraordinary journey."

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

You guys I read this entire book on one of our flights back from Ireland! And you better believe I was pretty thrilled when the boys fell asleep as it meant more reading time for me. It has been ages since I've done this though, finished a book in one setting. I mean when was the last time I had 5 hours to just read an entire book? Anyhow, read it, I think you'll like it, especially if you like Gone Girl or Girl on a Train or the others I recommended last month.


Goodreads blurb, "Fast-paced and addictive, THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR announces a major new talent in thriller writing. You never know what's happening on the other side of the wall. Your neighbour told you that she didn't want your six-month-old daughter at the dinner party. Nothing personal, she just couldn't stand her crying. Your husband said it would be fine. After all, you only live next door. You'll have the baby monitor and you'll take it in turns to go back every half hour. Your daughter was sleeping when you checked on her last. But now, as you race up the stairs in your deathly quiet house, your worst fears are realized. She's gone. You've never had to call the police before. But now they're in your home, and who knows what they'll find there. What would you be capable of, when pushed past your limit?"

The Wonder by Emma Donoghue 

This was okay, I think I liked Room better. I was interested in finding out what was really happening, but I definitely didn't speed through it like The Couple Next Door. It was well written, but I didn't like it enough to recommend it. 

Goodreads blurb, "In the latest masterpiece by Emma Donoghue, bestselling author of Room, an English nurse brought to a small Irish village to observe what appears to be a miracle-a girl said to have survived without food for months-soon finds herself fighting to save the child's life. Tourists flock to the cabin of eleven-year-old Anna O'Donnell, who believes herself to be living off manna from heaven, and a journalist is sent to cover the sensation. Lib Wright, a veteran of Florence Nightingale's Crimean campaign, is hired to keep watch over the girl. Written with all the propulsive tension that made Room a huge bestseller, THE WONDER works beautifully on many levels--a tale of two strangers who transform each other's lives, a powerful psychological thriller, and a story of love pitted against evil. The latest masterpiece by Emma Donoghue, bestselling author of Room."

The Trespasser by Tana French 

I liked this book, it felt a little long at 450 pages, but I enjoyed the storyline and you probably would too!


Goodreads blurb, "A new novel from the New York Times bestselling author. Being on the Murder squad is nothing like Detective Antoinette Conway dreamed it would be. Her partner, Stephen Moran, is the only person who seems glad she’s there. The rest of her working life is a stream of thankless cases, vicious pranks, and harassment. Antoinette is savagely tough, but she’s getting close to the breaking point. Their new case looks like yet another by-the-numbers lovers’ quarrel gone bad. Aislinn Murray is blond, pretty, groomed to a shine, and dead in her catalogue-perfect living room, next to a table set for a romantic dinner. There’s nothing unusual about her—except that Antoinette’s seen her somewhere before. And that her death won’t stay in its neat by-numbers box. Other detectives are trying to push Antoinette and Steve into arresting Aislinn’s boyfriend, fast. There’s a shadowy figure at the end of Antoinette's road. Aislinn's friend is hinting that she knew Aislinn was in danger. And everything they find out about Aislinn takes her further from the glossy, passive doll she seemed to be. Antoinette knows the harassment has turned her paranoid, but she can’t tell just how far gone she is. Is this case another step in the campaign to force her off the squad, or are there darker currents flowing beneath its polished surface?"

 Books for June // July // August // September // October // November // December // January

Reading Recap for 2016

People are always asking me for book recommendations and the question I always ask them is, What's your favorite book? What genre do you even like? See, I read everything more or less, but I can tell you right now, I love a good historical fiction and I love a good memoir and I love a good romance.

I figured what better way to recap my year in books than this above image from goodreads. I thought 60 books in a year was going to be an unattainable goal, but when I think about it, I think the goal was originally 50, and then I realized I was going to surpass that goal in like October, so I adjusted it accordingly. Needless to say, my goal for 2017 is to read 65 books!  We will see how that pans out.

And I'm sure some of you are thinking, how in the world does she manage to read that many books in a year, I can hardly read 10 books a year or even 1 book a year. And I just want to say now (if you don't know it already), I LOVE to read. I'm never not reading a book. And if I love the book, then I want to talk about the book as I want everyone else to go read the book. I've always been like that, even when I was a little girl. I remember my dad always telling me to put my book away on car rides and to look out the window at the world that was passing me by as my head was buried deep in my book. And I hate to admit it, but this still happens, except it's not my dad saying it anymore, but rather my husband. And I even remember winning a book contest in like elementary school for most pages read in the school year, and you better believe I was always getting free pizzas at Pizza Hut through the BookIt program. Do they even do that anymore? I digress.

