Organizing My Reading List + A Reading App

Ok, so I originally wanted to write a blog post about the books I’ve read lately, but honestly only two have stood out:

+ The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

+ Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

But there have been two developments in my reading sphere which I feel compelled to share. 

So, first off is how I’ve reorganized my reading list, of books I want to read. 

I had just kept them in a document on my Evernote, but I recently started using Wunderlist and that’s where I’ve moved them all. And it has been amazing and so much more usable. 

So I have created a folder “Books to Read” and within that folder are lists of the types of books such as self-help, cycle/body, lifestyle, business, fiction and so on. 

Then once you click on the list, say fiction for example it takes you to the actual list of books. I have 14 books on my fiction list at the moment. 

I then took the time to add whether that book was available at my library and what the call number was, and if it wasn’t available at the library I included a shorted link to the book on Amazon. 

And then, what I’m most proud of, is I added the little summary of the book that came with it on Amazon or the library. 

So, now I can go into my list, click on a book and be reminded what it is about and whether it’s at my library or not. 

Revolutionary. 

Before I just had giant lists of books I would make and then I couldn’t remember looking back at them what any of the books were about so they were pretty useless. 

The next discovery I made was an app called Libby. I’ve downloaded it onto our iPad mini and can now access a ton of digital and audio books using my library card.

This is going to be amazing for travel because I love having books to read, but they are so bulky, heavy and just take up space in my luggage, especially on longer trips. 

We always bring the iPad anyways but now that I can read books, or listen to books on it, amazing.  

So, two books I’ve got cued up for this current trip:

+ A Darker Shade of Magic

+ Girl Through Glass

Oh, and I should also mention that you can tag books you want to read at some point and you can look back at that list in Libby. 

Super cool. 

What book tricks am I still missing out on?

Books I've Read This Year | January + February

One of my best friend’s and I started our little two-person book club, and I’ve toyed with the idea of starting an online book club (plus a lot of you have asked for it). But since I haven’t gotten around to actually doing that, nor do I know if I want to, I have just tried to share the books I’ve been reading that I enjoy on here.

I always look to other’s “What I’ve Been Reading” as inspiration for what to pick up next. And I always find some fantastic books. So, today I wanted to share what I’ve read so far in 2018. 

I always love picking up a book or two to read when I travel, and I was torn between getting two or three books with me to Sri Lanka. I ended up choosing two, but I wish I would have brought three. 

There was a lot of laying outside in the warmth reading. It was delicious and such a nice treat after being burrowed up in Iowa. 

So, the two books I brought with me were both about WWII (I didn't do that on purpose), and I can’t recommend the both of them enough. 

The first one I read was, We Were the Lucky Ones, which is about a Polish family torn apart during the war, fighting to survive, wondering what the fate of their family was and working to reunite after the war.

We’ve all learned about WWII in school, the holocaust, concentration camps and the awful things that happened. But I learned so much in reading this book about the horrors outside the concentration camps. How everything changed before, how people didn’t believe it was going to get that bad. How friends who had grown up together turned their backs on their Jewish friends.

It’s one of those books that pulls you apart and then puts you back together again. 

It took me only a few days to tear through the first book, but after I finished that I reached for the second book I brought along, Under a Scarlet Sky. 

This one was about a teenage boy in Italy during WWII. He was a privileged kid who ended up being involved in the war in a few ways that didn’t involve going to battle. 

Before reading this I never really knew much about Italy during the war, and I felt like I learned quite a bit. It also makes me think of myself at that age, how much I’ve matured since then, and what would have happened if I were put in that position. 

He became a driver for one of Hitler’s Generals in an effort by his family to keep him off the front lines when he turned 18, which was basically a death sentence at the time.  

Who knows why I was drawn towards two books about WWII, but I’m very glad I went with both of them. I learned so much and got different perspectives I hadn’t heard known about before. 

I started reading the free excerpt from this next book while I was still in Sri Lanka. I’m not sure why but something about buying a digital copy of a book vs a physical book doesn’t feel the same for me. I like physical copies of things. 

Anyways, I started reading the first 65 pages of The Girl With All the Gifts during our last week in Sri Lanka, and when I got home I checked it out from the library. It was like not getting to finish a movie on the plane ride, you have to find a way to finish it just to know what happens. 

