Book Reviews Vol 1.

I have set a goal to spend more of my time reading. I want to use it as a time to shut off my phone and unwind. For me the thing about reading is the more I do it, the more I want to do it. I have a running list of books I want to read and they cover so many genres. It may seem as a cheat but I’m also listening to books on audible and counting it towards my goal for the year. I love listening to books while in the car, cooking or doing things around my house. While I read more, I’ll be sharing book reviews as I go. As always, this round up hits several different genres. I typically love switching thru genres and once I’ve read a little fiction, I crave some history or a biography. For more book reviews click here.

The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron & Suzanne Stabile

For anyone getting starting studying the Enneagram, this is the best introductory book. I will be doing a whole post on the enneagram soon, so if you have no idea what I’m talking about, no worries. This book gives a great introduction to the enneagram as a whole and then each number gets its own chapter. At the end of the chapter are some questions for you to reflect on. I loved not only understanding my number but learning about the other numbers. I have several friends and family members who know their numbers and I’ve found I’m using strategies I learned in the book to communicate and relate to them better. Grade: A

Becoming Michelle Obama by Michele Obama

READ THIS BOOK! I should stop my review right there because it’s all you need to know. I haven’t loved a book this much in awhile. Michelle writes in a way that is both relatable and aspirational. Understanding some of her inner conflict at becoming a public figure really gave me more of an understanding of her life as first lady. For me, the best part was when she talked about her struggle on whether to quit her job as an attorney and start a new career. It is inspiring for someone that is seen as being very successful, also had struggles along her path. Grade: A++

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory

It’s your favorite romantic comedy movie in book form. I loved the main character and her inner monologue thru the book. Jasmine Guillory writes really strong female protagonists that are complicated and messy but someone you still pull for. This book follows the Wedding Date (reviewed here) but isn’t necessarily a sequel because it doesn’t have the same characters. It may be a bit predictable but that didn’t make it any less of a page turner. Grade: B+

Killing the Rising Sun by Bill O’Reilly

There is no way I could have a reading list without a little history. I’ve ready many books about WWII and the holocaust but nothing about the Japanese front of the war. This book explains the United State’s strategy for that side of the conflict and what led up to the U.S’s decision to drop the atomic bombs. For anyone interested in this part of history, this is interesting and factual at the same time. I have always been a person that believes you must learn about our past to understand the future and this book gave me a great understanding of the war. Grade: A

Turtles all the Way Down by John Green

A coming of age novel by an author I love. Turtles really gets you in the head of the teenage protagonist. She is trying to solve the mystery of a missing a billionaire and does so by befriending the billionaire’s son. It’s interesting and the characters are complex, which just adds to the intrigue of what happened. I wouldn’t call this a mystery novel but it does keep you guessing throughout. Grade: B