SUMMER BOOK REVIEW

It’s Book Review Day!

I absolutely LOVE to read and usually I read TONS in the summer. But friends, this year I didn’t read as many during our summer months! We traveled, we swam, we watched movies, rode bikes, went for walks, stayed up late, had friends over, and I guess we were just having too much fun! Haha! I read a lot in the evenings before bed and I think moreso in the winter months when it is dark outside by 6:00pm. Because let’s be real…when it is dark at 6pm, I’m already showered and in my PJs and ready to be cozy for the night! So hopefully, my reading will pick back up! My goal is to read more in September. Hold me to it!

A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand

Claire has trouble saying “No” and setting boundaries to balance her life as a wife, mother, and artist. So when asked to chair the social event of the year for Nantucket, she knows she will handle it. However, when planning begins she is introduced to Lock Dixon and sparks begin to fly. Claire quickly finds the gala and her life spinning out of control! Light and easy read I think you’ll enjoy if looking for a good chick-lit book! And you just cannot go wrong with Elin Hilderbrand!

The Guest Cottage by Nancy Thayer

Sophie Anderson is a mother of two whose husband has just left her for another woman. Trying to regroup and figure out what to do, she decides to rent a cottage on Nantucket from her friend, Susie Swenson. A single father who has recently lost his wife, Trever Black also decides to get away with his little boy for the summer and rents a cottage from his friend, Ivan Swenson. Discovering they have both leased the same cottage, they decide to try to make it work and share the house. Sophie and Trever become close as they share their summer together. A sweet romance makes this the perfect beach read! Nancy Thayer is becoming one of my favorite authors! If you have read some of hers, tell me which one I should read next!

The Guilty Wife by Elle Croft

Oh my goodness!!! This was one of my very favorite books to read in a long time!! Thrilling and suspenseful with so many twists and turns you won’t see coming! Bethany is happily married however she is having an affair with one of her famous clients. Until…he is brutally murdered. Someone knows her secret and she begins receiving threats. Who is the murderer? Who is behind the threats? This book is gripping until the end! I COULD NOT put this one down!! Highly recommend adding this one to your reading list!

My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan
This book has been so popular this summer! And I loved it too!
I don’t want to give too much away but this one reminded me of The Royal We. It has all the feels! Friends, I flew through reading this one! It is THAT GOOD! The book is a fictional tale about a young American woman, Ella, who earns a Rhodes Scholarship and spends a year studying at Oxford.  She starts a casual fling with her English Lit professor, Jamie Davenport. Jamie has a secret holding him back from allowing their relationship to become much more.  This book will captivate you. It is unpredictable and absolutely fantastic! You'll laugh, cry, and you'll be angry at how hard life can be sometimes. This book has it all! Read it!

When Life Gives You Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger

This book was another favorite this summer. However, it is R RATED so be aware! This book is the third book in the Devil Wears Prada series but you really don’t have to read the other two to read this one. I think it can totally stand alone. This book follows Emily who used to be Miranda Priestly’s assistant at Runway. Emily is now married and living in LA and is a consultant to the stars. Lately, she has been losing clients and needs to turn things around. At the same time, a former supermodel turned Senator’s wife has been arrested for a DUI with a car full of kids, including her stepson. Karolina becomes the most hated woman in America while her husband is already moving on with a new woman in his life. She is losing her stepson and her life is unraveling when Emily enters the picture. I adored this book. And you can’t go wrong when it comes to Miranda Priestly making an appearance!

Everybody Always by Bob Goff

I felt like everyone was talking about this book. It was all over social media and I had several friends recommend it. It was SO GOOD! It is all about how we need to love one another. We need to BE love. Bob Goff is an excellent storyteller. He gives examples of using your every day circumstances to be an example like Jesus loving others well. Friends, I underlined constantly in this book! There was so much I wanted to remember and look back on and I have already gone back to reread some of it. I told Mark he needed to read it next although he may need his own copy! Ha! 😉We all need this reminder to love. Love is an action and the response we should give every single time when faced with family, friends, and acquaintances each day. Even if you are not a reader (I’m looking at you Alyssa! 😊), you need to read this one! I promise you’ll love it!

That wraps up this book review. I hope you find one or six you enjoy!

I’m always keeping a list on my phone of what to read next. Honestly, the list is getting long. There just isn’t enough hours in the day to read all the books! I keep saying if that if I could get paid to read, it would be my dream job! If you know how to make this dream come true, let me know! You’ll be my new BFF! And if you have any MUST READs, please leave me a comment! I’d love to hear from you!

Happy Tuesday!

XO

APRIL BOOK REVIEW

Hey friends! It's Book Review Day! 

This is me! 

All you bookworms are right there with me! 

I've got THREE new books to share with you! 

The first book I read this month was If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins. This is my first book to read by Kristan Higgins and I was so excited about starting it! And it did NOT disappoint! This is a total chick lit, read by the pool or on the beach this summer book. The story is about two sisters. One sister moves from New York to the suburbs after going through a divorce. She is a wedding dress designer and opens a new store hoping to start over. However, her ex and his new wife make that difficult as they seem to still be around all the time. The other sister is a stay-at-home mom to triplet daughters. She goes through some trying times in her marriage. I loved the characters and really didn't want the book to end. I wanted to keep up with these girls! This book was super cute and a great way to start off my month! 