Anyhow, I read all the time, every chance I get. I read when I brush my teeth or when I dry or curl my hair. I read when I'm washing dishes, as I swipe left on my kindle with my wet fingers. I read when I put Jack to bed, as he insists we lie down with him, and I dim the kindle light as low as it will go and bury myself beneath a blanket. I read anytime we go in the car anywhere, even if it's like a 5 minute drive. I read at the gym as I'm running on the treadmill or doing my thing on the elliptical (we joined the YMCA in August, and that's probably why I read so many books last year!!) Needless to say my kindle is always with me, and it's really rare that you'll see me reading an actual book with pages these days simply because of the ease of the kindle. I know, it's terrible right? And I NEVER buy books, I'm always checking out the ebooks from the Seattle Public Library. Get a library card you guys. This is the best thing ever!

And when I think back to my favorite books from 2016, I definitely have a few standouts. And I thought I'd share them with you!

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

Confess by Colleen Hoover - I really like Colleen Hover if you're looking for a quick read!

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult- but I really like alot of Jodi Picoult's books.

Me Before you by Jojo Moyes

Present over Perfect by Shauna Niequist 

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

Quiet: The power of Introverts in a World that Won't stop Talking by Susan Cain - I LOVED this book, I still talk about this book and I could definitely see myself reading it again someday.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Rising Strong by Brene Brown

The Gift of Imperfection by Brene Brown

I really enjoyed I let you go by Clare Mackintosh, as well as the More of Less and Essentialism and Scary Close by Donald Miller and Americanah but I didn't give them 5 stars.

And some other authors that I really enjoy are Lisa Genova and Kate Morton and Kristin Hannah. If you haven't read the Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, you need to read it right NOW!

What I've Read Lately {January}

I read six books this month. They were all so very different. And I loved so many of them! My favorites were Between the world and me, Just Mercy, and Shrill.

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates 

Just read it. My description of it won't do it justice. Really good and so very enlightening. A beautiful memoir made up of notes to his teenage son. So much truth as he recants our racial history past and present which simply serves to remind me of the privilege I'm awarded because of the color of my skin.

Goodreads blurb - "In a series of essays, written as a letter to his son, Coates confronts the notion of race in America and how it has shaped American history, many times at the cost of black bodies and lives. Thoughtfully exploring personal and historical events, from his time at Howard University to the Civil War, the author poignantly asks and attempts to answer difficult questions that plague modern society. In this short memoir, the "Atlantic" writer explains that the tragic examples of Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, and those killed in South Carolina are the results of a systematically constructed and maintained assault to black people--a structure that includes slavery, mass incarceration, and police brutality as part of its foundation. From his passionate and deliberate breakdown of the concept of race itself to the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement, Coates powerfully sums up the terrible history of the subjugation of black people in the United States. A timely work, this title will resonate with all teens--those who have experienced racism as well as those who have followed the recent news coverage on violence against people of color."

Just Mercy: a Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson

Just read it. Another enlightening and powerful story. As I finished the last page I just thought, WOW. I had no idea. I realized how little I really know about capital punishment and how it plays out in each and every state. I realized how little I know about capital punishment in the state of Washington. I had no idea juveniles could be sentenced to the death penalty!!! I realized how little I knew about the legal system and what constitutes life in prison without parole and capital punishment. And I was reminded once again about the racial division and discrimination that exists within the current criminal justice system. So good you guys. I'm sad it's finished. Such a beautiful story of grace and second chances and deep mourning at the absolute devastation of the countless years that were lost by those who were wrongly convicted. 

Goodreads blurb - "A powerful true story about the potential for mercy to redeem us, and a clarion call to fix our broken system of justice—from one of the most brilliant and influential lawyers of our time. Bryan Stevenson was a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the wrongly condemned, and women and children trapped in the farthest reaches of our criminal justice system. One of his first cases was that of Walter McMillian, a young man who was sentenced to die for a notorious murder he insisted he didn’t commit. The case drew Stevenson into a tangle of conspiracy, political machination, and legal brinksmanship—and transformed his understanding of mercy and justice forever. Just Mercy is at once an unforgettable account of an idealistic, gifted young lawyer’s coming of age, a moving window into the lives of those he has defended, and an inspiring argument for compassion in the pursuit of true justice."

Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West

I had no idea Lindy West was born and raised here in Seattle, so when she started talking about some locations and comedy spots in Seattle, I instantly felt a connection, nor did I know she was a comedian. She is funny but in a way that brings light to the truth and honors and respects difference. I found myself laughing outloud and crying out YES! YES! I agree with every word shared and raising my first in unity. I really enjoyed this book.

Goodreads blurb - "Coming of age in a culture that demands women be as small, quiet, and compliant as possible--like a porcelain dove that will also have sex with you--writer and humorist Lindy West quickly discovered that she was anything but. From a painfully shy childhood in which she tried, unsuccessfully, to hide her big body and even bigger opinions; to her public war with stand-up comedians over rape jokes; to her struggle to convince herself, and then the world, that fat people have value; to her accidental activism and never-ending battle royale with Internet trolls, Lindy narrates her life with a blend of humor and pathos that manages to make a trip to the abortion clinic funny and wring tears out of a story about diarrhea. With inimitable good humor, vulnerability, and boundless charm, Lindy boldly shares how to survive in a world where not all stories are created equal and not all bodies are treated with equal respect, and how to weather hatred, loneliness, harassment, and loss--and walk away laughing. Shrill provocatively dissects what it means to become self-aware the hard way, to go from wanting to be silent and invisible to earning a living defending the silenced in all caps."

