January is a great month for reading and catching up on tv shows... it gets dark so early so I am subsequently in my pajamas just as early (if possible!). We did a lot of lounging and being lazy - almost like a mini hibernation, and I don't feel one bit guilty. All that lounging included lots of books. I also watched a lot of tv this month too... even though I'm not a huge tv watcher. Between CHEER, the Australian Open, The Bachelor and watching all the archives of Victoria I really indulged. I also read some really great books! Let's take a look at what I read last month...
Inside Out by Demi Moore
Book blurb: For decades, Demi Moore has been synonymous with celebrity. From iconic film roles to high-profile relationships, Moore has never been far from the spotlight—or the headlines. Even as Demi was becoming the highest paid actress in Hollywood, however, she was always outrunning her past, just one step ahead of the doubts and insecurities that defined her childhood. Throughout her rise to fame and during some of the most pivotal moments of her life, Demi battled addiction, body image issues, and childhood trauma that would follow her for years—all while juggling a skyrocketing career and at times negative public perception. As her success grew, Demi found herself questioning if she belonged in Hollywood, if she was a good mother, a good actress—and, always, if she was simply good enough. As much as her story is about adversity, it is also about tremendous resilience. In this deeply candid and reflective memoir, Demi pulls back the curtain and opens up about her career and personal life—laying bare her tumultuous relationship with her mother, her marriages, her struggles balancing stardom with raising a family, and her journey toward open heartedness. Inside Out is a story of survival, success, and surrender—a wrenchingly honest portrayal of one woman’s at once ordinary and iconic life.
My review: I actually read this in December and forgot to include it in my December post somehow, but I really enjoyed this book. After listening to a podcast with Demi about the book I knew I had to read it. It was a surprisingly shocking memoir about her life in Hollywood, here estrangement and later reconnecting with her mother, and her married life. It always seems like we "know" celebrities but of course that is never the truth and this book proved that. Some parts were difficult to read but overall this was a fantastic and quick read. I rate this an 8/10.
The Glittering Hour by Iona Grey
Book blurb: Selina Lennox is a Bright Young Thing. Her life is a whirl of parties and drinking, pursued by the press and staying on just the right side of scandal, all while running from the life her parents would choose for her. Lawrence Weston is a penniless painter who stumbles into Selina's orbit one night and can never let her go even while knowing someone of her stature could never end up with someone of his. Except Selina falls hard for Lawrence, envisioning a life of true happiness. But when tragedy strikes, Selina finds herself choosing what's safe over what's right. Spanning two decades and a seismic shift in British history as World War II approaches, Iona Grey's The Glittering Hour is an epic novel of passion, heartache and loss.
My review: I absolutely loved this book! It was so heartbreaking and beautiful together. It took me quite a bit of time to get into, but once I did I never wanted it to end and it left a total book hangover. This is a perfect book to get lost in on a winter day. I rate this an 8/10.
Book blurb: What would happen if a shy introvert lived like a gregarious extrovert for one year? If she knowingly and willingly put herself in perilous social situations that she’d normally avoid at all costs? Writer Jessica Pan intends to find out. With the help of various extrovert mentors, Jessica sets up a series of personal challenges (talk to strangers, perform stand-up comedy, host a dinner party, travel alone, make friends on the road, and much, much worse) to explore whether living like an extrovert can teach her lessons that might improve the quality of her life. Chronicling the author’s hilarious and painful year of misadventures, this book explores what happens when one introvert fights her natural tendencies, takes the plunge, and tries (and sometimes fails) to be a little bit braver.
My review: As a fellow introvert I was really excited to read this book... but I only just liked it. I am just a very different type of introvert than the author, where I rarely feel lonely, I enjoy my time alone immensely (maybe because I have kids so it's rare to really be alone) and while trying things like improv could definitely help an introvert be more extroverted I just don't feel the pull to NOT be an introvert. So this book was a little bit of a head scratcher to me and I just didn't relate to a lot of it. I love her writing style and humor though - that was enough to keep reading for sure! I rate this a 6/10.
The City Baker's Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller
Book blurb: When Olivia Rawlings—pastry chef extraordinaire for an exclusive Boston dinner club—sets not just her flambéed dessert but the entire building alight, she escapes to the most comforting place she can think of—the idyllic town of Guthrie, Vermont, home of Bag Balm, the country’s longest-running contra dance, and her best friend Hannah. But the getaway turns into something more lasting when Margaret Hurley, the cantankerous, sweater-set-wearing owner of the Sugar Maple Inn, offers Livvy a job. Broke and knowing that her days at the club are numbered, Livvy accepts. Livvy moves with her larger-than-life, uberenthusiastic dog, Salty, into a sugarhouse on the inn’s property and begins creating her mouthwatering desserts for the residents of Guthrie. She soon uncovers the real reason she has been hired—to help Margaret reclaim the inn’s blue ribbon status at the annual county fair apple pie contest. With the joys of a fragrant kitchen, the sound of banjos and fiddles being tuned in a barn, and the crisp scent of the orchard just outside the front door, Livvy soon finds herself immersed in small town life. And when she meets Martin McCracken, the Guthrie native who has returned from Seattle to tend his ailing father, Livvy comes to understand that she may not be as alone in this world as she once thought. But then another new arrival takes the community by surprise, and Livvy must decide whether to do what she does best and flee—or stay and finally discover what it means to belong. Olivia Rawlings may finally find out that the life you want may not be the one you expected—it could be even better.