The next book I read was What She Knew by Gilly MacMillan. This book sucked me right in from the beginning! The title gets in your head because the whole time you are trying to figure out who the "she" is and what did she know?!  Ha! The story is about a mom's son who goes missing while on a walk in a park. The blame game begins along with following the investigation to find out what happened to this little boy. Let me tell you, I kept my kids a little closer while reading this one. There are some raw emotions in this book that will get you thinking. Such a good book! I highly recommend this one to add to your list! 

My last book to share with you today is Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis. Now, I didn't actually "read" this book. Instead, I tried out Audible and listened to this book while I was running, doing laundry, waiting in school pick up line, wherever I had a few minutes! I was very hesitant to try an audiobook because I am the nerd who seriously LOVES to hold a book, turn the pages, see how much longer until the end of a chapter....love a book! However, Amanda at That Inspired Chick is always raving about Audible so I decided to give it a try! Friends, I LOVED IT! Loved the book and loved listening to it! It actually made me look forward to my run! 😉

I had never heard of Rachel Hollis but I really want to be her friend. She's the type of girlfriend you need around to speak truth and share wisdom. Rachel is a wife, mom, blogger, Christian who is just flat out FUNNY! She is relatable and shares about life and loss and everything in between. She is raw and honest and I was so uplifted by her book! She is encouraging and writes directly to us women! Girls, read this book! You will have a new perspective on loving yourself and living life! 

And if you haven't tried Audible, give it a chance. I still much prefer to actually read a book but I'll definitely have one book ready to listen to as well! 

Have a great Tuesday, friends!! 

DAILY QUIET TIME

Happy Monday, Everyone!

Hope you guys had a great weekend! 

We had crazy freezing temperatures here in Texas on Saturday. Thankfully, they canceled soccer and baseball and so we had the day to get all the things done on our "To Do" list! Well, a lot of things anyway. It was a much needed day at home!

We attended church on Sunday morning, had Cutter's soccer game Sunday afternoon, a meeting at church, and then the annual Pie Auction at church that evening which is a fundraiser for our youth. 

This week, we have STAAR testing (standardized testing required in TX) at school and therefore no baseball games scheduled. This Momma is looking forward to a little less chaotic week! 😉

Today, I wanted to share about my Daily Quiet Time. 

My favorite way to start my day is with my daily quiet time. My morning routine is to wake up, wash my face, brush my teeth, grab a cup of coffee, and have my quiet time. 

Now please know that for many years while my kiddos were little and my sleep was interrupted with babies and toddlers, I squeezed in my quiet time whenever I could throughout my day. When I taught, it was during my break. However, now that my kiddos are older and my sleep schedule is more consistent, I MUCH prefer mornings! I have always been a morning person. I just LOVE the quiet stillness of the morning hours. 

I start with reading Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. 

Each day has a short reading and then some scripture references. It is always a good thought for my day.

Next, I read my One Year Bible. 

Mark gave me this Bible for Christmas in 2016 and I LOVE it! I read it in 2017 and am now repeating it in 2018. No matter how much or how often I read scripture, God is always faithful to reveal something new to me. Things I didn't dwell on the first time or details I missed before will jump off the page.  I am constantly growing in my faith and in my walk with the Lord. 

My One Year Bible is written in the New Living Translation. The format is broken into daily readings as well. There is a passage from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalm and Proverbs for each day. The passages are written in order of the books of the Bible. For example, your Old Testament reading will be in Genesis each day until you read all of Genesis, then it will go to Exodus - New Testament starts with Matthew, then Mark and so on. You read through the Psalms in order and then Proverbs in order as well. 

I really like the format! It has been the easiest for me to follow when reading all the way through the Bible. 

You can find the One Year Bible on Amazon HERE. 

After my daily readings, I spend time in prayer. Praying over my day, my kids, Mark, my family, my clients, friends, and any other prayer concerns for that day. 

I am a HUGE believer in the power of prayer.

I keep a prayer journal to remind me of prayer requests mentioned at church or from family and friends as well as what God has laid on my heart to be praying for during that day or season of life.  Right now I am using this journal. It is just one I picked up at Target. I write the date and then what I am praying for/over that day. I also write praises in my journal. I believe a big part of our time spent in prayer with God should also be spent praising Him for all He does for us and the many blessings we receive daily. I also like to note what I am grateful for in my prayer journal. I try to jot down a couple things each day and try not to repeat - from little things like grateful for coffee to big things like health and Mark & the kids. 

Our Sunday School class is trying out a new Discipleship Study Guide format this spring and so far I am a FAN! This study guide is broken into 5 daily readings over what the lesson will be the following Sunday. I feel like it really helps me to be prepared for lesson on Sunday and gain more from our Sunday School teachers and class discussion if I have already read over/studied the material beforehand. Again, this is a very short reading each day. 

Last, I end my quiet time with reading a chapter of a book. 