Modern Lovers by Emma Straub

This was alright. In the end it was better than I had thought? But I still don't know if I'd recommend it? So don't waste your time. 

Goodreads blurb - "From the New York Times‒bestselling author of The Vacationers, a smart, highly entertaining novel about a tight-knit group of friends from college—their own kids now going to college—and what it means to finally grow up well after adulthood has set in. Friends and former college bandmates Elizabeth and Andrew and Zoe have watched one another marry, buy real estate, and start businesses and families, all while trying to hold on to the identities of their youth. But nothing ages them like having to suddenly pass the torch (of sexuality, independence, and the ineffable alchemy of cool) to their own offspring. Back in the band's heyday, Elizabeth put on a snarl over her Midwestern smile, Andrew let his unwashed hair grow past his chin, and Zoe was the lesbian all the straight women wanted to sleep with. Now nearing fifty, they all live within shouting distance in the same neighborhood deep in gentrified Brooklyn, and the trappings of the adult world seem to have arrived with ease. But the summer that their children reach maturity (and start sleeping together), the fabric of the adults' lives suddenly begins to unravel, and the secrets and revelations that are finally let loose—about themselves, and about the famous fourth band member who soared and fell without them—can never be reclaimed. Straub packs wisdom and insight and humor together in a satisfying book about neighbors and nosiness, ambition and pleasure, the excitement of youth, the shock of middle age, and the fact that our passions—be they food, or friendship, or music—never go away, they just evolve and grow along with us."

One Step too Far by Tina Seskis 

You guys, I did like this. I really did, and I read through it fairly fast. It reminded me of the Girl on the Train. So if you liked that one, then you'll probably like this one. 

Amazon blurb - "Tina Seskis's stunning debut novel, One Step Too Far, is a gripping and haunting psychological thriller. An apparently happy marriage. A beautiful son. A lovely home.
So what makes Emily Coleman get up one morning and walk right out of her life? How will she survive? And what is the date that looms, threatening to force her to confront her past?
No-one has ever guessed her secret. Will you? If you love The Girl on the Train we promise that you will love One Step Too Far, an absolutely unputdownable story of secrets and heartbreak."

Good as Gone by Amy Gentry

Very similar genre to One Step too Far and The girl on the Train - so if you like those, you'll like this. If I'm honest, I liked this one better than One Step too Far. This really left me guessing for a good chunk of the book. I'd say it's worth the read! I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.  

Goodreads blurb - "Thirteen-year-old Julie Whitaker was kidnapped from her bedroom in the middle of the night, witnessed only by her younger sister. Her family was shattered, but managed to stick together, hoping against hope that Julie is still alive. And then one night: the doorbell rings. A young woman who appears to be Julie is finally, miraculously, home safe. The family is ecstatic—but Anna, Julie’s mother, has whispers of doubts.  She hates to face them. She cannot avoid them. When she is contacted by a former detective turned private eye, she begins a torturous search for the truth about the woman she desperately hopes is her daughter. Propulsive and suspenseful, Good as Gone will appeal to fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train, and keep readers guessing until the final pages."

 Books for June // July // August // September // October // November // December //

What I've Read Lately {December}

And I love being on vacation as I finally have time to just devour book after book, so I'm hoping to do that, and I can't wait to share with you all the books I've read this month.

But before I do that, here are the four books I read in December. My favorite book by FAR this month was Small Great things by Jodi Picoult.

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

This book left me speechless, I ADORE Jodi Picoult. She's one of my favorites and I've read nearly every single one of her books. But I love how she tackles moral issues within the pages of her books and they always leave me wondering what I'd do or how I'd respond to whatever it is. But you guys, this one is my favorite Jodi Picoult book hands down! In the author's note at the end she writes, "Most of us think the word racism is synonymous with the word prejudice but racism is more than just discrimination based on skin color. It's also about who has institutional power. Just as racism creates disadvantages for people of color that makes success harder to achieve, it also gives advantages to white people that make success easier to achieve. It's hard to see these advantages, much less own up to them. and that, I realized was why I HAD to write this book. When it comes to social justice, the role of the white ally is not to be a savior or a fixer. Instead, the role of the ally is to find other white people and talk to make them see that many of the benefits they've enjoyed in are direct results of the fact that someone else did NOT have the same benefits." And she goes on, but it's so good. You can feel and sense her heart for this issue within each page you read. And I savored each and every single page.

