What a weekend. We got about two inches of snow on Friday and the cold front (after several days of 50-60 degree weather) made us want to stay inside all weekend. We did venture out to hang up our new bird feeder and I snuck in a little me time at a bookshop downtown. I did come away with the first book in the Crescent City series by Sarah J Maas that I’ve had on my TBR for years at this point.
I’m currently in the middle of the audiobook “Remarkably Bright Creatures” which is book number 12 for the year. I managed 65 in 2023 and am on track to surpass that if I keep up this pace. Depends on how many 800+ page Sarah J Maas/Brandon Sanderson books make it onto my list. I’ve really been trying to habit switch to spend less of my time on my phone, and more with a book after Cal goes to bed. Amazing book stores and a nightstand full of books I’m excited about definitely help make that happen.
The instagram and Pinterest algorithms have been serving me up some solid mom content lately, including stunning, curated kid’s bookshelves that quickly had me spiraling down the rabbit hole of themed books, tiny shelves, and felt banners. Kevin and I are both readers and book lovers and we want to instill the same love of books in Callahan by making it fun and exciting to sit down and read a few books together. We asked for books instead of cards at our baby shower before Callahan was born, we have consistently asked for books for him as gifts, and the book store is a collective favorite.
I decided to keep it super simple – just two picture ledges from Command as well as felt bats and a ghost figurine from the Target dollar spot. The books are just all the orange, purple and black ones we have in our collection (that went along with the few Halloween/fall books we have). We are obsessed with Our Friend the Moon and Little Blue Truck’s Halloween, if you’re looking to add some festive books to your stash. We love the cozy little spot and the pillows are just decorative ones we snagged from our guest bedroom. We love to snuggle up on them before bed and they are one of the dog’s favorite spots in the house…of course. As we continue to make decisions about his room as we near the toddler bed stage, I’d love to incorporate a nugget couch (or similar) that feels special and just for him.
I’m already starting to think about gratitude, thanksgiving, and fall themed books that I’m going to put together at the beginning of November and then already have a stack of books prepped for Christmas (since we keep those separate with the Christmas decor). After the holidays, I’m hoping to open the theme up a bit to something more broad (animal books, books that make noise, books about space, etc) or a group of books that are the same color. It’s been a tiny creative outlet that, similar to toy rotations, keeps things feeling minimal, really fresh and allows us to cycle out books we need a break from so that they can come back in a month or two feeling brand new.
I’ve been following Elise Blaha Cripe online for the better part of the last 15 years, so when I heard about her book, I had to add it to my Wishlist. I finally got around to reading it, and I’m so glad I chose it for my first book of the year.
Throughout the book, Elise focuses on goal setting and making things happen – in a real and attainable way. Throughout, the book includes beautiful graphics, personal anecdotes, and tips to follow on exactly how to get started. I’m constantly inspired by Elise’s projects and how she takes her readers and followers into the process and the progress of each project. One of the biggest takeaways that I’m hoping to implement is to begin creating visual cues to show progress that will allow me to stay on track to meet bigger goals and deadlines.
I don’t think I’d ever be able to give Elise less than 5 stars. I love everything she does and this book is no different. The writing style and artwork is so “her”. If you’ve read her blog posts, listened to podcasts or followed her on Instagram the contents of the book might not be entirely new, however, having it all in one place will be handy. I definitely plan to reference it in the future!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
You’d like this if: you’re already a fan of Elise, you enjoy goal setting, or you’re a part of the creative community (planners, The 100 Day Project, etc).
This month, I’m linking up with Kristin and Rachel for their Book by Book Link Up. It’s a way to share all the books we’ve read and get new ideas for new books to add to our lists. Below, you’ll find the books I read in May and what I thought about them.
★★★★★ –All time favorite, there aren’t many of these in the world.
★★★★☆ – Loved this book, held my attention and made me want to keep reading.
★★★☆☆ – Good book, I liked it.
★★☆☆☆ – It was fine, definitely won’t be recommending it to my friends.
★☆☆☆☆ – I finished it, but it wasn’t that great.
☆☆☆☆☆ – Didn’t bother finishing it. There are too many books on the shelf to finish one that isn’t grabbing my attention.
