Sharing the books I read in August and if I’d recommend adding them to your collection!

Hi friends! I hope that you’re enjoying the day so far. The Pilot was off work, so he took the kids to school while I caught a barre class, we enjoyed a coffee date, and lunch together. It was a lovely treat in the middle of the week!

For today’s post, I wanted to share a recap of some of the books I’ve read recently. This post is a little belated because I kept thinking I’d finish Daughters of Rome but I couldn’t do it (more below). I’d love to hear about what you’ve been reading lately if you’ll share the goods in the comments section!

Untangled

A friend recommended this book to me, as we both have tween daughters and are heading into new territories when it comes to friendships, independence, all those teen-y things. This book was AMAZING. It’s all about helping your child navigate the seven stages of adulthood, including friendships, mood/attitudes, bullying, relationships (with others and with parents), and I found it be incredibly insightful and full of helpful tips. I highly recommend it if you have a tween or teen.

One of my favorite metaphors that the author gave was that our kids are swimming in a pool, and we’re the wall. They need to venture out and be able to swim and find independence, but sometimes, they may need to come back to the wall. Sometimes, they push off the wall, which can be painful, but we need to stay there for them. A kid with a wall is going to have an easier time navigating tough situations than if the wall wasn’t there. <3

Sharing the books I read in July and if I’d recommend adding them to your collection!

Hi friends! Happy Monday! How was the weekend? I hope you had a great one! We swam and enjoyed dinner with friends, and also headed to Apple Annie’s to pick some fruit and veggies. It was SUPER hot, but we got a lot of amazing produce and followed it up with Mexican food. I can’t believe the kids start school this week!

For today’s post, let’s chat about books! I read three fantastic books this past month and thought I’d share the goods with ya.

July book recap

Here are July’s books:

Yours Truly

This was my introduction to Abby Jimenez and turns out I looooove her. I can definitely see why she’s so hyped up! This book had everything I enjoy in a summer read: a bit of romance, witty banter, and protagonists that are likable and don’t make horrible decisions the entire time.

I want to express my gratitude for the thoughtful approach taken in addressing mental health topics, including past trauma and anxiety. The content was handled with sensitivity, which I genuinely appreciated. While it wasn’t overwhelmingly heavy, it’s essential to recognize that it might be triggering for those who have dealt with these issues in the past. Personally, some parts relating to anxiety felt incredibly relatable, almost too real, as they perfectly described the emotions I used to experience when anxiety was a significant struggle for me.

From Amazon:

Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is seriously flatlining. Her divorce is just about finalized, her brother’s running out of time to find a kidney donor, and that promotion she wants? Oh, that’s probably going to the new man-doctor who’s already registering eighty-friggin’-seven on Briana’s “pain in my ass” scale. But just when all systems are set to hate, Dr. Jacob Maddox completely flips the game . . . by sending Briana a letter.

And it’s a really good letter. Like the kind that proves that Jacob isn’t actually Satan. Worse, he might be this fantastically funny and subversively likeable guy who’s terrible at first impressions. Because suddenly he and Bri are exchanging letters, sharing lunch dates in her “sob closet,” and discussing the merits of freakishly tiny horses. But when Jacob decides to give Briana the best gift imaginable—a kidney for her brother—she wonders just how she can resist this quietly sexy new doc

Sharing the books I read in June and if I’d recommend adding them to your collection!

Hi friends! I hope you’re having a wonderful week! I’m so happy you liked the Anniversary Sale picks. While there’s not as huge of a selection as they’ve had in previous years, there’s still lots of good stuff!

For today’s post, I wanted to share a recap of recent reads. I haven’t been reading quite as much as usual since I was so focused on finishing IHP2, but I’m back in reading action with a mix of fun fluff + more educational fare. I’ve added so much to my list over the past month, so I’m looking forward to diving into some new ones on the list.

Here’s what I read in June!

(Dress on sale here)

June 2023 Book Recap

Mistress of Rome

I love Kate Quinn and am on a mission to read all of her books. It was pleasantly surprising to find out that this book is part of a 4-part series, and I’m already on the second book. It’s more a slow burn than some of her previous novels I’ve read (The Huntress, Rose Code, The Diamond Eye, The Alice Network), but it gradually builds until a crazy, satisfying ending. Since I typically read more WWII era historical fiction, it was a treat to read about an entirely different time period, and also learn a lot about what it might have been like in first-century Rome. 9/10 recommend and it lined up perfectly with our trip and the ability to see the Coliseum again in person.

From Amazon:

First-century Rome: One young woman will hold the fate of an empire in her hands.