This was actually a pretty quick, easy read. I could pick it up and read a few chapters before bed without really having to use that much brain power. And I was finished in just a few days. 

I’m normally not one for zombie plots, but this one was different. I won’t say much more about it because I would start giving stuff away. I don't know how people normally become zombies in other plots but this one was through a type of fungus. This story combines trying to survive with working to find a "cure". 

And I wasn’t expecting the ending, but I also wish they would have gone a bit further with the ending. It just felt a bit abrupt, and I wanted more explanation. 

All in all, it wasn’t the most thought-provoking read, but it really wasn’t bad either. (Like I said I'm not normally a zombie story person). Sometimes it’s nice to just have an easy, entertaining read in between more difficult ones. 

We Were the Lucky Ones was probably my favorite, but was followed closely by Under a Scarlet Sky. If you're looking for a good book to read I recommend both of those. 

Any favorite reads from this year so far? 

Books I've Finished, Am Reading + Will Read Next

I’ve been trying to consume more and more books recently. Whenever I travel I’m really able to dig into a few great books, because it’s what I dedicate my free time to, and it’s a great time to pass time as well. 

This fall I’ve read a lot of awesome books, and started a few more as well. 

So, today I wanted to share the books I’ve read and my thoughts on them, as well as the books I’ve started and the one’s I have sitting waiting to be read. 

Books I’ve Read:

Where’d You Go Bernadette — This one was on a recommended list so I decided to pick it up, and I ended up inhaling it. Told from the perspective of the bits of information the daughter has pieced together from emails, notes, etc. in search of where her mom has disappeared to. Highly recommended fun read! 

Worth It — I love a good book about money, and this one is from the founder of DailyWorth.com and digs into the relationship of women, their money and self-worth. 

Get Rich, Lucky Bitch — While Worth It was good, I loved this book by Denise Duffiled-Thomas. She takes you through all sorts of exercised, challenges and assignments to dig into your money mindset, and how to reprogram your perception of money and what you can achieve. Highly recommend for a boost of financial motivation! 

Vessels — A beautifully written book about love and loss. I had never really thought about the lasting effect of miscarriages until reading this book. It’s a quick read, but pick it up. 

Belly Laughs — I’ve never been pregnant or given birth, but I really enjoyed this hilarious read. It’s like reading emails from a best friend about all the gross, weird stuff that happens. 

Girls and Sex — Where to even begin. I loved this book. Peggy digs into the atmosphere teenagers head into surrounding sex, relationships, and all things in between. It was fascinating to realize similarities from when I was a teenager, but then also the huge difference that’s already happened. Pick it up if you have a daughter or if you were ever a teenage girl. 

Goodbye Things — This is one man’s story of his journey to minimalism, and while it was good I just feel like this is everyone’s story and therefore isn’t really exciting after you’ve read a number of them. I obviously love minimalism and am fascinated by it, but I’m ready for a fresh take on it.

The China Study — We read this one for book club, and it was fascinating. Going into it I didn’t realize it was going to be pro-whole foods plant based diet, but that’s exactly what it is. If you have any interest in nutrition, health or are mildly concerned about what you’ve putting into your body, pick this up. 

Small Great Things — I’ve always loved Jodi Picolt’s books. They take a topic that seems pretty straight forward at the beginning and tears it apart, showing both sides and all this aspects of it that never crossed your mind. This one is about racism, which we all know is beyond relevant still. 

Books I’ve Started:

Fen — So we chose this one for book club in the spirit of Halloween, and it’s unlike anything I’ve read. The author is a female a year older than myself, which I think is awesome, and she’s created this eery world, Fen, where there’s this creepy connection between animals and humans. This one reminds me of reading books for college classes and trying to dissect them and understand them by notes scribbled in the margins and rereading different sections. 

The Sun and Her Flowers — I loved Rupi Kaur’s first book so when I saw this in an airport I had to pick it up. But I’m trying to savor her poems (even though I could tear through them in a day). 

The Book of Hygge — I have to admit something. I discovered this term on Pinterest, but I have been so intrigued since then, and wanted to get a few books on the topic. It’s really inspired me to change how I approach the colder months. If you haven’t heard of “hygge” just get on Pinterest. 

Happy As a Dane — I found this one at the library when I was searching for books on hygge. I’ve known for awhile now that life in Scandinavia is something I’m curious about. And I’m excited to keep reading this little book. 