Goodreads blurb, "Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than twenty years' experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she's been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don't want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders or does she intervene? Ruth hesitates before performing CPR and, as a result, is charged with a serious crime. Kennedy McQuarrie, a white public defender, takes her case but gives unexpected advice: Kennedy insists that mentioning race in the courtroom is not a winning strategy. Conflicted by Kennedy's counsel, Ruth tries to keep life as normal as possible for her family—especially her teenage son—as the case becomes a media sensation. As the trial moves forward, Ruth and Kennedy must gain each other's trust, and come to see that what they've been taught their whole lives about others—and themselves—might be wrong. With incredible empathy, intelligence, and candor, Jodi Picoult tackles race, privilege, prejudice, justice, and compassion—and doesn't offer easy answers. Small Great Things is a remarkable achievement from a writer at the top of her game."

Two by Two by Nicholas Sparks

As I've said before, I like Nicholas Sparks and have read alot of his books. I feel like lately he's veering away from his typical romance genre and entering into something different, and I'm not too sure how I feel about it. I liked this, wouldn't necessarily tell anyone it was a must read. But I liked it better than his other book See Me.

Goodreads blurb - "At 32, Russell Green has it all: a stunning wife, a lovable six year-old daughter, a successful career as an advertising executive and an expansive home in Charlotte. He is living the dream, and his marriage to the bewitching Vivian is the center of that. But underneath the shiny surface of this perfect existence, fault lines are beginning to appear...and no one is more surprised than Russ when he finds every aspect of the life he took for granted turned upside down. In a matter of months, Russ finds himself without a job or wife, caring for his young daughter while struggling to adapt to a new and baffling reality. Throwing himself into the wilderness of single parenting, Russ embarks on a journey at once terrifying and rewarding—one that will test his abilities and his emotional resources beyond anything he ever imagined."

Eligible: a modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice by Curtis Sittenfeld

I wanted to like this a whole lot more than I did, but it was far too long at 512 pages, and it was slow going. It took me ages to get into it and then once I was into it, I flew through it. But I found myself quickly swiping right on my kindle as I skipped over conversations and some character development. I know, I know, I'm terrible, but I just wanted to finish it so I could move onto my next book.

Goodreads blurb - "This version of the Bennet family—and Mr. Darcy—is one that you have and haven’t met before: Liz is a magazine writer in her late thirties who, like her yoga instructor older sister, Jane, lives in New York City. When their father has a health scare, they return to their childhood home in Cincinnati to help—and discover that the sprawling Tudor they grew up in is crumbling and the family is in disarray. Youngest sisters Kitty and Lydia are too busy with their CrossFit workouts and Paleo diets to get jobs. Mary, the middle sister, is earning her third online master’s degree and barely leaves her room, except for those mysterious Tuesday-night outings she won’t discuss. And Mrs. Bennet has one thing on her mind: how to marry off her daughters, especially as Jane’s fortieth birthday fast approaches. Enter Chip Bingley, a handsome new-in-town doctor who recently appeared on the juggernaut reality TV dating show Eligible. At a Fourth of July barbecue, Chip takes an immediate interest in Jane, but Chip’s friend neurosurgeon Fitzwilliam Darcy reveals himself to Liz to be much less charming. . . . And yet, first impressions can be deceiving."

Truly, Madly, Guilty by Liane Moriarty

I think people fall into two camps for this book, you either like it or you don't. I was part of the latter camp, and I really didn't like it. Even though it's only 415 pages, it took me FOREVER to read it. Like 2 weeks and I'm thinking this book is one of the reasons I only read 4 books this month. I just couldn't get into it and once I finished it, I remember thinking, well that wasn't so bad, but I definitely would NOT recommend it. I just didn't see the intrigue. But I did look up on goodreads to find out what happened when I was like halfway through the book in hopes of being encouraged to keep on reading.

Goodreads blurb - "Six responsible adults. Three cute kids. One small dog. It’s just a normal weekend. What could possibly go wrong? Sam and Clementine have a wonderful, albeit, busy life: they have two little girls, Sam has just started a new dream job, and Clementine, a cellist, is busy preparing for the audition of a lifetime. If there’s anything they can count on, it’s each other. Clementine and Erika are each other’s oldest friends. A single look between them can convey an entire conversation. But theirs is a complicated relationship, so when Erika mentions a last minute invitation to a barbecue with her neighbors, Tiffany and Vid, Clementine and Sam don’t hesitate. Having Tiffany and Vid’s larger than life personalities there will be a welcome respite. Two months later, it won’t stop raining, and Clementine and Sam can’t stop asking themselves the question: What if we hadn’t gone? In Truly Madly Guilty, Liane Moriarty takes on the foundations of our lives: marriage, sex, parenthood, and friendship. She shows how guilt can expose the fault lines in the most seemingly strong relationships, how what we don’t say can be more powerful than what we do, and how sometimes it is the most innocent of moments that can do the greatest harm."

Until next month!

 Books for June // July // August // September // October // November

What I've Read Lately {November}

Finished a book on the plane Monday, and it reminded me to get these other book posts up on the blog so I can share about the books I've read in January - some really good ones folks!

Anyhow, in November I read 3 books. And I'm trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I didn't read that many books this month. I just went back and looked over my kindle yet again to see if I missed a book, but I don't think I did. This was just a busy month for us, my in-laws were in town and with the holidays and that Evicted book took me like 2 weeks, or maybe even longer, to finish!

