Hi there! I know many people pass the time with Netflix or TV but I am a total book lover. I have been such a bookworm my whole life that when I was a kid my parents would take my current book away as punishment. I fill any free time I can snuggled up on the couch with a good book, so grab a mug and a comfy couch spot, here are 8 books I’ve read recently and loved.
The Rose Code By Kate Quinn
Anything Kate Quinn has written I have read and loved. Sometimes I think I should have lived during WWI/WWII because I am so fascinated by everything about that era. All of Kate’s books are about women working during the wars and making massive contributions to the war efforts that sometimes no one knows about.
“The Rose Code” focuses on women code breakers and leaves you sitting on the edge of your seat the majority of the book. It was one I read in about two days despite it being very long. I stayed up late and woke up early just to find out what happened to these ladies and how their journey panned out. The best part of the book is that at the end Kate gives you all the historical comparisons she used to tell you which parts are actually based off of real people!
Firefly Lane By Kristen Hannah
“Firefly Lane” is one of those books you fall into and never want to come out of. It’s the story of two best friends and spans over the course of decades in their lives. You feel like you know them as your own best friends and have lived so much of their lives with them the way that Kristin tells their story. I fell so deeply into this book that it had me in tears several times throughout the book. At one point my husband asked me why I would keep reading a book that kept me feeling so emotional and my response was “I just can’t stop loving this journey”.
Fly Away By Kristen Hannah
“Fly Away” is the next book in the “Firefly lane collection” and it was just as compelling as the first. Without giving too much of the story away I will say that by the end of the first book I was ready to jump into the second because I didn’t want the story to end. It feels right to be able to continue with these characters and delve deeper into their lives for longer than just one book.
Minimalist Moms: Living and Parenting with Simplicity By Diane Boden
I think “Minimalist Moms” is going to be my new gift to give to all expecting mothers. Whenever you hear the word minimalism you immediately equate it to a single guy living in a studio apartment with one fork and one shirt. If you have kids minimalism is just not a concept that seems reachable, but Diane presents it as a totally acceptable and normal part of parenthood.
She details everything you could imagine when it comes to managing all the “stuff” that comes along with kids and gives you permission to fall away from what mainstream organizations make you feel is necessary to purchase before having a baby. She also touches on topics that expand away from just “kid stuff”. Talking about minimalistic schedules, mental clutter, and a big one for me- holiday decor. I couldn’t share this book fast enough after I finished reading it, and have also become a huge fan of Diane’s podcast as well.
Cradling Time: Poems on Motherhood By Erika Lynn
A friend of mine gifted me this book for Mother’s day and it was one I never would have picked up by myself. I have always thought of poems as something I was made to learn about in high school English class and never considered it would be interesting reading as an adult. Each page of this book is written in poem format but tells the story of a mother from conception and pregnancy all the way through her child no longer being baby. When she gave it to me, my friend said “it’s a book about everything you are experiencing as a parent right now” and she was so right. The author Erika wonderfully describes the overwhelming roller coaster of joy, fear, and frustrations that all come from motherhood and I had not read a book in a long time that made me feel so understood.
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster By Jon Krakauer
I have always been really curious about what it would be like to attempt to climb Mt. Everest and after reading “Into Thin Air” Jon Krakauer painted a clear enough picture for me that I don’t have that desire any more. His detail oriented description of his death defying journey made it clear that Everest is one adventure I am ok to only read about. Krakauer was one of the fortunate members of his team to survive an unthinkable tragedy that is almost unbelievable but the only reason it is believable is the immense detail he is able to provide. Grab a blanket because this book will make you cold!
The Push: A Novel By Ashley Audrain
“The Push” was one of those books I literally kept saying ‘no way’ out loud as I was reading it. A chilling, thriller that explores motherhood and some of its darker places while also bringing to light some very scary realities. I was hooked from the very beginning and could never tell what was going to happen next. This is the perfect rainy weekend read or a super captivating summer beach read, either way just make sure you plan for plenty of time to be consumed by this story because you will want to know how it ends.
Cozy Minimalist Home: More Style, Less Stuff By Myquillyn Smith
I found Myquillyn (aka “The Nester”)’s work through my mother in law who purchased her first book “The Nesting Place” for me. Myquillyn’s voice resonated so deeply with me I immediately purchased her other two books, one of which was “Cozy Minimalist Home”. I was intrigued by the seemingly oxymoronic title of the book not fully appreciating that minimalism and cozy can go together. Again when we hear the word minimalism we rarely associate the lifestyle as cozy, more like stark, bare, and empty. Well I was wrong!
“Cozy Minimalism” teaches you to quiet your home by emptying your space completely and then adding in decor in a certain order to prevent over-decorating and continuing the trend of being a “stuff manager”. It helps you create beautiful comfortable places to live without feeling closed in by too many things around you. Myquillyn proves that sometimes opposites really do blend and the minimalist lifestyle can be cozy. I’ve used her methods as we settle into our new house and have found them to be especially helpful in slowing myself down to not over fluff any spaces.
What are some good books that you have read recently? Are we friends on Goodreads yet?
There are affiliate links in this post. I appreciate your support!
Parenthood and Pushups 