Books of 2019

Hello world.  How is everyone getting along this December?  I am finding slices of time to just slow down and enjoy the little things in life.  I am looking forward to having a break from work, 10 more teaching days.  I love my job but as you have  probably noticed with my inconsistency on here, it's been taking a good chunk of my time and energy.  Anyway, today I am reflecting on my 2019 goal of reading one book a month.  I killed it in the first 8 months of the year and then this last while has been a struggle but I reached my goal.  I love reading.  It calms me.  It grounds me.  It allows my brain to rest and put my life on hold for just a little while.  I feel it's similar to what people describe yoga does for them.  

Here is  my quick review of the books I've read in 2019.  

 BOOK of the YEAR!!!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Educated by Tara Westover  Hands down, without hesitation, my favorite book of 2019.  This book blew my mind.  I can’t believe what Tara went through as a child and my mind was blown to know that this type of lifestyle is still so prevalent in some parts of the country.  Tara is “home schooled” but really not until she is 18 at which point she enters college, having worked her butt off to pass the SAT’s.  She now has a PHD but no high school diploma.  READ this book!  It’ll test your outlook of families, your understanding of love, forgiveness and family bonds that are so strong even if other believe they aren’t what’s best for you.  Incredible and a story that has left a lifelong impact on me.
 

INTRIGUING STORY 

⭐⭐⭐⭐A House in the Sky by Amanda Lindhout  WOW!  Just wow!  This is a hard book to critique because it’s someones experience.  I can’t imagine anything like this happening to me and being able to survive it both physically and emotionally is difficult to imagine.  The book is about a young, aspiring journalist, Amanda, that after years of entering war-torn countries, ends up being kidnapped  and kept for over a year.  On the one hand I felt like, “what are you doing!!!!!  Everyone is telling you this is dangerous situtation to be put yourself in, especially not being affiliated with an actual newspaper or station.”  On the other hand she stays very honest and also takes responsibility for her actions throughout the story.  A hard but good read.  I would recommend it but it does move very slow at times.

 
SUSPENSE & PAGE TURNER

⭐⭐⭐⭐ I, Witness by Niki Mackay  Mystery.  Suspense.  Murder or not?    This one had it all!  Super good and a quick read.  Also, my husband really liked it and that’s a WIN.

 
EASY & BEACH READS

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Big Little Lies by Lianne Moriarty  YES!  YES! YES!  Are you looking for an easy, I can’t put this book down, this is it.  I read it over the summer and it was the best.  The characters are all interesting, they are complex and the plot is a page turner.  I liked it so much that I immediately went to Netflix to watch it on their with a star studded cast with Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern.

⭐⭐⭐ The Singles Game by Lauren Weisberger  Another easy ready.  Follow a young tennis player as she figures out how to balance the love and determination of being the best, while having a real life and relationships that are based on more than the game.  Beach read.

⭐⭐⭐⭐Sisters Like Us by Susan Mallery
  Another beach read to add to your list.  A lovely read about two sisters, their relationship with their each other, with their mother and with lovers.  I liked it and it was the perfect read on a beach in Mexico.  

SKIP 

⭐⭐ After You by Jojo Moyes  I wanted to like this book because  I loved Me Before You but it just didn't happen.  I don’t think I’ll end up picking up the last book in the installment to be honest.  Skip.

⭐⭐⭐Girl, Stop Apologizing: A Shame-Free Plan for Embracing and Achieving Your Goals by Rachel Hollis  I felt it was very similar to Girl Wash Your Face.  Good messages overall but I felt if you read the other one you can skip this one, or vice versa.

⭐⭐⭐ House of Sand and Fog by Andree Dubus III  I half read it, half listened to it.  Hmmmm.  It’s a story in which you don’t know who to root for.  All the characters are tragic, and the story ends in tragedy.  I don’t think I’d read it again, but it was one that I was conflicted during reading and it kept me reflecting. 

 ⭐⭐A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick  A strange novel.  I’ll leave it at that.
 

⭐⭐Inheritance by Dani Shapiro   I wanted to love it.  In fact I rallied for it with my book club group and then it was not that good.  The writing and the story just didn’t grab or sustain my interest, so I say SKIP it.

CURRENTLY
I am currently wrapping up 2019 with another easy, beach read, Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrant.  

Tell me, what should I read in 2020!

Currently: February Edition

Family

We went to Mexico and had the best time.  We desperately needed to get transported out of the freezing cold (between -45 and -58 F for two weeks).  My mom and dad joined us and we traveled really well as a group.  I'll be doing a full  highlights blog post of the trip but for now I'll just say that we relaxed by the pool, enjoyed the evening shows, and danced into the night to live music.  We opted out of doing any excursions and just enjoyed doing nothing as a family.  It was the prefect way to spend seven glorious days in paradise.





Some wave action and fun.

 


This is how we attempt to do a jumping on the beach photo in our family.  LOL!!!!



I already miss this view.

 

Reading

While on holidays, I read Sisters Like Us by Susan Mallery.  It was the prefect beach read that moved along quickly, the characters were funny, real and dynamic.  It's NOT a lifechanging or high literature  kind of book, but it was perfect for the beach.  I am also making my way through A House In The Sky by Amanda Lindhout & Sara Corbett.  I am not really sure what I think of it so far.  It's not a book that I can't wait to pick up again, but it's one that I feel I need to make my way through slowly.  I'll update you on my thoughts once I've finished it.

 

Cooking

When it's cold and you contract a bug, all you want is soup.   When I was growing up, whenever I was sick my grandma made us chicken noodle soup.  Now as an adult, what do I make when we are all feeling a little worn out, chicken noodle soup!   I love this Sicilian Chicken Noodle Soup recipe.  It's a hearty soup, packed full of fresh veggies and it makes so much which I freeze into smaller glass jars for lunches.

 

Listening

Everything by Hasley.  Several years ago I became acquainted with the song Closer which was done in collaboration with the Chainsmokers.  It's still one of my favorites and now I can't get enough of  the song Eastside by Benny Blanco, Khalid & Halsey. 

 

 Watching

The Bachelor.  It's my total guilty pleasure and my hubby is so sweet to watch it with me on Monday nights.  Have I mentioned how much I love that man.  I actually don't who I am 100% rooting for this year, but I like Hanna G (no drama), Caelynn and Tayshia. 

 

Celebrating

We celebrated both Logan's 37th birthday in Mexico and our nephew Coopers 3rd birthday this month!  Our family birthday busy season is October - February, and then there is only a few left from now until fall, including my aunt, grandma, niece and me.

That's a wrap for February 2019.  I always find March to be the hardest month for me.  The winter continues to drag on here and the spring is nowhere near in sight for us, thus March drags.  I am hoping the sunny vacation will help me stay positive through March this year and that the extreme cold warnings will at least be behind us and we can get outdoors to do a little cross country skiing, sledding or snowboarding.   Plus, I am excited to receive my next FabFitFun box, spring addition looks sooooooooooo good.  Use code to get $10 off of your first box.