kapachino

Category: what i read

  • what i read : july 2015

    what i read : july 2015

    It was a slow reading month for me, but the two books I did read were good. I’m also halfway through All the Light We Cannot See so I look forward to reporting on that next month!

    Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown – The philosophy of “less but better” is something I am 100% on board with, and this book about it was affirming and motivating. I wish it contained more practical tips, but the ideas here are some that I want to guide my entire life. I do want to note that I didn’t read it closely, but skimmed a majority. It has a lot of (great) examples, but I was most interested in the meat – the core principles and application. (4 stars)

    The Martian by Andy Weir – I loved this book. It was funny, suspenseful, fast-paced, and creative. I enjoyed IMMENSELY the experience of reading it and I finished it faster than anything else I’ve read recently. But I do want to note that there is hardly any character development. We don’t learn much about the main character at all, except that he has parents and he is a botanist/engineer. You still root for him because by reading his journal entries you feel like you’re in his mind, and his humor makes him likable. But there is a definite lacking of depth. I think it’s going to make an AWESOME movie, though. And I wasn’t reading it for the back story anyway. (5 stars)

  • what i read : june 2015

    what i read june 2015

    The Magician’s Land by Lev Grossman – This was the third in the Magicians series, and the whole thing  was just so much fun to read, and each book was better than the last. Supremely satisfying conclusion. (5 stars)

    Me Before You by Jojo Moyes –  This one has had so much buzz and has been recommended highly, but I’d been avoiding it because everyone talked about how much they cried during it. Even though I believe in the idea of being present for suffering, I tend to avoid it in my personal reading because it can affect me strongly. Finally I read this for my postal book club, and although it definitely addressed a heavy topic and had an emotional ending the characters were just lovely to spend time with and it didn’t devastate me like I expected. I enjoyed the whole experience thoroughly. (4 stars)

    The Hundred Year House by Rebecca Makkai – I listened to this on audio, but I actually wish I had read it and I’d probably enjoy a re-read. There was a lot to untangle and with a story that has so many layers of truth and myth it was hard to keep straight in my mind without being able to look back. Maybe because of that, the more I think about the story the more I like it.

    At the center is Laurelfield, a stately mansion built in 1900 which began as a family house and morphed into an art colony, to a house and back again. The story is told backward, beginning with the contemporary inhabitants in 1999 and ending with the plot of land and the reason for its building.

    It made me curious and drew me in deeper and deeper. I was mildly interested in the characters during the first half, a little more when some details of the past were revealed, and when the shift in time happened I was all in. I wasn’t deeply emotionally affected by it, but I think it’s very well done and I recommend it for almost all readers. (4 stars, audio)

    Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter – I really liked this. There is a lot going on, and it jumps around a lot (in time and between characters), but even though some characters don’t appear all that often I still felt like I really knew them and cared what happened to them. I’m glad I waited until summertime to read this, as it is pretty light in tone for the most part, but does have emotional depth. My favorite scenes were those from the 1960’s in Italy, and I loved the two main characters, Pasquale and Dee. Overall it gave me a hazy, warm, nostalgic feeling that was quite pleasant. (4 stars)

  • what i read : may 2015

    Before we get into the book reviews, I want to mention that my blog has a brand new Facebook page! I’m pretty excited about it. I plan to use it to share links to all kinds of interesting or awesome things, as well as behind-the-scenes tidbits and discussion questions. I’d be thrilled if you go check it out – I think you’ll (literally) like it!

    what i read

    Now onto the books – my reading has picked up again, hooray! I definitely go through phases with it and right now I’m in a good one. The above photo are some of the books I have on deck. Here’s what I read last month:

    Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty – I continue to love how Liane Moriarty writes such smart, funny, and insightful books about serious subjects – this one tackles domestic violence and bullying – while keeping them fun. This one has maybe a little too much character introspection for me, but I still thought it was so good. (audio, 4 stars)

    Tisha: The Story of a Young Teacher in the Alaska Wilderness by Robert Specht – this was for my postal book club, and it’s an example of why I love book clubs so much. I had never heard of it and probably never would have and I definitely would have missed a gem! It’s the true story of a 19-year-old who goes to teach on the Alaskan frontier in the late 1800’s. It has adventure, conflict over race relations, romance, and a strong, brave, heroine. Loved it. (4 stars)

    Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives by Gretchen Rubin – I found this study on habits extremely practical and helpful. Her advice to first and foremost “know yourself” is so wise, and she offers a lot of discussion about how to do that. There is tons of practical advice included but at the same time, her writing is engaging and full of anecdotes that make it easy to read and easy to understand. I do want to note that I identify with Gretchen as an “upholder” (although not as extreme as her) in that it is relatively easy for me to form habits and I get more pleasure out of it than most people, so maybe that’s why the book resonated so much with me. But after reading this I feel motivated and capable to tackle some areas of my life that need to get back on track. (5 stars)

    The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman – this was for book club, and per my new policy I listened to it on audio. I gave it four stars because the writing was beautiful and the story was unforgettable and I felt it deeply. Too deeply! I am not sure if I could say I enjoyed it because it was hard and I felt physical anxiety over it at times. So, I’d recommend it, but not for everyone. (audio, 4 stars)

    Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood: Practical Parenting From Birth to Six Years by Jim Fay and Charles Fay – I super love the ideas in this book and I’m tempted to give it five stars except I haven’t fully tested the method out yet. There are a bunch of different ideas to try in different situations and the authors recommend not trying them all at once but focusing on one things at a time. It was hard for me, after reading this, to make changes slowly but I agree that it’s necessary. We have a spirited child and I’m curious to see how it will work on her. I suspect it will work well, but we might meet with more resistance initially. Some cheesy stuff and claims that are perhaps overstated, but I’m on board. (4 stars)

    Stepping Up: A Journey Through the Psalms of Ascent by Beth Moore – this was the Bible study workbook that I just finished. I’ve mentioned before that Beth Moore is my favorite, and I’m currently working through all of her published studies. This one was pretty good, all about getting you to the next level in your worship, definitely a solid study although not my absolute favorite of hers. (4 stars)

    Reading challenge:

    This year I’m participating in Modern Mrs. Darcy’s reading challenge. I added a couple to the list this month and here’s where I stand:

    • a book you’ve been meaning to read – The Magicians by Lev Grossman (January)
    • a book published this year – Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin
    • a book in a genre you don’t typically read –
    • a book from your childhood –
    • a book your mom loves –
    • a book that was originally written in a different language –
    • a book “everyone” has read but you – The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
    • a book you chose because of the cover –
    • a book by a favorite author –
    • a book recommended by someone with great taste – Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (February)
    • a book you should have read in high school –
    • a book that’s currently on the best seller list – The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (March)

  • what i read : april 2015

    what i read : april 2015 / kapachino

    This month I started letting some things go to get my stress level down (see my last post) and although reading is definitely still part of my life it obviously took a back seat in April. Only one (and a half) books finished! Oh well.

    The Magician King by Lev Grossman – this is the second in this modern fantasy series and it was just as good or better than the first. Definitely not your typical middle-of-a-trilogy slump. (5 stars)

    The Future of the Mind by Michio Kaku – this nonfiction book about technological advances regarding understanding and manipulating the power of the mind was for book club, and I wasn’t able to finish because I had to return it to the library. What I did read was fascinating (although ethical concerns were somewhat glossed over) and I would love to finish it one day.

    Reading challenge:

    This year I’m participating in Modern Mrs. Darcy’s reading challenge. I didn’t make any progress on it this month, but here’s where I stand:

    • a book you’ve been meaning to read – The Magicians by Lev Grossman (January)
    • a book published this year –
    • a book in a genre you don’t typically read –
    • a book from your childhood –
    • a book your mom loves –
    • a book that was originally written in a different language –
    • a book “everyone” has read but you –
    • a book you chose because of the cover –
    • a book by a favorite author –
    • a book recommended by someone with great taste – Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (February)
    • a book you should have read in high school –
    • a book that’s currently on the best seller list – The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (March)

  • what i read : march 2015

    what i read : march 2015 / kapachino

    This month in reading I finished two audiobooks (yay road trips), my book club book, and one faith-based book I was reading for a small group Bible study. Glad the audiobooks picked up my slack!

    In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides – I made a happy discovery that my husband recently acquired several audiobooks on Audible that I want to read. He read listened to this one first and couldn’t stop raving about it to anyone who would listen, so it jumped to the top of my list. It is a true survival story about an ill-fated journey to find the north pole back in the late 19th century. It’s strange to think about now, but they actually thought it might be covered by a warm sea (spoiler: it’s not). Although this was perhaps a tad too detailed for me, I was nonetheless captivated by all that the sailors endured. (4 stars, audio)

    Turtle Moon by Alice Hoffman – This book was a little bit magical and a little bit suspenseful, but most of all I just really enjoyed getting to know the characters and it left me feeling hopeful. All good things. (4 stars)

    Bad Girls of the Bible by Liz Curtis Higgs – I was reading along with this for a small group Bible study at my church and I will say that it made for lively discussions. I love those women so I will always have a positive association with this book. However, it was kind of cheesy. Okay, really cheesy.

    The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins – If you’ve heard the hype for this book you might have heard it compared to Gone Girl and I have to say that I agree 100%. I thought it was a complete page-turner, a psychological thriller that kept me guessing till the very end. Although most of the characters weren’t all that likable, I did have some compassion for them. (5 stars)

    Reading challenge:

    This year I’m participating in Modern Mrs. Darcy’s reading challenge:

    • a book you’ve been meaning to read – The Magicians by Lev Grossman (January)
    • a book published this year –
    • a book in a genre you don’t typically read –
    • a book from your childhood –
    • a book your mom loves –
    • a book that was originally written in a different language –
    • a book “everyone” has read but you –
    • a book you chose because of the cover –
    • a book by a favorite author –
    • a book recommended by someone with great taste – Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (February)
    • a book you should have read in high school –
    • a book that’s currently on the best seller list – The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins