Stephanie Howell

What I'm Reading | July 2015 Edition

How gorgeous are these Puffin in Bloom books by Rifle Paper Co.? I just had to treat myself to this set. I'm in love.

 

Hey y'all! Welcome to the July edition of what I'm reading!

As per usual I'm constant updating my reading only Instagram account  (@whatstephreads) and through my Goodreads page.

 

Here's what I've read lately and what I've got coming up.

 

Read

1. We Were Liars | by E Lockhart - This book totally surprised me. And that rarely happens these days. The writing style takes a little getting used to (and it annoyed me at times) but it's a quick and captivating read. I have other books by this author on order because I'm now a fan.

 

2. Sweet Forgiveness | by Lori Nelson Spielman - This one was a pretty easy chick-lit type of read. But I had some serious problems with the way that the author handled certain issues...mainly abuse. It just left a bad taste in my mouth. I also never really connected with the main character.

 

3. A Man Called Ove | by Fredrick Backman - I mentioned this one already in a previous post. I LOVED this one and it was my only five star this book. Try to tell me you don't fall in love with Ove after reading this book. He's the most lovable curmudgeon EVER. This book made me laugh and cry in equal measures and it captivated me from the very beginning.

 

4. That Night | by Chevy Stevens- I thought this was a really interesting premise for a book but by the end I had lost interest. Not sure why, it just happens sometimes.

 

5. The Animals | by Christian Kiefer - This was definitely not an easy-breezy summer read and it's probably not for everyone but I thought this book was so freaking interesting. A man (who's made serious mistakes in his past) moves to the middle of nowhere to run a wildlife rescue. I loved the parts from his past and from his present equally and I loved his relationship with the animals. This book is pretty violent and raw so if you don't like that then you won't like this book. One of the strangest books I've read in a while but I mean that in a really good way.

 

6. Luckiest Girl Alive | by Jessica Knoll- There's been a ton of buzz about this book and while it was worth the read, I have to tell you I HATED the main character. Despised her. There was nothing redeeming about her to me. That said, it's worth a read.

 

7. You |by Caroline Kepnes- Y'all. This book FREAKED me OUT. The creepiest grossest book I've read in a long time. Listen. It's graphic. I warned you. And I don't even know what I thought about it. I still shudder thinking about it. I honestly didn't know how to rate it. Obsession, stalking...yeah. Disturbing.

 

 

Currently Reading

 

1. The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared |Jonas Jonasson

 

On My Radar/On Order at the Library

 

1. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks | E Lockhart

2. Since You've Been Gone | Morgan Matson

3. The Book of Speculation | Erika Swyler

4. The Royal We | Heather Cocks

5. The Summer of Good Intentions | Wendy Francis

 

 

Whew! That's it for this month! As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts + recommendations.

Happy Reading.

xoxo

s

What I'm Reading | Summer Edition

Whew! I haven't done one of these in a looooong time have I? I have been doing all of my book recs and "what I'm reading" photos through my reading only Instagram account (@whatstephreads) and through my Goodreads page.

But I thought I'd do an update here, too. It's been so long I'm not going to share alllll the books I've read, I'm just going to share some favorites from the past few months as well as what I'm up to now.

 

Recently Read and Loved/Highly Enjoyed:

 

1. Finding Jake by Bryan Reardon -really good but also very sad. Similar to We Need to talk About Kevin but with a twist. 

 

2. The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan - a couple's love story told in an innovative way...through dictionary entries. I devoured it in one short sitting. It was nice to read something different.

 

3. Where They Found Her by Kimberly McCreight - Not an all-time fave but a good twisty summer read.

 

4. Whiskey & Charlie  by Annabel Smith- Lovely, touching, and so clever with the title of each chapter. Realistic portrayal of the complicated relationships we have.

 

5. Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova-  Beautiful, heartbreaking, and gut wrenching. Huntington's disease is a cruel monster but reading about the way that this big, love filled, loud family dealt with it was a joy. Must read.

 

6. We Are Called To Riseby Laura McBride - This one sucked me in and stole my heart. The military connection is probably a big reason for that but I just thought it was wonderful.

 

 

Currently Reading:

1. Case Histories by Kate Atkinson

2. The Secret Wisdom of the Earth by Christoper Scotton

3. A Paris Apartment by Michelle Gable

4. The Animals by Christian Kiefer

5. Silver Girl by Elin Hildebrand

 

 

On My Radar/Waiting for at Library:

1. A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman

2. The Royal We by Heather Cocks

3. Why Not Me by Mindy Kaling

4. Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll

5. The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett

 

 

There you go! The summer version of what I'm reading. As always, I'd love to hear what you are reading, fellow bookworms!!

xoxo

S

 

 

What I'm Reading | January 2015 Edition

TGIF y'all!

