This Sunday Kinda Love: 2019 reads

Showing posts with label 2019 reads. Show all posts

Friday, January 3, 2020

Sunday, December 22, 2019

December Reads

It's the final reading month of 2019! I can't believe it! Look for an end of the year book post coming soon. But first....December books! I read 5 books this month. There's something so awesome about curling up under a blanket with a warm mug and a good book. One of my favorite things in life!! Here we go....

1. Christmas Bliss by Mary Kay Andrews: This was a super fun, festive quick read. I didn't realize until I got a few chapters into this book that it's a sequel to a book I read last Christmas, Blue Christmas. This one is about a young woman in the South and navigating the holiday season with her kooky friends and family. It was good, but pretty forgettable. It's a basically a Hallmark movie in book form. It wasn't amazing, but it was the perfect festive book "junk food."

2. Hamilton by Ron Chernow: My goal was to finish this book in time to include it in my December post and I did it! I wrote a whole post about this book. Check it out HERE.

3. Miracles and Other Reasonable Things by Sarah Bessey: I had heard wonderful things about this book and it did not disappoint. In fact, this is one of those books that I most definitely would like to read again. It's a little book but there's a LOT here. I wrote down 2 of my favorite quotes from this book:
"We have to be committed to unlearning the unhelpful, broken, unredemptive, false, or incomplete God if we want to have space to relearn the goodness, the wholeness, the joy of a loving God."

" Jesus' tears meant something to me in those places. I had lived in a narrative that didn't recognize God in the grief, and so when sadness, or loneliness or suffering came to stay, I felt that God must have moved out of my life in order to make room for the suffering. Suffering can be a sacrament not because its refining on its own-suffering can also make us bitter and twisted and angry-but because it can become the sort of darkness that makes the light much more beautiful."

I mean wow, right? This book follows Sarah on her journey from evangelical Christianity's "name it and claim it" prayer movement (Joel Osteen, anyone) to visiting the Pope, nearly dying in a horrific car accident, to rediscovering the God of love. This book is part travel memoir, part theology and, the forward to this book is written by one of my absolute faves, Shauna Niequist. That gives you an indicator of the type of book it is: beautiful writing with flourishes, and deep theology embedded into the stories of life. If you're looking for a faith-based book to wrestle with in the new year, try this one.

4. Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella: I have read and loved every book in the Shopaholic series and they always delight and entertain me. This one was so fun and I love reconnecting with Becky Brandon (Bloomwood) and her pals. This one features Becky getting herself into typical mischief (such as getting herself locked in a pet store, accidentally ordering a ridiculous amount of smoked salmon, getting herself admitted to an all-male billiards club to win a raffle). It's fun, it's cute, it's a beloved series. I liked it!

5. Lean Habits for Lifelong Weight Loss by Georgie Fear: It took me nearly 33 years to know this truth deeply: Diets don't work and ingrained HABITS are the catalyst for lasting change. This theme is a huge part of the intuitive eating movement, and the podcast and program, Balance 365 Life, and this theme was also a major part of Secrets from the Food Lab and Mindless Eating, other nutrition books I have read. This book is an excellent little guide presenting research and data alongside easy to read lifestyle habits that are important for every eater to know and practice (not just those pursuing fat loss). Some of the key points revolve around eating frequency and time, the crucial components of rest and hydration, and the need for understanding hunger and satiety cues. I am so glad I purchased this book so I can continually refer to it. It's an excellent resource with a solid scientific backing.

Well, that's a wrap on my December reads! I'm posting this a little sooner than the end of the month before the holiday craziness begins. This was, like always, another month for the books.

Savor Your Sparkle,
Leslie

PS) Leave a comment with your favorite book you've read recently. I'm growing my 2020 TBR pile!

Sunday, November 24, 2019

November Reads

It's here! My favorite post each month--reads! This month I read 4 books and I really enjoyed them. These were some great, quick, entertaining reads.

1. Ghost by Jason Reynolds: This was an assigned reading for a professional development retreat/seminar I am participating in this year. The topic for November's session was about how to reach all students right where they are. This is a young adult (probably like a 5th or 6th grade level) book. The main character, nicknamed Ghost, lives in a rough part of town and has experienced trauma. His mom is struggling to get by as a single parent. Ghost finds a welcoming home on the track team and with the inspiring coach, he begins to imagine a brighter future for himself. This was a great, inspiring read and I think it'd be great in upper elementary or middle school to have discussions with.

