Tag: reading

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March Book Club Pick!

by LaurenLeave a Comment on March Book Club Pick!
March Book Club Pick!

My friend Kari and I started a book club in January 2021 so we could encourage each other to read more books this year.

In January we read American Dirt and it was GOOD!

Now for February … we read The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo.

I have to say, this book was NOT my favorite for a LOT of reasons. Without spoiling the book … it was frustrating! The main character in the book is Lucy who has fallen in love with Gabe, but later makes decisions that lead her in a different direction, but throughout the book she is constantly battling in her brain and comaparing two men. IT IS FRUSTRATING! The chapters are quick and easy to read, so that was nice, but it just seemed to go on and on and on. The ending, to me, was very predictable and a let down. I have questions and kind of want answers … but at the same time I don’t need them or, honestly, really don’t want them answered because I honestly don’t care and just want to move on. Haha!

If you loved this book, sorry for the bad review, but I just didn’t love it!

This was Reese Witherspoon’s comment on the book:

“This love story between Lucy & Gabe spans decades and continents as two star-crossed lovers try to return to each other…Will they ever meet again? This book kept me up at night, turning the pages to find out, and the ending did not disappoint.”

Sorry, Reese … it was a disappointment and I am sad you steered me in this direction with your raving review. I forgive you though and will give you another chance! 😉 Haha!

SOOOOO without further ado …

Our March book club pick is *hopefully* a good GOOD one!

We have chosen The Vanishing Half: A Novel by Brit Bennett

Named a BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time, NPR, Entertainment Weekly, Vulture, USA Today, GQ, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, and Bustle

Praise for The Vanishing Half: 
“[Bennett’s] second [book], The Vanishing Half, more than lives up to her early promise. . . more expansive yet also deeper, a multi-generational family saga that tackles prickly issues of racial identity and bigotry and conveys the corrosive effects of secrets and dissembling. It’s also a great read that will transport you out of your current circumstances, whatever they are. . . Like The Mothers, this novel keeps you turning pages not just to find out what happens.” —NPR 

“Bennett’s gorgeously written second novel, an ambitious meditation on race and identity, considers the divergent fates of twin sisters, born in the Jim Crow South, after one decides to pass for white. Bennett balances the literary demands of dynamic characterization with the historical and social realities of her subject matter.”—The New York Times

If you would like to read with us, head over to our Facebook Page and join the group! We just started reading it with our goal to finish by the end of the month.

Happy reading!

We Started a Book Club!!

I am thrilled to share with you that my dear friend, Kari, and I have decided to launch a virtual Facebook book club called Mothers in Minivans Reading Books!! If you’ve never watched Comedians in Cars…

READ MORE

February Book Club Pick!

My friend Kari and I started a book club in January so we could encourage each other to read more books this year and boy, was January’s book a good one! Kari and I will host…

READ MORE

*As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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February Book Club Pick!

Featuredby Lauren1 Comment on February Book Club Pick!
February Book Club Pick!

My friend Kari and I started a book club in January so we could encourage each other to read more books this year and boy, was January’s book a good one!

Kari and I will host a Facebook Live Sunday, January 31st at 8pm to discuss our January book: American Dirt. Y’all! If you haven’t read American Dirt – DO IT!!! It is so, so good and we are going to have quite the discussion!!

And now for the February pick…we are THRILLED to read …

The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo

We wanted to pick a little more romantic book for February and we think you are going to love this book!

“This love story between Lucy & Gabe spans decades and continents as two star-crossed lovers try to return to each other…Will they ever meet again? This book kept me up at night, turning the pages to find out, and the ending did not disappoint.” – Reese Witherspoon

He was the first person to inspire her, to move her, to truly understand her. Was he meant to be the last?

Lucy is faced with a life-altering choice. But before she can make her decision, she must start her story–their story–at the very beginning.