Surprised by Motherhood by Lisa-Jo Baker 

I loved this book, and yes, it's another memoir. This book was like manna for my soul. It was another one I wished I owned as I kept marking up my library copy, and yes, it was an actual book with actual pages. I couldn't get it in the ebook version, so alas, I opted for the alternative. Took me a whole lot longer to read it, but that was okay as I cherished each little piece of wisdom I read. And it inspired me to write a love letter to my boys. This book warrants a whole blog post, but who knows when and if I'll even get to that. Read it. You just might be surprised by how much it moves your soul. 

Goodreads blurb - "A lawyer with a well-stamped passport and a passion for human rights, Lisa-Jo Baker never wanted to be a mom. And then she had kids. Having lost her own mother to cancer as a teenager, Lisa-Jo felt lost on her journey to womanhood and wholly unprepared to raise children. Surprised by Motherhood is Lisa-Jo's story of becoming and being a mom, and in the process, discovering that all the "what to expect" and "how to" books in the world can never truly prepare you for the sheer exhilaration, joy, and terrifying love that accompanies motherhood.Set partly in South Africa and partly in the US (with a slight detour to Ukraine along the way), Surprised by Motherhood is a poignant memoir of one woman's dawning realization that being a mom isn't about being perfect—it's about being present."

Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond

I really wanted to love this book, but I found myself skipping through pages and feeling like it was never going to end! I learned alot about the issue of eviction and housing and housing benefits and how so many factors play a part in poverty and eviction. And it just broke my heart as it felt like a domino effect - one thing happens, another thing happens, another thing happens, and people are living in fear that they'll be evicted so they put up with the most dreadful living conditions just to keep a roof over their heads. And as soon as they're evicted, then what happens to all of their stuff? They either have to put it in a storage unit, which costs money, or just put it out on the street, but what do they do with it then?? They can't take it to the homeless shelter with them! Just a beautiful reminder that we can't take our stuff with us when we die! So it was really enlightening, but it just felt really long. I think I finally started to read another book when I was like 3/4 of the way done with this one just to take a break from it before coming back and finishing it. And it probably didn't help that I had chosen this as my vacation/beach read! I normally love these types of books where I learn about the inequalities within our systems, whether in the housing market or in the education or just the inequalities in our world as a whole. The author had definitely done his field research and he developed real relationships with all of these folks.

Goodreads blurb - "From Harvard sociologist and MacArthur "Genius" Matthew Desmond, a landmark work of scholarship and reportage that will forever change the way we look at poverty in America. In this brilliant, heartbreaking book, Matthew Desmond takes us into the poorest neighborhoods of Milwaukee to tell the story of eight families on the edge. Arleen is a single mother trying to raise her two sons on the $20 a month she has left after paying for their rundown apartment. Scott is a gentle nurse consumed by a heroin addiction. Lamar, a man with no legs and a neighborhood full of boys to look after, tries to work his way out of debt. Vanetta participates in a botched stickup after her hours are cut. All are spending almost everything they have on rent, and all have fallen behind...Even in the most desolate areas of American cities, evictions used to be rare. But today, most poor renting families are spending more than half of their income on housing, and eviction has become ordinary, especially for single mothers. In vivid, intimate prose, Desmond provides a ground-level view of one of the most urgent issues facing America today. As we see families forced  into shelters, squalid apartments, or more dangerous neighborhoods, we bear witness to the human cost of America’s vast inequality—and to people’s determination and intelligence in the face of hardship."

I let you go by Clare Mackintosh 

I really liked this! Best book this month, hands down. Again, if you liked Gone girl, you'd probably like this, but I definitely didn't think this was as dark as Gone girl or the one I read the month before. Suspense, mystery, a love story, a story of running away from a previous life, starting over and beginning again.

Goodreads blurb - "In a split second, Jenna Gray's world descends into a nightmare. Her only hope of moving on is to walk away from everything she knows to start afresh. Desperate to escape, Jenna moves to a remote cottage on the Welsh coast, but she is haunted by her fears, her grief and her memories of a cruel November night that changed her life forever. Slowly, Jenna begins to glimpse the potential for happiness in her future. But her past is about to catch up with her, and the consequences will be devastating . . ."

 Books for June // July // August // September // October //

What I've Read Lately {October}

Anyhow, even though it's January 2017, I still wanted to share with you the books I read in October. So here goes. In October I read 6 books, which sounds like alot, even to me. And I'd have to say, my favorite book this month was probably Love Warrior.

The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende

You guys, I can't really remember this book, so I don't have much to say about it unfortunately. I remember appreciating the rich history the couple had, but that's about all I can recall. 

Goodreads blurb - "In 1939, as Poland falls under the shadow of the Nazis, young Alma Belasco's parents send her away to live in safety with an aunt and uncle in their opulent mansion in San Francisco. There, as the rest of the world goes to war, she encounters Ichimei Fukuda, the quiet and gentle son of the family's Japanese gardener. Unnoticed by those around them, a tender love affair begins to blossom. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the two are cruelly pulled apart as Ichimei and his family, like thousands of other Japanese Americans are declared enemies and forcibly relocated to internment camps run by the United States government. Throughout their lifetimes, Alma and Ichimei reunite again and again, but theirs is a love that they are forever forced to hide from the world..."

Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

I should say now, I really like Colleen Hoover's books, and I tend to fly through them as I'm always dying to know how the story ends. And yes, the genre is romance, but most of them are like a good romance story, and this one was just alot of sex! And I found myself skipping pages to find out how the story ended. I liked this, but not nearly as much as I liked It Ends with Us (SOOO GOOD!!).

Goodreads blurb - "When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her. Never ask about the past. Don’t expect a future. They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all. Hearts get infiltrated. Promises get broken. Rules get shattered. Love gets ugly."

All Things Cease to appear by Elizabeth Brundage

You know, I remember this one. Kind of reminded me of Gone Girl with the darkness of it all, but the likeability and the audacity of the psychopath still leaves me unnerved. If you're into that kind of thing, then you'd enjoy this alot. It just left me really sad, for the wife that was murdered and for the daughter at the loss of her mother. Ugh. And I remember thinking it felt long, like 400 pages long.

Goodreads blurb - "Late one winter afternoon in upstate New York, George Clare comes home to find his wife murdered and their three-year-old daughter alone--for how many hours?--in her room down the hall. He had recently, begrudgingly, taken a position at the private college nearby teaching art history, and moved his family into this tight-knit, impoverished town. And he is the immediate suspect--the question of his guilt echoing in a story shot through with secrets both personal and professional. While his parents rescue him from suspicion, a persistent cop is stymied at every turn in proving Clare a heartless murderer. The pall of death is ongoing, and relentless; behind one crime are others, and more than twenty years will pass before a hard kind of justice is finally served. At once a classic "who-dun-it" that morphs into a "why-and-how-dun-it," this is also a rich and complex portrait of a psychopath and a marriage, and an astute study of the various taints that can scar very different families, and even an entire community."

Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton

I should start off by saying I'm a Glennon fan. I love her writing and the way she writes with such vulnerability. She just puts it all out there, nothing to lose, everything to gain, so much truth. And I appreciate that. And I'm a sucker for a good memoir. I love reading about others journeys with their past to get to where they are today. I love reading about their growth and their whole self discovery. I really enjoyed Carry On Warrior as well.  

Goodreads blurb - "Just when Glennon Doyle Melton was beginning to feel she had it all figured out—three happy children, a doting spouse, and a writing career so successful that her first book catapulted to the top of the New York Times bestseller list—her husband revealed his infidelity and she was forced to realize that nothing was as it seemed. A recovering alcoholic and bulimic, Glennon found that rock bottom was a familiar place. In the midst of crisis, she knew to hold on to what she discovered in recovery: that her deepest pain has always held within it an invitation to a richer life. Love Warrior is the story of one marriage, but it is also the story of the healing that is possible for any of us when we refuse to settle for good enough and begin to face pain and love head-on. This astonishing memoir reveals how our ideals of masculinity and femininity can make it impossible for a man and a woman to truly know one another - and it captures the beauty that unfolds when one couple commits to unlearning everything they’ve been taught so that they can finally, after thirteen years of marriage, fall in love. Love Warrior is a gorgeous and inspiring account of how we are born to be warriors: strong, powerful, and brave; able to confront the pain and claim the love that exists for us all. This chronicle of a beautiful, brutal journey speaks to anyone who yearns for deeper, truer relationships and a more abundant, authentic life."

The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer

Another memoir, and she is hilarious. I did find myself skipping through some parts, but I also found myself laughing outloud at others. And I really appreciated just how candid and honest she was about her life and all the happenings in it. 

Goodreads blurb - "The Emmy Award-winning comedian, actress, writer, and star of Inside Amy Schumer and the acclaimed film Trainwreck has taken the entertainment world by storm with her winning blend of smart, satirical humor. Now, Amy Schumer has written a refreshingly candid and uproariously funny collection of (extremely) personal and observational essays. In The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo, Amy mines her past for stories about her teenage years, her family, relationships, and sex and shares the experiences that have shaped who she is - a woman with the courage to bare her soul to stand up for what she believes in, all while making us laugh. Ranging from the raucous to the romantic, the heartfelt to the harrowing, this highly entertaining and universally appealing collection is the literary equivalent of a night out with your best friends - an unforgettable and fun adventure that you wish could last forever. Whether she's experiencing lust-at-first-sight while in the airport security line, sharing her own views on love and marriage, admitting to being an introvert, or discovering her cross-fit instructor's secret bad habit, Amy Schumer proves to be a bighearted, brave, and thoughtful storyteller that will leave you nodding your head in recognition, laughing out loud, and sobbing uncontrollably - but only because it's over."

