What I've Read During Summer 2018

The summer is officially over for us teachers, cue the tiny violin lol.  It's crazy how fast it flies by each year. I was able to soak up a ton of reading time this summer so I wanted to share with you the books I read and a little snippet of what I thought about each. I'll try to keep it really brief so I don't give anything away. :)

The Perfect Couple by Elin Hildebrand

Elin Hilderbrand never disappoints! This book combined my love for Nantucket and a little bit of mystery. The story line was interesting and kept me wanting more. I highly recommend it for the last few weeks of official summer. 

The High Tide Club by Mary Kay Andrews

Love this one! Mary Kay Andrews' books are what I normally consider "fluff" and I say that with kindness because I LOVE them. I just don't usually think they are very complex. This one on the other hand had a great story line. Loved it!

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

We read this in book club this summer and it was a favorite amongst everyone there. The author really worked to bring the characters to life and the writing was absolutely beautiful. I felt the storyline was a little lacking when it comes to action but you have to remember that I like thrillers or really sappy love stories. This wasn't either of those. I would still recommend it even though it wasn't my top fave of the summer. 

The Favorite Sister by Jessica Knoll

Now if you are looking for drama then this is the book for you. It's jam packed with back-stabbing, betrayal, and even murder. I really didn't like Jessica Knoll's previous book Luckiest Girl Alive but this one was much better! It was an easy read and kept you wanting more. Loved it! 

The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth

This book was not what I was expecting but in a good way! I couldn't put it down and I read it pretty quickly. Hepworth does an excellent job of pulling you into the lives of each character and the storyline dips and weaves entangling each one. If you like Liane Moriarty books then I think you will like this too. Their style of writing is very similar. 

The French Girl by Lexille Elliott

I really wanted to like this book because I heard so many great things. It just wasn't my favorite though.  The characters frustrated me and I didn't really understand their friendships or what made them tick. I kept reading because I just wanted to know how the girl died but it took forever to get to that point. The reviews are pretty high for this book so maybe it was just me lol.

Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris

The premise with this book was just so strange. I LOVE B.A. Paris but this one was just a miss. It seemed so far-fetched and unlikely to happen. If you want a great thriller than read B.A. Paris' book called Behind Closed Doors. It's suuuuper creepy but so good! 

Legendary by Stephanie Garber

Now this is a very different category of book than what I normally read. It falls under the young adult and fantasy categories which is not normally my jam, but there is something about Caraval (the first book) that left me wanting more. I pre-ordered this one and I was sooo excited to get it. The book is set in a magical world that is filled with love, betrayal, and mystery, who doesn't love that right?? The characters are all players in a game and you're unsure of what is real or what is part of the fun. I loved the strong female characters and the love story was pretty adorable too. If you haven't read Caraval, read that first. 

The Wild Card by Hope and Wade King

This is for all my teacher friends out there. I have been following both Hope and Wade King on Instagram for awhile and I knew I wanted to read their book when I had some time this summer. Engagement is something that is constantly evolving in the classroom especially with each new group  of students that comes in. I love their ideas for letting passion really shine through what you do and they give practical ways to be more engaging. Now I want to get their monthly subscription to Set the Stage to Engage so I can see what else they have up their sleeves. Loved this book!  

The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware

I had such high hopes for this book but the plot was just really strange. I felt like I couldn't connect with the characters and I was confused by their motivations and the decisions they were making. Ruth Ware is an excellent writer but this was just a miss for me. 

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Reid Jenkins

I LOVED this book! We are actually reading it this month for book club but I finished it a couple months ago. The book follows Evelyn Hugo, an actress who has a very Marilyn Monroe vibe to her. She is a climber and will do what it takes to be successful which sometimes means hurting those around her. This book has an air of mystery to it that will keep you interested until the very end. It has a lot of surprising twists and turns and I can't recommend it enough!

How to Walk Away by Katherine Center

One of my favorite books of the summer! I loved the story of how Margaret persevered in what seemed to be a very dismal circumstance. The characters were very relatable and made you instantly want to be their friends. Overall the book was heartbreaking but also contained so much joy and resilience. Loved it!

Five on Friday {Exciting Week}

I am running off of no sleep but my mind won't let me go back to bed. AH! Such a bummer but oh well. Let's dive in...

1. Big League Time

Yesterday was a BIG day for the Bradford family. My brother in law, Chase, got called up to the big leagues!! I was running around my house screaming like a crazy person when I found out. Chase is one of the most hard working and humble people I know. He deserves this more than anyone and I still can't believe it actually happened! Immediately we started putting plans in place to head up to LA in the afternoon for the game. The Mets just happened to be playing the Dodgers so it was perfect.

We drove up to LA with some family and got to the game not too long after it started. We were able to see Chase warm up a couple times but they ended up not putting him in because they were losing going into the 9th. It was still such an incredible experience to be there to support him. We are so proud of you Chase!!

2. Goodbye Debt

This week was also exciting for me because I paid off a student loan with my Rodan+ Fields earnings!! Getting rid of debt is such a good feeling and I love that I have a way to put money aside that doesn't kill our checking or savings. When I started this business I had no idea exactly what I wanted from it. I thought a couple hundred dollars would be helpful but didn't realize that it could/ would turn into the income source it is today. So thankful to my friend Sara for introducing me to the business!

