Recent Reads

Every time I see someone recommend a good book on Facebook, Instagram or a blog, I always download a sample to my Kindle if it sounds remotely interesting to me. It’s rare that I scour the internet for the latest good reads since I have a plethora of samples (that come recommended) that I can start reading at any time. So I thought I’d share some of my recent reads during the past 6 months to keep the ball rolling.

Now keep in mind that though I read every night before bed, some nights it’s 10 minutes if I’m exhausted (and I usually am) and other nights (especially if I go to bed earlier) I’ll eek out 30 minutes of reading. So it takes me a while to get through a book, unlike my pre-kid days when I churned through them much faster.

CURRENTLY Reading:

A House in the Sky: I’m not a big non-fiction reader (unless it has to do with raising kids) so I’m even a little surprised I started reading this book. But the description sounded so captivating (tumultuous childhood, traveled the world in her 20s then held hostage for 460 days in Somalia) that I wanted to give it a shot. I’m only 11% into the book so far, but I’m hoping it’s as interesting as described.

 

PAST Reads:

Orphan Train: A blogger I follow highly recommended this book, and it didn’t disappoint. Parts of the story were hard to read, especially if you have a soft spot for kids, but it had a great storyline and transitioned seamlessly between narrators, one of which was present day and the other from the late 1920s.

The 21-Day Sugar Detox: I read this book before starting my 21dsd last month. (You can read about my experiences here.) This book gives a lot of knowledge about how your body works and how it processes and reacts to sugar. It also outlines the three detox levels, and provides food lists as well as meal plans and recipes. I wouldn’t say this book is necessary to complete the detox, especially if you are used to clean eating and cooking with alternative ingredients, but I think it would be great for newbies who have never ventured into this alternative world.

Where Treasure Hides: I’m fairly certain I found this while browsing through book descriptions while on my Kindle. I loved that it is set in the 1930s and 1940s in Europe, and had no idea it was a Christian love story until I got a few chapters in. It’s very PG, which I’m cool with, and a little bit cheesy at times, but hey, aren’t all love stories?

Moms on Call: 0-6 Months: I read through this while in the hospital after delivering Scarlett. My sister is a huge Moms on Call fan and my niece was sleeping through the night at 10 weeks old. I also think it has some great advice, but unfortunately I can’t be as ‘scheduled’ as recommended. Babies #2 and #3 have had to be more ‘go with the flow.’

Loving the Little Years: I started reading this book soon after I came home from the hospital and realized I now have three very young kids to look after! I needed encouragement, support, comic relief and to hear that other women had gone through the same thing…and survived. That’s exactly what I got from this faith-based book. I am not alone.

Big Little Lies: This is not a thought-provoking book by any means. But if you’re 9 months pregnant, aren’t sleeping well but can barely stay awake long enough to read for more than 10 minutes, then this type of book is for you. It’s a classic beach read. Lots of drama and a touch of sleuthery.

Gone Girl: Dark and very different from books I normally read, but I think that’s what made it good. The first part of the book had me guessing as to who was really guilty. It’s fairly heavy in the internal thoughts dialogue. I haven’t seen the movie so I’m not sure how accurate it was.

The Husband’s Secret: From the same author as “Big Little Lies,” and very similar as far as book type. Another great beach read that is very entertaining without much depth. I liked that there was a bit of mystery involved, which piqued my interest.

If I Stay: This was a quick, captivating read. I’m not sure if it’s a teen book, or the main characters are just teens. No shame here though.

Where She Went: Obviously I liked “If I Stay” enough to purchase the second book in the series. I liked the continuation of the characters and this one read as easily as the first book. Still no regrets.

Outlander: I really enjoyed this book, even though it was long (600+ pages). I loved the settings–1945 and 1743 in the Scottish Highlands. Apparently I’m a sucker for books set in the past. And a plus if it’s set in a different country. I loved the feistiness of the main character Claire, who reminded me a lot of Scarlett in “Gone with the Wind,” one of my top five favorite books.

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail: The idea of a woman hiking alone for weeks as a form of therapy intrigued me. I loved this memoir following her journey on the trail as she sought to heal herself. Once again, I haven’t seen the movie, so I can’t speak to its accuracy, but I can’t imagine it capturing all her thoughts like the book.

 

STARTED but couldn’t finish:

The Paying Guests: This book is set in 1922 in a neighborhood near London. I’m pretty sure those two facts alone were why I started reading it. But it seemed a bit slow with lots of dialogue, and the setting never changed from the house during the short time I read it. I never got past the sample version.

The Secret History: I read 40% of this book before throwing in the towel. It was very intriguing in the beginning, especially the group of super-smart college kids. But the group turned a bit cultish and I was tired of reading the characters’ overly erudite talk and eventually lost interest.

Don’t Make Me Count to Three: I made it through 36% of this book before giving up. I love the idea of Scripture-based discipline, but the suggestions in the first third of the book were near impossible to implement. Maybe my kids are too young or maybe she’s not used to Rowdy boys, but having drawn-out conversations with little ones seemed like too much to me. She suggested this questioning routine as an example: “What were you feeling when you hit your sister?; What did your sister do to make you mad?; Did hitting your sister seem to make things better or worse between the two of you?; What was the problem with what your sister was doing to you?; Yes your sister was sinning against you, but in what other ways could you have responded?” Seriously?!?!? Who has time for all that 🙂

Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander book 2): I really enjoyed the first book in this series, but this one had a slow start to me and I stopped after reading 25%. This second book begins back in the present day, but the part I loved about the first book took place in the 1700s. I do believe it will be more captivating if I can just get over the hump, so I may give it another shot soon.

 

SAMPLES in my Kindle queue:

What She Left Behind

The Girl on the Train

Fangirl

I’ll Give You the Sun

Own Your Life: Living with Deep Intention, Bold Faith and Generous Love

Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Minds

The Happy Mommy Handbook

Fit to Burst: Abundance, Mayhem and the Joys of Motherhood

All the Light We Cannot See

 

Any book recommendations?