The Year of Living Danishly: My Twelve Months Unearthing the Secrets of the Worlds Happiest Country by Helen Russell

I love these types of books! I love learning about what it's like to live as an outsider in another country. I love learning about the systems and the social benefits and how the culture and the country operate. And I imagine, if I was to ever write a book someday it would either be a memoir or a book about living in another culture, or both! But I felt like this book kind of dragged on, or perhaps I felt like I didn't really get to know the author and her husband all that well? Or maybe it's because I literally read it right after Amy Schumer's book where she's baring her entire soul and I finished the book thinking we were besties. Truly though, it doesn't even compare to Bringing up Bebe,
a book I love written by an American mother living in France. I think I secretly wanted it to be that, and it wasn't. But I learned alot about Denmark!

Goodreads blurb - "Denmark is officially the happiest nation on Earth. When Helen Russell is forced to move to rural Jutland, can she discover the secrets of their happiness? Or will the long, dark winters and pickled herring take their toll? A Year of Living Danishly looks at where the Danes get it right, where they get it wrong, and how we might just benefit from living a little more Danishly ourselves."

Books for June // July // August // September //

What I've read Lately {September}

I still can't believe I read 7 books this month! I would attribute this excess amount of reading to my increased hours at the gym. I look forward to climbing onto that stair master or that elliptical if it means I can get in over 30 minutes of uninterrupted reading time. That gift of a gym membership has been the best thing ever for me and my reading obsession, and I suppose for my health.

My favorite book this month was Shauna Niequist's Present over Perfect, followed by The More of Less, and both of these could warrant their own blog posts, but I can't imagine I'll get around to that, but maybe? And I really enjoyed It Ends with Us By Colleen Hoover. Least favorite was See Me by Nicholas Sparks.

Present over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, more Soulful Way of Living by Shauna Niequist

This book was so good! I wish I owned it. It was different than all of her other books as it was about her and her stuff rather than little short stories about her and her community and friends. I am really leaning in to these themes these days and as we lean in to a simpler season of life I'm realizing that it most certainly does lead to a more soulful way of living. So much truth in her words. Boundaries are important, knowing yourself is important, knowing your capacity is even more important, and never losing sight of the fact that our families should get our best selves is the most important of all.

Amazon blurb, "Written in Shauna’s warm and vulnerable style, this collection of essays focuses on the most important transformation in her life, and maybe yours too: leaving behind busyness and frantic living and rediscovering the person you were made to be. Present Over Perfect is a hand reaching out, pulling you free from the constant pressure to perform faster, push harder, and produce more, all while maintaining an exhausting image of perfection. Shauna offers an honest account of what led her to begin this journey, and a compelling vision for an entirely new way to live: soaked in grace, rest, silence, simplicity, prayer, and connection with the people that matter most to us. In these pages, you’ll be invited to consider the landscape of your own life, and what it might look like to leave behind the pressure to be perfect and begin the life-changing practice of simply being present, in the middle of the mess and the ordinariness of life.

The More of Less: Finding the Life you want Under Everything you Own by Joshua Becker

Again the theme of simplicity repeats itself. I LOVE these types of books. I'm all for purging,  simplifying, and reorganizing. I love that kind of stuff. My husband, not so much. I mean he likes when things are organized and when things have a home, but he doesn't like having to get rid of stuff. But every so often I purge his man drawers and reorganize them. And after reading books like this, I'm aware of just how much stuff we really do have, how many things we don't even use. Having less is so very freeing, having a 770 square foot home even more so because then you have actual limits and boundaries on how much you can actually own. And this book just reminded me of this.

Amazon blurb, "Maybe you don’t need to own all this stuff.” After a casual conversation with his neighbor on Memorial Day 2008, Joshua Becker realized he needed a change. He was spending far too much time organizing possessions, cleaning up messes, and looking for more to buy. So Joshua and his wife decided to remove the nonessential possessions from their home and life. Eventually, they sold, donated, or discarded over 60 percent of what they owned. In exchange, they found a life of more freedom, more contentment, more generosity, and more opportunity to pursue the things that mattered most. The More of Less delivers an empowering plan for living more by owning less. With practical suggestions and encouragement to personalize your own minimalist style, Joshua Becker shows you why minimizing possessions is the best way to maximize life. Are you ready for less cleaning, less anxiety, and less stress in your life? Simplicity isn’t as complicated as you think.

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

You guys I've read so many books by Colleen Hoover, and I normally finish them in a matter of days as they are such quick reads. And this one was my favorite. It's so different than her others. But truly, if you want an easy read, with a romantic storyline that leaves you wondering just how it might end, then check out her books.

Amazon blurb, "Lily hasn't always had it easy, but that's never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She's come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up - she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily's life suddenly seems almost too good to be true. Ryle is assertive, stubborn, and maybe even a little arrogant. He's also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily, but Ryle's complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan - her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened. With this bold and deeply personal novel, Colleen Hoover delivers a heart-wrenching story that breaks exciting new ground for her as a writer. It Ends With Us is an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price."

