Eleven Books I Read in December

Hello, friends. I’m honestly not sure how I’m managing to blog today, but I wanted to maintain some feeling of normalcy. On Saturday night, I got one of those phone calls that brings you to your knees. My best friend’s mom, who was like a second mom to me, had suddenly passed away. I was able to pick my best friend and her fiancé up from the airport on Sunday and spend the day and remember her beautiful, kind mother. Life is precious, y’all. Treasure every moment.

There’s no good way to transition from that, but I do want to share a little about the books I read in December and early January. Honestly, I had no idea I had read 11 books. I felt like I had trouble getting into several of the books I read, but I guess I read enough books in a day to balance it out. I want to try to continue my momentum from last year, but I don’t think I’ll have as much time, so my goal is to read 100 books this year. I’m also participating in Erin’s Book Challenge for the first time. I’ll share more about my books in my January post, but so far I have read two books for the challenge.

Since She Went Away by David Bell
(c/o NetGalley)
I loved David Bell's Somebody I Used to Know. It was one of my favorite reads in 2015. Unfortunately, Since She Went Away fell short for me. It started off promising, but it really dragged in the middle. I got to the point where I didn't really care what happened-I just wanted to get to the end of the book. Plus, the big reveal wasn't surprising at all. Also, part of the plot wasn't resolved, which just felt odd.

The Girl Before by J.P. Delaney
(c/o NetGalley)
I've mentioned before I think the best kind of thrillers are the kinds that you can't say much about without spoiling it. This thriller is GOOD. It's insanely twisted and just when you think you know what's going on the author says HAHA and throws another plot twist. It alternates from the girl before (Emma) who was killed in the house the current girl (Jane) is renting. There were a few uncomfortable moments, but the ending really sealed the deal for me. If you love thrillers, you have to get your hands on this one!

P.S.-This one was so good it made my list of the best books I read in 2016!

Faithful by Alice Hoffman
(c/o NetGalley)
This is a beautiful story of a young teenager's journey to healing and forgiveness after her best friend ends up in a coma while she was driving. It's a coming of age novel filled with hope. For me, this book was perfect timing and something I really needed to read.

One Christmas in Paris by Mandy Baggot
(c/o NetGalley)
I love reading feel good Christmas stories this time of year, and this one worked great for that. It was a little long and felt slow at times (and I was super annoyed that the main character's best friend Debs said "totes" all the time), but overall, it was a nice Christmas read.

Indelible by Adelia Saunders
(c/o NetGalley)
I almost didn't finish this book. The only thing that kept me going is I was slightly curious about the ending (and I do think it ended well). I don't think the book really fits the description. I thought it would be way more about Magdalena's gift, but that felt like a small part of the story. Honestly, I was mostly bored and had a hard time caring about the characters.

City on Edge by Stephanie Pintoff
(c/o NetGalley)
This book is part of a detective series featuring Eve Rossi, but it works as a standalone novel. Overall, this was a great detective novel. I do think there were too many points of view and I didn't love the big reveal, but I liked Eve Rossi, so I would definitely read the next one in the series.

In Twenty Years by Allison Winn Scotch
(c/o NetGalley)
This book surprised me. It started off a little boring, but it turned into a beautiful story of friends who let one mistake turn into a grudge that ruined their friendship. Now, per the request of their friend who passed away, they return to the house where their friendship was strong 20 years earlier. It's a story of forgiveness and finding yourself that resonated with me.

The Trap by Melanie Raabe
(c/o NetGalley)
This book wasn't really a thriller. It started out really slow, and I wasn't sure if I would like it. Instead of a thriller, I saw this more of a story of dealing with grief. It turned into a really good read, but I think it lacked suspense.

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon 
(c/o Blogging for Books) 
Wow, Nicola Yoon is an amazing writer. Her book Everything, Everything was one of my favorite reads of 2015. I didn't like the characters in this one as much, but I still thought it was a fantastic read. You really get to know Natasha and Daniel through the course of their day together. I loved all the little facts thrown in and the writing style overall. This is a YA read that feels more mature. I know I will definitely be picking up anything else Nicola Yoon writes!

