I used to read a lot, but then I graduated college and started working and quickly, reading became a past time suited only for vacations. I read six books during our honeymoon to Bali – my favorites being Da Vince Code and Where’d You Go, Bernadette? Both books were total page turners. Now that Isla has arrived, I do not have a lot of free time; however, I have been reading books on my iPhone while breastfeeding, as page flipping is much easier than texting (unless you one-finger type!). So far, I’ve read four books – The One and Only by Emily Giffin, The Fault in our Stars by John Green, #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso, and Love Does by Bob Goff.
The One and Only by Emily Giffin is an interesting read – especially for a Texas girl, given that the story is based in Texas and mentions The University of Texas at Austin (my alma mater) throughout the entire novel. The story is based on a sports editor, Shea, whose life is changed drastically when her best friend’s mother dies from cancer, her job changes, and she begins dating the Dallas Cowboys quarterback. There is an interesting (yet predictable as the story unfolds) plot twist which really freaked me out – I won’t ruin the plot line, but it’s perhaps the only Emily Giffin book that I wouldn’t recommend reading. I absolutely love her other novels – Baby Proof, Where We Belong, Heart of the Matter, Love the One You’re With, Something Borrowed, and Something Blue.
Cue me sobbing. A lot. The Fault in our Stars by John Green is probably not a good book to read immediately after having your first child. This story is about two teens battling cancer – a beautiful love story – but Sasha walked into the nursery on multiple occasions as I was feeding and found me crying uncontrollably. I kept telling him that Isla cannot get cancer, to which he completely agreed. Besides my hormonal self, the book is beautiful. What a moving read. I am not sure I’m ready to see the movie any time soon, but I would definitely recommend this book and will be buying the hardback book to read again in the future.
I decided to read #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso after Christie (of KiKiMac) recommended it. I flew through it and immediately decided that I need to create my own business. #GIRLBOSS is extremely inspirational – especially for those with an entrepreneurial spirit. The book outlines how Sophia grew Nasty Gal from a small eBay business to a multi-multi million dollar online retailer. #GIRLBOSS should be read by anyone who needs motivation to start doing what you love.
Loves Does by Bob Goff has definitely been my favorite read so far. This amazingly strong Christian lawyer tells a variety of stories about his life – all of which are unbelievable and had me both laughing out loud and sobbing. Love Does is one of the most inspiring books I’ve ever read, and Bob does a wonderful job tying his unique tales into God’s love for us. “Simply put, love does.” This novel is a must read.
I’m now reading The Vacationers by Emma Straub – I’m enjoying it so far. Other books I have lined up after include Wild by Cheryl Strayed and Gone Girl by Gillian Flynch. Do you have any good book suggestions?
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Last summer, I was on a major reading kick given that I spent many, many hours a day breastfeeding Isla. Instead of wasting time on social media, I was determined to be glued to my iBooks app, and I finished a lot of interesting books. I published two posts – 2014 Summer Reading List Part 1 and Part 2, with detailed book descriptions and my recommendation to read or skip on the books. My reading dwindled in the fall and winter, but one of my 2015 Resolutions was to read more and I’ve stuck to it! I recently finished six novels, which I’m sharing brief synopses about below and also my opinion as to whether or not you should immediately buy the book and start reading!
