The Books I read in 2019
Reading books is one of my favorite things to do, but the only way to make time for it, is to prioritize it. So I am trying read 1 chapter in a self help/motivational book in the morning and 1 chapter of a non-fiction book before bed. As you look through my books from 2019 you can click on the titles to see/purchase the books on Amazon.
1. Girl Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis
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- I started the year off with this non-fiction motivational book by Rachel Hollis. Each chapter is titled a lie that she used to believe (probably a lie most woman believe or have believed). She really just puts it all out there and it is freeing to hear someone who talks so openly about problems, struggles and overcoming some very “normal” issues that moms and women face as we try to balance it all!! It was a great book to start the new year off!
2. One Day in December by Josie Silver
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- Laurie (the main character in the book) falls in love at first site, it turns out to be quite an adventure of friendship, heartache and love. The story takes the reader through the adventure of what happens when fate and real life don’t match up.
3. The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle
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- Name 5 people dead or alive you want to have dinner with. This is how this book starts and is set up. When Sabrina (the main character of the story) shows up to her 30th birthday dinner it is with the 5 people that she chose during one of those silly games you play. The story weaves through different experiences in life and why the 5 people she picked are there.
4. Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
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- This book was a perfect mix of mystery, love, and life. I loved it! It is told from an older woman’s perspective on her life, told under the outline of her many husbands. This book shows how she has lived, loved and survived. I thought it was a great book and would highly recommend it!
5. Temple Secrets by Susan Gabriel
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- This was a book club pick from a book club that I am in. It wouldn’t be a book I would normally pick, but I did enjoy it. There are many story lines to keep track of!
6. City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
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- This was one of my favorite books of the year. It is told from the perspective of a 95 year old woman who grew up during the 1940’s. She has a wild life filled with adventure and love, but not in the traditional way. This book does have a lot of topics that are for mature audiences only just as an FYI!
7. One Beautiful Dream by Jennifer Fulwiler
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- Another “self help/motivational” book. This one is about a mom who decides to go after her dreams even though she has lots of small children and obstacles that could easily prevent her from doing so. This was a fun read about staying motivated even when life throws you curve balls along the way!
8. Educated by Tara Westover
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- This memoir is unbelievable and amazing. It is a true story of a woman who grew up in an unreal situation. Totally away from all reality and society she was raised by parents who struggled with mental health and it seems any kind of common sense. Tara struggles through this life that is forced upon her, yet somehow finds her way. It is a must read!
9. Girl Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis
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- This was one of my self help/motivational books and it was amazing! I love the no nonsense way Rachel talks about her approach to life. It gave me motivation and affirmation of how to move along in this journey of life. It is actually a book I would like to reread and take more notes on. Great practical ideas about achieving goals and making things happen.
10. We Own The Sky by Luke Allnutt
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- This book was a pick by someone in a book club that I am in. It is sad but real as life takes this man named Rob on an unexpected journey of love, loss, life and forgiveness. It is heartbreaking but captivating.
11. Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal
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- Hello Sunshine book club is how I found out about this one as well! In this story we meet Nikki, who is a daughter of Indian immigrants and is trying to find her way. She prefers more of an independent way of life compared to the traditional culture her family wants. As she starts teaching a creative writing class to “proper Sikh widows” she learns that they have something they want to say. To me this was a story about the power of telling our story. Especially to those who may not be seen as having a story. We all want to be heard and seen.
12. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
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- Another Hello Sunshine book club pick. It has topped The New York Times Fiction Best Sellars of 2019 for 20 consecutive weeks. I personally completely agree. This book was hard to put down. We get to follow along with a girl named Kya, who raises herself in the Marshes of North Carolina. It brilliantly ties the past and present together. This book is about sadness, strength, overcoming odds, and the power of love.
13. The Book of Awakening
This daily devotional book is something I read every morning through the year!
How to find more time to read:
Life is busy for everyone! Just like anything, having a plan and making what is important to you a priority is the only way to make it happen! Adding a little creativity can be beneficial too!!
- Have some accountability
- Book clubs! There are lots of different ways to be part of a book club. There are traditional ones that meet at a location each month and discuss books, you can find ways to do this online, or get creative and think of what works for you!!There are always reading challenges you can take part in. Our local libraries have reading challenges or Winter reading challenges. They give opportunities to also win prizes along the way! Bonus
- Read during down time
- Maybe you don’t feel like you have any downtime. But we all do! Think about the time that you spend on Facebook or Twitter. Or time that you are in the car or waiting in lines. That equals time that you could be reading! Audiobooks open a whole new way to read. When I was finishing my bachelors degree there was a literature class that I had to take. I was working full time, going to school and taking care of my family. To find time to read some very long books was tricky. At the time I was also training for a 1/2 marathon so I decided to use the time I had already put aside to train to listen to books. It was great! Not only was I able to get though these books, but it helped my running go by way faster. So audiobooks can be used in the car while driving, waiting in the carpool line, while waiting in line, while walking, running or other types of exercising.
- Block out time to read
- One of my favorite places to read is the bathtub! Grab a glass of wine and jump in the bath. There is nothing to distract you, except when the water turns cold
- Set aside 10 minutes before bed to read. Use your alarm to remind you, even set a timer for 10 minutes to stay on track!
- Maybe you have an evening or afternoon that is less busy. What a great time for the whole family to take a 1/2 and hour to snuggle on the couch and read!
Take care of yourself and be well today Thanks for stopping by!!
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