This month my reading came back on track I know last month reading tended to be a struggle, but this week I was more willing to and dedicated to try more books, which meant abandoning many books as well as eventually finding a few I loved.
Bringing Up Bébé by Pamela Druckerman
I started reading parenting books before I knew I was pregnant. One of the pieces of advice that I found in looking for books to read was to only read books that make you feel more sane. This was the first book I started reading and I found this book to be a delight. I devoured it and appreciated how it gave me confidence to trust myself and not feel overwhelmed by the sea of information and I found I was able to trust myself and my instincts more. This book is a mix of memoir and advice. I would describe her style as less is more. I also love that she describes not only things she does well, but also missteps, failures and how she rectifies these things. I really appreciated her perspective and through this lens I was able to continue my journey into books.
Book Rating: 4/5 Cress by Marissa Meyer
One of the themes you may have noticed in my fiction books as of late is that I am loving fairytale retellings or fairytale related books. This book falls into that category. This book is the third in a series called the Lunar Chronicles. This book continues the story incorporating the fairytale of Rapunzel into the dystopian universe that the storyline contains. I have to say I really enjoyed this and I find this young adult novel has a fast pace and keeps me engaged. My one critique is that I found the characters to be pairing up in expected ways and I wish that there was more diversity of relationships and that some of the characters did not end up in romances.
Book Rating: 4/5 Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole
This I started reading when I found out I was pregnant. I was not sure how to eat while pregnant when I am not dieting. I had been wanting to read this book for a while and I was glad I used that as the impetus to start reading it. As I read this I found myself making the changes it suggests and it just makes more and more sense. For me I found that listening to my body and not losing my mind over trying to be healthy has been a welcomed change. I feel like even if I am not ever going to be the thinnest person on the world there are many other goals I care about more and my mental health and physical health are both important factors, one should not dominate the other. This is a nonfiction book that describes a way of eating that is sustainable and long lasting through listening to your body and trusting yourself with food and enjoying the food you eat rather than being filled with shame and guilt.
Book Rating: 4/5 The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
This is a book I have been meaning to read for a while. I have even had it on my shelf. My mom gave it to me because she thought I would enjoy it. This book is adjacent to books on old men. The main character is not as old as most of the characters in those books, but his attitude is similarly curmudgeonly. This is a novel about a bookstore owner who is quite grumpy and it shows how his life changes over the course of many years. I loved the scope of this novel and I found it to be quite detailed and nuanced. I appreciated how realistic it was and how the character's stories were not tied up in a neat bow, but still ended in a satisfying way. I loved this book so much I read it in a single day.
Book Rating: 5/5 The Science of Mom by Alice Callahan
This book is another parenting book. I have found that some of the parenting books I have appreciated the most are ones that are science based and that do not preach what to do. I really have found that these books give me the information that is scientifically based but in a way that is not written to incite fear or to preach what to do. This book falls into that category and describes many decisions to be made over the first year of your child's life.
Book Rating: 4/5 Pride and Prejudice
This is a book I was supposed to read in high school, but honestly never did. I know I read parts, but I did not read it in its entirety. I was quite familiar with the story having watched the film and the miniseries. I have to say I think that made quite the difference in reading this book. I did not feel like the language was a barrier, because I had an idea of the basic plot line I really did not struggle with following the story. I have to say I did find that because it had been a while and because this was a book not a film adaptation I really wanted to know how it ended and stayed up late to try to find out how it ended. I noticed that there were a number of differences in the format because it allowed you more of an omniscient viewpoint. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it and really loved reading this book.
Book Rating: 5/5 Winter by Marissa Meyer
This is the final book in the Lunar Chronicles series. This book adds the fairytale of Snow White to the dystopian world, and wraps up the variety of plot lines from all the characters. I found this to be quite satisfying read, but I also wanted a little more nuance, which again for a young adult book is not always present.
Book Rating: 4/5
What have you been reading recently? Any recommendations or books you have loved?
1 Comment
8/27/2019 08:12:43 pm
I really enjoyed Bringing Up Bebe too! I found it fascinating to read about how French moms raised their children and the differences between our cultures. It was hilarious as well as informative. I hope our soon-to-be-born son "finds his nights" as soon as some of those French babies!!
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About MeI'm Sarah; a wife, traveler, foodie, and adventurer. Archives
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