Welcome to the January Edition of "What I'm Reading". One of my personal goals for this year is to get better about tracking EVERYTHING I read on Goodreads.

I also joined the Goodreads 2015 Reading Challenge. J says I sold myself short going for only 50 books, considering I've read already read four so far in January. HA!

 

{What I've Read Recently}

 

1. Station Eleven // I devoured this one and it stuck with me. I still think about it often. To me- that's the hallmark of a great book. It's a dystopian novel and I always love those. But this one just also has a wonderfully tender side too. I read a review somewhere that said that this book makes you "miss and long for the world you are living in right now" or something like that and I agree.

 

2.The Book of Unknown Americans // This book really touched my heart. I love that it was written by a fellow papercrafter, I love that it gave me insight into the life of an immigrant in America (one that I have even MORE compassion for after living in a foreign country and realizing how scary it can be), I loved everything about it. It was beautiful.

 

 

3.Yes Please // I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved this book. Let's put it this way. I've already read it twice and underlined most of it. This book will get an entire post to itself.

 

4.Everything I Never Told You // This book broke my heart. It was borderline too sad for me. But it was just so lovely I couldn't stop reading.

 

 

 

{Up Next}

 

1. Revival // Who doesn't love a new Stephen King novel? I got really excited when I saw this on the shelf at my library.

 

2. I Remember Nothing : and Other Reflections  and  I Feel Bad about My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman // It's been a long time since I've read Nora and I need her back in my life.

 

3. Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography // I LOVE NPH. I've heard mixed reviews on this but I still look forward to reading it.

 

And I also have five other books on order from the library. It's a sickness.

I LOVE this time of year because all of the "Best Book" lists have come out. I pin them here if you'd like to follow!

 

Have a beautiful weekend!

xoxo

S

 

several of the links in this post are affiliate.

What I'm Reading

This month I'm talking about one book. Thank You For Your Service by David Finkel.

As I sit here thinking of what to write, what to tell you...I find myself at a loss for words. There's just no way to explain this book.

I will tell you this. It's not an easy read. It's not light. I had to put this book down, close it, and cry several times.

If you have ever said Thank you for your service! to a member of the military, then this book will explain to you what you are thanking them for. The demons they fight when they come home, the horrors they face. 

This book isn't for the faint of heart. It talks about PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, high suicide rates in veterans.

I believe that everyone needs to read this book.

I won't forget it as long as I live. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to read, but I needed to read it. I highlighted many, many passages and this book will be one I hold on to and reference for years and years.

It's easy to live in a pretty bubble and pretend like everyone is okay and like things are over once they come home. That's not true for anyone. These men and women need our HELP. They need more than our words and our platitudes.

I'll stop here, before I start rambling. Just wanted to share this with you all.

 

S

What I'm Reading // What are YOU reading?

Ehhh...a whole bunch of nothing.

I'm still attempting to read, but nothing is holding my interest. Truly. The only book I remember reading lately is Jojo Moyes' new book.

And it was sweet and lovely...but just okay. I wanted the magic of Me Before You. Sigh.

Other than that I've read crap. Crap that I don't even want to record on Goodreads because it doesn't matter.

And I've been checking out books from the library, but they don't even interest me enough to read them.

I guess you could say I'm in a reading slump. Or maybe exercise has taken my reading time. And that's okay, but I would love to read a good book.

So it's your turn. What have you read lately that you loved? I want something that will grab me and pull me in. I want something that I will immerse myself in. I want something GOOD. I don't want to struggle. I want to be consumed.

Whoa. That's quite the laundry list, no?

Go!

 

 

Fly a Little Higher Blog Tour

I want to talk to you about the book I'm reading right now. Because it's beautiful and inspiring...and I truly think you would all love it.

There is absolutely nothing more inspiring to me than people using scary and heartbreaking times to help and lift up others.

And that's exactly what Zach Sobiech did. In the middle of the scariest time of his life (a battle with osteosarcoma) this amazing teen wrote an uplifting and encouraging song that eventually hit #1 on iTunes.

My girls and I watched Zach's video the day he passed away and he impacted each of us in a profound way. He lived fully and without hesitation. And he touched me in a way I'll never forget. When I was asked to read the book and share a bit about it...I said yes without hesitation.

Fly a Little higher is a testament of God's grace and a mother's fierce and undying love. And I can't lie. It's both breaking my heart and lifting me up at the same time. I've pretty much read the entire thing with tears on my cheeks but with a smile on my face.

Here's a bit about the book:

Okay, Lord, you can have him. But if he must die, I want it to be for something big. I want someone's life to be changed forever."

This is what Laura Sobiech prayed when she found out her seventeen-year-old son had only one year to live. With this desperate prayer, she released her son to God's will.

