Sharing my full (non-sponsored) review of Book of the Month and if it’s worth it. If you’d like to try it out, my referral link gives you access to your first month for $5!

Hi friends! How’s the week going so far? I hope you’re having a great one. It’s been cloudy and rainy here (so lovely!) and it’s been a pretty normal week taking care of Caro (the meds seem to be helping), doing the work thing, and shuffling the crew to activities.

For today’s post, I wanted to talk about Book of the Month since I’ve been using it for over a year now! A couple of years ago, I vowed to start reading three books per month, and it’s ended up being a realistic and attainable goal that’s brought more joy into my life. Book of the Month has been a huge part of that. It’s a monthly subscription that enables me to try out new books and authors, and I’m pumped to share more details about it with you.

*Note: this review is not sponsored and my membership is not gifted. If you’d like to use my referral link, you’ll get your first month for $5!

Is Book of the Month worth it?

(my fave hoodie in all the land)

What is Book of the Month?

Book of the Month is a monthly book subscription. You can select from a handful of new curated titles each month, or browse previous reader faves. If you don’t see something that you want to read, you can skip that month and resume the following month. I currently pay $16.97 per month and have read 14 books through my subscription.

They have BFF rewards along the way and you can earn rewards like pins, a book bag (I love mine!), birthday book, Book of the Year book, and a 20% discount in their online boutique.

Benefits of Book of the Month

You expand your reading horizons

The main reason I joined to Book of the Month was to try new authors and titles that I otherwise might not find. They provide a thorough synopsis for each book, and add excellent emoji descriptors for each option (like emotional, social issues, book length, decade, LOL, light read, slow build, quirky, rural, action-packed, non-linear timeline, supernatural, etc.)

I discovered some new favorite authors and all-time favorite

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

Hi friends! How are ya? Hope you’re enjoying the morning so far! We’re back from a super quick trip to San Diego to celebrate Max’s Bar Mitzvah. I wish we could have stayed longer (!), but we managed to do as many San Diego adventures (and eat as much as much amazing food) as possible. I’ll share some more pics and adventures in this week’s Friday Faves.

For today’s post, I’m sharing the books I read last month! I’ve been slacking a little bit on IHP studying, but managed to read five books in July. Sharing the goods (and not-so-good…) below! If there’s anything I need to add to my list this fall, please lmk!

(Suit is here. One of my faves!)

What I Read in July

The Alchemist

The Alchemist seemed to me like one of those books that “everyone has to read.” It’s received overwhelming positive reviews, is frequently recommended in my online book groups, and I appreciated it was rejected by various publishing houses before becoming a worldwide sensation. It reminds me of a fable, and is very short and easy to read. It’s based on the story of a shepard named Santiago who seeks out to find treasure and various characters and situations he encounters on the way. Despite obstacles during his journey, he remains dedicated to achieving his “Personal Legend.”

The Alchemist demonstrates that the journey can sometimes be more important that the destination, the importance of staying committed to our goals, and that our desired destination sometimes isn’t what we truly need or expect.  While I did enjoy the message behind the book, it’s not in my top five favorite books. I felt like I could have read the Cliff’s Notes synopsis and been completely satisfied. My rating: 6/10

From Amazon:

 Paulo Coelho’s enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world. This story, dazzling in its simplicity and wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an Alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles along the way But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a meditation on the treasures found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is art eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.

Read more

Sharing the book recap from June and if I’d recommend adding these to your list!

Hey friends! How are you? I hope you’re enjoying the morning so far! I’m off to an F45 class and am looking forward to taking the crew to see the new Minions movie later today. I also might get brave and post my first TikTok video (the first one feels like so much pressure!). I’d love to hear what you have going on!

For today’s post, I thought I’d share a recap of the books I read in June. One of these was an accidental re-read, one is a cookbook that’s destined to become a staple, and the other one was the most fun book I’ve read in a long time. Let’s get to it, shall we?

June book recap

1. Book Lovers by Emily Henry

If you’re looking for a cupcake of a book for summer (light, fluffy, sweet and satisfying), this is the one. It’s one of the most feel-good books I’ve read in a long time and I didn’t want it to end. I LIVED for the witty banter, the Sweet Home Alabama vibe to the whole situation, and the fact that while it was simple, it still had me fully intrigued and trying to figure out how it would end. 10/10 would recommend diving into this one this summer!

From Amazon:

Nora Stephens’ life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.

Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.

2. Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow

This cookbook, by Shalene Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky, includes so many mouthwatering and healthy recipes that are designed to be nutrient-dense, yet cooked quickly. These are the exact type of recipes I love to make on weeknights for the family, and there are so many new ideas and recipes in here. I’m so pumped to try these! I’ve been in a food rut for a while – I just feel sick of cooking and uninspired – and this made me excited to plan this week’s menu. We’re making Superhero Muffins, Power bowls with a green goddess tahini dressing, a frittata, and pesto pasta with sardines this week.

From Amazon:

Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow. is full of pre-run snacks,

Sharing the latest books I’ve read, if I’d recommend them, and what I’m reading currently. 

Hi friends! Happy Thursday! How’s the week been going? The girls have been over here swimming like little fish, and I’ve been trying to study and catch up on work stuff in between the summer adventures. I feel like summer is already going by wayyyy too quickly and can’t believe Father’s Day is this weekend! If you’re looking for last-minute gift ideas, check out this post. 

For today’s post, I wanted to share the latest book roundup. I always love to hear about what you’re reading, too, so please share your fave reads for summer (or ideas for vacation books!) in the comments section.

What I’ve read lately (June 2022)

The Good Left Undone

This book was a pick from Book of the Month, and while I thought it was beautifully-written, engrossing, and lovely… it wasn’t my fave. I tend to love multi-generational plot lines, but had high hopes for this one and was a bit disappointed. 7/10 would recommend.

Here’s the synopsis:

Matelda, the Cabrelli family’s matriarch, has always been brusque and opinionated. Now, as she faces the end of her life, she is determined to share a long-held secret with her family about her own mother’s great love story: with her childhood friend, Silvio, and with dashing Scottish sea captain John Lawrie McVicars, the father Matelda never knew….

In the halcyon past, Domenica Cabrelli thrives in the coastal town of Viareggio until her beloved home becomes unsafe when Italy teeters on the brink of World War II. Her journey takes her from the rocky shores of Marseille to the mystical beauty of Scotland to the dangers of wartime Liverpool—where Italian Scots are imprisoned without cause—as Domenica experiences love, loss, and grief while she longs for home. A hundred years later, her daughter, Matelda, and her granddaughter, Anina, face the same big questions about life and their family’s legacy, while Matelda contemplates what is worth fighting for. But Matelda is running out of time, and the two timelines intersect and weave together in unexpected and heartbreaking ways that lead the family to shocking revelations and, ultimately, redemption.

Dining with the Dead

The Pilot got this cookbook for me at the Hacienda del Sol gift shop after we enjoyed Sunday brunch. The author is from Mexico and the pages are filled with gorgeous color photographs and authentic Mexican recipes, including street food, desserts, moles, tamales, and salsas. It would make a gorgeous coffee table book, but I think the best spot is in the kitchen, well-used and covered in food splotches. I’ve only made one recipe