Books of February 2020
February was the culmination of a lot of business stuff I’ve been working on for a while. It was exciting to wrap all that stuff up and launch into a new set. However, I felt like that left less time for reading in general. But I did get through some that came highly recommended and that I needed to get off my list.
Memoir: The Queen of Heartbreak Trail: The Life and Times of Harriet Smith Pullen, Pioneering Woman - 3 Stars. I’ve had this book on my nightstand for months. However, actually reading it was always edged out by the necessity to get through the slightly more pressing stack of library books. Between a gap borrowed books, I had time to finally check this one off the list and move it to my bookshelf. I enjoyed reading the story of Harriet Smith Pullen. A good part of her life was spent in Washington State, somewhat near where I live, and It’s always fun to hear books mention places near you. While the end of the book shares about Harriet’s story, a lot of the book is spent detailing the life of her father, which I didn’t feel was totally necessary. However, this book was also a good reminder that there are multiple perspectives to every story, but that some things, such as the settler’s treatment of the Native Americans, is just wrong.
Business: Aesthetic Intelligence: How to Boost It and Use It in Business and Beyond - 3 Stars. This book was recommended by Julia Engel, the founder of one of my favorite brands, Gal Meets Glam, and one of my #businesscrushes. Plus, I’ve always been fascinated by aesthetics. I even wrote a 15-page paper in college about the Aesthetic Movement. This was an awesome book that shares about how aesthetics on all levels impact business decisions and the perception of businesses by consumers. Although there was less practical application than I would have liked, the examples from a vast variety of brands were fascinating and I can see how many of my decisions are dictated by aesthetics.
Mystery: Evil Under the Sun - 3 Stars. I was intrigued by this little seaside mystery, and again, Agatha Christie had some new, unexpected twists. As an author, her endless ingenuity and creativity inspire me. Plus her books are always fun to read and provide a nice break from some of the heavier and more mentally draining material I work through.
Personal development: Rise of the Truth Teller - 3 Stars. As someone who was raised in the church, but has been uncomfortable with how many churches have chosen to handle the issues that are facing modern society - this book was a refreshing perspective. Ashley Abercrombie, the author, is very vulnerable as she shares her story and encourages us to do the same. It is only when we tell the truth about our own stories that we can really connect with those around us and share the truth of the Gospel. She also shares some alternative perspectives on some familiar Bible stories that I appreciated, and ultimately she left me inspired to become more of a vulnerable truth-teller in my own life.
Novel/fiction: Rich People Problems - 3 Stars. I have finally reached the end of the Crazy Rich Asians series. With this book as with the ones before it, there are too many characters, and not enough time spent making me care about them. This did wrap up pretty much all of the storylines, and almost all of them ended happily - at least the ones we were supposed to care about. Also, I find myself confused at times because since I don’t run in the upper echelons of society, I am unfamiliar with the vast variety of brands mentioned, and which are good, which are bad, and which - though very expensive - these millionaires would never be caught dead in. Beyond that though, I don’t care. And more than that, it is somewhat depressing to read about the lavish displays of wealth, all to no end or ultimate purpose beyond fleeting whims. But, at its heart, this book still has an interesting story beneath all the issues I have with it.
Sustainability: Make Your Place: Affordable & Sustainable Nesting Skills - 2 Stars. This year, as I try to make my life more sustainable, I knew that there would be a certain amount of extra work that went into it. However, this book takes it a few steps further than I would like. I want to live a clean life with no toxins and as little impact on the environment as possible - but with my full-time job, side hustle, blog, relationships, health, and everything else in my life, it’s not my priority create all of these homebrewed cleaning and health products from scratch. I would love to purchase some of these all-natural products, or even take a class where I make them, but don’t have to do the picking and drying and storing of leftovers all in my house. I may at some point in my life return to this book to make all of these concoctions myself - however, until then, I will buy sustainable products either from the store or a local herbalist - if I can find one.
Beyond the “planned books” I also made progress with the ones listed below. Reading these was particularly interesting because I recognized that for many of them, I wouldn’t be able to fit these into the categories above. I’m not sure if that’s because the categories I selected are too narrow, or the way I mentally define the categories is just too narrow. Regardless, these are the additional books I read in February:
The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom - 3 Stars. One of my 20 for 2020 list items from this year is to do Whole30. I knew I needed to read this book in order to mentally prepare (and prepare my pantry of course) even though I don’t plan to do it until the late spring. The book itself was pretty boring, but necessary in order to do Whole30 right. I’ll probably have to go through it again closer to my start date and refer back to it over the 30 days so that I can try out some of the recipes. I’m excited and terrified to reassess my relationship with food, and if you’re in the same place, doing a Whole30 might be a good way to go.
