Eight Books I Read in May and June

Hey there, book friends! Life has been a bit crazy, and I missed the linkup last month, so I have eight books to share this month. The best part is I’ve read so many good books lately. I don’t know if I’ve been more selective about what I’m reading since I don’t have as much time to read, or I’ve just lucked out, but I couldn’t wait to share these books with y’all!

The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth 
(c/o NetGalley)
I love Sally Hepworth, and while this book is a bit of a departure from her other books, I still enjoyed it. It reminded me a bit of Liane Moriarty's Big, Little Lies. Honestly, I didn't really care for the two side stories, but the main plot line was really interesting. Overall, it was a good read.

Lady Be Good by Amber Brock
(c/o NetGalley)
I had high hopes for this book because I really enjoyed Amber Brock's A Fine Imitation, but it fell flat for me. It had no real plot, especially for the first half, and Kitty was a bit annoying. It also felt really long when it was actually less than 300 pages. The second half redeemed it a little for me, but it was still not a favorite read.

Seeing Red by Sandra Brown
(c/o NetGalley)
This is my second Sandra Brown book, and I liked this one even more than the first one. Sandra Brown is just so good at mixing a thriller with romance. The plot was interesting, and it was full of great twists. I was honestly sad to see it end! I'll definitely be reading more Sandra Brown in the future.

A Vicarage Reunion by Kate Hewitt
(c/o NetGalley)
I wanted to love this book as much as I loved the first one, but it really dragged in the middle for me (which is saying a lot for a book that's less than 300 pages!). I did like the story overall, though, and I'm definitely going to read the next one in the series.

Our House by Louise Candlish
(c/o Penguin First to Read)
This thriller was SO good. It grabbed me right away, and if I could have, I would have definitely read it in one sitting. The twists were done well, and the plot was unique. I have been not impressed with many thrillers lately because it feels like they're all the same, so it was refreshing to read this book! The only reason it's not five stars for me is I feel like Bram could have been a little more developed.

Us Against You by Fredrik Backman
(c/o NetGalley)
I'm always nervous about reading a sequel to a book I really liked, but Us Against You delivered. The writing was so beautiful, and the emotion is raw. This book is about so much more than just hockey- it's about politics, relationships, and resilience. It's a must read.

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
(c/o NetGalley)
This is the best women's fiction book I have read in a long time. It was almost as good as Swear on This Life, which is saying a lot for me. It sucked me in from the very beginning, and my pre-baby self would have probably finished it in one sitting. Even now, I was reading it as much as I could. The emotions were so well done, and the past-present format worked great in this case. Usually, I like either the past or present more, but I was eager to read both sides of the story. This was my first book from Christina Lauren, but it definitely won't be my last.

Need to Know by Karen Cleveland
(c/o NetGalley)
What a fast-paced thriller! This one really kept me on the edge of my seat. I literally felt sick for the main character as she made some impossible decisions. I LOVED it until the epilogue. I honestly wish it wasn't there. I had guessed that it would go in that direction, but I was hoping it wouldn't. That's all I'm going to say about that, so I don't give anything away, but it was still a fantastic book overall!

Favorite reads in May and June: Seeing Red, Our House, Us Against You, and Love and Other Words

Linking up with Steph & Jana.

I love book suggestions. What have you read lately?

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Let’s Have a Coffee Date: It’s Been a While, Let’s Catch Up!

Hey friends,

I skipped blogging for most of May and all of June, and it felt really strange. I opened up my blog quite a few times and wrote several halves of blog posts, but I just didn’t have the energy to finish a post. I’ve been wanting to share about a million things with y’all, though, so I figured it was time for a coffee date!

Chris is officially done with the hardest year of residency so far! Of course, his medical new year starts with a month of nights, but he will have some free weekends soon! He’s worked almost every weekend since February, so we are super excited. It’s hard to believe we are finally halfway through training. He has two more years of residency and one more year of fellowship left.

Can I just say how proud I am of Chris for how he handled this year? It just hasn’t been easy-many nights and almost no weekends, all while getting barely any sleep. I know he’s a little sad about how much he has had to miss Anthony grow, but it has really made the times we did have together even sweeter.