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood 
(c/o NetGalley) 
This was a beautiful, unconventional love story. It's definitely controversial, but I think the author wrote it in a way that works. I really liked Wavy as a character. This story is so well written that I think even those who are disgusted by the age difference between the characters can appreciate the author's telling of the story.

A Twist in Time by Julie McElwain
(c/o NetGalley)
I really liked the first Kendra Donovan book, but I didn't like this one as much. Honestly, it was mostly because I was insanely bothered by how many times Kendra mentioned how women have no say in the Regency period. I'm not exaggerating when I say it was over 50 times. Anyways, I got more into the story towards the end and thought the ending was interesting, but overall, I preferred the first book.

Favorite reads in December: The Girl Before, Faithful, In Twenty Years, and All the Ugly and Wonderful Things. 

Linking up with Steph & Jana.

I love book suggestions. What have you read lately?

My Word for 2017

I have never had a word for a year before this year. Honestly, I probably wouldn’t this year either, but this word has been stuck in my head since early December, and I think it is perfect for 2017.

I have always tried to be as honest and transparent as possible on this blog, but what I haven’t shared yet is that over the last month, I’ve had a major case of the holiday blues. It’s no secret that 2016 was hard, but I thought adjusting to life after surgery would be easier. I am super goal oriented, so being realistic and telling myself it’s OK I didn’t meet all my goals for 2016 was tough. Now that 2017 has started, I’m ready to put those negative thoughts away and start the year off on a new page. I love that this is a new year, and I can start out fresh. I can say my surgery was last year now.

That said, my word for 2017 is hope. Starting out 2017, I have so much hope that this year will be so much better than the last. I’m hopeful about our plans (more on that later) and about what the future holds for us. Last year, I wrote about the three goals I have for every year, and those will never change. Obviously, I’ve struggled a bit with the “stay positive” goal, but that’s slowly changing.

So here’s to hope. Let’s do this, 2017.

A Year in Review: 2016 Highlights (Part Two)

Happy 2017, friends! These last few weeks have been both wonderful and crazy, but I am feeling refreshed and eager to get back into blogging regularly. I have so many travel posts I want to share, and I’m excited to tell y’all about our travel plans for this year! I feel like I am not being fair to 2016 if I don’t finish recapping the year, so today is all about the second half of 2016!

July

Most Popular Blog Post: Health Update: A Surgery Date 

July was filled with preparing for surgery and recovering from surgery. It was a month filled with hope, prayer, and lots of nerves. My surgery was on July 20, and I got discharged (probably a day too early) on my birthday, July 23! The rest of the month was spent in the early stages of recovering.

August

Most Popular Blog Posts: Life Update: A Successful Surgery, Health Update: A Minor Setback, and What Is the Best Deep Dish Pizza in Chicago? 

August was almost harder than all the other months before it. At first I spent it recovering from surgery, but pretty soon the pain from my stent became worse than the pain I had before surgery. I was so exhausted and frustrated when I went to my urology appointment, and he told me I would have to keep the stent in for a longer period of time. Still, I managed to have one of the best weekends I had had in a long time towards the end of the month that included a great musical, sushi, and Sprinkles cupcakes.

September

Most Popular Blog Posts: It’s Procedure Day, Health Update: Post Procedure, and Nine Years

I was so thankful and amazed when I felt instant relief after my procedure! I was even able to go to a friend’s 30th birthday party and play Top Golf the next day. It was so amazing to feel well after so many difficult months. September turned into a fun month, filled with a blogger meetup, birthday parties, brunches, and even a conference with other doctors’ wives!

Click here for a full recap of September. 

