Recent Reads: October

With all the Halloween festivities going on next week, I thought I would do my monthly book post a little early this month! Once again, I read three books and really enjoyed reading all three. None were out-of-this-world amazing, but all kept me entertained.

Here's what occupied my nightstand this month...

Modern Romance
By Aziz Ansari

I became a fan of Aziz when Parker and I binge watched Parks & Rec. When we saw he had a book, we decided to listen to the audio version for a long road trip. It's basically a giant analysis on how romance has changed and how much technology has played a role in the way we meet, interact, and enjoy each other. He was really well researched and kept it funny and interesting. If you are an Aziz fan, listen to the audio version of this one for the full effect!

Bachelor Nation
By Amy Kaufman

I have been watching The Bachelor since the beginning and just can't seem to quit #noshame. I love the silly franchise and get into the love story each and every time. Being the fan that I am, I knew I would love this book. Amy Kaufman is a journalist for the LA Times that worked closely with the franchise, so she has an inside scoop on the inner workings. She also interviewed many past contestants on the show and printed those interviews in the book, which made it all the more intriguing. The book analyzes why America has such a fascination with this franchise and what really happens to contestants at every stage. If you aren't a big Bachelor fan, skip this one. If you love The Bachelor, pull up a chair and dive right in.

The Wedding Date
By Jasmine Guillory

This was a chick flick in a book. Although it was fairly predictable from the beginning, it was so fun to read, and you instantly liked both characters. A chance meeting in an elevator turns into a date at a wedding where they "pretend" they are together. The pretending leads to real feelings, and the book takes a few more twists and turns from there. This was an easy, enjoyable read that kept me happy the whole time.

What are you reading and loving lately?

Recent Reads: August

It's the end of the month, which means it's book day on the blog! Each month, I review three books that I read. For this month, one is something that will stick with me for a long time, one I learned from, and the last I just enjoyed. 

Here's what occupied my nightstand this month. 

My Story

By Elizabeth Smart

Elizabeth Smart's kidnapping is the first story I remember really following. She was kidnapped in 2002 at just 14 years old, and I can still remember seeing the interviews on the news of her parents begging anyone to bring their daughter home and Elizabeth's face plastered across the magazines at the grocery store. I read this book and don't honestly have words to adequately describe it. Elizabeth is candid and just detailed enough to give us a sense of what went on during the 9 months she was missing. She endured more at 14 years old than anyone should ever, ever have to. Her outlook is so inspiring, and the way she came out of the tragedy and now leads a normal life with a husband and kids is something I don't think many people could do with as much grace as she has. This book had an effect on me, and I found myself recounting the chapters at night to my husband. I highly recommend reading it. 

Bringing Up Bebe

By Pamela Druckerman

This book is written by an ex-editor for the Wall Street Journal that moves to France with her husband. She is intrigued when French children are all sleeping through the night by 8 weeks old, choosing fruits and vegetables over pastries, and using manners over tantrums. She documents the wisdom of French parenting and what they seem to be doing right when other cultures are failing. I really liked this one. It obviously applies to my current stage of life, but it had practical, sound advice that I think a lot of moms can learn from. If you're a young mom or expecting, read it!

Talking As Fast As I Can

By Lauren Graham

I needed an audio book to get me through a long drive by myself, and I thought this might be a fun one read by the author. I enjoy celebrity memoirs read by the author because I feel like I connect more, and that was true here. I have seen most Gilmore Girls episodes and loved the series in high school, so I was excited to hear her stories and experiences from the show. She talked a lot about Gilmore Girls and also talked about her upbringing and gave funny anecdotes here and there. It was an enjoyable listen, and if you are a big Gilmore Girls fan, I think you will like it too. :)

That's all for this month! Anything you've been reading and loving lately?

I am signing off for a week to enjoy Labor Day weekend. See you all next Wednesday!

Recent Reads: July

It's been a hot minute since I did a recent reads post, so I wanted to take today to share my thoughts on three books I recently read. If you're not a bookworm, hit the snooze button and come back next week for some non-book talk! ;)

I wasn't obsessed with any of these, but I didn't hate them either. They were all entertaining and had solid pros in their own way. 

This Girl

By Colleen Hoover

This is the fourth book that I have read by Colleen Hoover. She wrote one of my all time favorite books, It Ends With Us, so I started her Slammed series shortly after. This is the third book in the Slammed series. The first two were captivating, entertaining, and real page turners, so I was so excited to finish the story of Layken and Will in the third and final book. Yall, I was so disappointed! This book picks up on Layken and Will's honeymoon, and the entire story is them laying in bed together recapping their love story. Aka, this book is just summarizing the other two. I was so bummed! I had just read the other two, so I didn't really want to waste time reading a giant recap. Oh well. :/

I Got This: To Gold and Beyond

By Laurie Hernandez

Raise your hand if women's gymnastics is your favorite Olympic event! (insert hand raising emoji) I followed Laurie Hernandez in the 2016 Olympics as well as her journey on Dancing With The Stars, so I was excited to pick up her book. She recounts her journey to the Olympics and talks about her time on Dancing With The Stars as well. If you followed Laurie through any of that, you'll find this book entertaining. I enjoyed it, and it was a pretty quick read. 

