I have so many books to share with you today! I have been on a roll with my summer reading list. This summer we’ve been hitting the library almost weekly and my stack is packed with books I’ve found randomly as well as ones I’ve been anxious to read and put on hold (that all seem to all be coming off hold at the same time, figures.)

I think you’ll find a new book to pick up today…and don’t forget to share in the comments what you are reading and loving too!

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I may have said this before…but my friend Kristen is my Oprah when it comes to finding new books to read. She has quite the collection of book reviews over on her blog and is one of the first people I think to ask when I am looking for a new book to read.

She’s not the only one I look to for new book recs…Sheila posts what her book club is reading, Jenna shares what she’s reading frequently and Julie hosts a monthly book club on her blog.

I love that these girls share a love for reading like I do and they are my go-to bloggers when it comes to finding my next read. I wish we could actually get together in real life every now and then and talk books over a glass of wine. Wouldn’t that be nice?!

Whistling Past The Graveyard by Susan Crandall was the last book I finished (recommended by Kristen) and I LOVED this book. I saw Kristen post a picture of it on Facebook one morning and I was lucky enough to find it at the library the same day, that never happens! I finished it in less than a week and that hasn’t happened in a while. I found myself staying up later than usual and sneaking in a page or two during the day. I think it was Kristen who said – “if you liked The Help you would like this book”, and she was right. It had the same tone, as far as racial and segregation references in the South during the civil rights movement era. It highlights a special friendship between two people that society wouldn’t approve of during that time. It’s definitely a “love conquers all” coming of age story and will tug at your heart, although it’s not always all warm and fuzzy. You will find yourself becoming attached to the characters and to me those are the best reads.

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I’m on a reading binge. I recently read this post and have since declared (quietly, to myself) that I was going to binge on reading this next month or two (aka summer break).
There could be worse things to binge on right?

Reading fills my happy tank. It relaxes me, takes me away from the daily grind for just few minutes, opens up my mind to someone else’s world, real or not. If you’ve been one who finds yourself saying you want to read more but don’t have the time to read, truth is you do have the time…but you may have to rearrange it a bit to squeeze in 10 or so minutes of reading. I loved reading the tips to help you read more shared on The Art of Simple’s post I mentioned above, and my big tip to add is to put your phone somewhere you can’t reach it. I don’t know how many times I check my phone “for the time” and find myself on FB and Pinterest for 20 minutes. You know how many pages I could have read in 20 minutes?? When you’re limited on time (especially during the summer with all the kids at home), 20 minutes of reading can feel like a vacation.

Here are a few books I’ve read recently, let me know in the comments if you’ve read any of them or are currently reading something great! (I’ve linked each book to the description on Goodreads)

The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard – I found this book while looking for a different book by the same author my friend recommended to me called Labor Day. It was the first I’ve read by this author and I really enjoyed it. Good summer read. I have to get my hands on Labor Day for summer.

We Are Water by Wally Lamb – If you like Wally Lamb I think you will find his newest novel interesting, it’s a big book so be forewarned. My friend Sheila read it for her book club and wrote more about it here.

I Forgot To Remember by Su Meck – I picked up this book after reading Kristen’s review on it (like I do many of my books!). It’s a memoir about a mom of two small children who suffered a head injury and literally lost her memory of … everything. EVERYTHING. What this woman lived through is pretty incredible, and makes you really think.

Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist – I’ve heard of this book from Sheila and Kim among other bloggers for months now and couldn’t wait to finally read it. This book was one of the most relaxing books I’ve read in a long time. A memoir, it’s written in short essays with recipes sprinkled among the chapters in relation to the story being told. A week after finishing Shauna’s book, I can tell you that I am finding myself still thinking about some of the stories and the food. I’ve actually started to slowly come out of my cooking funk inspired by a few recipes I found in this book. I’m recommending it to everyone who loves food and loves feeding people.

…and from my “summer stack” (shown above in first picture)

I’m currently reading The Orphan Choir but I have to be honest, I’m not loving it. I’m actually making the decision right now as I type to move along to the book I really want to read The Fault In Our Stars. This book has been on my library list forever it seems but I finally got impatient and just bought it instead this week. Apparently it’s a good cry (though I don’t tend to cry while reading, we’ll see…), can’t wait to dive in!

Hope you all are enjoying your summer!

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So I’m on a roll in the reading department right now. I’ve read four really really good books in a row and I feel like I need to share them with you, especially if you are looking for something new. What’s funny is that as I look at the 4 book titles, they are are all so different from each other – there is really something for everyone here.