October

Most Popular Blog Post: European Train Travel Tips 

October is my favorite month of the year, and this year, it didn’t disappoint! Chris and I went on our first vacation since I got sick to the Smoky Mountains! I loved seeing all the stunning scenery, and it felt amazing to be able to hike the trails. I haven’t started recapping that trip yet, but I can’t wait to share it with y’all! When we got home, we went on a double date to the State Fair of Texas. It’s one of my favorite parts of October, and we had such a great time.

November

Most Popular Blog Posts: ICE! at the Gaylord Texan: Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town and Seven Things You Must Do in Chicago During the Holiday Season 

November was filled with great food, family and friends! We loved spending time with other residents in Christopher’s class and had a wonderful time at Thanksgiving with all my Red Army girls. We enjoyed spending a few days with my in-laws and brother-in-law and future sister-in-law over Thanksgiving as well. One of my favorite parts of November was going to ICE! with Chris and my in-laws. The ice sculptures are always incredible to see.

Click here for a full recap of November. 

December

Most Popular Blog Posts: A Waco Weekend, Five Favorite Hashtags for Bloggers, and Best Books I Read in 2016 

Chris and I loved heading to Waco with my in laws on the first weekend in December to watch the Baylor basketball team. The rest of the month was filled with all things Christmas-several Christmas parties, driving around and looking at Christmas lights, and spending as much time as possible with family! Chris got lucky this year and had four days off around the holidays, so we loved getting to spend it with family. We always treasure when he has holidays off because we never know when he will have to work!

What are you looking most forward to in 2017?

A Year in Review: 2016 Highlights (Part One)

2016 was a tough year. It’s no secret that overall, it was the hardest year of my life. Still, there was so much good in this year, and I want to remember it. I love doing the year recaps every year (here is 2015 part one and part two and 2014 part one, part two, part three, and part four), so I was looking forward to doing one in 2016.

January

Most Popular Blog Post: Ten Best Books I Read in 2015

We kicked off the new year by celebrating New Year’s Eve with my parents and friends in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Chris had to leave the next day, but I spent an extra day with my family. Then, my parents drove me to Chicago, and I spent an afternoon showing them some of my favorite places in the city.

Another January highlight was my Christmas present-tickets to the Potted Potter! We had the best date night watching the show and eating at Cheesecake Factory.

Click here for a full recap of January in Chicago.

February

Most Popular Blog Post: Stunning Sea Views on the Via dell’Amore in Cinque Terre, Italy 

Chris had to work on Valentine’s Day, but he still made it special with a sweet message from the dog park while he was walking Skyler. We went to Bohemian House on the Monday after Valentine’s Day to celebrate. It was so delicious and ended up being one of my favorite meals in Chicago.

February was filled with lots of great restaurant and a gorgeous walk on a 50-degree day.

Click here for a full recap of February in Chicago. 

March

Most Popular Blog Post: Quick Trip: 24 Hours in Strasbourg, France

March was such a fun month! After Chris got off work on St. Patrick’s Day weekend, we headed to the Chicago River to see it turn green. It was a blast, and I highly recommend visiting Chicago during St. Patrick’s Day.

March was also a great month of visitors. I had such a fun time with my Red Army girls on our reunion weekend. I loved showing them the city! Then, my in laws came into town for Easter weekend. I loved going out of town with them for a day trip, so they could see more of Illinois.

Click here for a full recap of March in Chicago. 

April 

Most Popular Blog Post: California Road Trip: Hearst Castle Upstairs Suites Tour and Roman Pool

I realized there was something wrong with me in early February, but I wasn’t able to get an appointment until April. By April, I was having a hard time moving, so we weren’t able to explore as much. Still, I had a blast taking photos with Christopher to remember our time in Chicago, eating at Smoque, and enjoying the NFL Draft Town festivities.

Click here for a full recap of April in Chicago. 

May

Most Popular Blog Posts: The Hardest Post I’ve Ever Written, Best Things to Do in Vegas if You Don’t Gamble or Drink, and California Road Trip: Pacific Coast Highway Tips

In May, I was determined to not let being sick ruin my last full month in Chicago. By that time, Chris and I really missed Russian food, so we loved going to Russian Tea Time and meeting friends at a Ukrainian restaurant called Shokolad.

