I'm not sure when I started reading, I mean, I'm sure I learned in first grade, but when I really started reading for fun. It took years, it took decades. It took recovering from high school, college, grad school, having to read books I (mostly) didn't want to read. "Reading" was not something I enjoyed. I felt slower than my classmates, and really struggled to process books I wasn't interested in. The idea that reading could be fun was such a foreign concept. I say this, and yet I worked in a bookstore for a few years as a teenager. I loved being surrounded by books, meeting authors, seeing customers' faces light up when I found the book they were looking for. And yet, and yet I still didn't enjoy reading for years to come.
Now though, now, I can't not read. I HAVE TO have a book to devour every night or I won't fall asleep. I sometimes only get through a few pages before passing out, but nonetheless I must read.
This blog is eight years old and over the years I've shared many book reviews. Since I haven't posted Book Notes since April 2016, I narrowed it down to my 10 favorites since then! In some cases, I didn't write a review, which is why you'll just see the title and author with a link to the book on Goodreads!
Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari
There's a lot of facts, information and even graphs in this book, but I found it to be a nice balance of informative and light. Unlike any other book by a comedian that I've read recently,I actually feel a bit smarter after reading this one, and certainly more sympathetic to the singles out there!
Left Neglected by Lisa Genova
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I've read all of Genova's books to date and this was not her best but I still love her work and am looking forward to her new release in April 2018!
Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living by Shauna Niequist
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really love Niequist's writing. She has a way of being succinct and powerful, I want to highlight every other sentence as a quote. This book is an anthem to modern Mommyhood, trying to be and do too much for the sake of everyone else while neglecting those that should matter most. Niequist shares what lead up to her starting to say "No" and some of the challenges she faced when making the drastic, powerful change. Everyone should read this book, and assess where their focus is and should be.
Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies about Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be by Rachel Hollis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Every woman should read this book! (I'm sure men would get value from it too!) My key take aways from the book include; No one will care about your dream like you do, and no one can take it from you unless you let them. I also loved how she wrote about how we are the first to cancel on ourselves, and why do we bend over backwards for everyone else, but are quick to cancel on ourselves?! I loved that. I definitely cancel on myself all of the time but when she put it in that perspective, it made me think twice about it as a way of valuing ourselves. Depending on where the reader is in life, what they have been through, and where they want to go, I think every woman can learn from her experiences and get value from her insights.
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is an easy read that can foster complex and difficult conversations regarding our relationships and choices. The story focuses on two families; one a mother and daughter, and one a mother, father and their four children. Their lives are intertwined and there's multiple relationships between the two groups. There's love, resentment, regret, righteousness and duty. I'm adding Ng's first book to my to-read list!
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
If I could give this book six stars I would! The writing is so smart and smooth. It challenged my vocabulary limits which I enjoyed and don't find very often when reading novels. The story unfolds through the eyes of our title character who is damaged and socially awkward. Eleanor's physical damage of facial burns are difficult to hide. The emotional damage on the other hand, is revealed through the book like layers of an onion (and session after session of therapy). Eleanor binges regularly on vodka to self medicate and she keeps everyone at a safe distance. That is until she needs IT help at work, and in walks our hero Raymond. Raymond becomes a mainstay and helps bring Eleanor out of her steel armor in a daily, non-flashy kind of way. We have the luxury of being inside Eleanor's head and hearing her unique view of the world which added levity to what would otherwise be a very heavy book. While difficult to stomach at times, this is a must read.
View all my reviews
I welcome your suggestions too!
Now though, now, I can't not read. I HAVE TO have a book to devour every night or I won't fall asleep. I sometimes only get through a few pages before passing out, but nonetheless I must read.
This blog is eight years old and over the years I've shared many book reviews. Since I haven't posted Book Notes since April 2016, I narrowed it down to my 10 favorites since then! In some cases, I didn't write a review, which is why you'll just see the title and author with a link to the book on Goodreads!
Modern Romance by Aziz AnsariThere's a lot of facts, information and even graphs in this book, but I found it to be a nice balance of informative and light. Unlike any other book by a comedian that I've read recently,I actually feel a bit smarter after reading this one, and certainly more sympathetic to the singles out there!
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I love reading/listening to books about subjects that I know absolutely nothing about. I was intrigued by this book because small convenience stores scare me, they seem to only be seen or heard about when there is a shooting. This book humanized the owners, workers and customers. Howe paints a mostly loving, sometimes hating, view of owning and operating a Deli in New York City in the early 2000's. This was a nice glimpse into the Korean work ethic and really convinced me I never want to own a store!
- Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood, by Trevor Noah. Brilliant book and even better as an audio book since Trevor performs it.
- Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience and Finding Joy, by Sheryl Sandberg
Left Neglected by Lisa GenovaMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I've read all of Genova's books to date and this was not her best but I still love her work and am looking forward to her new release in April 2018!
Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living by Shauna NiequistMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really love Niequist's writing. She has a way of being succinct and powerful, I want to highlight every other sentence as a quote. This book is an anthem to modern Mommyhood, trying to be and do too much for the sake of everyone else while neglecting those that should matter most. Niequist shares what lead up to her starting to say "No" and some of the challenges she faced when making the drastic, powerful change. Everyone should read this book, and assess where their focus is and should be.
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies about Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be by Rachel HollisMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Every woman should read this book! (I'm sure men would get value from it too!) My key take aways from the book include; No one will care about your dream like you do, and no one can take it from you unless you let them. I also loved how she wrote about how we are the first to cancel on ourselves, and why do we bend over backwards for everyone else, but are quick to cancel on ourselves?! I loved that. I definitely cancel on myself all of the time but when she put it in that perspective, it made me think twice about it as a way of valuing ourselves. Depending on where the reader is in life, what they have been through, and where they want to go, I think every woman can learn from her experiences and get value from her insights.
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste NgMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is an easy read that can foster complex and difficult conversations regarding our relationships and choices. The story focuses on two families; one a mother and daughter, and one a mother, father and their four children. Their lives are intertwined and there's multiple relationships between the two groups. There's love, resentment, regret, righteousness and duty. I'm adding Ng's first book to my to-read list!
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail HoneymanMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
If I could give this book six stars I would! The writing is so smart and smooth. It challenged my vocabulary limits which I enjoyed and don't find very often when reading novels. The story unfolds through the eyes of our title character who is damaged and socially awkward. Eleanor's physical damage of facial burns are difficult to hide. The emotional damage on the other hand, is revealed through the book like layers of an onion (and session after session of therapy). Eleanor binges regularly on vodka to self medicate and she keeps everyone at a safe distance. That is until she needs IT help at work, and in walks our hero Raymond. Raymond becomes a mainstay and helps bring Eleanor out of her steel armor in a daily, non-flashy kind of way. We have the luxury of being inside Eleanor's head and hearing her unique view of the world which added levity to what would otherwise be a very heavy book. While difficult to stomach at times, this is a must read.
View all my reviews
I welcome your suggestions too!
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