Defending Jacob by William Landay – This book has been on my Goodreads list “to read” for a long time and I finally got my hands on it at the library. It’s a legal drama about a well-respected suburban family where the father is an assistant district attorney who’s son gets charged in a murder of a local student. It’s very Law & Order, which I love, and there’s a “family in crisis” side to it as well. I’m hooked and can’t stop reading, about half way through right now.

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom – I read this one early on this summer, and it was one that I really had to process once I was done with it. I had heard such great things about The Kitchen House from so many people, and they were all right on the mark, such a great – though sometimes hard – read. I’m not sure I can describe it with any justice so here is what Amazon says about The Kitchen House:

When a white servant girl violates the order of plantation society, she unleashes a tragedy that exposes the worst and best in the people she has come to call her family.

Orphaned while onboard ship from Ireland, seven-year-old Lavinia arrives on the steps of a tobacco plantation where she is to live and work with the slaves of the kitchen house. Under the care of Belle, the master’s illegitimate daughter, Lavinia becomes deeply bonded to her adopted family, though she is set apart from them by her white skin.

Eventually, Lavinia is accepted into the world of the big house, where the master is absent and the mistress battles opium addiction. Lavinia finds herself perilously straddling two very different worlds. When she is forced to make a choice, loyalties are brought into question, dangerous truths are laid bare, and lives are put at risk.

The Kitchen House is a tragic story of page-turning suspense, exploring the meaning of family, where love and loyalty prevail.

Tragic, yes. This book will pull on your heart strings and make you angry all at the same time. One of my favorite reads of all time, one that will definitely stay with me.

Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling – My son and I are reading through the Harry Potter series together and I’m loving it. He’s a little ahead of me, already done with the 3rd book and I’m still catching up (the kid always has a nose in a book, I just can’t keep up though I would love to!!). In the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter joins his friends back at Hogwarts along with a new professor and new mysteries. It’s a fun series to read!

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah – I’ve always loved Kristin Hannah’s books, but somehow I missed this one that seems to be one of her most popular! I had been stalking her shelf at the library for months and was so surprised and happy to have found it a few weeks ago. This book really drew me in, I could not stop reading it. It’s a coming-of-age novel that follows a friendship between two girls from adolescence into adulthood. The story follows both friends’ lives – sometimes on a shared path, sometimes not – and all the choices they make in between. What a great book!! I have to tell you, I may have gotten a little emotional at the end, which surprised me because I don’t remember crying over a book very often! (blame it on pregnancy hormones…or not. You tell me if this one gets you teary!)

Ok, so time for you to share…what have you read and loved lately? I need to find my next good book!

Find more Book Love posts here.

(Disclosure: you will find Amazon affiliate links in this post, where I earn a small fee if purchased through.)

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I’m also learning to stop and steal a few pages of reading during the day, thanks to my son. My son has been gifted with a love of reading like I couldn’t imagine. He devours almost an entire book a day, especially when he’s hooked on a specific series like he is right now, 39 Clues. I can’t explain how happy it makes me when I see him on the couch with his nose in a book, and it always makes me want to stop and do the same. A 15 minute reading break in the middle of the afternoon never hurt anyone.

I’ve gotten through a few great books recently since my last Book Love post so I figured I’d give you an update. Thank goodness for Goodreads for helping me keep track.

True Colors by Kristin Hannah – Loved it. The story was complex, and written well. It will suck you in and you will become attached to the characters.

The Good House by Ann Leary – Loved it. The story unfolds around a mother and grandmother, Hildy, living in a small New England town. She’s lived their her entire life, so there’s lots of history. She’s an alcoholic, and living in total denial of it too. Lots of secrets, scandal and relationships to work through.

Porch Lights by Dorothea Benton Frank – Loved it. I’m always drawn to stories that take place any where on the Eastern Carolina Coast – I guess they call the area, the Low Country. I have never been to this area, but I’ve read enough books to feel like I have. I may be destined to live here one day I’ve decided. This story revolves around a woman who loses her husband, a firefighter, and takes the summer to regroup, along with her son, at her parent’s home on Sullivan’s Island. Summer on Sullivan’s Island sounds like the place to be.