On Mother’s Day, we went to our first Cubs game ever at Wrigley Field! I have been joking with friends that they won the World Series this year because we are lucky charms. Haha.

Of course, I can’t write a short recap of our month without mentioning the Gelato World Tour. It was so neat to go to the festival and eat gelato from all over the world!

Click here for a full recap of May in Chicago. 

June

Most Popular Blog Post: Chicago Travel: Wendella Lake Michigan Fireworks Cruise 

June brought so many changes. Christopher finished intern year, and we celebrated in our favorite way: trying out new places to eat in Chicago. We went to Bavette’s, an amazing French steakhouse and Café Ba-Ba-Reeba for tapas and sangria!

We capped off our time in Chicago in the best way: with a fireworks cruise on Lake Michigan. If you are ever in Chicago during the summer, put this on your list!

My parents drove from Texas to pick Skyler and me up, so I wouldn’t have to ride in the Penske truck. My dad made the drive from Chicago to Texas in 13 hours, and I spent the rest of the month meeting up friends, relaxing, and moving into our new place.

Click here for a recap of our last weeks in Chicago (filled with lots of amazing food!) and our first weeks in Texas.  

Now it's your turn! What was your favorite part of 2016?

Best Books I Read in 2016

Hey, friends! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend. I was so excited Chris was able to have four whole days off this year (it felt like we won the lottery), and we loved getting to spend it with family. Anyways, today I am linking up with Steph and Jana to share the best books I read in 2016. Y’all, deciding on my favorite books was so hard this year. So far this year I have read 145 books (I think that number will increase by one or two before the year is over), which is by far the most I have ever read in a year. Since I was sick for half of the year (and recovering after that), reading really became a huge part of my life. Anyways, because of the number of books I read, I had a hard time picking out favorites.

Best Thrillers

Only Ever You by Rebecca Drake
(c/o NetGalley)
A mother loses her child for 45 minutes...only for her to be taken again three months later. Soon, the parents become the prime suspects. The whole book was suspenseful with many twists and turns. Every time I thought I had the story figured out, it surprised me. If you love psychological thrillers, this is a great read.

The Girl Before by J.P. Delaney
(c/o NetGalley)
I only read this book a few weeks ago, but it has stayed with me. I've mentioned before I think the best kind of thrillers are the kinds that you can't say much about without spoiling it. This thriller is GOOD. It's insanely twisted and just when you think you know what's going on the author says HAHA and throws another plot twist. It alternates from the girl before (Emma) who was killed in the house the current girl (Jane) is renting. There were a few uncomfortable moments, but the ending really sealed the deal for me. If you love thrillers, you have to get your hands on this one!

Honorable Mention: Find Her by Lisa Gardner (review here)

Best Romance

Swear on This Life by Renee Carlino
(c/o NetGalley)
It's been a long time since I've felt this emotional while reading a book. I knew Renee Carlino could write after reading Before We Were Strangers, but this book is a million times better. The story captivated me from the first page. Emiline, a creative writing professor living in San Diego and struggling with her own writing, is recommended a debut novel from J.Colby. From the first page, Emiline realizes the novel is written about her by the boy who was everything to her growing up...who she hasn't seen in 12 years. The past and present is intertwined perfectly with a book within a book format. As you read the book with Emiline, you get to see Emiline and Jase's love develop, and you truly feel all the pain Emiline experienced growing up. The book absolutely consumed me-I could think of nothing else until I finished. It's not perfect. There were several things that bothered me, and the ending felt a bit rushed, but it's five stars for me based on how emotionally invested I got and how much I want to tell everyone I know about it.