Cards on the Table - 3 Stars. This Agatha Christie book had me guessing until the very end. The maze of confessions and lies is deep and confusing. I didn’t figure out the perpetrator until the last couple of pages.
There Are No Grown-ups: A Midlife Coming-of-Age Story - 3 Stars. After reading Pamela Druckerman’s other book about parenting, I thought I would progress in her writing and read her next book about mid-life, another phase of life that I’m nowhere near reaching. I had watched an interview with Pamela as part of the Happiness Project Experience, which is what launched me into reading her books. I love her style and reading about her unique story. However, this book goes a little bit further than I assume many people do in mid-life. I guess I could be wrong since I am not in that phase yet. But I hope that I am not, or else I definitely do not want to reach my 40s.
All Along You Were Blooming: Thoughts for Boundless Living - 3 Stars. I don’t read much poetry, but books like this make me realize that I should. These beautiful poems by Morgan Harper Nichols will nourish your soul as you go through difficult times or even just mildly uncomfortable ones. The book itself is stunning and is quick to get through.
The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe - 3 Stars. I love learning about people who do things that I know really nothing about. Being a dresser and designer for the preeminent monarch in the world definitely falls into that category. It was fascinating to read about all the different outfits, designs, and patterns of events that the Queen attends. It was also inspiring to hear Angela Kelly’s story and how she got to where she is. I have a new respect for all the people and work it takes to make sure the Queen is prepared for each event and public appearance.
Confessions of a Sociopath: A Life Spent Hiding in Plain Sight - 3 Stars. This was a mildly terrifying book. I had no idea of the real mental state of a sociopath, or the role that they play in society. I understand their value - they perform jobs and operations that “empathic people” (as the book refers to non-sociopaths) would never want to undertake. It is also fascinating to realize how quickly your mind can spin to ideas of how to control this category of people - which is exactly how sociopaths seem to primarily operate, as well as how people have ended up in some of the worst conflicts that the world has ever seen.
Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again - 3 Stars. This book details one women’s journey to a deeper understanding of her Christian faith. While I don’t agree with all of the theological perspectives discussed in this book, there were several that I found interesting, and others that really did deepen my understanding. However, Rachel Held Evans doesn’t share much of her personal story in this book. I felt that as she shared various concepts and her growth over time, what was lacking was the personal aspect. What led her to these junctures of faith and what got her through them. I know that she has slain her own share of giants, I just think that knowing what they were would’ve given me greater understanding.
The Red Fox Clan - 4 Stars. This book is from the Royal Ranger series, a companion series to the Ranger’s Apprentice series that I read as I was growing up. A lot of people grew up reading Harry Potter, but I grew up reading the Ranger’s Apprentice series. Well, and I shouldn’t really say that I read them, I listened to them as audiobooks, and I would highly recommend going through the series that way. The narrator who reads them is one of the best I’ve heard and he really brings the books to life. Anyways, this story is suspenseful while still being fun and light. I don’t love the main character in this series, Maddie, but it incorporates enough of the characters from the original series that I happily read it anyway. And as such, it would be much easier to follow if you have some knowledge of the original series. This book ends on a cliffhanger, but fortunately, the library had the sequel available to be downloaded so I jumped right in.
Duel at Araluen - 4 Stars. This sequel continues the story of the Red Fox Clan and Maddie’s journey to save the kingdom. There are times in both of the books where the details get a little cumbersome. Whether it is a battle being described or some kind of contraption, sometimes I have some trouble following. I don’t know if that’s because I’m listening to the audiobook, because I’m not an engineer, or that I don’t really care to understand all of it. However, for an intriguing story about knights and princesses, kingdoms and fortresses - look no further.
So there you have it. The 14 books I read in February. I’ve started incorporating some additional podcasts into my schedule, so I haven’t had quite as much time to get through audiobooks as last year. But it is also kind of nice. I enjoy the podcast format, and the shorter length is beneficial for my short attention span.
I’m still not totally sold on the idea of whole planning out my books for the month. Which is particularly odd since I am such a planner. I said I will give it this year though, so it has some time to continue to grow on me!
Until next time,