Book Reviews

Yesterday, I shared my secret for reading so many books via the Scribd app and shared a code for you to try it for 2 months free. You can read the post here or register with the code here. Today, here are the most recent books I have read and my thoughts for you. And as always TONS more reviews here. Finding Lilly by Rachel Del. PSA: I know someone who has officially published a book. WHAT?! Rachel's writing is very easy to read and the story is so compelling you will finish it in no time. This book is able to grasp the true uncomfortableness of interpersonal relationships and the difficulty and confusion that comes along with them. The main character is fierce and flawed at the same time, which is what makes her so relatable. There is more coming, as this is a series and Rachel is deep in the trenches of writing more. This book was a little outside of my normal reads, but I was just so excited to read something my friend wrote! This book is for you if you need a super quick read and are into romance and tangled webs of relationships. *adults onlyBig Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. I first listened to this on audio, she reads it and I loved her voice and felt like she was speaking directly to me. I loved it so much that I bought the actual book and am now reading it again. That is true love. This book could get its own whole post. I loved the way she described our relationship with inspiration as it is a living breathing soul of its own. I loved the encouragement to have a love affair with your creativity. And I loved her encouragement of curiosity. Ok, yes it certainly needs its own post. I cannot recommend it enough. This book is for you if you are a creative or are just curious and want to find something that you love. It is a quick read, it is helpful, informative, entertaining and will strike some lightening for you. Read this if you need direction in your creativity, are stuck or have already found your passion.I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman. I was enamored by this book as it tells both sides of the story: the side of the man who abducts and murders girls and the side of the girl who was abducted but got away. While telling their stories of the past, it also follows them presently as they reconnect as he is about to be sentenced to death. Intriguing and terrifying, this book raises so many questions of 'what would I have done' in certain situations. I loved the well roundedness of the story, but was a little disappointed with the ending to be honest, but I don't know why. It was a perfectly fine ending and brought closure to everything. Id love to know your thoughts if you read it. This book is for you if you like mystery and crime novels and would like to know what it's like inside the mind of people we define as 'monsters'.Building a Business ebook by Elise Joy and Maggie Whitley is such a treasure chest of knowledge, insight and ideas. This book is useful for all ranges of businesses from an intriguing story of how businesses are built and run to an idea generator for blog posts, shop items and newsletters, and third, to an in-depth, intense math lesson on how to price your products and create a sustainable business. The book is well-organized, thorough and applicable whether you have a creative business or are looking to grow your blog, newsletter or social media followings. While reading through it I was constantly grabbing for a pen to write down ideas and have come up with a full marketing and content plan for my newsletter and an upcoming ecourse while reading it. There are so many great ideas and helpful resources in this book that I will be coming back to over and over again. I have already recommended it to three different creative businesses owner friends who have asked for help with issues that are specifically addressed in the book. I cannot recommend it highly enough as there is so much great content for such an amazing price that will be long-lasting and applicable in so many scenarios. This book is for you if you have a small business or are looking to build one or you would like to grow your blog, social media or newsletters.The Collaborative Habit by Twyla Tharp. I think that her first book, The Creative Habit, may be my Bible of Creativity, so I'm biased. But, this book was an incredibly fast read and focuses on collaborations. What makes them work, how to choose you work with and how to evaluate yourself in them. She shares a lot of stories about working with famous dancers, composers and pop stars but the lessons are applicable to any work you do: Show up, give it everything you have, make a habit together and be flexible.This book is for you if you ever work with anyone else. So everyone. Particularly people who are in collaborations where you really have to trust and rely on another. Also, if you love stories about famous people.Room. Everyone is talking about this since the movie came out and its worth the hype, as is the movie. We all feel horrible when we read those trashy stories in magazines when real people really do get abducted, but we are insanely fascinated and can't stop. This is the perfect, guilt free read. It has all the ideas, details and glimpse into these terrifying experiences. But what I love most about this book is that it is told by the 5 year olds perspective who has never been outside of the shed where he is being held captive. The audio book is read in a child's voice and is beautiful. His life and the love his mother has created for him have so much joy and it will make you proud of the resiliency of humanity. I also love that it follow them through living in room, their escape (which you know happens but still put me totally on edge) and then their experience of meeting the world for the very first time. The author does a great job of introducing our everyday world from the first time ever perspective and it is amazing. I only wish the book went on for years and years and years so I can know where they are when Jack is all grown up and see how they have truly acclimated to the world again. This book is beautiful and heartbreaking and terrifying all at once. This book is for you if you would like a fresh perspective on meeting our wonderful world, need a reminder of what kind of magic a mother's love can work and are also mortally intrigued by the life of those oppressed and restricted from the world.Scary Close by Don Miller. Terrell and I listened to this together on our New Zealand road trip. I did not like the narrator's voice, I kept thinking he should be reading about Huck Finn. But! We both loved this book and it sparked some really great conversation. It is about relationships, the importance of getting your own life in order first, building a firm foundation for your relationship and constantly maintaining/evaluating/working on it. We are firm believers in getting help when you need it and truly reflecting on your life/relationship and working on it, especially when its hard. Don's work is always personal and engaging. (My other favorite by him is Blue Like Jazz)This book is for you if you are a human who knows other humans. Or you are in a relationship or want to be in a relationship. Seriously everyone should read it, especially those who want a real relationship and maybe need a push to do the real work of it.Wildflower by Drew Barrymore. This is one of my favorite books I have read in a long while. I listened on audio and she reads it and her voice warms my heart every time I hear it's honey. This is her autobiography and she is someone I have always been fascinated by because of her tumultuous, public and exotic childhood, which she explains some of. I probably cried 16 times while reading this,  mostly from the beautiful moments she shares. Its funny, very entertaining, insightful, raw in its honesty and encouraging.This book is for you if you like the behind the scenes looks into stars lives, love personal moments, like connecting how little moments grow us into who we are and are also betwixt by Drew's beauty, goofiness, regality and honesty.The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. I'm trying to give a fair review of this book. She's legit crazy, but her general methods work. Ok, now that we have that out there. Truly you only need to read chapter 2 of this book. The first is her background in tidying and the rest are tips like: how dare you leave a sponge out to dry or create a shrine. But! I loved the idea of handling each item you own and thinking if each item sparks joy, her order of how to tidy was very helpful, and I agree wholeheartedly with her main idea: a tidy home/space makes for a tidy mind, body and soul. I wanted to finish the book first and give myself a solid amount of time to actually follow through with the ideas. I'll let you know how it goes but I think the main areas I will tackle are my clothing, craft room and kitchen.This book is for you if you have no idea of where to start when it comes to cleaning/organizing your own and/or you need an extra dose of motivation to get you started.Next up: I Am Pilgrim (we are listening together and are 92% finished and we are completely obsessed), All the Light We Cannot See and The Last Winter of Dani Lancing.What are you reading? Ps. More book reports here and more on ScribD Here and the free code for you here.