3. Fave New Book

buy it here 

A few weeks ago my friend Kylee recommended the book Caraval by Stephanie Garber. I usually don't read fantasy/ YA books but she always has the best recommendations so I immediately downloaded it. I seriously couldn't put it down, it was so good! It's a much different premise from what I normally read but it was just so intriguing.

The story is about two sisters, Scarlett and Tella who dream of going to the famous Caraval and getting away from their abusive father. They don't see how they can ever leave the island but their fate is changed by an invitation to the mysterious game. This has been Scarlett's dream for so long but the game is much different that it appears and could even be deadly. I don't want to give you any more info because it will give too much away. Read this asap!!

4. Black Bean Flautas

I really haven't been cooking much lately which is so weird because I LOVE to cook. It's just harder for me to get inspired when Mark isn't here. Half the fun of cooking is having someone else try your meals and love them. One thing I was craving this week though was black bean flautas. This is one of my fave meals and Mark's too! I made a batch to have for dinner a couple night and they were delicious!! 

Get the recipe here. 

5. New Decor

Stephanie gave me this owl sign as an end of the year gift. I have an obsession with owls and she know she so well! How cute is it??

Book Crush: All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda

buy it here

You guys, I fell in love with the book All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda this weekend. I was obsessed and I couldn't stop listening to it. I had purchased the audiobook on Friday because I like to have one to listen to while on my long commute. The book only lasted for the weekend because I finished it Tuesday morning before work. I found myself listening to it while getting ready, cleaning the house, making meals, etc. It was a sit on the edge of your seat, page-turning, suck you in, kind of book. I have to admit that reading it while being home alone wasn't the best idea. I was totally freaked out each night and couldn't sleep lol. So maybe read it with a full house??

Here is the basic premise without ruining the storyline for you. It's based on two missing girls, ten years apart. The story is told over a two week time period, but backwards. I thought I wouldn't like this part but it made the story so much more interesting and helped to connect the pieces. I was so impressed with the author's ability to do this, without revealing the same details over and over.

The story takes place in a small town where rumors and secrets last for a lifetime. You'll find yourself piecing together the motives of each person, trying to pinpoint these mysterious disappearances on one or even all of the townspeople. Who did it?? :)

Clear your schedule folks. You'll want to hunker down and read this one asap. :)

Book "Over" Review- Circling the Sun by Paula McLain

Buy it here. 

I finally finished Paula McLain's book Circling the Sun. Oh man, I thought I would never get into it!  I had the hardest time connecting with the characters. Fiiinally I started to really like Beryl (the main character) and actually enjoyed the book. Part of the problem was that I was listening to the book on my phone instead of reading it myself. I am a pretty fast reader and I can finish a book quickly so listening to "slower" books can be torture. The positive side of listening to Circling the Sun was that pronouncing some of those words would have been near impossible for me but luckily the narrator did it for me, woohoo! Also, like I've mentioned before, my commute is very loooong and listening to audiobooks saves my sanity. So enough rambling, let's get into this book over review.

Close your eyes and imagine this scene (well keep them open so you can read, but pretend to close them lol)... a vast amount of open space, a young naive girl being raised by her horse-trainer father, and a rich European community buying up land to live with no real rules or restrictions. This was Kenya in the 1920's. Beryl is the young girl and is the main character of the book. When reading, you grow with Beryl from an adolescent learning the ins and outs of horse-training to her quick push into adulthood at a very early age.  Beryl's rough edges and unconventional childhood made it hard for me to identify with her as a person and especially with her decisions. I had quite the disconnect with her in the beginning but was then pulled into her story, and what a rough and bumpy story.

Beryl dove head first into married life at the age of 16. She was in a tough situation with her father losing the farm and decided to do what made the most sense at the time. This turned disastrous quickly. While reading, I kept thinking that she should stick it out but as Beryl proves time and time again, she can't be tied to something/ someone she doesn't fully believe in. Every turn in her life seems to take her down another emotional roller coaster where she comes out damaged and also hurting those around her. Love is especially one of the those areas that tugs at your heart and makes you want to say, "Nooo, don't do that!" or "WHY?!?!"  She overcame every obstacle in her life even though some of them cost her dearly. Her life was lived to the fullest as a woman who couldn't be tied down to the society norms including becoming a horse-trainer and a pilot, which was almost unheard of at that time.

I spent most of the book switching from admiring her, envying her boldness, and wanting to shake her and yell "STOP!" Her story is proof that freedom comes at a cost and it's up to you to decide if the risk is worth it. If you asked me two weeks ago if this book was worth reading I would have said no but now my answer would definitely change. This book is a must-read. It was just so different from the typical story I am drawn to. That's probably why I had such a tough time sinking my teeth in. Thank goodness I am stubborn and was unwilling to "quit" the book because my long journey into the story was worth it in the end. Paula McLain tends to be long winded in her writing, which I can relate to (haha), but she has such an incredible gift of setting a scene that it makes every word worth it. Go out and buy this book asap, but maybe just don't listen to it on audiobook :)

Has anyone else read this book? What did you think?