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
(c/o NetGalley)
I have always wanted to read a Colleen Hoover book. In fact, I have several of her books that have been hanging out on my Kindle for years waiting to be read. After reading It Ends with Us, I think I need to move them up higher on my list. I went into this book not knowing much about it. I thought it was just a love story. It's not just a love story. It's beautiful, heartbreaking, raw, and truly eye-opening. Even before I got to the Author's Note, I could tell the author had experience with the topic from the way it was written. I started this book blindly, and I don't want to give anything away because I think that's the best way to read it. You go into it not knowing anything and come out shaken by this powerful read.

The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
This book was such a guilty pleasure! I like the royal family, though I didn't know much about Kate and William's love story (I knew they met at St. Andrews, and it took him a while to propose). Of course, I had to look up more of their story while I read The Royal We, and this novel does loosely follow the same timeline. I really thought this book was fun. As much as I liked Bex and Prince Nick, I thought the supporting characters really made this story. It was longer than I expected, but I didn't really mind. I was in the mood for this kind of novel, and I'm glad I read it.

Honorable Mention: The One You Really Want by Jill Mansel (review here) and One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid (review here)

Best World War II Historical Fiction

I usually read a lot of World War II historical fiction, but this year I only read five books. Thankfully, they were all good!

Karolina’s Twins by Ronald H. Balson
(c/o NetGalley)
I love Ronald H. Balson's writing. Last year, Saving Sophie was one of my favorite reads of the year, and I liked Karolina's Twins just as much. Lena's story of her life during World War II and her current search for the twins was beautiful and heartbreaking. I guessed the big "twist" early on in the book, but that didn't detract from the novel. If you're a fan of World War II historical fiction, this one is a must read!

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
(c/o NetGalley)
Even though I've read a lot of World War II historical fiction (and non-fiction), I feel like every time I pick up a WWII book, I learn something new. I had never heard of Caroline Ferriday and barely knew anything about the Ravensbrück "Rabbits." The thing that stands out to me about this book is a decent chunk of the story occurs after the war is over. It was interesting (and heartbreaking) to read a book that truly how difficult it was to glue a life back together after such unimaginable trauma. If you are a fan of WWII historical fiction, I think Lilac Girls is worth a read.

Best Other Historical Fiction

A Fine Imitation by Amber Brock
(c/o Blogging for Books)
I was surprised by how much I liked this book. Alternating between Vera's senior year at university in the 1910s and her socialite life in the 1920s, A Fine Imitation really portrays why there is more to life than money. Even though she has everything she could possibly want, Vera is terribly lonely until she meets Emil Hallan, the artist invited to paint a mural in the pool room of her building. As they begin to get to know each other, Vera begins to question whether her life of privilege is worth being miserable. It's written well, and both timelines were woven together beautifully at the end.

Honorable Mention: The Winemakers by Jan Moran (review here)

Best Books That Don’t Fit a Category

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
(c/o NetGalley)
I think it's almost impossible to review this book without spoilers, so I'm going to be super generic. Jason Dessen is kidnapped one day heading home from the bar and wakes up in a totally different life. This book sucked me in. It's intense and overwhelming at times (the physics parts weren't my cup of tea). I thought the twist was unique, and the ending was interesting.

Valley of the Moon by Melanie Gideon
(c/o NetGalley)
This is the best time travel book I've ever read. It's a love story, but it's so much more than that. It's a coming of age story. A story about second chances, of feeling stuck and fighting to get out of it. It's slow at first but gets so much better. I loved all the characters. I don't usually tear up while reading, but this book got me. It's truly beautiful.

No Ordinary Life by Suzanne Redfearn 
(c/o NetGalley)
No Ordinary Life was a fascinating account of how sudden child stardom affects the child and the rest of her family. Molly is discovered after a viral YouTube video, and her mother Faye becomes her manager while still being a mother to her two other children and dealing with a broken marriage. I loved the behind the scenes look of making a television show, and Faye and Molly were both great characters. No Ordinary Life hooked me in from the first page, and I couldn't put it down!

Linking up with Steph & Jana.

What were some of your favorite reads in 2016?

SaveSave
SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave