What I have read lately

My apologies for not posting for a week.  I have been battling a serious illness for over a year now.  I was completely better and now I have regressed again.  So, I am trying to post 2/3 times a week.  Keep checking back but please understand If I have not posted, it is due to work and doctors and health stuff.  I plan to post a few recipes next and then another installment in the college application process.

I read a ton. It is one of my favorite things in the world to do.  I am in 3 book clubs and I read all kinds of books.  I also like almost everything I read so I hesitate to write critiques but I'll try here.


This week, I have already read these two books:

As the titles imply, these are about a Southern family of three sisters and their Mom and Grandmom.  They live in a coastal town in Georgia and the story revolves around their relationships and trials and tribulations. These are the first two books in a series of three.  I loved them.  They are light, easy reading and I felt like I knew each of the characters.  I want to be friends with this family in real life.  The characters are likable yet flawed and the story keeps you hooked.  I seriously cannot wait for the third book.  If you need something easy to entertain you, these books are great. I highly recommend them especially if you like beachy, Southern Chick-lit (which I love!).

   

Now, if you like suspense and mystery, I read this one a few weeks ago.  It was Reese Witherspoon's book club pick a month or two ago. If you liked Gone Girl and those other twisty, turny dark mysteries, this is good.  Sometimes I like them and sometimes they make me too jittery.  I liked this one.  I like to completely mix up the types of books I read so this is completely opposite of the light ones above.  The plot kept me interested and even Dave (who doesn't read much) read it on a long flight and enjoyed it.

I also really enjoyed this book this month.  As you know, I am afraid of flying and I was not sure I could handle this book because there is some of that in there.  But I ultimately really liked it.  It deals with injury, love, recovery, family secrets, strength and redemption.  I read this book in about 2 days.  I enjoyed it a lot.

These next two books are so good.  I read Beartown at least a year ago for one of my bookclubs and I am currently reading the sequel, Us against You (also for bookclub). The author, Fredrik Backman (A Man called Ove) is such a gifted writer.  He takes a long time to set the scene and introduce the reader to the large cast of characters in this novel but once he does, you cannot put it down. You feel like you are living in the town and part of the community.  Beartown deals with a sexual assault in a small hockey town and is very timely given our current political climate.  I read it before the Brett Kavanugh hearings but one of my other bookclubs read it that week and we had quite the lively discussion.  I honestly had no desire to read this book given the description but it draws you in.  I think this author is so gifted at writing three dimensional characters that the reader grows to love.

Another book that dealt with teen issues and community was All we ever wanted.  I like Emily Giffin for her light chick lit books about marriage and motherhood.  However, this one was different in that the subject matter was much more serious.  It takes place in a wealthy suburb of Nashville.  A mother is faced with the possibility that her son (who is headed off to an Ivy league college) has done something horrible.  While the subject matter was heavier than her usual books, I really liked this book.  It is timely as it deals with sexual misconduct and social media.  It deals with all of the pressures that today's teens face.  Having a senior in high school, I could empathize with many of the characters.

I have also ordered several books for Kate from Amazon recently.  I typically read on my iPad but I get her the physical books and that is what she prefers.  I took a chance on this series and she has loved it!  Kate is kind of sick of reading your typical "middle school" books.  She has flown through this 3 book series though.  It is probably on the easy side for her  as it is recommended for 10 and up and grades 5-6.  She is 12 and in 6th grade but she loves them. I love that they have a brave young female as the lead character.

I could go on and on but I am out of time and energy.  Let me know if you like these posts and any of your favorite books in the comments please.  Have a great weekend!!!

Disclosure:  Some of the links on my website are affiliate links. Many links on this blog are not.  I like to share with you where I get the things I love.  I have done this long before affiliate links existed. This means that if you purchase an item from an affiliate link here, I may receive a small commission.  I only link to products/companies that I like and use. I have never been compensated in exchange for a blog post.