What Alice Forgot

By Liane Moriarty

I typically love Liane Moriarty novels by the time I finish them, but they also usually take a while to suck me in. This one was no different. In What Alice Forgot, Alice suddenly loses her memory and has no idea where the last 10 years have gone. She thinks she is happily married and expecting her first child, but she wakes up in the middle of a divorce with three children she has no recollection of. She has to pick up the pieces and figure out how how her life got to this point. The book makes you think and has some neat perspective. I liked it and would recommend it to a friend. :)

What have you been reading and loving lately??

Recent Reads: January

I am determined to keep blogging when I can sneak a quick 15 minutes in to write (which is apparently harder than it sounds these days!). So today, it's another recent reads post with my three latest reads. It's been a good month of reading lately because I loved all three! If you're a fellow bookworm, read 'em! :)

Scrappy Little Nobody

By Anna Kendrick

I find Anna Kendrick completely hilarious. I feel like we could be friends in real life, but I also feel like she is way too cool for me. I really like her as an actress and was excited to read her book! It's filled with personal stories about her journey to becoming an A-list actress, and it's just plain funny. If you like celebrity memoirs, you will like this one. I was entertained!

Point of Retreat

By Colleen Hoover

I have been on a Colleen Hoover kick lately and have loved everything she has written so far! I started with It Ends With Us, which was easily one of my favorite books of 2017. Slammed was so good, and this book, Point of Retreat, is the sequel. It picks up with the story of Will and Lake right where Slammed left off, but this one is told from Will's perspective. It's so well written, and you just find yourself really rooting for these characters. I love their love story, and if you like lighthearted "chick lit", you'll love it too. 

The Magnolia Story

By Chip and Joanna Gaines

I have been waiting to read this book since June of 2017! No joke, I was on a waiting list so I could read it for free, and the waiting list ended up being 6 months long. I should have just bought the book so I could read it right away, but there are so many books that I wanted to read, so I didn't mind waiting. I am like every other girl in America in that I love Fixer Upper. I love the dynamic between Chip and Jo as a couple, and I think they are amazing role models for young couples and families. I have told Parker probably 100 times that I wish I could go shadow them for a weekend and watch them parent, because I feel like I could learn a lot that I would emulate with our kids. Anyway, back to the book. I loved it. It's the story of how their empire came to be. They start from meeting each other on a bench outside of Jo's father's store and go all the way to filming Fixer Upper. I loved loved loved this book! Great people, great book. 

What have you read and loved lately?

Recent Reads: November

I may not have been a good blogger in the month of November, but I did get into a few books this month! I read two that I absolutely loved and didn't want to end, and I read one that I never should have picked up in the first place. Here's what occupied my nightstand this month...

It Ends With Us

By Colleen Hoover

Yall, this is one of those books where I was so bummed when it was over. I just loved it! It's about Lily who had a tough life growing up, but everything seems to be working itself out now that she has fallen in love with Ryle. They are happy and perfect, but the reappearance of Atlas, her first love, threatens to change everything and causes her to question everything she thought she knew. I am a new fan of this author because she writes in such a personal way that you can't help but get sucked in. I loved this book and think you will too!

Slammed

By Colleen Hoover

I loved It Ends With Us so much that I picked this book next since it is written by the same author. It again did not disappoint! I was hooked from the first chapter and couldn't put it down. Layken, who just turned 18, moves with her mother and brother to a new state where she meets her handsome neighbor, Will. They instantly hit it off and have the best first date either has ever had. A couple of days later, Layken shows up for her senior year of high school only to find out that Will, who is 21, is actually her teacher. Their worlds are turned upside down as they wrestle with the feelings that pull them together but the reality that keeps them apart. The characters are well developed, likable, and relatable. I loved this one and already have the sequel on my list to read for next month!

Everything I Learned About Life, I Learned In Dance Class

By Abby Lee Miller

Ugh, I kind of hated this book, but it's totally my fault for choosing to read it. I have never been a fan of Abby Lee Miller, but I used to love watching Dance Moms, so I thought I would give it a shot. I was hoping for some fun, behind the scenes moments or back story on how the show got started. There was none of that. Instead, she gives parenting advice (she doesn't actually have kids, so there's that) and repeats herself over and over. I really wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. Not so good, yall.