January was a slow month for reading but in February, I took off! I think four airplane flights (two of which were 12+ hours) helped up my reading numbers. I think not having access to social media really helped me up my reading. There is a lesson to be learned there. I've been detailing my thoughts on Instagram under #reebeckireads if you are looking for more immediate book details.
The only book I read in January was “Lagom” by Linnea Dunne. I'm interested in a more minimalistic but fulfilled lifestyle. I always want to know how other cultures achieve this. Lagom which means “not too little, not too much” and is a Swedish way of living. I liked this book and all the ideas it gave me for life along with recipes, decorating and crafting. While I haven't dug into a lot of the ideas, it has certainly been an inspiration for me.
The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin was immediately compelling. I was hooked from the first line and wanted to know what would happen to the children she was telling a story about. The premise of the book is four siblings go to a fortune teller who predicts when they will die. The story follows them from this pivotal moment to their actual deaths. It is fascinating and beautifully told.
The Year of Less by Cait Flanders fits into my desire for simplicity. Cait Flanders decided to try to live with less for a year and severely limited her shopping to achieve this goal. She spends the book detailing out, month by month, what her rules were and how she achieved her goals. It was inspirational and made me think about what I could do to live with less.
The Grave's Fine and Private Place by Alan Bradley brought one of my favorite characters, Flavia deLuce back into my life. Unfortunately I didn't love this book as much as I've loved his last ones. In this book, Flavia and her sisters stumble upon a dead body while out on a boat trip with their faithful servant. Their father has recently passed and their ancestral home is under threat of being sold. Flavia devotes herself to solving the crime of who murdered the young man they found in the river while trying to figure out her own future.
I am a Gretchen Rubin fanboy so I've been slowly working my way through her books. Happier at Home is her follow-up to The Happiness Project which I loved. I really like how Rubin's books inspire me to try for greater happiness. Overall, I am pretty happy but could I be even happier? These books help me find out how and give me ideas on how to do so.
Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes has been on my list FOREVER. It was recommended by both my creativity group and by a friend but I was so hesitant to read it. I'm sad that I resisted for so long because it was amazing. I think I might be a bit like Rhimes in that I say No too often and don't say Yes to opportunities. It made me think about how I can say Yes more and No less. Because sometimes amazing things come from saying Yes.
I kept checking this book out and then never reading it so on our last trip, I made a point to check it out again and READ IT. I'm so glad I did. Wonder by RD Palacio tells the story of a boy born with a deformity that has caused him to be homeschooled and undergo many operations. He is now better but will never be "normal" and is ready to go to a regular school. He is staring the 5th grade which as we all know is brutal for any kid. Augie's determination and wonder at life get him through the year and he becomes an inspiration for many.
Promise Not To Tell by Jayne Ann Krentz is February's book section for Seattle Refined's Refined Reads. I'll be honest. I wasn't too excited about this book. The cover felt like trashy murder mystery but after about 5 pages, I was HOOKED. This book details the story of a potential murder which is tied to a cult and a horrible fire that took place when the characters were just kids. It is well told and based in Seattle. I really enjoyed this book and plan to read more of Krentz's other books.
Yearly Book Total: 8
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