Currently reading:

Friendkeeping by Julie Klam – You’ve probably noticed that I’m a big fan of library books. I’ve purchased way too many books over the years, so the library is my fun, economical way of keeping up with my reading habit. I don’t always find what I’m looking for when I go searching, but I always leave with something. This book, Friendkeeping, was recommended to me by my friend Julie, and honestly is my first real e-book I purchased and am reading. It took me a few tries to figure out how to buy/download/open/navigate/bookmark but I think I’ve got it. It’s a great read so far, and I’m surprisingly getting through it fast. It’s an eye opener, and really puts perspective on the different friendships and relationships you have throughout your life.

Up next:

The Kitchen House by Katheen Grissom – I’ve been checking the library shelves for this one for the last few months after my friends Kristen and Flavia mentioned it to me. I was so happy to finally find a copy. I could have bought it or put it on hold, yes, but then I would have never found or read True Colors or Porch Lights. 😉

Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand – A random find by an author I tend to seek out when I don’t have a specific book in mind. I’ve read a few of her books and usually enjoy them.

What are you reading this summer? And when is your favorite time to get in some good reading?

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I read Water For Elephants, not long after Harry Potter, which I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed. It was one of those books I looked forward to losing myself into every night. This story unfolded in the early part of the 1900s, in the world of a traveling circus. Due to sudden circumstances, the main character found his life change with a blink of an eye, from sitting down to take his final exams one minute to bunking up with some interesting circus folk on a train on its way to the next show. I was sucked in to the wacky stuff that goes on behind the scenes of the circus in the story, as well as the complex relationships among the characters. I’m ready to watch the movie now. 🙂

After seeing Jessica mention Kristen Hannah’s newest book out last month, I ventured into the H section of the library to see what I could find. I hadn’t read one of Hannah’s books in quite a while, and she’s one of those authors I find that I can depend on usually for a good read. I went home with True Colors and have just started to get into it. Apparently it’s a story of three sisters with a strong and close relationship – living in a small town – that suddenly find themselves dealing with unfortunate rivalries, betrayals and a just lot of family drama.

As for the young reader in the family…my son, who is 8, is devouring the Chronicles of Narnia series. After seeing how much he enjoyed the Harry Potter book, I thought I’d bring home the first book of the Chronicles series for him to read. I think he’s about to start book 7 now. I’m tempted to read them myself, but may just settle for watching the movies with him this summer instead.

Tip: If you’re like me and you’ve got a young reader in the family and would like to “screen” what they are reading ahead of time, I’m finding the CommonSense.org media site and app to be extremely helpful. If you aren’t familiar with it, it includes trustworthy reviews on books, movies, websites and anything media related geared toward parents so that they are able to make educated decisions on what to let their kids watch, read or interact with online. It has become a very useful resource for me these days regarding both of my kids!

Now you tell me, have you read any of these books? What’s on your bookshelf these days? What should I read next?

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I’ve been in a bit of a reading funk lately (thanks to Downton Abby, got caught up in a marathon viewing obsession for weeks and it literally derailed my before-bed reading). Now that I’ve moved past DA, I’ve been trying to get back into the habit of always having a book with me in the car, during the kids’ activities, and of course by my bed. The problem has been finding the right book to draw me back into my favorite past time.

Earlier this year, I read a book (rec’d by my friend Kristen), Heft by Liz Moore, that turned out to be one of my favorite books that I’ve read in a long time. You know you love a book when you’re not ready to let the characters go after you finish that last page. I could not let these characters go!! I actually missed them. Deep down I hope that the author puts out some sort of sequel based on the same characters…but who knows if that will happen. Heft was written based on a character that was morbidly obese and living in seclusion in his apartment in New York. After being contacted by a person of his past, his world changes a bit and opens up to all sorts of changes for him. The story definitely drew me in and like I mentioned, I just couldn’t let go.

Since Heft I’ve started and left a handful of books unfinished. I really hate to admit that, but it is what it is. My book list has become dry! I’m ready for a fresh start 🙂

Right now I’m halfway through The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner. She’s one of those authors I feel like I can always count on for a good read. This isn’t one of my favorites of hers so far, but to be honest, it’s still early and it’s starting to get good.

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I think it’s safe to say most of us have the same mindset when it comes to eating come the New Year, right? Eat healthier. It is what it is, but we most often find ourselves indulging over the holidays (rightfully so!) and by the time January 1 rolls around, we are feeling pretty lousy and are ready for a fresh, clean start – as well as a miracle to get those holiday pounds to melt off. (Or is this just me? Please tell me it isn’t.)