Creativity, Inc: Overcoming the Unseen Forces that Stand in the way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace

This is so different from anything I'd ever read, especially with the title Creativity, Inc. I don't really see myself as a creative, but I really enjoyed this book and learning about the ins and outs and the makings of Pixar. Really interesting to read about their work culture and their team dynamics and their value for candor and true honesty as a means for growth.

Amazon blurb, "Creativity, Inc. is a book for managers who want to lead their employees to new heights, a manual for anyone who strives for originality, and the first-ever, all-access trip into the nerve center of Pixar Animation—into the meetings, postmortems, and “Braintrust” sessions where some of the most successful films in history are made. It is, at heart, a book about how to build a creative culture—but it is also, as Pixar co-founder and president Ed Catmull writes, “an expression of the ideas that I believe make the best in us possible.” For nearly twenty years, Pixar has dominated the world of animation, producing such beloved films as the Toy Story trilogy, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Up, WALL-E, and Inside Out, which have gone on to set box-office records and garner thirty Academy Awards. The joyousness of the storytelling, the inventive plots, the emotional authenticity: In some ways, Pixar movies are an object lesson in what creativity really is. Here, in this book, Catmull reveals the ideals and techniques that have made Pixar so widely admired—and so profitable."

See Me by Nicholas Sparks

I should start off saying, I have read ALOT of Nicholas Sparks books, and if you've read books by him, then you know that they follow a traditional pattern. This book did NOT follow that traditional pattern and it threw me. It was a mystery, which is not Nicholas Sparks genre. I hate to say it, but I think he should just stick to his traditional pattern and his usual storylines. But alot of people really liked it! Me, not so much.

Amazon blurb, "Colin Hancock is giving his second chance his best shot. With a history of violence and bad decisions behind him and the threat of prison dogging his every step, he's determined to walk a straight line. To Colin, that means applying himself single-mindedly toward his teaching degree and avoiding everything that proved destructive in his earlier life. Reminding himself daily of his hard-earned lessons, the last thing he is looking for is a serious relationship. Maria Sanchez, the hardworking daughter of Mexican immigrants, is the picture of conventional success. With a degree from Duke Law School and a job at a prestigious firm in Wilmington, she is a dark-haired beauty with a seemingly flawless professional track record. And yet Maria has a traumatic history of her own, one that compelled her to return to her hometown and left her questioning so much of what she once believed. As a series of threatening incidents wreaks chaos in Maria's life, Maria and Colin will be tested in increasingly terrifying ways. Will demons from their past destroy the tenuous relationship they've begun to build, or will their love protect them, even in the darkest hour?"

My Grandmother asked Me to tell you She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman

This is the second book I've read by this author. The first one was a Man Called Ove, and I liked that one better. This one was about relationships and family and a grandmother and her granddaughter. It was a cute story, but they interweave a made up world that the grandmother created for her granddaughter and some fantasy stuff that I just passed through, and then later realized it was real life stuff that I probably should have read so that I could connect it all, but it was too late by then! :)

Amazon blurb, "Elsa is seven years old and different. Her grandmother is seventy-seven years old and crazy—as in standing-on-the-balcony-firing-paintball-guns-at-strangers crazy. She is also Elsa’s best, and only, friend. At night Elsa takes refuge in her grandmother’s stories, in the Land-of-Almost-Awake and the Kingdom of Miamas, where everybody is different and nobody needs to be normal. When Elsa’s grandmother dies and leaves behind a series of letters apologizing to people she has wronged, Elsa’s greatest adventure begins. Her grandmother’s instructions lead her to an apartment building full of drunks, monsters, attack dogs, and old crones but also to the truth about fairy tales and kingdoms and a grandmother like no other."

Girl at War by Sara Novic

I really enjoyed this book, but then again I really love historical fiction as I feel like I'm learning something about a time and place while also following the storyline of a created character. 

Amazon blurb, "For readers of The Tiger’s Wife and All the Light We Cannot See comes a powerful debut novel about a girl’s coming of age—and how her sense of family, friendship, love, and belonging is profoundly shaped by war. Zagreb, 1991. Ana Jurić is a carefree ten-year-old, living with her family in a small apartment in Croatia’s capital. But that year, civil war breaks out across Yugoslavia, splintering Ana’s idyllic childhood. Daily life is altered by food rations and air raid drills, and soccer matches are replaced by sniper fire. When the war arrives at her doorstep, Ana must find her way in a dangerous world. New York, 2001. Ana is now a college student in Manhattan. Though she’s tried to move on from her past, she can’t escape her memories of war—secrets she keeps even from those closest to her. Haunted by the events that forever changed her family, Ana returns to Croatia after a decade away, hoping to make peace with the place she once called home. As she faces her ghosts, she must come to terms with her country’s difficult history and the events that interrupted her childhood years before. Moving back and forth through time, Girl at War is an honest, generous, brilliantly written novel that illuminates how history shapes the individual. Sara Nović fearlessly shows the impact of war on one young girl—and its legacy on all of us. It’s a debut by a writer who has stared into recent history to find a story that continues to resonate today."

 Books for July // August