My Summer Reads

I love, love, love to read.  Seriously, I read a lot. There is almost nothing else I'd rather do than read. This summer I have been reading about a book every 2 days since there is nothing good on TV at night.  I even read during the boring parts of the Olympics.  Some have been really light summer books and some have been more substantial.  I got a lot of my books from the library so unfortunately I cannot remember them all.   I feel certain that I am forgetting some that I really loved!

I try not to tell you too much about the books below because I kind of like to be surprised in a book but I want to give you my opinion.  However, you can click on the little book images to read more reviews and summaries of each book.

Fiction:

Gone Girl {Gillian Flynn} - this started a tad slow for me but then it was SO good that I could not put it down.  A well written and cleverly crafted page turner.  4.5/5  A nook book.

The Art of Fielding {Chad Harbach}  This book is about baseball and it is one of my book club reads. I will admit, I was not looking forward to it BUT it was really good!  It is more literary than some of these lighter summer reads but it is very good.  It is a long one but a good one.  You really get to know the characters. 4/5

Where we Belong {Emily Giffin}  This was really good.   I read it in a day and half.  There is an adoption theme that really made me think about and read the book differently because of our adoption. 4/5

666 Park Avenue {Gabriella Pierce}-I read this at the beach.  It was good.  There is a witch element in it (that might bother some).  Looks like they are making a TV series of it this Fall. 4/5

Summer House {Nancy Thayer}  This would be a great beach read.  It is light and entertaining.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I really connected with the characters and missed them when the book ended. 4/5

Home Front {Kristin Hannah}  Another easy read.  It was really good.  It deals with a Mother serving in the military and made me ponder things that I had not considered before.  4/5

A Visit from the Goon Squad {Jennifer Egan}  I wanted to like this book.  It gets pretty good reviews  and it came recommended to me but I really did not connect with it at all. 2/5

The Irresistible Henry House {Lisa Grunwald}  I really liked this book a lot.  It is about a boy who is raised in a "practice house."  The practice houses in the 1940's used real babies for home economics.  This book was fascinating.  It is fiction but I did some research and this really did happen at that time.  I highly recommend this book! 4/5

Divergent and Insurgent {Veronica Roth}  This book/series is a little bit like the Hunger Games series so if you liked those, you'll like these.  I actually liked this series better.  As with all these series, the first book is the best.  These are page turners.  I think I read both in a matter of a weekend.  And if there is a 3rd (which I am pretty sure there will be, I will read it). 4/5

The American Heiress {Daisy Goodwin}  I really enjoyed this book a lot.  It was a nice long read.  I connected with the characters and could not wait to read more.  I hated to see it end.  4/5

The Fault in Our Stars {John Green}  I mentioned this one before but I must mention it again because it has been my favorite book of the year.  The writing is flawless and the dialogue very witty.  I LOVED this book.  I laughed and cried and not many boos do that to me. 5/5

Non-fiction:

Unbroken {Laura Hillenbrand}  One of the best books and stories I have ever read.  This is non-fiction but it reads like fiction.  I will admit that the first 100 pages were a little slow for me.  But then, I could not put it down.  I highly recommend this book.  It is well written and a truly amazing story.  Men love it too. 5/5

Bringing up Bebe {Pamela Druckerman}--being a parenting coach, I try to read all the new parenting type books.  I find this one fascinating as she compares the French method of "educating" their children to the American way of "disciplining."  I have not finished this book yet (I waited all summer for it from the library wait list) but I really think it is very good so far.  I totally agree with her assessment of the over-involved American parents.  Amazon gives it 4.5 stars.

7: An Experimental mutiny against excess {Jen Hatamker}--I think this book is a MUST READ!!!  It had a profound effect on me and I could do a whole series of posts on it.  The author looks at seven areas of excess and greed in her life and tries to make changes small and large in each area for one month.  I will admit that some months got a little boring to read (food) but the overall impact this book made on me was HUGE.  Dave is reading it now and Will is going to read it too.  This is a Christian based book (which I loved) but my non-Christian friends might not appreciate it. 5/5

Okay, now PLEASE share a book or two that you would recommend for me. I am always looking for new books.  (I am currently reading Paris Wife and Before I go to Sleep for my book clubs so no need to recommend them)

And just in case you were going to suggest 50 Shades of Grey.... I have NO desire to ever read those books.  I am not judging those who have read them but there are just so many other wonderful, well written books to read that are more my style.