If you know me, you know I LOVE LOVE LOVE to read! If I could find a job where someone paid me to read books, I would apply immediately! If you know of such a job, PLEASE share! Ha! 

Because I am always trying to find more time to read, I recently started reading a chapter during my quiet of a Christian genre book. Right now, I am reading Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst. 

That's how I do my quiet time. What about you? I'd love to hear if you have any books/devotions/studies you recommend and how you have your daily quiet time! 

Hope you guys have THE BEST week! 

XO

I'm linking up with the Hello Monday girls today! 

BOOK REVIEW

It's BOOK REVIEW DAY! 

Oh, reading a good book is definitely one of my favorite things! 

Today, I'm starting with the books I finished at the end of 2017. 

Elin Hilderbrand, you never disappoint. 

This book is a novel about three ladies who spend the summer on Nantucket each going through really hard problems in life - cancer, adultery, loss of job.  It is about how they come through the summer together.  The three women are each at a different stage in life and I really enjoyed the plot with turns and twists that kept me interested.  This one is an easy read perfect for traveling, to read on vacation, or if you are needing an escape from the winter right now!  

Big Little Lies is my third book to read by Liane Moriarty and I already have several more of her books on my shelf waiting to be read. I enjoy her writing and her characters. This book is about three women at different crossroads in life dealing with ex-husbands, second wives, school scandal, and the relationship between mother and daughter. This plot was interesting, suspenseful, and kept me on my toes. Someone is dead and there are so many secrets. Definitely a page turner! 

This book was probably my least favorite. It is written as diary entries and I thought it would be a light, easy, quick read. For me, it seemed to drag on and on. There were definitely funny parts but I found myself ready for this book to end. I have another book by Laura Wolf, Diary of a Mad Mom To Be, on my bookshelf, and thought I would read them back to back. However, I decided to hold off on it and read a few other books in between. Anyone else read this one? Did you love it or hate it? Should I read the other book? Tell me your thoughts in the comments!

My name is Tish and I am a FAN of Colleen Hoover! Oh my goodness, this book may be one of my very favorites! This book is a love story that is heart breaking, gut wrenching, and I found myself in tears more than once. Lily is from a small town and moves to Boston after graduating college. She opens her own business and then meets Ryle Kincaid, a gorgeous neurosurgeon. However, as her relationship with Ryle begins, Lily has thoughts of her first love, Atlas Corrigan. Colleen Hoover does a wonderful job giving you an in depth look at these characters.  Loved this one and ready to read another of her novels! 

That finished out the books for 2017! 

New Year = More books! 

Hello, 2018. I have set a goal to read A LOT of books this year! #letthereadingbegin 

I read four books in January.

Somehow, I ended up with two copies of Winter Storm so I had to borrow Winter Solstice to read. 

First, I finished the Winter series by Elin Hilderbrand.

Winter Storms is the third book of the Winter Street series. You MUST read them in order. I read Winter Street and Winter Stroll in November. You can read that Book Review HERE. 

Winter Storms is heartwarming, cozy, and full of love. There is a lot going on at the Winter Street Inn and with the Quinn family. However, the holidays wouldn't be complete without some family dysfunction. It's complicated and messy wrapped up with some heartache but in the end the joy of Christmas wins. This is the perfect holiday read. If you don't want to read a Christmas book right now, put this one on your list for next year!  

Winter Solstice is the newest book in the series. I immediately read this one after Winter Storm and kept right on going with the characters and all the events going on with the Quinn family. I don't want to give too much away because you really need to start with the first book of the series. Just know you will keep up with Bart, Ava, Kevin, Patrick, and Kelly. A soldier returning from war, a young married couple, a love story, and a battle with cancer. This book has all the emotions! 

Sophie Kinsella, I heart you. Sophie's books ALWAYS make me laugh out loud! I find myself really getting into character and reading in a British accent in my head. Ha! Katie Brenner grew up on a farm in Somerset and now lives in London working at a marketing firm. She envies her boss, Demeter, and thinks she has the perfect life...perfect job, perfect husband, perfect kids, etc. However, Katie finds herself fired and therefore moves back home. She helps her Dad open a "glamping" business where people pay to come vacation at the farm. Demeter and her family unexpectedly become guests and secrets are spilled. There are so many funny moments in this book that I PROMISE you will laugh MORE than once! #trustme

Do you see a theme with all these books? Any Elin Hilderbrand fans out there? Once the holiday season is over, I'm ready for warm weather, summer, and beaches. Maybe that's why I read about them. Get lost in a book! 

The Beach Club is one of those books you'll think about long after you finish it. It's a charming story that takes place on the island of Nantucket. Many memories are made, friendships formed, and relationships develop at the Nantucket Beach Club and Hotel.  It's about summer love and the special place in our heart for summer vacations. Emotions run high when a hurricane threatens to hit the island, wipe out the beach club, and change everything. Gosh, I loved this book! 

Whew! That's it - 8 books read - only 1 book I didn't really like this month. 

And I just started Some Women by Emily Liebert. 

What are you reading? Should I read the other Diary book by Laura Wolf?

Leave me a comment and tell me what I need to read next! 

Happy Hump Day! 

XO