At that point, Zach Sobiech was just another teenager battling cancer. When his mother told him to think about writing good-bye letters to family and friends, he decided instead to write songs. One of them, "Clouds," captured hearts and changed not one life but millions, making him an international sensation.

But Zach's story is not just about music. It's a testament to what can happen when you live as if each day might be your last. It's a story about the human spirit. It's about how God used a dying boy from a small town in Minnesota to touch the hearts of millions—including top executives in the music industry, major music artists, news anchors, talk show hosts, actors, priests and pastors, and school children across the globe.

Zach once said, "I want to be known as the kid who went down fighting, and didn't really lose." Fly a Little Higher is about how God used Zach to do something big.

Fly a Little Higher is written by Laura Sobiech, the mother of Zach Sobiech. Laura spent the last three years walking the road of cancer with her teenage son, Zach, and blogging about their battle with the disease. Zach wrote the song “Clouds” which hit #1 on iTunes the same week he passed away in May 2013.

Grab your copy HERE.

This post is part of the Fly a Little Higher Blog Tour which I am delighted to be a part of along with hundreds of bloggers raising awareness and giving hope to those with cancer. To learn more and join us, CLICK HERE!

 

xoxo

S

What I'm Reading // March/April Edition

Okay. So I sort of fell off the blogging about reading wagon. :) But after a gentle reminder from some of y'all...I've decided to do a little update!

Thank heavens for Goodreads...or I wouldn't remember any of this!

 

 

What I've read in the past few months:

1. The Good Luck of Right Now by Matthew Quick - Loved this one. I've seen lots of mixed reviews and I get that. It's totally quirky. Wait...it bypasses typical Matthew Quick quirky and veers into weirdo land. But I loved it.

2. The Innocent Sleep by Karen Perry- It was interesting but never fully sucked me in. Sort of Gone Girl-esque. Worth a read, and the setting (Tangiers) is really interesting.

3. Mad About the Boy (Bridget Jones) by Helen Fielding. NO. JUST NO NO NO NO NO NO NOOOOOO. It makes me mad just thinking about it. HORRIBLE.

4. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty- I adored this one. I am a new fan of Moriarty. Light and fluffy, but good.

5. Someday, Someday Maybe by Lauren Graham- Disclosure...I LOVE Lauren Graham. So that might have given me some bias here, but I really liked this book. It's no secret I'm a fan of good chick lit. This was adorable.

6. Falling Together by Marisa de los Santos- eh. and a little blah. That's the best I've got. Super disappointed considering I've loved everything else by this auther. Maybe my expectations were too high?

7. Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight- Really good. Sad and scary and pretty on point with things going on in the world today.

8. What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty- Oh how I loved this one. Just a good read. Not deeply intellectual, but I needed a brain break. Loved loved.

9. The History of Love by Nicole Krauss- I kind of just kept waiting for something to happen/click and it never did. I really liked the characters, though...I've just heard so much about this that I expected something different I suppose.

10. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion- Awesome. Quirky, different, interesting, and funny as hell. Two thumbs up.

11. Joyland by Stephen King- Man...King just rocks. Another great book. A bit coming of age/retrospective, a bit mystery.

11. The Dinner by Herman Koch - I don't really know what to say about this one. Highly entertaining and a quick read. But seriously messed up and disturbing.

 

What's in my "To Read" pile:

1. Night Film by Marisha Pessl

2. The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud

3. Wonder by RJ Palacio

4. The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman

 

You can see my past recommendations HERE.

So what about you? What are you reading?

xoxo

S

What I'm Reading 2014 // February 2014 Edition

One of my goals for 2014 is to be more intentional about reading. To track my books via Goodreads, to pay attention to what I read and didn't read, to share what I'm reading here.

For the January edition of What I'm reading (including how I select books and my entire process), click HERE.

This month I want to talk about WHEN I read. I get asked this question all.the.time.

People genuinely want to know how I read so much. The answer? It's a priority to me. Reading is like breathing. I simply have to do it.

I am a really fast reader. So fast that Jimmy swears I've taken a speed reading course. I haven't. So that helps.

But I also always have a novel in my purse. Waiting in the carpool line? I read. In the waiting room at the doctor's office? Reading. I even read when I walk. True story. Not so great considering how clumsy I am. HA!

This month I checked out a stack at the beginning of the month. I ended up taking most of them back because they just weren't doing it for me.

Here's what I ended up with and here's what I will most likely read this month:

February List:

1. Joyland by Stephen King

2. The Dinner by Herman Koch

3. TransAtlantic by Colum McCann

4. The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

5. Have a New Kid by Friday by Kevin Leman

6. What is Left the Daughter by Howard Norman

 

Books I completed last month:

1. Wild by Cheryl Strayed- LOVED this. Loved Loved LOVED. Devoured it, in fact. Just an awesome story of strength and redemption. I heard they are making it into a movie and I'm not 100 percent sure how I feel about this.

