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My Recent Reads – April 2020 Reading Recommendations
If you’re looking for book recommendations, welcome my fellow bookworms! Now’s the perfect time to get in some reading and discover new books to add to your TBR stack. Here are mini book reviews of some of my favorite recent reads.
This post’s collection includes two of my favorite books I’ve read recently, two that creeped me out more than expected, and two others that I enjoyed for their insightfulness and practicality.
If you’ve been following my blog posts recently, you know how excited I am about spring arriving. I love when the weather starts to get warmer because warm weather helps my health conditions and symptoms ease up a little. It’s been especially nice to get outside while much of the world is staying at home in quarantine.
I’ve been sitting outside, walking around a little bit, and taking photos of flowers that are starting to pop up around the yard. It’s kind of like a treasure hunt, or Easter egg hunt. I kind of feel the same way when I discover a book I love—like I’m the first person to find that particular blossom. So here are the not-so-hidden gems I’m excited about in the literary world. I hope the comfort of curling up with a good book helps you during these crazy times.
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My Reading Goals For 2020
Setting achievable goals has been a helpful tool for me to gain a sense of accomplishment despite chronic illness. It’s a healthy way to push back against the limitations imposed by my health (or lack therefore). Dysautonomia, fibromyalgia, ME/CFS and my other conditions may try to stop me, but I’m going to keep learning and pursuing my love for reading!
I really enjoyed setting reading goals for the first time last year, so I’m going to continue to challenge myself again this year. (My natural inclination would be to read a lot of fantasy, historical fiction, and young adult fiction, but I like stretching outside my favorite genres.)
I hope this inspires you to set manageable, fun goals for yourself in the new year. Happy reading!
Here are the reading goals I’m setting for myself this year.
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My Recent Reads – December 2019
Looking for book recommendations? Here are mini reviews of some of my favorite recent reads!
One thing I do love about the colder weather is that it’s the perfect time to curl up with a book. I’m writing this post a couple weeks before Christmas—I hope you all had a wonderful time celebrating! In the days after Christmas, I hope you are able to have time to relax, maybe with a new book, or maybe dreaming of a new book you can get with a gift card that appeared under your tree. I know it can be tempting to slip back into hustle and bustle, but I’m reminding myself to pause and slow down, not letting the peace of the Christmas season slip away. I invite you to do the same as the year draws to a close.
(Also, here’s an update on how I did with my reading goals this year, as well as tips for setting your own goals.)
Here are some of the books that I’ve most enjoyed and have recommended to my friends. I hope you enjoy these suggestions!
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My Recent Reads – October 2019
So I took an unplanned, monthlong break from my blog in September, and I did A LOT of reading. I went through a bit of a health scare including an autoimmune fever that lasted 16 days (that is a loooong time to feel like your brain is cooking!) and concern that my cancer had returned. I’m very thankful that it looks like a false alarm and I am still cancer free! Praise God! I’m very glad to be back to blogging now that my body’s alarm bells have chilled out.
As the weather starts to get cooler (which is always a rough transition due to my fibromyalgia, asthma, etc.), it’s the perfect time to curl up with a book.
Here are some of the books I’ve read recently, and what I thought of them. I’ve decided that for now, I’ll just share books that I’ve enjoyed or would recommend to a friend. I hope you enjoy these suggestions!
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Interesting Around the Web – August 2019
Hello readers, I have rounded up some interesting articles and posts from around the web!
I’ve been taking it easy after a trip to a museum totally wiped me out for a week, so it’s been fun to discover interesting reads online to keep me occupied. I also got to contribute a quote to another blogger about how important to advocate for yourself when doctors are dismissive or misdiagnose you (one time a doctor told me I didn’t have asthma… when I clearly do and have since birth!) I was also delighted to discover that another blogger read my latest My List of Little Joys posts and was inspired to write a post of her own on that theme.
I hope you all enjoy these links and have a wonderful Labor Day weekend!
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My Recent Reads – July 2019
Looking for book recommendations? I’ve been wanting to write this style post for awhile now, so without further ado, here are some of the books I’ve read recently, and what I thought of them. I’ve decided that for now, I’ll just share books that I’ve enjoyed or would recommend to a friend. I hope you enjoy these suggestions!
I was in a bit of a reading rut up until about a month ago, and as anyone else who loves to read knows, there’s nothing more frustrating than being unable to find a good book to dive into!
Part of the cause of my reading rut was how exhausted I’ve been—brain fog is not helpful when you’re trying to find books. My ability to make decisions has been fried. Another problem? It seemed no matter what book I put on hold at the library, the wait time was 2-6 weeks. I know that’s not long, and I love my library, but sometimes you need a book now!
So if you’re in a similar spot, here are some books that I hope you’ll enjoy. I have mishmash of classic, fantasy, memoir, fairy tale, historical, and literary books for you to choose from.
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My Favorite Nonfiction Books From 2018
The nonfiction books I read this year are a bit of a strange mashup—historical figures, devotionals, and…design inspiration. Despite the odd mix, I think you’ll really enjoy these books.
Any time I recommend a nonfiction book, you know I liked it a lot, because I actually finished it instead of turning to my first love: fiction!
I hope you find some great inspiration and learn something new from these books.
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My Favorite Fiction Books From 2018
I have some fun reading suggestions for you! I’ve been going through my reading journal from 2018 and picking out which fiction books I most enjoyed.
Not surprisingly, there are quite a few fairy tale retellings on here, and some YA titles I adored. I also stretched myself to read a genre I normally don’t. (Mystery!)
When I tallied my 2018 books, I felt a little bummed out that I read fewer books than last year, until I reminded myself that quality is better than quantity. I’ve gotten better at putting books aside if I’m not enjoying them, something that has been hard for me in the past. (Can anyone relate?)
I also realized that brain fog has frequently made me indecisive when I’m trying to decide what to read. Recognizing this has helped me—I thought for awhile that maybe I was losing my love of reading (gasp!) but now I know it’s just a side effect of chronic illness. I’m hoping my reading goals for this year will help me spend less time deciding what to read, and more time enjoying reading. I hope my suggestions help you too as you decide what books to dive into!