Women Who Run With the Wolves — a lovely woman I used to work with gave me this book as a birthday gift last year, and I’ve been meaning to read it. From what I’ve read I’ve come away with this sense of empowerment that is infectious. And I even saw it was on Emma Watson’s list. I plan to work through it a story at a time. 

The Rules Do Not Apply — I just started this one yesterday after picking it up at the library, and I feel like I’ve read parts of it elsewhere before. Regardless it’s been an interesting read. I’m still in the part where her life is still together but I know it’s all about her unconventional life falling apart. It’s one of there where turning page after page is effortless. 

Books On Deck:

The Nordic Theory of Everything — It’s the next book we’ll be reading for book club. The author moves to the states and this book is all about comparing how things are done between the states and the nordic region. I’m really looking forward to this book. 

Leaving Time — I decided to pick up another Jodi Picolt book from the library since I enjoy them so much. And I’ve been trying to add more leisurely reading to my days. This one is about a mother who disappeared, and the daughter who’s looking for her. 

The Little Book of Hygge — This book is everywhere when you type in “hygge” so I’m on the wait list at my library to check it out. I’m ready to learn more about the danish secrets to a happy life. 

There’s No Such Thing As Bad Weather — This winter season I’ve made it my goal to reframe my mindset about the cold weather in order to start enjoying it more, and to make the most out of it. And in my search for books on hygge this one came up and so like the previous book, I’m on the wait list for it. 

I'm so excited for the books I'm reading, and am going to read. What are some of your top recommendations?

Books I've Read this Summer

I’ve been working my way through a number of books this summer, and I always enjoy with others share their reading lists, so I wanted to do the same for you. 

Here are the books I’ve read, and am currently reading:

Nurture Shock by Po Bronson & Ashley Merryman

I picked this one up in the Portland airport before flying back down to San Francisco. I am absolutely fascinated by parenting psychology, and will read just about any book on the topic. It talks about how a number of our modern strategies for raising tiny humans are actually backfiring. It talks about sleep, praise, race and so much more!

How to be Bored by Eva Hoffman

I had no idea there were a series of books like this on by The School of Life. She talks all about how we are overactive and overstimulated. In a world when there’s so much happening, and access to distractions is so simple, we need to make sure were stepping back and unplugging at the same time. 

Goodbye Things by Fumio Sasaki

I’m a sucker for minimalism books, and there aren’t too many out there (that I’ve discovered yet anyways). This is one man’s journey into minimalism, where he shares different examples of other minimalists, how there’s no right or wrong way to do it, and plenty of tips as well as ways he’s changed since making the transition. 

The China Study by T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell

This one has been on my wishlist for quite some time, but now a friend and I are reading it together. I knew from the introduction that I was going to like this book. It is jam-packed with information, statistics and studies making the case for a plant-based diet. We’re just a little ways in, but I’m fascinated and excited to keep learning.

Skinny Bitch: Bun in the Oven by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

I picked this one up in Florida, after our cruise this spring and gobbled it up. I read the original Skinny Bitch years ago, but I’ve been very intrigued with all things pregnancy, fertility, birth and parenting recently and this one is good. It’s like having a chat from a smart, but blunt friend. And not to mention the push to eat plant-based. 

The Kind Mama by Alicia Silverstone

One of my favorite pregnancy books so far. I love that she is honest and loving, but also optimistic. There is so much fear around pregnancy and birth. And seeing that I want to have a kid one day, and I plan on being vegan I was curious about what that looked like. So, it has been great to discover a few books of vegan mamas. And not only a vegan pregnancy but natural birth, breastfeeding and gentle parenting. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. 

Baby Catcher by Peggy Vincent

A last minute addition to this list, seeing as I just finished this two days ago. I tore through this book in a matter of a few days. It was one that you sat down to start reading, and next thing you knew you were nearly 200 pages in. Peggy is a midwife, and in this book she shares her journey by telling birth stories. I learned a lot about the history of midwifery as well as the potential issues with the future of it. I sometimes wish I would have become a midwife, but I think becoming a doula would satisfy the same curiosity while still allowing me to do other things. A must read. 

My reading wish list grows faster than I can keep up with, and I absolutely love reading, researching, learning and discovering new things. What are some of your favorite books you’ve read this summer?