2. The Returned by Jason Mott- Blah. Had potential but I never connected or really cared about the characters. I kept waiting to like it but I never really cared one way or another. Totally fell flat for me.

3. The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker - I'm having a hard time explaining how I feel about this one. I enjoyed it but found it very depressing. I find dystopian books terrifying/intriguing and this was no exception. Walker did a beautiful job of explaining life in junior high. I found this an interesting juxtaposition with all of the crazy cosmic stuff that was going on. Super easy/quick read.

4. The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes- Moyes is one of my new favorite authors. I found this book absolutely fascinating. I have to say I found the flashback portions much more interesting than the "current day" portions, though.

5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - WOW. Wow wow wowwwww. Still processing this book. This book tore my heart out and broke it in to a million pieces. I honestly don't feel that any review can give it the worth it deserves. There are just no words. The horrors, the pain, the death...yep. It broke my heart. Beautifully told. I need to quickly read everything else Zusak has written. One more thing- I had tried to read this once and gave up on it. SO glad I stuck with it.

 

There you go! The February version of what I'm reading. As always, I'd love to hear what you are reading, fellow bookworms!!

xoxo

S

Living With Intention : What Italy is Teaching Me {Notes from a Blue Bike Blog Tour}

This post is part of the Blue Bike Blog Tour, which I’m thrilled to be part of. To learn more and join us, head here.

Let's talk about living with intention.Living slower and simpler.

These are things I've really been mindful of in the past year. But wait. Here's what i want to talk about.

I want to talk about what Italy has taught me in the past six months.

You know what I've learned from living in Italy?
Truth be told, I've learned a lot in the past half year. I've learned about prosecco, bigoli, and handling produce with gloves.

I've learned many new words, several hand gestures, and how to drive like a maniac.

I've learned about the bella figura, how to own a crosswalk with authority, and the zillion different ways to say hello and goodbye.

But above all? I've learned to slow the heck down.

It's been a big adjustement. I won't lie. Moving from the land of 24/7 and go, go, go! to the land of simmer down and wait has been a work in progress.

But it's also taught me a thing or two. Like the art of sitting still and enjoying the scenery, like the gift of savoring a good meal.

No mommy wars, no competition, no hurry up and go.

Just good wine, delicous (whole and fresh) food, and the art of being present.

When I got the email asking me to read Notes from a Blue Bike I immediately knew the topic was one I'd connect with. And I really truly loved reading this book. I connected with so much of it.

I connected with the idea of celebrating the art of slowing down.

Notes From a Blue Bike is written by Tsh Oxenreider, founder and main voice of The Art of Simple.

It doesn’t always feel like it, but we DO have the freedom to creatively change the everyday little things in our lives so that our path better aligns with our values and passions. Grab your copy here.

SO so many passages from the book resonated with me. I want to share a few of my favorites with you.

"To love the world and to drink it deeply. I couldn’t imagine not raising kids to do the same."

"People are willing to be brave when they admit their smallness within the enormity of the world, and the best way to understand our smallness is to leave our comfort zones and start exploring, one foot in front of the other. When we go on an adventure, we’d better understand where we truly belong."

"Once they’ve traveled, kids have permission to question the how and why of their surroundings, because they’ve tasted and seen that other people live differently. While it may not be the most comfortable way to go through life, it’s the most honest—and this honesty opens the door to making life choices that feel right in your bones."

Yes,yes, and YES!!! I found myself nodding my head in agreement almost all the way through the book.

Thanks to Tsh for allowing me to review this book and be a part of the blog tour. Again...to read more reviews and learn more, go HERE. To grab a copy of the book, go HERE.

xoxo

S

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a free review copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed (as always) are totally and completely my own.

Loving Lately.

Today I want to share a couple of items that I am loving lately.

Up first...my Artifact Uprising photo book that I made with my Florence iPhone photos.

AU has a great website where you can make books with any photos...but for this book I used the Artifact Uprising free app and ordered the book directly from my phone.

Amazing quality and EASY to make. Win Win. I'll be ordering these for each trip we make. I hope to have a big basket full of them at the end of our three years here.

The next thing I want to share is this 20 Questions Birthday Interview Blurb book by Nicole Reaves. Cutest.Idea.Ever.

The book has a set of questions that you ask your child on (or close to) their birthday. These are for Cate and Lucy and they go from 3 - 18.

These are going to be such a treasure for them to have one day. And the quality is outstanding. Find out more HERE.

Okay, that's all for today.

Still working my way through all the comments on the "Roll Call" post. I am determined to respond to each one...even if it takes me a year. HA!

Love to you all-

xoxo

S