We decided to book a quick getaway for our birthdays! We found a nice cabin with a scenic view about five hours away, so it will be our first long road trip with Anthony. Fingers crossed he does well! I can’t wait for a little change of scenery.

Speaking of change of scenery, I can’t believe we are so close to our four weeks in DC! I’m a little nervous because it’ll be Anthony’s first flight (we decided against a 20-hour road trip), and he’s super active these days, so I have no idea how it will go. I’m excited to go on some weekend adventures with Christopher and Anthony, though! I’ve never been to DC, so if you have favorite places there, let me know.

Photo by Brittnie Renee Photography

Speaking of Anthony, he is crawling all over the place now, and it’s definitely a whole new ball game! I am getting a workout every day while chasing him. I’m planning to write an update soon, but this month with Anthony has been so much fun! It’s amazing to me how much he has learned. I’ve mentioned about a million times that I think Anthony is just not a great sleeper, and that’s still true. He has never slept through the night, though most nights we are down to two wakeups, so I’ll take it. He’s also had a hard time with naps lately. I’m trying to see how I can adjust his schedule, so he gets a little more rest!

I don’t have much time to read these days, but everything I have read lately has been really good! I missed last month’s book day, so I can’t wait to share my reads from the last two months next week!

Linking up with Kristen for What’s New With You?

Three Books I Read in April

Well, it looks like three books a month is the magic number right now. We spent most of April packing, moving, and unpacking, so I was glad to get even a little reading done. The good news is I liked all three reads, and I’m excited to share them with y’all.

The Holiday Cottage by the Sea by Holly Martin 
(c/o NetGalley)
Holly Martin is one of my favorite chick lit authors. The romance is sweet, and the beautiful sea village settings are always lovely. This one isn't one of my favorites of hers-I think it got a little repetitive-but I still enjoyed it and will read the next book in the series!

The House Swap by Rebecca Fleet 
(c/o Penguin First to Read)
It took me a while to get into this book. I don't think it's fair to call it a thriller-it's more of a drama. The plot was unique, though, and I really liked the second half of the book. The emotions were powerful and written so well. I wish the first half was a little shorter, but overall, it was a good read.

How to Walk Away by Katherine Center 
(c/o NetGalley)
This book really sucks you in. I would have definitely finished it in one sitting if that was possible. It's heartbreaking but beautiful. The plot is predictable, but it doesn't matter because the beauty in this book is how Margaret gets to the ending. I also loved how it is written as a reflection on past events-I think it really added depth to the story. This was my first Katherine Center book, but it won't be my last!

Favorite read in April: How to Walk Away

Linking up with Steph & Jana.

I love book suggestions. What have you read lately?

Anthony Update: Months Five and Six

Well, friends, move number eight in eight years of marriage is in the books! Our place is slowly starting to look more like a home, though I’m definitely taking my time with unpacking this time around compared to usual. I started to write a life update, but it felt like all I was doing was complaining because I’m having a hard time getting used to this new place and am really missing our old apartment. I think that life update will have to wait until I’m a bit further removed from the move. Instead, I thought I would share more about Anthony!

General Thoughts
I don’t even know how it’s possible that my baby is already six months. Everything they say about how fast time goes when you become a mother is true. These last few months have been so much fun with all the giggles and learning!

Who Does Anthony Look Like?
I debated on whether to leave this question or not this time because I don't really have a good answer, but I think it’ll be fun to remember all the changes in his appearance. The major developments on the looks front is I think Anthony’s eyes are turning green! When I’ve looked at him on a sunny day, I can see a hint of green, and other people have started to mention the same thing to me. Chris and I both have green eyes, so I’m excited that Anthony might have them, too. He also has quite a bit more hair, but it’s hard to tell because it’s mostly blonde!

Nicknames
We are a nickname family. I have about a million nicknames for Chris and Skyler, and Anthony now has a bunch, too. The ones used most often are Tosha (his Russian nickname), Buddy Bear, and Little A.

Milestones
So many fun things have happened over the last two months, but the biggest milestone is we gave Anthony solids on his six-month birthday, and he absolutely loves everything he has tried! So far we have stuck with veggies, and Anthony has eaten sweet potato (his first food), peas, and carrots. I was pretty surprised because he actually ate everything we gave him the first day we tried (and would have kept eating and eating). I thought he would spit it out and there would be a big mess, but he made basically no mess. Anthony is also a huge talker and loves making new sounds.

Firsts
Anthony was a trooper during his first move! Knowing us, it’s one of many, so I was glad to see it didn’t affect him much.

Sleep
At this point I’ve come to terms with the fact that Anthony just isn’t a good sleeper. He has never slept through the night, and until recently, he would wake up about every two hours. Now he will sometimes sleep three to four hours straight for the first two cycles and then wake up every hour towards the morning. In general, he takes really good naps, though. His morning and afternoon nap are usually an hour or two, so if he’s had an especially rough night, I’ll take some time to sleep. He does still sleep in our room in a pack and play, and I am considering transitioning him to his crib to see if he does better.

Anthony on Easter

Eating
I made it to six months exclusively breastfeeding! It hasn’t been the easiest journey (I might share more of it with y’all at some point), but I am proud we’re at the halfway goal. Anthony currently eats about every three hours during the day. Like I mentioned above, we are also slowly starting to introduce solids. Last Friday we went out to eat with Chris’s parents, and when his dad sat Anthony at the table, he started mimicking chewing and showing us he also wanted to eat some dinner! We were cracking up that he knew that’s what we were about to do.

Likes
Anthony basically likes everything. Chris and I always say we’ll take the difficult nights because Anthony is such a great baby during the day and very rarely fusses. He has recently started enjoying his jumper and really loves playing on the floor. He also always wants to reach out and pet Skyler, but she mostly prefers to ignore him. Musical toys are still his favorites, along with anything that rattles. I’m hoping to get my act together and write a post about all of our favorite things from zero to six months in case it helps someone (and so that I have it for future reference!).

Dislikes
Like I said, Anthony doesn’t really have a lot of things he dislikes. Tummy time hasn’t been a favorite lately because all he wants to do is roll from his tummy to his back. I guess I could also include sleep in this category, too.

I’ve been trying as hard as I can to soak in these sweet moments with Anthony. I know soon he will be mobile, and I’ll miss these days of early morning chats and giggles and hours of floor play. Motherhood is strange in that I love that he is so cute and little right now, but I am also so excited for all the new things he’s going to learn.

Three Books I Read in March

Hey, friends! I had no idea I wouldn't be back on my blog until it was time for another book post, but that's just this season of life. We just can't seem to get anywhere with sleep, Chris is working over 12 hours a day (including weekends), and we're moving next week. Life is good, but it's all kinds of crazy, so I haven't had the time to write or read much. I'm really hoping I can find more time to do both once the dust settles, but I'm not really pressuring myself anymore. I did manage to read three books, and I liked them all, so I'm excited to share them with y'all.

I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman 
(c/o First to Read)
Gayle Forman knows how to write a beautiful story. This is a book of three teenagers who have lost their way, but their lives are changed after a chance meeting. It's heartbreaking, emotional, and the characters are so well written. If you enjoy YA, this one is worth picking up.

The Girl I Used to Be by Mary Torjussen 
(c/o First to Read)
I had a hard time getting into this book at first. Something about the writing just really bothered me. About halfway through the book, I started to really like it. I actually guessed a few of the twists (though I thought I was likely wrong, ha!), but there were still many things that surprised me. I thought the ending was done well and interesting. I will be reading more Mary Torjussen books in the future!

Note: Can I just say it's always my reviews that say something about me disliking the author's writing that get liked by the author. I always feel a little embarrassed that I was so critical when that happens!

The Recipe Box by Viola Shipman 
(c/o NetGalley)
I was in the mood for a feel-good story, and I knew what I was getting with a Viola Shipman novel. I think it's so interesting it's written by a man using his grandmother's name. This is a sweet story about generations of women who have worked hard to build up an orchard in Suttons Bay, Michigan. The story centers around the granddaughter, who is torn between baking in New York and being with her family. It does bother me that the author inserts an insane amount of random facts about Michigan into his stories (though I like some of them!), but overall, it was exactly what I needed after reading too many thrillers and depressing stories.

Favorite read in March: I Have Lost My Way

Linking up with Steph & Jana.

I love book suggestions. What have you read lately?

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