2. You've Been Volunteered by Laurie Gelman: I loved this fun book! This is the sequel to the book Class Mom. This is about a feisty go-getter mom who is the class mom in her youngest son's 3rd grade class. She's funny and fabulous and like the first book, this one has lots of emails peppered throughout that made me LOL. If you like the show American Housewife, this is basically it in book form.

3. Naturally Tan by Tan France: I am on the waitlist for Jonathan Van Ness' autobiography, so I thought I'd go to another one of my Queer Eye faves, Tan! This book is Tan's story from his childhood, his successful career in fashion and how he ended up on Netflix's hit show. Tan has this definite silly, irreverant side to him in this book that we don't necessarily see on the show. This book was a breeze to read and a fun, light look at how Tan overcame adversity. If you are a fan of Queer Eye I'd recommend it. Otherwise, I'd skip it.

4. The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell: This was my November Book of the Month Club pick and I liked it! Here's the thing, it was confusing at first (various timelines and point of view narration), but it ended up being really suspenseful and I couldn't wait to keep reading to find out how it would all resolve. This book is about a wealthy London family who falls under the influence of a con man cult leader. He wreaks havoc on their family with disastrous results. It's pretty creepy and I don't think it's for everyone, but if fit the bill for me for a suspenseful, entertaining read.

And now here are all the books I've read in 2019....with stars by my faves!
1. An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
2. The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick
3. The Last Original Wife by Dorothea Benton Frank
4. *Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
5. Happy Teachers Change The World by Thich Nhat Hanh and Katherine Weare
6. The Day I Went Missing by Jennifer Miller
7. *Glow Kids by Kardaras Nicholas
8. Final Girls by Riley Sager
9. *Becoming by Michelle Obama
10. As Long As We Both Shall Live by Joann Chaney
11. *The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth
12. If You Only Knew by Jamie Ivey
13. *The Home for Unwanted Girls by Joanna Goodman
14. Adequate Yearly Progress by Roxanne Elden
15. *Regrets Only by Erin Duffy
16. *Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell
17. I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella
18. *The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
19. *Give Me Your Hand by Megan Abbott
20. When Did I Get Like This? by Amy Wilson
21. *Good Riddance by Elinor Lipman
22. Maid by Stephanie Land
23. Beyond the Point by Claire Gibson
24. Sh*tty Mom by Laurie Kilmartin, Karen Moline, Alicia Ybarbo, MaryAnn Zoellner
25. Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson
26. Dietland by Sarai Walker
27. The Mother in Law by Sally Hepworth
28. The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
29. *Life Will Be the Death of Me by Chelsea Handler
30. *Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand
31. Those Other Women by Nicola Moriarty
32. *The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
33. Roar by Cecelia Ahern
34. A Love Letter Life by Jeremy and Audrey Roloff
35. The Summer of Good Intentions by Wendy Frances
36. *Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
37. *Can I Get An Amen? by Sarah Healy
38. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
39. *Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
40. How Do You Tuck In a Superhero? by Rachel Balducci
41. City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
42. *No Exit by Taylor Adams
43. *Things You Save In a Fire by Katherine Center
44. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
45. *Again But Better by Christine Riccio
46. *Secrets from the Eating Lab by Traci Mann
47. I Liked My Life by Abby Fabiaschi
48. Well Met by Jen DeLuca
49. What Happens In Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand
50. Ghost by Jason Reynolds
51. *You've Been Volunteered by Laurie Gelman
52. Naturally Tan by Tan France
53. The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

We are entering December, one of my favorite months! Happy reading!
Savor Your Sparkle,
Leslie

Saturday, November 2, 2019

October Reads

This month I read 4 books and listened to 1. I'm excited to share them with you! I always say there's nothing as awesome as snuggling under a big blanket with a mug of coffee reading a great book.....but this month, I think reading on the beach in Maui under the 85 degree sun miiiiight be just as good, maybe better! I cannot believe after this I only have two monthly book posts left this year. What a great year of reads! Here we go.....

1. Again But Better by Christine Riccio: I really enjoyed this book! I was on the waitlist for the book for what felt like months, so I decided to scrap that and try the audio version. The narrator was great and it was a light enough read that listening in the car worked well. This is about a shy college student who decides to ditch her pre-med regimented lifestyle and study literature in London. I would probably classify this book as Young Adult, but there was a great love story, fun characters, and an amazing setting. About half way through this book, I was thinking oh please, do not let this go the predictable way I'm thinking and it didn't. This is a sweet fun book about second chances, living your passion, and first loves. This would be a great little book to read this holiday season.

