January Reading List

One of my goals for this year is to read more.  I love to read, but I just don't make enough time for it.  I always seem to fill my time with so many other pointless things like scrolling through social media, watching tv, etc.  As a Language Arts teacher, I feel kind of hypocritical making my students read daily when I myself don't read daily.  Sure I read blogs, emails, short stories for lessons, and essays but that's not the same.  I find reading to be very therapeutic. It allows me to turn my brain off and think about something other than real life.  This month I have been working on putting my phone away and taking out my book before bed.  I have been trying to read a chapter per night before falling asleep. Most nights I end up reading about half of a chapter before I find myself dozing off.  Either way, I'm creating healthier habits and working towards crossing off a goal (1 book per month) from my list. 

So what am I reading? 
Reading as a teacher: In my classroom, I'm currently reading Tangerine written by Edward Bloor with two of my classes, and I'm reading The Absolute True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie with my other class.  Tangerine is about a middle school male protagonist who is forced to move from his home in Texas to Florida.  He experiences the ups and downs of being a middle schooler. This coming of age story is one that is great for students who are on the younger end of middle school. The Absolute True Diary of a Part Time Indian is a more mature book.  The story is based on the author's life growing up.  The Native American male protagonist chooses to leave his home on "the rez" to live with an all white family.  The story is about him making choices to live life the way he wants to regardless of the backlash he may get.

Reading as a student: This week I started my journey as a grad student.  I am currently enrolled in two literacy based courses.  Needless to say, they both require lots of reading.  This week's readings have been about the different levels of readers and what it means to be literate. I am actually really enjoying the reading and how it relates to my profession (#nerdalert). We will see if I still say the same thing a few weeks from now when I'm fully buried in it all.

Reading just because: The part that most of you have probably been waiting for..
The book that I have been reading a chapter or so of each night is Turtles All the Way Down written by John Green.  It's definitely one of the better books I've read that he has written.  Unpopular opinion, I did not love his previous books that I've read.  I thought they were weak for lack of a better word.  I always found myself skipping a few pages here and there just to get to the end of the book.  I'm one of those people who has to finish the book once I start it. It's very rare that I abandon a book. So far Turtles All the Way Down  is a great light read. There's some humor, a little romance, a small sense of hopelessness, and the characters are relatable. 

Reading as a chef: Well, the chef part is questionable. Last week on Instagram I saw a feature post on a new cookbook. I browsed the recipe that was posted and took mental note to look up the cookbook at a later time.  Days later I found myself browsing a store with my mom. We picked up a cookbook, browsed the recipes, noted that there were many delicious ones, and proceeded to order it online. Fun fact: Amazon has most books for cheaper than the mark up price they are sold at in stores. On Friday night, I finally opened the package and realized that it was the cookbook I had seen weeks before.  I haven't tried any recipes yet, but I'm excited to cook something new! You can get your own copy of Healthyish here!

I'm searching for my book for February, so feel free to leave a comment with some books that you have been enjoying lately or something that's currently on your "must read" list.

XOXO

Summer Reading List

My goal for this year was to read a book each month. So far I have been able to do so successfully. This summer I've actually been able to read two to three books per month. Summer is hands down the time of year when I am able to get the most reading done. I am still busy in the summer months, but no school work is involved so it allows me more time to read. 

During the day I am a summer nanny. The children I look after are getting older and don't need to be entertained by me every minute of the day, which allows me to have more free time while watching them. My favorite activity to pass the time is to read. I can take a book anywhere we go- the pool, trampoline park, swim lessons, outside, inside, etc. The amount of reading I get done depends on the week, but there are some weeks when I am able to read at least a whole book. I try to read at night, but I usually get no further than ten pages and you will find me asleep with all the lights on. 

Most books I read during the summer are light beach reads.  I like mindless reading that has a happy ending. This summer I seem to be mixing it up a bit more with some thrillers and non fiction. 