Thea, a captive from Judaea, is a clever and determined survivor hiding behind a slave’s docile mask. Purchased as a toy for the spoiled heiress Lepida Pollia, Thea evades her mistress’s spite and hones a secret passion for music. But when Thea wins the love of Rome’s newest and most savage gladiator and dares to dream of a better life, the jealous Lepida tears the lovers apart and casts Thea out.

Rome offers many ways for the resourceful to survive, and Thea remakes herself as a singer for the Eternal ’City’s glittering aristocrats. As she

Hi friends! I missed my April book roundup so I’m sharing the books I read in April, and most of the books from May + if I’d recommend adding them to your collection.

Hi hi! Happy Monday and I hope my US friends are enjoying a relaxing Memorial Day. Today, I’m praying for those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our country. “Thank you” will never be enough, and I’m holding our Gold Star families in my heart.

Summer is officially in full swing over here! We had a little end-of-the-year get-together, it was Liv’s First Communion (I’ll share some pics in Fri Faves), and we’ve been living in the pool. We spent all day yesterday floating around at the Lodge, eating delicious food, enjoying cocktail samples, and chatting with friends. It was the perfect day. Friendly reminder that tomorrow is the last day to get 20% off HigherDOSE at this link and with the code MDW2023.

For today’s post, I wanted to share a book recap! I totally missed my recap for April, so I’m combining April’s books + most of May’s in this post. There was quite a mix of subjects and genres, and a couple of huge home runs. Here are all of the details!

 Books I’ve read lately (and if I’d recommend them!)

Guest List

This thrilling novel is like a rollercoaster ride of secrets, surprises, and suspense. Set against the backdrop of a glamorous wedding, the story unfolds with twists and turns that will keep you hooked from start to finish. Lucy Foley’s skillful storytelling brings the characters to life, and you’ll find yourself completely immersed in their world. With its picturesque setting, intriguing plot, and a dash of romance, “The Guest List” is the perfect escape for anyone craving a delightful blend of mystery and excitement.

I tend to stay away from thriller-ish books, but I’ve read a few Lucy Foley books and enjoy them. Plus, I don’t find them to be overly violent or gory. If you’re looking for a beach read that you can blast through, I definitely recommend it. 8/10

From Amazon:

A wedding celebration turns dark and deadly in this deliciously wicked and atmospheric th

Sharing the books I read in March and if I recommend adding them to your list!

Hi friends! How are you? I hope you’re having a wonderful week so far. I’m sorry I disappeared on ya the past couple of days. Usually I’m able to get blog posts written over the weekend, but after finishing 5 days in San Diego and Disney with the girls, I wasn’t able to get it done. I’m back now, and trying to last through all of the work I’ve neglected. It was worth it; we had an amazing time and I’ll share more later this week!

For today, I wanted to share the books I read in March and if I’d recommend them. There were a couple of gold stars in the mix, including the best book I’ve read in years, and an unexpected flop.

March 2023 Book Recap

No-Risk Abs

This was a re-read from years ago, when I was postpartum with P, dealing with… a lot… and I wasn’t sure how much I’d actually retained. This book is an excellent way to reframe how you think about the core muscles and pelvic floor.

Some of her advice is different than what we commonly hear in the core and pelvic floor world. For example, she emphasizes the outer portion of the transverse abdominal muscles (under the external and internal obliques) and how they draw the belly and corset the waist from the SIDES instead of the center. She also talks about the importance of full range of motion in the ribs, when many of us tend to only focus on keeping the ribs down to reduce strain on the linea alba (the connective tissue running down the center of the core in between the rectus abdominus, which stretches to make room for the baby and can lead to diastasis recti).

She focuses on strengthening and stretching the various muscles of the core for full range of motion and optimal strength, and also provides exercises on which exercises are visceral (muscular) and skeletal. One of my favorite tips: when you’re doing deep breathing and core engagement, think about contracting the muscles moving up, like a wave, instead of down. It’s very easy to think about just bringing in the center of our core, which can actually increase abdominal pressure and pelvic floor pressure.

If you’re a fitness nerd like me, and/or if you work with postpartum or female clients in a fitness environment, I highly recommend it. 9/10

From Amazon:

An illustrated guide to the anatomy of the abdominal muscles and how to tone them successfully without injury

• Presents the 16 most effective and safest abdominal exercises for great abs
• Reveals how common ab exercises, such as crunches, can damage the spine, pelvic floor, diaphragm, and internal organs
• Offers tips to get rid of belly fat–both superficial fat and deeper visceral fat

Pre