Check out my first Goal check in Book Review
here.
I absolutely love having a goal to read books. I love reading and having it as a 'goal' makes it so easy for me to make a bit of time for reading (or a lot of time as my reading list probably shows...)
Since my last update, I've read the following:
19. How to Talk so kids will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk
I liked this book. I don't read a ton of parenting books, but this one was recommended to me and is consistent with most of our parenting philosophies.
We were having some challenges with our 3 year old and the book offered some practicial methods for resolving them. Sometimes you just need a fresh perspective. I recommend this book to parents looking for some new tools.
20. The 4 hour Body.
Tim Ferris is one of my least favorite people. After reading his first book, I would have bet a large sum I'd never read another one of his books, so I'm not even entirely sure how I ended up with this one. And to be fair, I didn't even
really finish it. ( ended up skimming/skipping his chapters on intimacy and bulking up, no thank you TF). I still give myself credit for it though since we've decided to try it. It's working wonders for my husband I've seen absolutely zero numerical results (weight or inches). Still, I feel pretty good and I'm glad it's working for one of us. Plus, an eating program that allows diet coke and red wine can't be all bad... Still; boo Tim Ferris. Boo. I don't recommend this book.
21. 10th of December
I don't like short stories. This book pretty much perfectly illustrates the reason why. Somewhere in the murky and clouded distance between these stories, an incredibly novel is lurking. I would LOVE to read it. Still, there really are some great stories in here. I recommend this book to people who like thriller/fantasy books and who don't mind a short story. I was talking to someone the other day who LOVES short stories because she said they don't keep you up all night reading, which is a good point. So if you don't want to be kept up all night, but don't mind some super creepy weird dreams, read away.
22. Spark Joy
This is the very first time I've EVER preordered a book. (To be fair, there are some others I would preorder if I wasn't so happy waiting for them at the library). But I am mid 'Tidy" and figured I could use all of the KonMari I could get. I liked it, but it's not a necessary read. I recommend this book to people who loved her first book and are in the middle of clearing their homes.
23. A Summer Affair
It's probably not a glowing review when I look at the title less than a month after finishing the book and can't remember a single thing about the book.... I would recommend this book to someone looking for a vacation read without much impact.
24. That Old Cape Magic
I read this on the recommendation of a friend and I was surprised. It didn't seem like her type of book. After discussing it with her, I think I'll give the author another shot, but I wasn't a fan of this one. Maybe it's more endearing if you have personal history with any of the locations in the book (the Cape). I don't recommend this book.
25. Tale of a 4th grade Nothing
After reading her new novel "In the Unlikely Event," I'd almost forgotten how much I loved Judy Blume. This really was a fun read and I'm glad I revisited. How can you not relate to a kid who's baby brother ate his pet turtle??
26. Super Sad True Love Story
This book is in the running for best book of my chellenge. Set in a dystopia not so distant future where young people communicate almost exclusively via text, no one reads actual books, and your social status is broadcast publically for all to rank and judge (it IS the future... barely), it
is a super sad love story. I'd recommend this book to anyone who didn't stop reading this review at the word dystopia.
27. Heart of Darkness
I have to admit, I was pretty excited when our classic book club choose a short book. Little did I know. I listened to the entire book and was so lost I had to start over and read the book. It's a short book, but it's heavy. And full of 'stuff'. No wonder English teachers drool over this book. It was good to revisit such an iconic Honors English book as an adult. Besides Mr. Redmens English class at HHS, I'd recommend this book to people who like Classics with the warning that it's harder to get through then you would suppose.
28. Ready Player One
I read "Armada" and really liked it so I added this to my library hold list. It's a fun read, although I'm not quite nerdy enough to get all of the references. I do think that someone should tell Cline that no matter how many times he writes a book about it, spending all day watching 80's sitcoms and playing video games is never going to make him save the world and get the girl.
I recommend this book to nerds, especially those who spent some time growing up in the 80s.
29, The Cartel
I think this book popped up on my list this update because I decided to counter "Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing." It was long, heavy, and difficult to read. It's focused on the drug wars and the Mexican Drug Cartels. It's frighteningly realistic, although my little sister's current geographical proximity to the locations in the book prevented me from checking just how realistic. I'd recommend this book to people who like crime novels and aren't squimish.
30. The Luckiest Girl Alive
This was a fun read despite, or maybe because of, some of the most incredible over writing I've seen lately. For example, this gem, "I
pressed my face into the crook of his neck, hot and steamy as a New York City sidewalk helplessly exposed in the thick of summer."
I'd recommend this book to people who liked "Gone Girl" or "The Girl on the Train" although I don't think it was quite as good.
At 30 books, I'm way ahead of my goal to read 50 books by October. If I counted the books I read at naptime and bedtime everyday, I think I might be able to reach 1000 this year! :)