2. Secrets From the Eating Lab by Traci Mann: This book was a true winner in the world of diet/nutrition non-fiction. I mentioned in another post how I've been enjoying listening to the podcast, Balance 365 Life, all about maintaining a balance with health and nutrition to make healthy, sustainable decisions for busy women. The hosts of that podcast reference this book all.the.time. and even have an interview episode with Dr. Mann. I'm so glad I picked this one up. Traci Mann runs an eating lab that studies the psychology of snacking and food choices. Her discoveries basically boil down to the fact that "willpower" is a misguided tool of the diet industry, sustainable lifestyles require mastery of small, easy habits over time, and how most people who are eating a fairly balanced diet will not go to either a crazy unhealthy or crazy regimented place (as many diets lead people to believe). It's all about balance, moderation, and fueling your lifestyle. Body changes, Dr Mann says, are a bonus that will fall into place once healthy habits are practiced and ingrained. Sound advice! This book references the other diet book I read last year, Mindless Eating, which shares similar research.

3. I Liked My Life by Abby Fabiaschi: This book came onto my book pile upon the recommendation of one of my favorite authors, Jen Lancaster. This one is about a mom who dies under mysterious circumstances and how she views the life of her teenage daughter and husband in her absence. She tries to send messages from beyond and set up their lives for happiness even though she's not there. I thought that supernatural element might be a bit strange, but it actually worked well. This one has a really sweet ending and I really enjoyed all of the characters. I found out the author is actually local, from Park City, so I'd love to check out some of her other books in the future.

4. Well Met by Jen DeLuca: This book was my Book of the Month club selection over the summer and I just got around to reading it on our trip. This book was read entirely in Hawaii and was the perfect vacation read! This one is about a young woman who returns to her small hometown (sounds like the start to every Hallmark movie, right) and gets roped into volunteering for the Renaissance fair. It's cheesy. It's predictable. It's cute. It's rated R for the bedroom scenes. It's got a happy ending. This was good, but not great or memorable by any means. It was the perfect beach read, with a sweet ending, a light plot, and engaging characters.

5. What Happens in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand: This is the second book in a 3 part series about a family on St. John's. The main character, Irene, discovers her late husband had a secret life on the island and she moves there along with her adult children. It's classic Hilderbrand--beach setting, large cast of characters, romance, friendship, etc. This book was good but I read the first book in the series last year so I spent the first 20 pages or so confused and needing a refresher. I'd recommend reading the first book, Winter in Paradise, and then reading this one right after. The third book is due out in the fall of next year.

That's a wrap on a great month of reading!

And now here are all the books I've read in 2019....with stars by my faves!
1. An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
2. The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick
3. The Last Original Wife by Dorothea Benton Frank
4. *Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
5. Happy Teachers Change The World by Thich Nhat Hanh and Katherine Weare
6. The Day I Went Missing by Jennifer Miller
7. *Glow Kids by Kardaras Nicholas
8. Final Girls by Riley Sager
9. *Becoming by Michelle Obama
10. As Long As We Both Shall Live by Joann Chaney
11. *The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth
12. If You Only Knew by Jamie Ivey
13. *The Home for Unwanted Girls by Joanna Goodman
14. Adequate Yearly Progress by Roxanne Elden
15. *Regrets Only by Erin Duffy
16. *Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell
17. I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella
18. *The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
19. *Give Me Your Hand by Megan Abbott
20. When Did I Get Like This? by Amy Wilson
21. *Good Riddance by Elinor Lipman
22. Maid by Stephanie Land
23. Beyond the Point by Claire Gibson
24. Sh*tty Mom by Laurie Kilmartin, Karen Moline, Alicia Ybarbo, MaryAnn Zoellner
25. Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson
26. Dietland by Sarai Walker
27. The Mother in Law by Sally Hepworth
28. The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
29. *Life Will Be the Death of Me by Chelsea Handler
30. *Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand
31. Those Other Women by Nicola Moriarty
32. *The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
33. Roar by Cecelia Ahern
34. A Love Letter Life by Jeremy and Audrey Roloff
35. The Summer of Good Intentions by Wendy Frances
36. *Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
37. *Can I Get An Amen? by Sarah Healy
38. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
39. *Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
40. How Do You Tuck In a Superhero? by Rachel Balducci
41. City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
42. *No Exit by Taylor Adams
43. *Things You Save In a Fire by Katherine Center
44. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
45. *Again But Better by Christine Riccio
46. *Secrets from the Eating Lab by Traci Mann
47. I Liked My Life by Abby Fabiaschi
48. Well Met by Jen DeLuca
49. What Happens In Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand

Savor Your Sparkle,
Leslie

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

September Reads

I have been on a great book streak lately and I'm continuing that with 3 books I really enjoyed this month.

