I read eight books in June, which is on track with how much I need to be reading. Unfortunately, that’s still 9 books behind my annual 100-books-a-year goal… I’m at 41 right now, and the end of June marks the halfway point! Time for me to step it up in Q3 and Q4.
5 stars:
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, by Greg McKeown: This was a pick for my office book club, and I was a little skeptical at first, thinking it would be mostly a repeat of Marie Kondo and the virtues of living with only a few things. But I ended up loving how it espoused the essentialist lifestyle, of cutting out everything extraneous in your life (from people to activities). Lots of great actionable tips, and it didn’t come off as preachy. I’d highly recommend it!
4 stars:
Winter Solstice, by Elin Hilderbrand: I was really surprised to find out there was a fourth book in the Winter Street “trilogy”.. but delighted. This story was great and I was really happy to keep following the characters I had come to love in the previous three books. I definitely teared up toward the end of this one, and even though things were wrapped up nicely, I wish there were another in the series!
Beautiful Day, by Elin Hilderbrand: Another light but intriguing beach read from Elin Hilderbrand! She does a great job drawing me into her characters and making me care about each one (yes, even the awful Helen).
Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America’s Favorite Guilty Pleasure, by Amy Kaufman: This was really interesting to learn more about what happens behind the scenes on the Bachelor, and I was impressed with the interviews Kaufman managed to get.
3 stars:
Stumbling on Happiness, by Dan Gilbert: I kept putting this book down and coming back to it, even though the content was good. Not sure why I just couldn’t get into it, as the social psychology was really interesting.
Full Body Burden: Growing Up in the Nuclear Shadow of Rocky Flats, by Kristen Iversen: One of our Town Trustees recommended this book to me, and I found it fascinating to learn the sordid history of the area right behind our town (Superior). However, the book was a bit disjointed in how Iversen tried to weave her own personal story in with the history / science of Rocky Flats (the latter of which was very dry and read like a research report); overall, the end result came off as somewhat biased rather than balanced.
2 stars:
Before I Fall, by Lauren Oliver: Although I enjoyed Delirium by the same author, this novel was way too young adult, and the teenagers were absolutely obnoxious. I find it hard to believe that teens are really this mean / stupid, and it frustrates me that the book doesn’t set a better example. The plot was interesting, but went nowhere.
Fitness Junkie, by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza: This book felt pretty vapid, and clearly was made to make fun of the rabid fandom of the NYC fitness community. I spent the first half of the book hating it, but then I got interested in the characters and will admit that it got better in the second half, to where I liked it in the end. Definitely not one I’d strongly recommend, but it was an interesting and quick read.
Any book recommendations for me? Follow me here on Goodreads to keep up with what I’m reading in real time.