Reading Goal for 2019 (Check!)

Early this year, I shared all of the books I had read so far in 2019. My goal for the year was 20 books and I'm happy to say that I've already hit 25 books read this year. Goal met, goal exceeded. I have to admit, I almost never meet my book reading goal so that feels pretty good. The combination of not working and being awake in the middle of the night feeding Whitaker provided a real boost to my reading life this winter and spring.

Reading has been a bit slow for me this summer. The kids have been home and they aren't exactly the best at letting me finish a thought, much less a book, without interrupting. Back to school is just days away and I expect that I'll be able to up my reading game again once the older kids are gone all day. In the meantime, I wanted to share what I've read since February. 

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

When Life Gives You Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger

The Au Pair by Emma Rous

The President is Missing by Bill Clinton and James Patterson

My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Along the Infinite Sea by Beatriz Williams

The Book of Essie by Meghan MacLean Weir

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory

All These Beautiful Strangers by Elizabeth Klehfoth

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

Water From a Deep Well by Dr. Gerald L. Sittser

Half of What You Hear by Kristyn Kusek Lewis

Before She Knew Him by Peter Swanson

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Overall this was a great group of books. Like most of America, I absolutely loved Where the Crawdads Sing. I did not want it to end. Definitely add this to your reading list if you haven't read it yet. The Book of Essie was another favorite, it felt like a new kind of story, a departure from formulaic reads. I also really enjoyed An American Marriage, again a new-to-me kind of story and not at all what I expected it to be. The Au Pair was another one that really kept my attention. Half of What You Hear and Before She Knew Him were both good psychological thrillers. Along the Infinite Sea was good historical fiction. Leaving the world of fiction, Water from a Deep Well is an enjoyable survey of church history, reminding us of how much we can learn from those who came before us.

I'm excited about what I'm reading next. I'm currently reading Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship by Gregory Boyle.

The next two titles on deck continue the nonfiction trend. The Universal Christ by Fr. Richard Rohr and Married to the Mouse: Walt Disney World and Orlando by Richard E. Fogelsong. 

 

I tend to need a break from nonfiction, preferring to lose myself in a story between nonfiction titles. If you have recommendations for great nonfiction, let me know. Until then, happy reading!

January + February Reads

Happy March!

After what seemed like the longest January ever - thank you alllllll of the snow days - February seemed to speed by and I can't believe it's already March. Making it through February makes it feel like spring is just around the corner and that is so exciting. This morning, we actually heard birds chirping outside the windows, we have tulips in the house, the signs of spring are here!

Anyway, I have been reading a lot this year and thought I'd share a little reading update. In my post recapping the books I read in 2018, I shared that my reading goal for 2019 is 20 books. I'm off to a strong start, having already finished ten books already this year.

The Justice Calling by Bethany Hoang and Kristen Johnson

The Other Woman by Sandie Jones

The Very Good Gospel by Lisa Sharon Harper

Our Little Lies by Sue Watson

The Ex by Alafair Burke

Educated by Tara Westover

Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again by Rachel Held Evans

The First Family by Michael Palmer

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

I've really enjoyed most of these books. It's been a good mix of nonfiction and fiction. Of everything I've read so far this year, I can't recommend The Very Good Gospel by Lisa Sharon Harper enough. This book talks about justice and reconciliation in the context of Genesis. I finished it six weeks ago and can't stop thinking about it. Lisa Sharon Harper also spoke at my church in January and was fantastic. If you're interested in social justice issues, racial reconciliation, issues between genders, and how that fits into your faith, you have to read this book.

On the fiction front, I really enjoyed The First Family by Michael Palmer. It's a medical-political thriller, if that's even a genre. I've been reading a lot of psychological thrillers, which I enjoy but they're pretty formulaic so this was a nice diversion from that format.

I have a few other books in progress:

Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan

The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery by Ian Morgan Cron & Suzanne Stabile

Water from a Deep Well by Dr. Gerald L. Sittser

I heard great things about Becoming Mrs. Lewis but it started dragging for me and I think I might abandon it altogether. I hate not finishing a book and almost never do it but there are so many books to read that I'm allowing myself to give this one up, at least for now.