Lucy and Gabe meet as seniors at Columbia University on a day that changes both of their lives forever. Together, they decide they want their lives to mean something, to matter. When they meet again a year later, it seems fated–perhaps they’ll find life’s meaning in each other. But then Gabe becomes a photojournalist assigned to the Middle East and Lucy pursues a career in New York. What follows is a thirteen-year journey of dreams, desires, jealousies, betrayals, and, ultimately, of love. Was it fate that brought them together? Is it choice that has kept them away? Their journey takes Lucy and Gabe continents apart, but never out of each other’s hearts.

This devastatingly romantic debut novel about the enduring power of first love, with a shocking, unforgettable ending, is Love Story for a new generation.

Amazon

If you would like to read with us, head over to our Facebook Page and join the group! We will start reading February 1st with our goal to finish by the end of the month.

Happy reading!

Blog Feed, Book Club

We Started a Book Club!!

Featuredby Lauren2 Comments on We Started a Book Club!!
We Started a Book Club!!

I am thrilled to share with you that my dear friend, Kari, and I have decided to launch a virtual Facebook book club called Mothers in Minivans Reading Books!!

If you’ve never watched Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, first, go watch it; second, our title is a spoof of that as we are two minivan-driving mommas that are squeezing in time to read more this year – and it may just happen while we are in our minivans!

Kari and Lauren are friends that connected in a MOPS groups many moons ago and are both working moms with a passion for reading.

Couple of things:

  1. You don’t have to be a mother to join but no boys are allowed (sorry fellas!)
  2. You don’t have to have a minivan and we won’t judge your lack of style for not having one 😉
  3. We will read a variety of books – goal is to read one a month (or two).

We’ll decide on a title, have a spot to discuss throughout reading and host a live at the end of the book to debrief on it together! We have few rules so everyone can get the most out of our book talks:

  1. NO SPOILERS! If you want to discuss spoilers, leave a comment asking to PM with someone else who has finished the book, etc.
  2. The Facebook group is for the discussion of books only. We will remove any non-pertinent comments/discussion, as we want this to be a space only for book club chat!
  3. Please be respectful and kind to one another. We will remove anyone from the group that doesn’t abide by these very simple rules. We want this to be fun and enjoyable for everyone!

We just announced our first book of the year and I am thrilled to share that we are going to read…drum roll please…

Lydia Quixano Pérez lives in the Mexican city of Acapulco. She runs a bookstore. She has a son, Luca, the love of her life, and a wonderful husband who is a journalist. And while there are cracks beginning to show in Acapulco because of the drug cartels, her life is, by and large, fairly comfortable.

Even though she knows they’ll never sell, Lydia stocks some of her all-time favorite books in her store. And then one day a man enters the shop to browse and comes up to the register with a few books he would like to buy—two of them her favorites. Javier is erudite. He is charming. And, unbeknownst to Lydia, he is the jefe of the newest drug cartel that has gruesomely taken over the city. When Lydia’s husband’s tell-all profile of Javier is published, none of their lives will ever be the same.

Forced to flee, Lydia and eight-year-old Luca soon find themselves miles and worlds away from their comfortable middle-class existence. Instantly transformed into migrants, Lydia and Luca ride la bestia—trains that make their way north toward the United States, which is the only place Javier’s reach doesn’t extend. As they join the countless people trying to reach el norte, Lydia soon sees that everyone is running from something. But what exactly are they running to?

Goodreads

This book is an Oprah Book Club pick and is highly rated by many other readers, bloggers, newspapers and magazines and we cannot wait to read it with you! 2021 is starting off strong with an incredibly good book!

To purchase the book, click HERE or the image above, and don’t forget to join our Facebook group HERE.

Let’s pledge to read more in 2021!

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What’s Up Wednesday: December 2020

Featuredby LaurenLeave a Comment on What’s Up Wednesday: December 2020
What’s Up Wednesday: December 2020

Happy LAST Wednesday of 2020!!! WE MADE IT!

It’s the last Wednesday of the month – my What’s Up Wednesday post – where I link up with Mix and Match Mama and share all the things! It’s a little food, a little family, a little what we’re doing, a little what we’re watching and a little bit of everything else, all in one post.