In almost all photography it’s the quality of light that makes or breaks the shot. For professional photographers, chasing the light, waiting for it, sometimes helping it, and finally capturing it is a constant preoccupation ― and for some an obsession. Drawing on four decades of doing just this, Michael Freeman takes a simple but practical approach to reacting to, and capturing photography’s most important commodity.
I received this book as a gift for Christmas and have been reading it on and off ever since. I really got a lot out of naming the light forms and patterns and the effect that each one has on a photograph. Being able to identify the source on a photo helps to be able to know how to recreate an image or how to improve on your photography in the future. Personally, I think I got more from reading this book slowly and allowing myself to try out some of the lighting techniques as opposed to just reading it all at one time. I’ll definitely be using this as a reference and it’s a beautiful coffee-table sized book to keep around.
Ruth’s Journey: The Authorized Novel of Mammy from Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind
“Her story began with a miracle.” On the Caribbean island of Saint Domingue, an island consumed by the flames of revolution, a senseless attack leaves only one survivor—an infant girl. She falls into the hands of two French émigrés, Henri and Solange Fournier, who take the beautiful child they call Ruth to the bustling American city of Savannah. What follows is the sweeping tale of Ruth’s life as shaped by her strong-willed mistress and other larger-than-life personalities she encounters in the South: Jehu Glen, a free black man with whom Ruth falls madly in love; the shabbily genteel family that first hires Ruth as Mammy; Solange’s daughter Ellen and the rough Irishman, Gerald O’Hara, whom Ellen chooses to marry; the Butler family of Charleston and their shocking connection to Mammy Ruth; and finally Scarlett O’Hara—the irrepressible Southern belle Mammy raises from birth. As we witness the difficult coming of age felt by three generations of women, gifted storyteller Donald McCaig reveals a portrait of Mammy that is both nuanced and poignant, at once a proud woman and a captive, a strict disciplinarian who has never experienced freedom herself. But despite the cruelties of a world that has decreed her a slave, Mammy endures, a rock in the river of time. She loves with a ferocity that would astonish those around her if they knew it. And she holds tight even to those who have been lost in the ravages of her days.
This one automatically gets a decent rating for being a prequel to Gone with the Wind. I had high expectations when I started this one because it was written by Donald McCaig – the same person who wrote Rhett Butler’s People, which I enjoyed. Unfortunately, I almost put it down because the storyline had a hard time keeping my attention and was a little off put by a couple spelling errors I came across. My favorite parts were hearing Mammy’s side of the story – being Ellen’s mammy (something we don’t get to see in GWTW), young Scarlett, and Mammy’s first interaction with (and feelings about) Rhett Butler. Overall, I don’t regret reading it, but it’s not something I would recommend unless you’re a die-hard GWTW fan (like myself).
The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery
The Enneagram is an ancient personality type system with an uncanny accuracy in describing how human beings are wired, both positively and negatively. In The Road Back to You Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile forge a unique approach―a practical, comprehensive way of accessing Enneagram wisdom and exploring its connections with Christian spirituality for a deeper knowledge of God and of ourselves. Funny and filled with stories, this book allows you to understand more about each of the Enneagram types, keeping you turning the pages long after you have read the chapter about yourself. Beginning with changes you can start making today, the wisdom of the Enneagram can help you get on the road that will take you further along into who you really are―leading you into places of spiritual discovery you would never have found on your own, and paving the way to the wiser, more compassionate person you want to become.
It didn’t take long for me to become obsessed – I love all things personality related (Myers briggs, birth order, etc) but this one takes the cake for me. I first learned about the Enneagram at the end of 2017 but because the online descriptions seemed a little vague, I decided I would hold off on the book and I’m so mad that I did. When I started reading this, I immediately determined my type and realized why it isn’t so cut and dry – because we all exhibit each of the numbers, but there is one we lean into the most. There is so much value in knowing about yourself and the way you interact with others, especially on a spiritual level. If you read this book and love it, I would also highly recommend Ian’s podcast, Typology.
The Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings, and Discovered Life is Worth More than Anything You Can Buy in a Store
In her late twenties, Cait Flanders found herself stuck in the consumerism cycle that grips so many of us: earn more, buy more, want more, rinse, repeat. Even after she worked her way out of nearly $30,000 of consumer debt, her old habits took hold again. When she realized that nothing she was doing or buying was making her happy–only keeping her from meeting her goals–she decided to set herself a challenge: she would not shop for an entire year.
I listened to this book in a day when I was cleaning and working around the house and, first of all, can I just say how much I love authors reading their own story? I got turned on to this book from the Young House Love Podcast (episodes 89 and 93, specifically) and their shopping ban. Even though this book is often listed as ‘self-help’, the writing and story telling style felt much more like a memoir. This isn’t Dave Ramsey or The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up but she definitely tells her story about getting to both of those places and how consumerism affected her life. In a more subtle way than over-doing it with numbers, it definitely made me think about starting my own challenge and what my own “less” looks like.
That’s it for my May reads! We’re halfway done with the year and I’m exactly half way done with my reading challenge of 20 books in 2018. This month, I’d LOVE to stock up on beach reads, let me know if you have any recommendations!
This month, I’m linking up with Kristin and Rachel for their first ever Book by Book Link Up. It’s a way to share all the books we’ve read and get new ideas for new books to add to our lists. Below, you’ll find the books I read in April and what I thought about them.
★★★★★ –All time favorite, there aren’t many of these in the world.
★★★★☆ – Loved this book, held my attention and made me want to keep reading.
★★★☆☆ – Good book, I liked it.
★★☆☆☆ – It was fine, definitely won’t be recommending it to my friends.
★☆☆☆☆ – I finished it, but it wasn’t that great.
☆☆☆☆☆ – Didn’t bother finishing it. There are too many books on the shelf to finish one that isn’t grabbing my attention.
A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World
Prayer is all about relationship. Based on the popular seminar by the same name, A Praying Life has discipled thousands of Christians to a vibrant prayer life full of joy and power. When Jesus describes the intimacy He seeks with us, He talks about joining us for dinner (Revelation 3:20). A Praying Life feels like having dinner with good friends. It is the way we experience and connect to God. In A Praying Life, author Paul Miller lays out a pattern for living in relationship with God and includes helpful habits and approaches to prayer that enable us to return to a childlike faith.
At the beginning of 2018, I made a goal to focus on and study prayer in conjunction with my One Little Word, connect. As I mentioned this to friends, many of them suggested this book to me, so when I saw a group of folks at work were going to be reading it together, joining them was a no-brainer. I loved every single second of this book and felt like it has had a huge impact on my life. I love how the author combined personal accounts, biblical truths, and practical applications for incorporating prayer into every day life. Having a book study to go along with it reminded me to take it in small doses (something I’m not great at) so that I could savior it.
10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works
After having a nationally televised panic attack on Good Morning America, Dan Harris knew he had to make some changes. A lifelong nonbeliever, he found himself on a bizarre adventure, involving a disgraced pastor, a mysterious self-help guru, and a gaggle of brain scientists. Eventually, Harris realized that the source of his problems was the very thing he always thought was his greatest asset: the incessant, insatiable voice in his head, which had both propelled him through the ranks of a hyper-competitive business and also led him to make the profoundly stupid decisions that provoked his on-air freak-out.
I found this book by looking through Goodreads recommendations, and I have to say that as the first one I read I wasn’t very impressed nor do I think (based on what I’ve read) that this really makes sense as a recommendation. Regardless, I’m glad I read it because even though it doesn’t align with my core beliefs, I can sometimes get in my own bubble reading similar books. I always think it’s a great idea to learn about things that you don’t necessarily agree with. The idea around this book is meditation and how that can have substantial affects on your mind and body. One of my favorite things about this book is that the author doesn’t seem to have it completely figured out and he’s ok with that. He seems to admit that he’s not a professional, but more that he’s just telling his story.