Mary Ann, I hope you enjoy some of these;)  Okay, I am off to stick my nose back in a book!

Book Club

I love love love to read.  And I am in two book clubs.  Yesterday it was my turn to host one of the book clubs at my house for lunch. First, let me tell you about the book.  I actually alluded to it in this post.  It is called The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.  I loved this book!  In fact, I know I will re-read it and I rarely re-read a book.  The two main characters are teens with cancer but this book is uplifting and funny as well as poignant.  I laughed out loud several times as the characters are very witty.  I also cried a little and I did not want the book to end.  In fact, I think I read it in 2 days.  I highly recommend this book.  It is classified as young adult fiction but it is such a well written novel that I did not feel like I was reading young adult fiction.  Let me know if you read it.

Now onto lunch....I always enjoy others menus and recipes so I will share mine here. In this book club we serve a light, simple lunch.  I made these quiches (so easy and so good--and the recipe actually makes 2 quiches even though it does not tell you that, so have two crusts ready to fill). I also served a simple mixed green salad with this dressing.  I LOVED this dressing.  Again, it was super easy and I made it the night before. I also made these mini fruit tarts.  But since I did not really have time to make the crusts, I cheated and found some mini tart crusts at Central Market (frozen section...you need to bake them 8-10 minutes).  I made the creme anglaise the night before and then I spooned it into the tarts and topped with fruit (strawberries, blackberries and blueberries) just before my guests arrived.  I used some warmed apricot jam for the fruit glaze.

It is hard to post anything after that last post because I am so conscious of trying to be super authentic and keep it real.  I saw this quote and thought it applied so well to the article I linked to in my last post...

We should not compare ourselves but instead focus on our own blessings and gifts.

{if you try the quiche recipe, reduce the butter to 2 TBS.  That is what I use and it is perfectly adequate}

Does this match, Mama?

Kate dressed herself yesterday and she came down like this....

Black polka dot bow, lime and cream polka dot shirt and navy polka dot shorts.  And you know what? I let her stay in it ALL day!  We did get a few sideway glances but I didn't care.  She was happy.  Polka dots can make a girl happy, you know.

Another thing that makes us SO HAPPY.... Some of our very best friends in the whole world (Harry's Godparents) moved back to town this week after being overseas for a few years (you can read more about them here--that post makes me miss my VA house so much.)  They were transfered shortly after we moved to VA and we always hoped we'd wind up back here together.  We met at story time at the library when Will and her oldest son were just 4 months old.  And we have been great friends ever since (14 years).  We put together a basket of some our favorite TX things to welcome them back...

We put in my favorite tortilla chips and salsa (Salsa Texas--it is the BEST!), Shiner Bock local beer, St Arnold's local root beer for the kids, phiton necklaces for the boys (since they are very popular here in the US), Dave's favorite Goode Company BBQ sauce, TX BBQ potato chips, and a real Simple magazine for my friend because she likes it.  I also put in a Bed, Bath and Beyond coupon because you always need stuff there when you move!

I must tell you that Dave came up with the idea for the basket.

And just one more reason to be happy... Di and Jeff have sweet Miss Emme Jade.  They are in China adopting again and they are now the official parents of this beautiful little girl!

I am really behind in posting.  I have all these things I want to post about but we are spending a lot of time this week in dentist, doctor and orthodontist offices (Will is getting braces) before school starts.  I will catch up soon.

***We have a few road-trips coming up in the next few months and Dave and I really enjoy listening to a book on CD together in the car while the kids watch their movies.  Does anyone have any suggestions for something we would both like?  We listened South of Broad last year when we drove to Disney.  And while we loved the plot and we could not wait to hear what happened next, the language and themes were a little too much to risk the peanuts overhearing. They wear earphones but you never know when one will decide to take them off.