First up, a recommendation from a friend:

1. No Exit By Taylor Adams: First off, this book is violent and very scary but I LOVED IT! This one had me on the edge of my seat and I polished it off in a weekend. This is about a college student driving home in a snow storm to visit her sick mom and she encounters an ethical dilemma while trapped at a rest stop and from there it gets crazy. This has lots of twists and turns and will have you rooting for the main character. This would be a perfect Halloween read. In fact, I handed it right over to AJ to read when I finished because I thought he'd like it too.

2. Things Your Save in a Fire by Katherine Center: I first discovered Center's work through her book How to Walk Away that was one of my Book of the Month picks last year. This book has a very similar vibe to that one and it did not disappoint. This one is about a tough firefighter named Cassie who can hold her own at her all-male firehouse. She moves to her small town to help her mom and joins a difficult new crew (unwelcoming) and there's an adorable love story. This one is a total girl power read, a feel good story, and a really eye-opening tale about being a woman in a traditional man's world. I highly recommend this book.

3. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens: Ok, let me start by saying I liked this book. I really did. In fact, I brought it with me on an overnight getaway recently, and could not put it down. BUT.....this book has TONS of hype and I think because of that I was expecting something life changing and incredible and it didn't really do that for me. This one is about a wild "Marsh Girl" named Kya who has to make the best of a horrible situation after everyone in her family leaves (for various reasons) and she's left alone at a cabin in the marshes on the North Carolina coast. The descriptions of the setting are beautiful and vivid. This one is another great "girl power" read and in addition to some survival elements (parts reminded me of The Great Alone), there's also a murder and courtroom drama. This is a great book (evidenced by the fact that there were over 500 people on the wait list for this at the library this summer!) but as far as great books go, I don't think this will make my top 10.

I have some great reads ready for October! What are some of your favorite fall reads? Leave a comment! Happy reading!
Savor Your Sparkle,
Leslie

And now here are all the books I've read in 2019....with stars by my faves!
1. An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
2. The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick
3. The Last Original Wife by Dorothea Benton Frank
4. *Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
5. Happy Teachers Change The World by Thich Nhat Hanh and Katherine Weare
6. The Day I Went Missing by Jennifer Miller
7. *Glow Kids by Kardaras Nicholas
8. Final Girls by Riley Sager
9. *Becoming by Michelle Obama
10. As Long As We Both Shall Live by Joann Chaney
11. *The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth
12. If You Only Knew by Jamie Ivey
13. *The Home for Unwanted Girls by Joanna Goodman
14. Adequate Yearly Progress by Roxanne Elden
15. *Regrets Only by Erin Duffy
16. *Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell
17. I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella
18. *The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
19. *Give Me Your Hand by Megan Abbott
20. When Did I Get Like This? by Amy Wilson
21. *Good Riddance by Elinor Lipman
22. Maid by Stephanie Land
23. Beyond the Point by Claire Gibson
24. Sh*tty Mom by Laurie Kilmartin, Karen Moline, Alicia Ybarbo, MaryAnn Zoellner
25. Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson
26. Dietland by Sarai Walker
27. The Mother in Law by Sally Hepworth
28. The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
29. *Life Will Be the Death of Me by Chelsea Handler
30. *Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand
31. Those Other Women by Nicola Moriarty
32. *The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
33. Roar by Cecelia Ahern
34. A Love Letter Life by Jeremy and Audrey Roloff
35. The Summer of Good Intentions by Wendy Frances
36. *Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
37. *Can I Get An Amen? by Sarah Healy
38. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
39. *Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
40. How Do You Tuck In a Superhero? by Rachel Balducci
41. City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
42. *No Exit by Taylor Adams
43. *Things You Save In a Fire by Katherine Center
44. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Friday, August 30, 2019

August Reads

Well.....Back to School time is here which means my reading time has taken a serious hit. Booooooo!! I am not exaggerating when I say I have ten books on the floor by my nightstand ready to go for when this teacher mama has some time. That said, I did read 4 books this month. Here we go!

1. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson: I read about this book in a magazine and immediately placed myself on the hold list at the library. This is a historical fiction piece about a woman from rural Appalachia who comes from a line of people who have BLUE SKIN. Yes, this is a real genetic condition that affected a group of people in Kentucky. I did plenty of googling about that, let me tell you. This story features that element as a plot point, obviously, but this book is mainly about how the young protagonist becomes a traveling librarian as part of Roosevelt's plan to get more Americans working. This novel really is a celebration of books and how they can transform the lives of those who are yearning for something different than their harsh reality. I liked this book but didn't love it. It's interesting, for sure, but I don't typically gravitate toward historical fiction. I love a book that compels me to do some research while reading (ahem, googling in bed after I finish a chapter), and this one, remarkably, had me more interested in the amazing stories of horseback rural librarians than the blue skin condition. I'm not sure my description here makes anyone want to grab this book right away, but know it was good, but not one I'll be raving about to friends.

2. Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid: Without a doubt my favorite book of the month! This novel about a fictional 70's rock band is brilliant in its format. Basically the entire book is one long interview (it looks like a script on the page, with a characters name and then a colon with what they have to say) like a documentary. Here's the thing---it seemed so real, like reading a true account, but none of it is! That super unique premise alone makes me give major props to Reid. Reading this book is honestly like watching a movie. The dramatic yet subtle tension between the main characters is really remarkable and I love how it all wrapped up. A fun bonus at the end is the lyrics to all the songs the book mentions. This book is a delight and I highly recommend it.

3. How Do You Tuck In A Superhero by Rachel Balducci: This book is a series of vignettes about life with boys. I only have one son, and this author, at the time of publication, was expecting her SIXTH son, but I still found myself relating and laughing. As a teacher some of the antics of the boys sounded very familiar. This is a fast fun read of short stories that would make an awesome gift for the boy mom in your life. This was a really sweet read.

4. City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert: I had VERY high hopes for this book because (like almost everyone), I loved Eat Pray Love and had read that this book was the perfect summer read. Don't get me wrong, I liked this book, but I don't think it was worth all of the hype. This is a coming of age story about a young woman named Vivian who leaves her conservative family, drops out of college, and moves to New York City to live at her Aunt's theater in the '40's. She meets all sorts of unique characters, goes wild (this book is rated R for sure), and seeks to discover who she is and her purpose in a turbulent time in the city as the U.S. is on the brink of war. So while this was an entertaining fun read, I didn't find myself super eager to keep reading at night. And to me, there are too many books I can't put down to read much of anything that's just pretty good...if that makes sense. I'm curious what others think about this one. It felt like two books sort of smushed together: the first half was about the dazzling show girl life and the second half fast forwards 60 plus years and features a story line about a soldier's PTSD. Both parts were good but I felt a definite split and that it didn't really fit together.

We are almost at that big blanket, hot latte, sweatpants, candle, and book season and I, for one, cannot wait!
Savor Your Sparkle,
Leslie

And now here are all the books I've read in 2019....with stars by my faves!
1. An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
2. The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick
3. The Last Original Wife by Dorothea Benton Frank
4. *Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
5. Happy Teachers Change The World by Thich Nhat Hanh and Katherine Weare
6. The Day I Went Missing by Jennifer Miller
7. *Glow Kids by Kardaras Nicholas
8. Final Girls by Riley Sager
9. *Becoming by Michelle Obama
10. As Long As We Both Shall Live by Joann Chaney
11. *The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth
12. If You Only Knew by Jamie Ivey
13. *The Home for Unwanted Girls by Joanna Goodman
14. Adequate Yearly Progress by Roxanne Elden
15. *Regrets Only by Erin Duffy
16. *Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell
17. I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella
18. *The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
19. *Give Me Your Hand by Megan Abbott
20. When Did I Get Like This? by Amy Wilson
21. *Good Riddance by Elinor Lipman
22. Maid by Stephanie Land
23. Beyond the Point by Claire Gibson
24. Sh*tty Mom by Laurie Kilmartin, Karen Moline, Alicia Ybarbo, MaryAnn Zoellner
25. Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson
26. Dietland by Sarai Walker
27. The Mother in Law by Sally Hepworth
28. The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
29. *Life Will Be the Death of Me by Chelsea Handler
30. *Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand
31. Those Other Women by Nicola Moriarty
32. *The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
33. Roar by Cecelia Ahern
34. A Love Letter Life by Jeremy and Audrey Roloff
35. The Summer of Good Intentions by Wendy Frances
36. *Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
37. *Can I Get An Amen? by Sarah Healy
38. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
39. *Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
40. How Do You Tuck In a Superhero? by Rachel Balducci
41. City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

This Sunday Kinda Love

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