Finished

Modern Lovers by Emma Straub

"...Straub packs wisdom and insight and humor together in a satisfying book about neighbors and nosiness, ambition and pleasure, the excitement of youth, the shock of middle age, and the fact that our passions- be they food, or friendship, or music-never  go away, they just evolve and grow along with us."

The Girl On the Train by Paula Hawkins

"Every day the same. Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and night. every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their desk. She's even started to feel like she knows them. Jess and Jason, she calls them. Their life-as she sees it- is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost. Until today. And then she see something shocking.."

Wild by Cheryl Strayed

"At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State—and she would do it alone."

Currently Reading: 

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

"Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker—his classmate and crush—who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah's voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out why."

What's Next:

Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close

"Isabella, Mary, and Lauren feel like everyone they know is getting married. On Sunday after Sunday, at bridal shower after bridal shower, they coo over toasters, collect ribbons and wrapping paper, eat minuscule sandwiches and cakes. They wear pastel dresses and drink champagne by the case, but amid the celebration these women have their own lives to contend with: Isabella is working a dead-end job, Mary is dating a nice guy with an awful mother, and Lauren is waitressing at a midtown bar and wondering why she's attracted to the sleazy bartender."

You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero

"In this refreshingly entertaining how-to guide, #1 New York Times Bestselling 

Author and world-traveling success coach, Jen Sincero, serves up 27 bite-sized chapters full of hilariously inspiring stories, sage advice, easy exercises, and the occasional swear word. If you're ready to make some serious changes around here, You Are a Badass will help you: Identify and change the self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors that stop you from getting what you want, blast past your fears so you can take big exciting risks, figure out how to make some damn money already, learn to love yourself and others, set big goals and reach them - it will basically show you how to create a life you totally love, and how to create it NOW."

Once and For All by Sarah Dessen

"Is it really better to have loved and lost?  Louna's summer job is to help brides plan their perfect day, even though she stopped believing in happily-ever-after when her first love ended tragically.  But charming girl-magnet Ambrose isn't about to be discouraged now that he's met the one he really  wants.  Maybe Louna's second chance is standing right in front of her."

Note: book descriptions are from Amazon

I'd love to hear about what books you've been reading this summer. I'm always looking for books to add to my reading list!

XOXO

Summer Reads

Summer seems to be the time of year where people tend to enjoy reading the most (or maybe it's just me?).  There's just something about sitting outside, on the beach, in bed, or on the couch that makes reading so much better in the summer. Or it could be that most people just have a little bit more free time in the summer. Either way, most of us are in search of a few good reads to quench our reading thirst during the summer season.  Last week I spent some time at my local Barnes and Noble store.  I spent an hour browsing the many shelves in search of something great to read. After browsing, I ended up leaving the store with a handful of books and quite the list of "must reads for the summer". As an education major who is close to having their own classroom, I seem to justify buying books with the statement- I'll put them in my classroom library one day! 

This list is just a small sampling of the actual long list I have saved on my computer. I plan to get started by reading these books that I purchased the other day. 

I'm always adding to my reading list, so feel free to share a few books that are on your list to read this summer!

XOXO

Summer Reads

Images found here

Beach Town by Mary Kay Andrews // Dirty Rush by Taylor Bell

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin // The Vacationers by Emma Straub

Life is Short Wear Your Party Pants by Loretta LaRoche //  Paper Towns by John Green 

Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple // The Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand

What's on your summer reading list?

XOXO

Summer Reading

This is the first summer, in I can't tell you how long, that I don't have any summer reading to do. It feels wonderful! I didn't used to enjoy reading, but lately I found it quite interesting.  I think I am enjoying reading more because I am able to read what I want, not something that is assigned to me.  It is my goal for the summer to read at least five books.  Last week I finished my first book of the summer, The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks.  I highly recommend it to any of you who are looking for a good read.  

So now that I have finished my book, I need something else to read.  I thought I would ask you all, my followers, to suggest some good summer reads. Ready, Set, Go!

xoxo

-mQs-