My review: This book is a little cheesy, pretty predictable and 100% sticky sweet. I don't usually go for these Hallmark-esque reads but this one was JUST PERFECT. I finished it in 24 hours and loved every minute. The only downside is that I was seriously craving a trip to the bakery while reading this book. This is the perfect winter read and I have my fingers crossed for a sequel. I rate this an 8/10.
Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
Book blurb: One summer morning, twelve-year-old Edward Adler, his beloved older brother, his parents, and 183 other passengers board a flight in Newark headed for Los Angeles. Among them are a Wall Street wunderkind, a young woman coming to terms with an unexpected pregnancy, an injured veteran returning from Afghanistan, a business tycoon, and a free-spirited woman running away from her controlling husband. Halfway across the country, the plane crashes. Edward is the sole survivor. Edward’s story captures the attention of the nation, but he struggles to find a place in a world without his family. He continues to feel that a part of himself has been left in the sky, forever tied to the plane and all of his fellow passengers. But then he makes an unexpected discovery—one that will lead him to the answers of some of life’s most profound questions: When you’ve lost everything, how do you find the strength to put one foot in front of the other? How do you learn to feel safe again? How do you find meaning in your life?
My review: I have mixed feelings on this book. It was sweet and moving and definitely an interesting story. But it was a slog to get through, I found myself making myself pick it up and make progress on it. The story was incredibly slow at some points and then would move so quickly at others that I felt like I skipped a page or something. The characters were sweet and quite memorable but I have mixed feelings overall. I rate this book a 6/10.
Book blurb: In The Other Side of the Coin, The Queen has personally given Angela her blessing to share their extraordinary bond with the world. Whether it’s preparing for a formal occasion or brightening Her Majesty’s day with a playful joke, Angela’s priority is to serve and support. Sharing never-before-seen photographs – many from Angela’s own private collection – and charming anecdotes of their time spent together, this revealing book provides memorable insights into what it’s like to work closely with The Queen, to curate her wardrobe and to discover a true and lasting connection along the way. ‘The book documents the unique working relationship between Her Majesty The Queen and the woman who has been her Personal Assistant and Senior Dresser for more than two decades: Angela Kelly. It gives a rare insight into the demands of the job of supporting the Monarch, and we gain privileged insight into a successful working relationship, characterized by humor, creativity, hard work, and a mutual commitment to service and duty. Angela is a talented and inspiring woman, who has captured the highlights of her long career with The Queen for us all to share.’
My review: I absolutely love books about the Royal family and I have read quite a few - and have MANY more to read. This one was cute with easy short chapters and really great photos. I would've loved a little more tea spilled (wink, wink) but as one of The Queen's most trusted courtiers I can see why the author was quite mum on anything that would hint at drama or pulling the veil back. The photos were the real winner in this book for me. Especially the photos of the royal jewels since I have been working my way through the show Victoria. It was amazing to see that 200 years ago many of the jewels were being worn then like they are worn today by royalty. This is a great book for any royal fan, but don't do it on Kindle... the pictures are worth buying it or borrowing it from the library. I rate this an 8/10.
Work Optional: Retire Early the Non-Penny-Pinching Way by Tanja Hester
Book blurb: In today's work culture, we're expected to hustle around the clock. But what if you could escape the traditional path and get on one that doesn't require working full-time until age 65? What if you could wake up every day without an alarm clock and do the things you love most? Tanja Hester and her husband Mark left their crazed careerist lifestyle to live their dream life in Lake Tahoe, retiring early from high-stress careers. Now Tanja will help you map out a customized plan for freedom and make it easy to succeed, whether you're good at math and budgeting-or not! Work Optional is more than just a financial plan: it's a plan for your whole life-designed by you, not by an employer or clients. Tanja walks you through envisioning your dream life, accounting for variables such as health care and children, protecting yourself from recessions and future unknowns, and achieving a purpose-filled early retirement, semi-retirement, or career intermission with completely doable, non-penny-pinching steps.
My review: I can't remember where I heard about this book - maybe a podcast or article I read, anyway, I added it to my library wait list and then it took forever to arrive. So it was a little out of context when I finally read it. In general, I am not so interested in the "retiring early" part but more with the practical advice on how to put away more money than the average American in order to retire early or just have financial independence, if that makes sense. I was curious about her methods. I found there to be some really great practical advice on investing and preparing for retirement both financial and personal in nature. I found her ideas on saving to err on the side of "penny pinching" even when she states they don't, but that means a little something different for everyone. My only critique of the book was that the author and her husband don't have kids so much of the advice on saving and spending just doesn't apply when we have two teens in the house (expensive!) and are vigorously saving for college (very expensive!). I am really glad I read this book though and found myself sharing lots of tidbits from it with my husband. I rate this an 9/10.