What should I read next??

Book "Over" Review The Other Daughter by Lauren Willig

Buy it here

The book is centered around Rachel Woodley who is a twenty-something girl who was raised in a small English village by her mother. Her father died when she was very young and it was basically just Rachel and her mother for as long as she could remember. While Rachel is working as a Nursery governess she receives word that her mother is sick. By the time she makes it home it is too late, her mother has passed. To add insult to injury she was fired for leaving to visit her mother and her childhood home is being taken by the landlord. Now she's essentially an orphan and homeless.

While in her mother's room, she stumbles across a ripped page from a society magazine and the man pictured has a striking resemblance to her late father. She decides to show the page to her cousin (who is the only family she has ever known). Cousin David confesses that it is her father and he is actually an earl, not the deceased botanist she was told about as a child. Reeling from this new information she leaves in a hurry with revenge and deceit on her mind. In her haste to leave she meets a man that will forever change her future and helps her to devise a plan to meet her estranged father. She dives head first into the world of the lavish, spending late nights drinking and galavanting about London as Viera. The plot takes many twists and turns as you meet various characters who will shape Rachel aka Viera's future and make her understand the truth about both her father and her mother.

The ending was surprising but made the book feel complete. I hate the books that leave you with a cliffhanger... I need a book to be wrapped up neatly with a bow lol. I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an interesting page-turner.

Five on Friday

It's almost the weekend!! Woot woot! My dad comes in town tonight so that's exciting! Mark and my dad are going golfing and to an MMA fight later tomorrow night. My mom's uncle is refereeing the fight so a bunch of guys made the trip to San Diego to have a guys weekend. I will be spending tomorrow getting coffee and a pedicure with my friend Heidi. I love a good relaxing girls day :)

A. Liz Adventures, Carolina Charm, Hello Happiness

1. New Workout Clothes

Burnout Tank

Headband

I LOVE getting new workout clothes because it definitely makes me want to work out more often (which is always a good idea). I found a few cute tanks from Old Navy and a workout headband that I have been loving. The tank was on sale for $7 and the headband was on sale for $4. I bought one of their new sports bras but I'm going to return it because it just doesn't fit as well as the old design.  I also picked up a couple other things and I had a $15 off of $50 coupon. I love a good deal!

Tuff Athletics Printed Leggings

I also found a cute pair of patterned workout leggings at Costco for $16.99. They are super comfy and on the thicker side. I have this fear of leggings being too thin and everyone seeing my booty while I'm working out, so thank goodness these passed the test.

2. Everybody Get Walkin...

I can't get enough of this view!

The title is from the lyrics of a song that we sing at Praise & Worship at my work... it was stuck in my head as I was writing this haha. Anyways, I absolutely love to go on walks. Just being outside soaking in the sunshine, while listening to music (or as of late, an audiobook) and getting a little exercise is my idea of relaxation.  We live super close to Sunset Cliffs so I usually go on walks there but lately I have also really enjoyed walking at the Marine Core base near us. They have a track that is always empty so it's nice and quiet. I have been loving going about 30 minutes before sunset and then I walk for around an hour while listening to my audiobook. It's so peaceful. Sometimes I will do sprint intervals and then do different kinds of squats, lunges, and burpees. It's a perfect outside workout. 

3. My Sanity

I have a VERY long commute to and (especially) from school. The first week I started working there I would come home in tears because I was so exhausted from the crazy traffic. The last thing you want to do after a work day is have to slam on your breaks every two minutes because the traffic is so nuts! I finally realized that listening to talk radio or audiobooks would save my sanity (at least on the way home hehe). I have listened to so many books since then and I just finished another great one, The Other Daughter by Lauren Willig. At first I was unsure because the accent really got on my nerves but I grew to actually like the voice and to LOVE the book. I found myself listening to it while walking, getting ready in the morning, and setting up my classroom.  It's a great book about a girl named Rachel Woodley whose mother died unexpectedly. As she is gathering the items left in the home she finds something that leads her to believe her father, whom had been dead for 23 years, was actually alive. The story unveils the layers of deceit, revenge, and love as Rachel explores her past and her future.  I'll do more of a review on the book next week but if I was you I would go download it ASAP!

Amazon

4. Babies!!

Mark's cousin Laura just announced that she is pregnant and we couldn't be more excited!!! This will be the first baby in our families and we can't wait to spoil the heck out of it. Praying for a healthy pregnancy for Laura and a healthy baby girl... okay a boy will be fine too :)

5. Back to School

Today is our last day of our Inservice week before the kiddos come. I am stressed and praying that I finish everything today. I forgot how much work it is to set up a classroom from scratch. I've gone to Joann's Fabric four times in the last week and I feel they should know me by name haha. I keep going back to get more fabric, ribbon, and other extras that I didn't think about earlier in the week. I know that teaching is about way more than a classroom looking complete but I also know that the presentation of the room is the first things the parents and kids will notice. Just trying to squeeze in as much work as I can today so I don't have to come in over the weekend. I can do this!!