Summer Reading

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Hey friends,

Remember last week how I talked about being busy?

Well, busyness is kicking my butt for real. (Think working two jobs + writing for a journal + starting classes + traveling out of town two weekends in a row)

As a result, I'm taking a break from food posts the next two weeks and sharing other life-stuff instead.


Every summer during elementary school, my mom would challenge my sister and I to read 10 books in the month of July. Given that, my measly list of 8 books read through June, July and August doesn't seem that impressive, but I'll always associate summertime with getting lost in a good book.

I also love reading book reviews, and have found some great books via posts from bloggers like Jenna, Joy, Jessica, and Jen. (Weird that their names all start with J…)

Anyway, I thought I'd share my thoughts on the books that I've read this summer. I'd love to hear your thoughts on any of these books, if you've read them, or any other book recommendations!

Fiction: 

Love Walked In & Belong To Me by Maria de los Santos.

These were easy, start-of-the-summer, get-lost-in kind of books. The author has a P.h.D in poetry, and that definitely came across in her lyrical descriptions of normal, mundane things. Though the plot sometimes resembled that of a soap opera, my interest in the carefully developed characters kept me reading.

Me Before You by JoJo Moyes

Joy described this as a "break-your-heart-kind-of-book" and I totally agree with this assessment. This book broke my heart. I cried at the end and was irrationally mad for at least a day. I even took some of my anger out on Adam, who was like "What did I do?" It took me a while to decide whether or not I would recommend this book because I was so heartbroken at the end, but the truth is, any book that can elicit that deep of a connection and emotion is worth reading. But, you have been warned. 

Non-Fiction/Memoir

Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan

This book is hilarious. It's probably especially funny for parents of young children, but I loved it, and I think most people would. The letter to his children in the first few pages is my favorite part--“If you are reading this, I am probably dead. I would assume this because I can honestly foresee no other situation where you’d be interested in anything I’ve done. Right now, you are actually more interested in preventing me from doing things like working, sleeping, and smiling. I’m kidding, of course. Kind of. I love you with all of my heart, but you are probably the reason I’m dead.”

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, by Mindy Kaling

I've recently become obsessed with The Mindy Project and with Mindy herself. I think she's funny and genuine--rare qualities for movie stars these days. In the book, she shares many funny moments from her childhood and her path to success as a writer on The Office.

Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist

This sort of food memoir/essay style books is my favorite kind of book to read. Each chapter in Bread and Wine can be read and savored independently. I was particularly moved by the chapter describing her experience with infertility. Shauna writes about the way food brings about community, and the spiritual ways it nourishes us. I also wanted to make almost every recipe in the book. That's always a good sign. 

Delancey by Molly Wizenberg

There's been a lot of press buzz about this book. Molly is the author of the famous blog Orangette and the book A Homemade Life. I adored her first book, and thus had high expectations for her second. Delancey tells the story of Molly and her husband opening a pizza restaurant in Seattle. While I didn't love this book as much as A Homemade Life, I thought it gave some interesting behind-the-scenes descriptions of opening a restaurant, and I still think Molly writes about food better than anyone else. 

The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know how much I love Brene Brown. I am continually inspired by her writing, and her book Daring Greatly changed my outlook on life. The Gifts of Imperfection is similarly inspiring, and  a perfect book to read in the morning before you start your day. The whole book is small and broken down into small chapters that provide 10 Guideposts for Whole Hearted Living. I feel like this is the kind of book that I need to read twice a year, just to remind myself of the important principles.