Hello, this is two weeks in a row! Next Monday, I may have to postpone my post to Tuesday because I am going to TAYLOR SWIFT!!!!! You heard that right! My girl and I are flying to Vancouver this Wednesday for the Friday night show and then spending a few days with my sister and family in Victoria, BC. This trip has been just shy of one year in the making and we are soooooooo excited. Follow along on IG.
Now one of my goals this year was to read/listen to 24 books. I am currently sitting at 22 books and I don't know that I am going to meet that goal but I do read a lot between Xmas and NYE. I am not the biggest fan of audiobooks and often I find my mind wandering, but I did enjoy a few Emily Henry books while training on the bike this summer. I am sharing my top 5 books that I feel are all five star worthy for different reasons. I am always looking for titles to add to my list so please send them my way, especially if you've found really good audiobooks. You can see all my books and how I rated them by following me on Goodreads.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I love this author and this has to be my favorite book of hers. Absolutely phenomenal read and it reminds you that you really can't judge people from the outside. As Evelyn goes through her journey and her love life, you learn so much about this time period, the expectations of women, show business, love, politics, friendship, heartbreak and everything in between. Its a book you won't be able to put down and you will not see the connection between the two main characters coming until it happens.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Measure by Nikki Erlick
This book was gifted to me by a co-worker and I really didn't know what to expect. The premise of the book is that everyone in the world wakes up to find a box waiting for them with a string inside that they eventually learn reveals how long their life will be. This book is fascinating and important and that's why I gave it five stars. It wasn't like I was attached to the characters, but as I was grasping for understanding and clarity I couldn't stop reading. The author explores not only is it better to know or not to know, but the effects of social conduct, politics, policy, friendship, love, family, etc. This book had me thinking of all damage it could cause on so many different levels.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand
The perfect beach read! I am so sad Elin is done writing about Nantucket and where her last book, Swan Song, fell short for me, this one was perfection.
"Another absolutely lovely easy read by Elin Hildebrand. Love the idea of bringing four close friends together to celebrate your relationships over the years. Basically a girls weekend but with a twist. The main character invites a girlfriend from each phase of her life, childhood, college years, motherhood and middle age. They come together to help the main character get through a difficult point in her life and to remind her of how she came to be the woman that she is today. Highly recommend."
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Women by Kristin Hannah
"Just like her other books you will learn through historical fiction and will feel deeply for the characters. It's a long book and at one point I found it went a little long but ultimately I feel that she does this to make you realize that some things can't be overcome easily or ever, some things have a hold on you for life. Highly recommend."
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Forever Boy: A Mother's Memoria of Autism and Finding Joy by Kate Swenson
Another gift from a co-worker and I just finished it. I rarely cry, but I found myself tearing up several times. Honestly, this book came to me in a season that I needed to be reminded of how important having an open heart is, coming to a situation with learning rather than judgment, and how important it is to be an ally to families and children in uncertain and difficult times. We've been struggling for adequate supports in our school system and are experiencing increasing needs with decreasing amount of qualified people in our system. It was wearing on me and I was starting to feel defeated. This book reminded me of how much I love all of my students and how important advocating for children to receive equitable therapies, classrooms, and places of joy. We all need to have a more empathetic outlook but also learn how to be allies and advocate for families and children in different situations than our own. I am choosing this book for book club because I was just so moved by it.
To end this post, if you know a book lover, I believe this crew neck would be the perfect Xmas gift.
