I haven’t been on the computer much since the start of the year because I have been feeling a bit under the weather and every time I start to feel a little better, it seems that I get hit with something else. All of the downtime has been hard but one of the (only) advantages of being sick is the forced rest allows for plenty of time to read. I have a list about a mile long of all of the books that I have been meaning to get around to reading and here are four of the books gracing my nightstand right now:
- Pretty Happy: Healthy Ways to Love Your Body by Kate Hudson
– I am a sucker for celebrity lifestyle books. I eat them up largely because they are like reading a really long magazine and who doesn’t love to curl up with a good magazine every now and again? I have only flipped through the pictures and read the introduction so far, but it is off to a good start. Kate tends to be a little more New Age-y than what I am into, but hopefully there will be some useful tips along the way. Regardless, the book is beautiful.
- Cravings: Recipes for All the Food You Want to Eat by Chrissy Teigen
– I adore Chrissy Teigen and think that she is hilarious. I started following her on Instagram because of all of the delicious looking food she was constantly posting (and because I seriously laugh out loud at most of her captions). I was so excited when her cookbook was announced and its arrival did not disappoint. I had never actually laughed out loud while reading a cookbook before this one. I am actually excited to read a cookbook from cover to cover, which is extremely rare. I haven’t tried any of the recipes yet, but if the ingredients are any indication, I am in for a real treat. If the cookbook alone isn’t enough for you, you can always check out more at Teigen’s awesome website Delushious.
- Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod by Gary Paulsen
– I read Hatchet by Gary Paulsen not long ago after several guys told me that it was their all-time favorite book growing up. I thought that the boys might be interested and I wanted to read it and see if I thought they were ready to tackle the story. I ended up falling in love with Paulsen’s writing style. I was telling my mom about the book and she said that he had written one of her favorite books, Winterdance. She loaned me her copy and I’m about halfway through and I’m already feeling sad that the book has to end. I am loving every part of it even though I have absolutely no desire to ever have anything to do with dogsleds or running the Iditarod. It’s still fun to read about it and Paulsen is a great story teller.
- Snobs by Julian Fellowes
– As huge fan of Downton Abbey and a total Anglophile, I am absolutely delighted by Julian Fellowes’ novel, Snobs. Fellowes writes, “The English, of all classes as it happens, are addicted to exclusivity. Leave three Englishmen in a room and they will invent a rule that prevents a fourth joining them.” This book gives us a glimpse into the lives of the English aristocracy (and those who desperately want to be a part of it) during the 1990s. It is amusing watching the characters navigate stringent unwritten social rules and rituals. It is full of subtle wit and pop culture references that anyone who remembers the 90s will appreciate. It reminds me of a modern day Jane Austin novel and I am already looking forward to reading more of Fellowes’ works.