So let’s look at December 2020!

WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK:

Sunday I made a big batch of veggie enchiladas (cheese and regular flour tortillas for the boys; no cheese and Siete almond flour tortillas for me) that will give us leftovers for lunch and dinner Monday, Tuesday I am making a new recipe from Deliciously Ella – her Eggplant Moussaka with leftovers Wednesday, Thursday we’re making homemade pizzas and Friday I am making another new Deliciously Ella recipe – Eggplant Lentil Bolognese.

WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT:

Christmas! I LOVED our special, low-key Christmas! We stayed in PJs all day, watched ALL the Christmas movies, played games, ate too many homemade sweets, and lounged around. It was perfect!

WHAT I’M LOVING:

I am loving Danielle Walker’s Celebrations cookbook this season! I made quite a few of her recipes for Christmas and the week leading up to Christmas, but mostly I am loving her Peppermint Hot Cocoa recipe! I add a little coffee and homemade marshmallows and I’ve got my own healthier Starbucks Peppermint Mocha!

WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO:

Well I was busy all last week getting things pre-baked/cooked for Christmas so I wouldn’t have to do much on Christmas Day; we finalized and sent the January issue of Frisco STYLE to the printer; we started back with homeschool work Monday and started week 23 out of 35 so we are getting closer to the end (!); and trying to squeeze in some reading here and there. I finished these two books just before Christmas:

and working on finishing this one:

I am also working on blog posts for the New Year and just doing the everyday mom things! 😉

WHAT I’M DREADING:

Not so much dreading, but sad Christmas is over. It always comes so fast and goes so fast. Even though I treasured every minute leading up to it – it just goes in a blink! So I am having a little post-Christmas blues and sad to put the tree away … but also looking forward to it because my house will be clean again! 😉 It’s a bunch of mixed emotions over here!

WHAT I’M WORKING ON:

Blog posts, February issue of Frisco STYLE, getting March article ideas generated, homeschooling and trying to carve out some time to work on my book. I think I have a better idea of how I want my book to be written, thus I have a lot of re-working and re-organizing to do, but text-wise, my book is about 60-70% complete. Still trying to figure out how I want to go about publishing (any ideas and personal experiences are much appreciated!).

WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT:

Photo by Alex Fu on Pexels.com

Stephen and I have made some short-term and long-term goals and we are working towards those. I am excited to see how it all pans out and praying for God’s provision and guidance, as some of these goals/dreams are pretty big!

WHAT I’M WATCHING/READING:

As stated above, I am reading the second book in the Winter Street collection, but next on my cue is American Dirt and The Daniel Dilemma.

We have finished ALL the series it seems, the latest being Queens Gambit, but we anxiously await Wednesday nights to watch The Challenge! We love the Challenge and so glad it’s back!

WHAT I’M LISTENING TO:

You know I love podcasts and currently listening to the Moms Struggling Well podcast, but I also ask Alexa everyday to play ‘Hallelujah’ by Carrie Underwood and John Legend…it is magical!

WHAT I’M WEARING:

Pajamas…alllll daaaaay.

Haha! Seriously, I am wearing pajamas most of the day and only change when I am going to leave the house or ride the Peloton. Otherwise – it’s pajamas!

WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND:

Editing! February articles will start coming in this weekend and early next week so I will be editing those plus we will be packing up Christmas.

WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH:

Everything! Haha! It is a new month and a new year and lots to look forward to! January means we are THAT much closer to warmer weather and summer boating! 😉 Haha!

WHAT ELSE IS NEW:

The day after Christmas we drove around to look at Christmas lights and we made sure to see the house that was filmed for the ‘Great Christmas Light Fight’ … it was crazy! There were people directing traffic plus cones all down the street to keep people from parking in neighbors driveways. It was nuts! 10,000 of the lights were actually hot glued to the house but in all, there were 70,000 lights! It was a perfect ending to Christmas!

    December is a wrap! How was your month? Share below!

    Have a blessed rest of the year!