I always find myself motivated to cook healthier meals when I get a new cookbook in my hand. Especially a cookbook focused on healthy or whole food based recipes, like the ones I am featuring here today. And, guess what? Not only am I featuring these awesome healthy cookbooks, but thanks to some generous authors, publishers (and a small gift from me), I’m also giving a copy of each away to one lucky reader to help kick start a new year of good healthy cooking! With a collection like this in your kitchen, you can’t help but be inspired to make good choices and cook great meals that your body (and family) will thank you for.

Ancient Grains for Modern Meals – It’s hard to believe that it’s been over a year since I first reviewed this book and made this Summer Tabouli with Farro recipe. If one of your goals is to incorporate more whole grains into your diet, then this is a cookbook you have to add to your collection. Not only is it filled with straight-forward, fresh and beautiful recipes, but author Maria Speck really takes the time to educate you on the selection, the preparation and tastes of the many different types of whole grains that are becoming more readily available to all of us these days. I started to incorporate more and more whole grains into my diet over the last several years and have noticed a great difference in my health and how I feel after a meal. It’s not a secret around here – I love whole grains.

Recipes I can’t wait to try: Chewy Almond Butter Bars, Spring Pilaf with Artichokes and Green Peas, Rustic Linguine with Summer Herbs and Olives, Warm Oat Berries with Walnuts and Gorgonzola

Clean Eating for Busy Families – I just recently discovered this cookbook after my friend Liz posted about it on her instagram as well as her blog. It immediately caught my eye for a few reasons – I love “clean eating”, I have a busy family and every recipe sounded absolutely delicious and something that I would make in my own kitchen. Most of us who are truly trying to eat healthy on a regular basis often fall into cooking ruts or burnouts when you just can’t think of another healthy family friendly meal on your own, at least I know this happens to me. It’s hard to keep everyone happy and healthy at the same time, and when I fall into this rut we end up eating more quickie meals that consist of processed foods and other stuff that’s just really not great for us. What I love about Michelle Dudash’s book as that most of the recipes take 30 minutes or less and use ingredients that I would normally have on hand. She also includes very helpful shopping lists, tools, tips and words of encouragement throughout her book that can get you on the clean eating track.

Recipes I can’t wait to try: Turkey, Vegetable & Oat Mini-Meatloaves with Marinara Sauce, Sizzling Sichuan Shrimp & String Bean Stir Fry, Pinto Bean & Avocado Taquitos, Macaroni & Cheesy Cauliflower Sauce, Orange Peel Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry, Garden Caesar Pasta Salad

The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook – If you’re familiar with American Test Kitchen cookbooks, then you know that you aren’t just getting recipes when you bring home one of their books. I have only checked out a couple from the library but am so happy to finally own a copy of this one in particular. This cookbook is chock full of charts, techniques and tips from how to prep and how long to cook different types of vegetables, how to poach salmon, how to prepare spaghetti squash, to how to slice chicken for stir fries. Every page I turn, I learn something new, including what kitchen tools and products have been successfully used in their recipes. This cookbook is a healthy cook’s treasure and I am so happy to be sharing it with you all here.

Recipes I can’t wait to try: Green Goddess Dip, Lemony Steamed Spa Fish, Pan Seared Shrimp with Tomato and Avocado, Chickpea Cakes with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce, Brown Rice Bowl with Crispy Tofu and Vegetables, Skillet Rice and Beans with Corn and Fresh Tomaotes

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You know what else I’m really looking forward to? Getting through this beast of a book:

11/22/63 by Stephen King

Yep, all 849 pages of it. People, I can’t put this book down. My friend Kristen recommended it to me last month and I was thrilled when it popped up in my ready-to-pick-up queue at the library.

What’s it about? Well, I have a hard time explaining it but basically it’s about a present day English teacher who stumbles onto a secret portal that takes him back to a particular day in 1958. After his first trip back in time, he makes it his mission (obsession) to change history and prevent the Kennedy assassination.

I’ve personally never been very into time travel stories but I have to tell you this one sucked me right in. I would usually hesitate to pick up such a huge book (though for whatever reason I came home from Costco the other day with a 700+ page book, Lincoln – not really sure what has gotten into me. We’ll see if that one gets read any time soon). Everyone that has read this Stephen King book has given me great reviews, and so far I absolutely agree.

If you are looking for something a little lighter, maybe not so big, here are a few reads that have kept me entertained the last few months that are worth starting over the long weekend.

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Katie recommended this book (and series) to me a few months back and I finally am getting around to it. So far so good! It’s young, it’s fantasy, and it’s got great reviews. I’m ready to dig in as soon as I’m done writing this post.

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