I also wanted to share what I think is a great resource. I buy some of these books but I get as many as I can through the Libby app. Libby allows you to borrow eBooks and audiobooks by linking up your local library card to the app. It's great. They don't have every single title but they have a good selection, the same selection your local library has, you can join wait lists for books, and then they just show up on your Kindle when they're available. It's awesome. There are other similar apps like Hoopla and RB Digital but I've found that Libby has the best selection for my library system and interests.

As always, I'd love your recommendations. I have a few books on my "want to read" list and could use more!

What I Read in 2018

Happy New Year! My reading goal for 2018 was to read 12 books. One a month. I have been on a reading kick for the last few months and ending up reading 27 books last year. I use Goodreads to keep track of what I'm reading. You can check out my whole 2018 list here if you're interested but want to share my favorites from the year below.

Fiction

Historical fiction will always be my favorite. I credit my deep love for the American Girl series as a kid for this. I also read quite a few psychological thrillers this year, and while they're entertaining, enjoyable, and quick to read, my heart belongs to historical fiction. I just love learning about history in this way and find myself searching the internet for more information about the time periods or characters I'm reading about.

1. America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Lauren Kamoie
This book is the story of Patsy Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson's eldest daughter. It takes you through her life, which was fascinating. In addition to have a front seat to the American revolution, she spent time in Paris and was very loyal to her father. The authors of this book spent a lot of time researching Patsy's life and it shows. This book was long but still I found myself wishing it wouldn't end.

2. All of the Fiona Davis Books
Fiona Davis writes in a style I enjoy, taking you from modern day to historic New York City by connecting contemporary characters to the stories of women who lived or worked in iconic historic buildings in the city. If you like this kind of fiction, I'd start with The Address or The Masterpiece. I liked The Dollhouse but I found the main character a bit annoying but if you enjoy the other two, you'll enjoy this as well.

3. The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams
Taking place on the fictional Winthrop Island in the 1950s and 1960s, this story dives into the culture of the island and the relationships between those who summer there and the people who live on the island year-round. I found it to be a really enjoyable read, with its vintage appeal and a storyline that didn't give itself away too soon. It makes for a really great summer or vacation read.

4. My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Lauren Kamoie
I, like everyone else who has seen it, loved Hamilton. This book is written from Eliza Hamilton's perspective. Like America's First Daughter, this book takes place over the course of the protagonist's life so you get to know her as a young woman and then see what her life was like after Alexander Hamilton's death. It was well researched, includes lots of information based on Eliza's personal letters and was just fascinating. The book is long but worth sticking with.

Non-Fiction

I don't read a ton of non-fiction but have read some great non-fiction books this year. Many have been for a cohort I'm part of this year at church but not all of them.

1. Recapturing the Wonder by Mike Cosper
Subtitled "Transcendent Faith in a Disenchanted World", this book points out how resistant we are as a culture to the possibility of the miracles and magic offered to us in the Christian faith. This book challenged my personal bias towards logic and rationalism and in turn helped me to think about the possibility of wonder. To remind myself that God is capable of  immeasurably more than my human brain can imagine. How refreshing and how freeing.

2. Becoming by Michelle Obama
I think basically everyone has read this book since it came out so I won't spend too much time on this one. The best word I've come up with to describe Michelle Obama's autobiography is "relatable". Her story feels like it could be my story or anyone else's. Of course, a glimpse into the Obama's and White House life was a draw. I've heard that it's great on audiobook, too.

3. Necessary Endings by Dr. Henry Cloud
This book. If you are having trouble making a difficult decision, particularly professionally, read this book. I was in a situation where I was trying to discern if it was hard because it was hard or if it was hard because it wasn't the right thing and someone recommended this book to me and I found it so helpful. Even if you're not in a similar situation, you likely will be one day and this is a great addition to any professional or leader's toolkit.

I set my goal for 2019 at 20 books. I just finished a psychological thriller, The Other Woman by Sandie Jones and am working through two other books so the year is off to a good start! I love recommendations so please let me know what you're reading or have loved in the comments.

P.S. I "read" another book via audiobook, Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis. I didn't count it in my 2018 count because I didn't actually read it but does it count? Does consuming a book count as reading it? What do you think?

reading list + book club reboot?

I fancy myself a reader but the truth is, I don't take as much time to read as I used to. I have a dear friend who read hundreds of books every year, she's amazing and I aspire to join her in the hundreds club one day but until then, I'm hoping to fit in at least 10-15 books this year.

