GoodReads | Notes from a Blue Bike

Ohhh, it's been SO long since I shared some of my recent favorite books with you. Some of these I read almost a year ago but they were too good not to write about. Check it out below!

Notes from a Blue Bike Book Review

The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George | I'll admit, this one wasn't my absolute favorite from my books last spring, but I did appreciate that it was quirky so I wanted to keep it on the list. It follows Monsieur Perdu, who owns a floating bookstore and is trying get over a lost love. Those two things may not seem connected but he uses literature and his bookstore to heal again. (***)

168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam | I never feel like I have enough time, especially during busy season, but reading 168 Hours was an eye opener for me. Vanderkam very simply and gently lays out the truth: There's actually plenty of time in the day; we're just not not using our 24 hours in the wisest way possible. She includes a graph to track your hours for an entire week, which was the MOST helpful for me to see where I actually spend my time (hello, checking social media waaaay too often!). I could—and should!—read this once a year. (*****)

WomanCode by Alisa Vitti | I first heard Alisa Vitti interviewed on The Lively Show podcast where she talked about optimizing your hormones in the most natural way possible. It was intriguing so I bought her book. I've never been super convicted about eating 100% clean or curing any sickness that comes my way through homeopathic methods, but Vitti's book made me think twice about what I put in my body and how it affects my entire system as a whole. It was a little woo-woo at times and way GIRL POWER!, but I learned a lot and have started to implement some pieces into my everyday life. (***)

Notes from a Blue Bike by Tsh Oxenreider | Simple living is kind of a cliche term these days, but Oxenreider does a beautiful job of proving that life doesn't have to be so hectic. I needed to read this book when I did—in the middle of wedding season and the early stages of pregnancy! It gave me a lot of hope that we could have a family and still keep up with our passions ... and even pass those on to our kids. (*****)

The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective by Richard Rohr | The Enneagram isn't so much a personality test as it is a way of understanding yourself and working to become more mature and balanced within your God-given strengths and weaknesses. It's deep and it takes a lot of thought, but I'd highly recommend checking out this perspective on the Enneagram, especially if you're struggling to understand your true self or a loved one. (****)

An Irish Doctor in Love and at Sea by Patrick Taylor | Anything Irish related is of interest to me because I love that country! This is part of a fictional series by Taylor but you don't have to read every book or even the books in order to enjoy this story. It flips between two time periods—one when Dr. O'Reilly is first starting his career during WWII and one when he is a veteran doctor. And there's a love story that ties the two eras together. (***)

Goodreads | The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind Book ReviewI'm not sure how it's already August, but if you're still looking for a book to take to the beach or pool, here are some of my favorites from the last few months.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio A young adult book about a 10-year-old boy with a facial abnormality learning to live a normal life. This is one of my favorite books I've read all year. It's incredibly well-written, heartwarming and just … pure. (*****)

Emma by Jane Austen Let me tell you my history with this book: I've started and stopped it so many times I thought I would never get through it. Not only did I get through it, but I LOVED it once I was finally immersed in the story. This is a classic rom-com in the most classic sense. If you haven't read it yet, you must! (*****)

StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath Based on the idea that we spend too much time focused on our weaknesses and not enough time developing our strengths, this book also includes a StrengthsFinder assessment so you can learn more about your strengths and how you can apply them to your life. I read StrengthsFinder for a conference I attended recently and it was super interesting. (***)

Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi A true story about a group of young women in Iran who secretly meet to read and discuss Western literature. I really liked the idea of this story, but I had a hard time following all the pieces because I hadn't read all the books they were reading. If you've read the books that each chapter is devoted to and you're a literary buff, you'll really appreciate this book. (***)

A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton This is a super easy and entertaining read, and I needed something like this in the middle of my busy wedding season. If you're into mysteries and haven't heard of the letter mystery series, check it out now! (****)

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba I was completely absorbed by this story from the very beginning. William, who lives in Malawi--a really poor and drought-laden country in Africa--is determined to keep learning even after he has to drop out of school because his family can't pay the fees. After lots of research, lots of tinkering and lots of being made fun of, William successfully creates his village's first windmill at the age of 14. William's done two TED talks since his windmill became international news: #1 and #2 in case you're as interested as I was! (*****)

Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver A story about a directionless woman and her journey to find peace with her past and a purpose for her life. Set in the American Southwest, like a lot of Kingsolver's books are, I enjoyed this story but found the main character to be a little frustrating. I just wanted her to get her life together! Regardless, this book is extremely well-written, and I wouldn't expect anything less from Kingsolver! (***)

Emma by Jane Austen Book Review

Goodreads | Still Life with Bread Crumbs

Winter Reading ListDoes that blanket look casually strewn? And that stack of books … perfectly haphazard? Because I really just want to straighten the pile and stack the books biggest to smallest, or maybe according to color. This photo is my attempt at seeming easy breezy. Like I just happen to stack my books perfectly imperfect. But really I was the 6-year-old girl who organized her pile of presents on Christmas morning (in a straight line, each touching the present before). The picture fools you though, huh?

In case you're wondering what I've been doing this winter, this is it. I've been curled up on that edge of my couch reading book after book. It makes for a really pleasant day when it's 0 degrees outside. Actually, I think it might even be -5 or -12 today. I can't keep track. Basically it's very, very cold.

In case you're stuck inside looking for new books to read, I've got you covered. As always, you can follow my reading list on Goodreads.

The Lemon Tree: An Arab, A Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East by Sandy Tolan The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is so complex and heartbreaking that sometimes it seems utterly hopeless, especially to me, someone that has a vested interest from thousands of miles away and isn't sure what to do or how to help. The Lemon Tree brings the region to life and melds the facts with a true, peaceful human-interest story of an Arab and a Jew and one shared house. I thought about this story long after I finished the book. (*****)

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling I laughed out loud more than a couple times while reading Kaling's memories and musings on her own life (The part about her jumping off the high dive as a kid? I died.) But as I went on I kinda felt like the funniest parts were concentrated at the beginning of the book and I lost a little bit of my interest. I recommend picking this up if you're in the mood for a fluffy, easy read. (***)

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt An engrossing, suspenseful, sometimes highly disturbing read (in the best possible way!) that surprised me with just about every page turn. I feel like I can't sum the story up in one sentence, so if you're into thrillers and really beautifully written prose then you need to pick up this book. (****)

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris David Sedaris' wittiness amuses me to no end. He makes me laugh. He makes me cry (because I'm laughing so darn hard!). Mostly I just can't believe that one human being can have such a smart sense of humor. Me Talk Pretty One Day is a book of satirical short stories based on Sedaris' life. (****)

The Zimzum of Love: A New Way of Understanding Marriage by Rob and Kristen Bell Rob Bell has such an engaging writing style, and I thoroughly enjoyed his newest venture written with his wife. I haven't read a lot of books on marriage (although I probably should!), but this one was such a positive, gentle reminder of how a good marriage should look … and how you can get there if you aren't there yet. (*****)

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis A must-read for anyone exploring Christianity and those who are already there. Lewis breaks down Christianity and builds it back up in a compelling and intelligent way. I need to read this book about 50 more times to completely absorb the enormity of it all. (****)

Still Life with Bread Crumbs by Anna Quindlen I really enjoyed this fiction story about a once-famous photographer trying to find herself again. This is an entertaining and relatable read for all people, not just photographers! (*****)

Stitches by Anne Lamott This is my favorite Lamott piece yet. She expertly combines wittiness with really big and important notions, like what we do and where we turn after life takes a detour. Her authenticity and relationship with God inspires me. I'll be coming back to this one again and again. (*****)

Book Reviews

Goodreads | And the Mountains Echoed

And the Mountains Echoed Book Review_0043You guys. I'm reading The Goldfinch right now and I am loving it! I can't wait to review it on the blog, but it's huge so it might take me awhile. (Yep, I'm definitely over my intimidation of big books.)

For now, I'm continuing on with my book list from the past year. I hope December is brining you lots of time to read!

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini I really love everything Hosseini writes, so I knew I would like his newest novel. This one is again set in the Middle East (although it kind of takes you around the globe) and follows a little boy and his sister as they grow up separated. It's heartbreaking and uplifting in the way Hosseini has mastered, and I really can't say enough good things about it. I will read everything this author writes! (****)

Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion by Gregory Boyle Wow! This book surprised me. First of all, the work that Boyle has done in inner-city Los Angeles is just mind-blowing. His experiences, and how transformative they've been for himself and the kids he serves, were just begging to be written down, and I'm so glad he published Tattoos on the Heart. The theme of unconditional love was evident in every chapter and that mixed with Boyle's quick wit makes this book irresistible. (****)

The First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom This book brings me right back to our little bed and breakfast in Doolin, Ireland. I finished this book on our big trip, and while it was the perfect light, entertaining read for vacation, it left me feeling a little corny. I'm not sure that's the right word--the story really did have me wanting to keep reading (a handful of people in Michigan get phone calls from heaven)--but at the end I felt like I had just watched a Hallmark movie. Uplifted but contrived. (***)

Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China by Leslie T. Chang Factory Girls opened my eyes to a part of the world I've never really explored. It follows a couple girls who have left their rural Chinese homes to start factory work in southern China. Called migrant workers, these teens are part of a huge population that is continuously growing, right along with the factories that employ them. The story is almost unbelievable and SO incredibly different than any life I've ever known. Note: Chang's style of writing is a bit more journalistic than a typical non-fiction book. It took me a little while to get used to it. (****)

The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon This is a beautifully imagined story (no pun intended!) about three people being brought together in the most unusual, but necessary, circumstances. Like The First Phone Call from Heaven, it was a bit contrived for me, but still an entertaining read. (***)