Recent Reads & Reviews

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I’m thrilled to once again talk books with you. You’ll find lots of goodness in this stack! Click the titles to order your own. Let’s dive in…

Laughing Through the Ugly Cry

This book is beautifully designed with happy colors and pretty photos, but the story inside is intense. Dawn Barton shares how she dug deep to find joy in the hardest of circumstances. As someone who was raised to find the humor in just about anything, I loved the message. This one is an encouragement, and designed to be a gift for a friend who needs it most.

On the Bright Side

I adore Melanie Shankle’s sense of humor and writing style so I was eager to read her latest book. The message is timely, refreshing, and encouraging. She is always quick to offer a funny story to make her point, while speaking truth and offering wisdom. This one is a winner!

Mother & Son

I didn’t grow up with a brother and most families around us had all girls too. Now I find myself raising a teenage boy and often feel out of my element. This book offers so much insight into a boy’s needs and the mother/son relationship. It’s full of tools and practical advice. If you need a glimpse inside your son’s head, this one’s for you.

The Lies That Bind

Emily Giffin weaves a gripping story. Her books are the best kind… the ones that make you neglect everything else for hours as you continuously plow through “just one more chapter” again and again. This one is set in New York City in the fall of 2001 and offers romance, mystery, and an interesting look at a historic time in the United States. It’s a great escape… and I know I needed it.

The Home Edit

If you need a little spark to ignite your home organizing efforts, this book will light your fire! It’s full of gorgeous, inspirational photos and even includes a set of refrigerator labels. I enjoyed the various takes on similar spaces, so that you can determine the style that best suits you and your home.

Here’s what’s coming up next:

STAND ALL THE WAY UP // CILKA’S JOURNEY // THE FAITH OF QUEEN ELIZABETH // MYTHS AMERICA LIVES BY // STAMPED FROM THE BEGINNING // BIG WONDERFUL THING // THE PHANTOM OF FIFTH AVENUE

Quarantine Reads

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I’m hoping to make some serious progress on my “to be read” pile during this time at home, and I’ve read some great ones lately! Here are books I’ve enjoyed and perhaps you will like them too. (Find these fantastic bookends here.)

How to Celebrate Everything

As much as I love to “read” a cookbook cover to cover, this one is so much more. How to Celebrate Everything dives into what makes family celebrations and rituals so meaningful to our family stories. This is a great book to cozy up with, and has me adding ingredients to make both pickles and mashed potatoes to my grocery order.

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

I’m embarrassed to say how long I’ve owned this book without trying its methods. In fact a new version is now available. The idea is to make up a big batch of bread dough and store in it your refrigerator, baking a small, fresh loaf each day. I ordered a special measuring spoon, dough container, and oven thermometer to get started. Stay tuned for my bread baking adventures!

The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe

I adore this book. Angela Kelly opens up about her close relationship with the queen and all that goes into creating her iconic looks. This book is so elegant and beautiful. It will transport you right out of quarantine and into Buckingham Palace!

Open Book

Jessica Simpson has an extraordinary life in so many ways and Open Book is spilling the tea about it all. i could not put this one down! It’s a great read and will leave you seeing her in new ways.

American Royals

If you enjoyed The Royal We or you are just a monarchy enthusiast like me, you will enjoy American Royals. Imagine if the USA had a king and queen! Weave in lots of beautiful clothes, a palace, and several intriguing romances and you have this darling book. I was delighted to see a sequel is available for pre-order as well.

Lilac Girls

Warning… Lilac Girls will absolutely break your heart. This is a work of fiction based on real people in World War II. It’s gripping, it’s sad and it is beautiful too.

Chasing Vines

I admire and respect Beth Moore so much and I’m loving Chasing Vines. It’s one to be savored and lingered over, to soak in the biblical wisdom she shares so eloquently.

Tell Me More

Grief, parenting, friendship…. Tell Me More takes a raw and real look at them all. This book has some language, just FYI, but it’s full of so much truth. I took a lot away from this one.

Those are my most recent reads… let me know if you enjoy them too!

Vacation Reads

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Reading is a favorite hobby of mine and travel always offers the opportunity to binge on books. Between flights, beach days and lazy afternoons I read four great books on our recent trip. These books are all quite different from one another, so there’s something for everyone. If you’re looking for your next read, check these out!

Summer at Tiffany

We’ll start at the top of the stack with my favorite book out of all of these. Summer at Tiffany is a memoir that transports you back to an elegant, exciting time in New York City. It has romance, glamour and a beautiful snapshot of the end of World War 2. This book is an absolute delight! You can just see the glamorous fashion and feel the excitement of being a young woman in the greatest city in the world. I found this book after watching Crazy About Tiffany’s. (It’s a super fun documentary, although a little disjointed and with bad language. Start with the book!)

The Hardest Peace

This is another book I found through a documentary. I bawled my way through “The Long Goodbye: The Kara Tippets” story on Netflix. Her first book, The Hardest Peace, is beautiful and heart-wrenching at the same time. If your life has been closely touched by cancer, you know how the most important aspects of life move to the forefront and the unnecessary fall away. Tippetts shares her deeply personal journey so that we can benefit from focusing on the truly important elements of life here on earth. I found it inspiring, a true gift. I plan to read her other books as well.

Something in the Water

This one quite a pivot from the first two. Something in the Water is my book club’s current pick. This one’s a thriller. Warning, it’s rated R in some parts. It’s gripping, scary, and intriguing. You’ll find this one intense and mysterious. I was guessing the outcome all through it. If you’re up for a wild ride, grab this book!

The Storyteller’s Secret

This one was a recommendation from one of my most well-read friends, so that is always a trustworthy endorsement. The Storyteller’s Secret transports you to India and weaves a tale across decades and generations. I love books that inspire kindness, and this one does just that. It’s heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. Amazon describes it as “arrestingly romantic” and I have to agree. The strong women in this book will leave an impression on you.

Those are my most recent reads. What is next on your list?