Do you want to get to know the woman we first came to love on Comedy Central’s Upright Citizens Brigade? Do you want to spend some time with the lady who made you howl with laughter on Saturday Night Live, and in movies like Baby Mama, Blades of Glory, and They Came Together? Do you find yourself daydreaming about hanging out with the actor behind the brilliant Leslie Knope on Parks and Recreation? Did you wish you were in the audience at the last two Golden Globes ceremonies, so you could bask in the hilarity of Amy’s one-liners?
If your answer to these questions is “Yes Please!” then you are in luck. In her first book, one of our most beloved funny folk delivers a smart, pointed, and ultimately inspirational read. Full of the comedic skill that makes us all love Amy, Yes Please is a rich and varied collection of stories, lists, poetry (Plastic Surgery Haiku, to be specific), photographs, mantras and advice. With chapters like “Treat Your Career Like a Bad Boyfriend,” “Plain Girl Versus the Demon” and “The Robots Will Kill Us All” Yes Please will make you think as much as it will make you laugh. Honest, personal, real, and righteous, Yes Please is full of words to live by.
This has been on my list for a while and I finally got an audiobook rental app that lets me check out 9 books per month at our local library, so I figured this would be a great one to listen to while I was exercising. That wasn’t a good idea considering the number of times I was doubled over laughing on the treadmill. This book was endearing and sweet with some great and some not-so-great advice. She shares the real life sides of her job and being a broke comedian and I love how real biographies make people feel more real and connected. Definitely a good one if you’re looking for something light and are into her sense of humor.
Thanks so much for reading! Let me know if you have any suggestions!
HARDBACK OR TRADE PAPERBACK OR MASS MARKET PAPERBACK?
I always end up breaking all my spines, so I prefer having my bookshelf filled with hardbacks that don’t show the evidence. Plus they tend to hold up better after sharing them over and over.
AMAZON OR BRICK AND MORTAR?
Amazon, so much cheaper!
LOCALLY OWNED BOOKSHOP OR BIG NAME CHAIN STORE?
Local bookshops are my favorite, but the hours of our local ones are meh.
BOOKMARK OR DOG-EAR?
Either, although I generally have a bookmark on hand! I’m a book highlighter and note-taker so there’s no ruining a book for me.
ALPHABETIZE BY AUTHOR OR ALPHABETIZE BY TITLE OR RANDOM?
At home, I arrange by height.
KEEP, THROW AWAY, OR SELL?
I keep 5 stars books to re-read and share, but otherwise I donate or fill up my local Free Little Libraries.
KEEP DUST JACKET OR TOSS IT?
Keep it!
READ WITH DUST JACKET OR REMOVE IT?
I take it off to read it otherwise it gets destroyed in my bag.
SHORT STORY OR NOVEL?
Novel. 100%.
COLLECTION (SHORT STORIES BY SAME AUTHOR) OR ANTHOLOGY (SHORT STORIES BY DIFFERENT AUTHORS)?
I can’t say that I’ve read either. *Adds to reading list for the year*
STOP READING WHEN TIRED OR AT CHAPTER BREAKS?
Chapter breaks. What kind of savage stops in the middle of a chapter?!
“IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT” OR “ONCE UPON A TIME”?
Once upon a time.
BUY OR BORROW?
Borrow, unless it’s a favorite book/author.
NEW OR USED?
If I have the option, I’ll go for new.
BUYING CHOICE: BOOK REVIEWS, RECOMMENDATION OR BROWSE?
I hate browsing bookstores because I want them all. I love a good recommendation from someone who gets me.
TIDY ENDING OR CLIFFHANGER?
Tidy ending, unless it’s a series.
MORNING, AFTERNOON OR NIGHTTIME READING?
Yes, please!
SINGLE VOLUME OR SERIES?
I love a good series.
FAVORITE SERIES?
The Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter are tied in my book.
FAVORITE BOOK OF WHICH NOBODY ELSE HAS HEARD?
I loved The Broken Way: A Daring Path to Abundant Life by Ann Voskamp.
FAVORITE BOOKS READ LAST YEAR?
Scarlett, Chronicles of Narnia, Creativity, Inc
FAVORITE BOOKS OF ALL TIME?
Gone with the Wind, Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia, Outlander
As a fan of recommendations, I would love to see how you would answer these! Comment or leave a link below!