I'm currently reading China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan, a very light read, which is the follow up to Crazy Rich Asians, an equally light and playful read that I finished a few weeks ago.

After I finish that up, here are some ideas for my next read:

I'd love to hear if you've read any of these books or if you have any can't-miss suggestions. I especially adore historical fiction but also have a soft spot for contemporary fiction such as anything by Liane Moriarty.

A group of girls and I once started up a book club, it lasted for a few months but just became an excuse to get together, which is great too. It waned with time but I keep thinking that it would be fun
to start up again, maybe a virtual edition since everyone is so busy these days? If anyone has tried that, I'd love to hear thoughts on how it's worked for you and if you'd be interested in joining.

Happy reading, please share what books you're looking forward to reading this year in the comments.

baby books

Like many expectant parents, Todd and I did our share of reading about pregnancy and different parenting styles.  Now that we have a month of parenting under our belts, I thought I'd share some of my favorite books with you.

Pregnancy

Mommy IQ by Rosie Pope: If you've every seen Pregnant in Heels you'll know why I find Rosie Pope completely charming.  As I read this book I heard every word in Rosie's lispy British accent.  The book's tone is familiar and you feel like it's one of your girlfriends talking to you, reminding you that you can make it through these 40 weeks and that you're not alone on the journey.  The content is nothing groundbreaking but it's a funny, friendly read for first-time moms.

Baby Gear

Baby Bargains by Denise Fields: Recommended by my sister-in-law this book was a lifesaver as we worked on our baby registry.  There are so many different options for everything from strollers to bottles to cribs and everyone you talk to will have a different favorite.  This book offers objective reviews of baby products and also give recommendations for the best buys overall and at different price points.  We loved this book and thought it was worth its weight in gold.

Parenting

Bringing Up Bébé by Pamela Druckerman: This is my hands-down favorite.  The author and her husband started their family after moving to France and she starts noticing all of the differences between how the French parent as compared to the American parents that she knows.  As I read about the way that the French raise their children I kept saying to myself, "Of course that works, that makes total sense."  Some of the things she points out are cultural and would be hard to replicate outside of France but many are common sense and have to do with how French parents see their children.  I found myself reading passages aloud to to Todd over and over because I kept reading things that both reflected my ideas about parenting and new concepts that I hoped he could get behind.  He did.  Another fun, related read is Bébe Day by Day also by Druckerman.  This book provides the lessons from Bringing Up Bébé in short sections, basically a quick reference guide to the rules of French parenting.

Mayo Clinic Guide to Your Baby's First Year: After bringing your baby home from the hospital you are largely on your own.  Yes, you have your pediatrician, loving grandparents who successfully raised you, and tons of moms with advice to give but when you're at home alone with baby, you're on your own and bound to have questions about what is and isn't normal for a newborn.  We've already looked up a myriad of things from cradle cap to how long to store breast milk at different temperatures.  It's nice to have a go-to book from a trusted source to refer to instead of wading our way through the countless search results that come up online.

Brain Rules for Baby by John Medina: This was one of Todd's favorite parenting reads.  The subtitle of the book is "How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child form Zero to Five".  The author is a developmental molecular biologist who is also a parent and the book delves into the neuroscience behind baby's development.  He focuses on how you can put practices in place now that will help develop your child's brain in a way that will lead to long-term brain development.  He is actually qualified to make suggestions about what is good and what isn't for your child's development by taking the time to look at and synthesize lots of studies that either affirm or discredit common beliefs like the idea that playing Mozart to your child will make him smarter.  His goal is not to tell you how to raise your child's IQ but to provide parents with proven tools for helping the child's brain development.  Since he isn't the one who is conducting the studies he writes about he's able to look at them objectively.  He takes hard science and presents it through interesting stories and anecdotes - a very interesting read.

Of course there are many, many parenting books out there and many I'd still like to read.  On my reading list are:

The New Basics: A-to-Z Baby & Child Care for the Modern Parent by Michel Cohen
French Twist by Catherine Crawford
How Eskimos Keep Their Babies Warm by Mei Ling Hopgood
The Artful Parent by Jean Van't Hul
Parenting Without Borders by Christine Gross-Loh
French Kids Eat Everything by Karen Le Billon
The Idle Parent by Tom Hodgkinson

I'd love to hear what your go-to books for new parents and parents-to-be are.  What are your favorites?