One of a readers biggest woes is their TBR pile. There are so many books to read, and only so much time! I tend to fall down the rabbit hole of borrowing books from the library and never getting around to reading the books I already own! So I’ve been making a conscience effort this last little bit to NOT go looking for new books from the library, and instead tackle some of the books I’ve had sitting around here waiting for a while. As it turns out, I still seem to be reading the books that have been in the “to be read” pile the shortest amount of time. Next month I’ll have to force myself to read some that have been there for the longest.
I felt like this was a slow reading month, but looking back it wasn’t that bad at all. Of course two of the books were so short it’s almost a crime to call them a book, haha.
As usual, the links below are affilliate links for Amazon. If you make a purchase through a link the cost will be the exact same for you but I’ll earn a few cents.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – Ransom Riggs
I really had no idea what to think about this book before reading it, but two of my friends had read and enjoyed it so I gave it a whirl. It has all the things I normally love in a book. A little big of oddity, mystery and a “sort” of time travel element. In the end I am not sure the series has yet sucked me in, but I was interested enough to continue. This is one eception to my “no library books” rule as I’m on the waiting list for book 2 as book 3 is here sitting in my TBR pile. 😉
Manage Your Day-To-Day – Jocelyn Glei
I’m on a mission to get my daily work schedules sorted out so I don’t feel like I’m spinning my wheels so much. As a fitness instructor obviously the time I spend teaching is pretty locked in. I’m not looking to give up or add to my class schedule, so I can’t do much with those hours, but I can certainly streamline my office hours a lot better. This short little book was a great read in helping me to figure out a few ways I can get started in focusing on those projects I want to get done but always seem to be on the back burner.
I’m not saying I’m going to take over the world, but you know, I’m going to try to at least help some of it’s residence live a more relaxed, happier and healthier life. And to do that I need to get my work flows sorted!
One big take away – if it’s important to you to do, do it first.
The More of Less – Joshua Becker
I enjoy reading books on mimalilism because in many respects it echos a yogi’s lifestlye. This was another in that genre, nothing terribly new was discovered, but it reminded me once again just how great it is to be “attached” to fewer possesions and how much easier your day to day life can be when you aren’t drowning in your own stuff.
You Are A Badass At Making Money – Jen Sincero
I’d hear so much hype about this book I felt like reading it was going to be life changing. But it wasn’t. I enjoyed it, and I’m glad I bought it to have as a reference book and one to return to when I need some inspiration, but I found it to be a lot more of the same as found in many other books I’ve read. I feel like I am likely further along in a journey of self discovery than the average person. Yoga training will do that to you, so don’t take this as a negative review at all – I still really enjoyed it, but got less out of it than maybe others have…
What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast – Laura Vanderkam
According to this book I’m never going to be successful because I’m not going to start getting up at 5 or 6 am to do a bunch of work before my “work day” begins. This was a super duper short read, and had some great takeaways, even for those who aren’t interested in a super early wake-up call just for the sake of getting up super early. The truth is – I need my sleep. Very few people would ever guess I have so many chronic health issues by seeing me on a daily basis, but the one telltale sign is that I simply cannot function if I don’t get enough sleep. So while I might not be putting the info in this book totally to use, there were still some good tidbits!
Veronica Mars: The Thousand Dollar Tan-Line – Rob Thomas
Loved it! We watched the entire Veronica Mars series and then movie this summer and since this book takes place after the movie I waited until we’d finished everything to read it. If you are a Veronica Mars fan you’ll like these books. They were written by Rob Thomas who wrote the show and movie so the book reads like the show. The charaters talk the same, act the same, and it’s just fantastic!
Discovering Your Optimum Happiness Index – Errol Gibbs
*this book was given to me by the publisher for review
This was a pretty heavy read to get into after Veronica Mars. It was a lot more analytical and research based than I had expected. Anyone picking this book up shouldn’t expect to read it cover to cover, I think it’s a better title to pick away at little by little. The second half or so of the book is broken down into quizzes you can take yourself to see where you should start making changes to improve your OHI, and I’m happy to report that while I gripe and complain like everyone else, it turns out I’m actually a pretty happy person. So yay me! haha
Veronica Mars: Mr Kiss And Tell – Rob Thomas
Loved it. And pretty much they could publish 100 of thes books and I’d probably read them. I’m a fan.
Harry Potter & The Order of the Pheonix – JK Rowling
Speaking of being a fan…I’m continuing my audiobook journey back through the entire Harry Potter series, and I can’t tell you how often I find myself muttering to myself about how amazing this series it. JK Rowling, you are my hero. And Jim Dale is amazing as the narrator. And I’m throughly enjoying re-watching each movie as I finsh the books. The whole thing is just a delight.
I’m slightled afraid I’m going to be publically outed for this review. For those not familiar with Ami McKay, she lives here in NS, more spcifically right here in the Kings County. This book is set right here in rural Nova Scotia during the first World War and follows a young girl named Dora Rare. I don’t know, I want to like it, I don’t DISlike it, but I certianly don’t love it either. In fact, even upon finishing the book just in the last 24 hours I had to look up the main character’s name because I couldn’t remember it. And I have an amazing memory for details in books and movies. Something about this book just didn’t catch me or draw me in. While on paper it sounds like it should be my cup of tea, it just really wasn’t.
I did enjoy that there was a Rev. Claude Pineo in the book though (Pineo is my maiden name).
And that’s a wrap on this month’s trip through my TBR pile. At last count there are still over 25 books in that pile (and let’s not talk about the unread e-books sitting in my kindle account), so I expect this project will keep me going for a few more months yet!
What about you? Have you read any of these books? If so what did you think?
Have you read any good books this month that I should add to my TBR pile (once I get through what’s already there)?