CFB Book Club: Spring 2017

Remember that time I said my reading habits ebb and flow? Yeah, well…

I started out the year really strong, making it through *nine* books in the first three months of 2017. While I did slow down a bit, I’m still on track to reach my reading goal for the year.

Here’s a look at the books I’ve read in the past three months.

Oh, and I did include links in case you’re interested in checking out any of them. And, yes, I would get the tiniest bit of money back if you do end up picking any of them up through my links. So, basically, you should buy them all… 🙂

(10) The Woman I Wanted to Be by Diane von Furstenberg

I hardly consider myself a fashionista, but I think you will be hard-pressed to find any woman unfamiliar with the force that is Diane von Furstenberg.

She’s a legend!

And since I have been very conscious about adding biographies and memoirs to my reading list, especially those about amazing women, this seemed like a natural choice.

I really enjoyed it, too! While one of the sections is devoted to her fashion empire, it was the other sections–about her youth and relationships–that really inspired me.

While she seems to have led a magical life of privilege, she has also overcome so much in her life, all the while maintaining a remarkably positive and resilient outlook.

(11) Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

There came a point in the past couple of months where I didn’t want to spend money on books, but I didn’t want to slow down my reading.

Enter: the library.

I basically went down my list until I found one they had. Looking back, I’m so happy it was this one!

I love the way Trevor Noah, current host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central, balances his humor with the harsh realities of growing up in South Africa following the slow end of apartheid.

Beyond learning more about him personally, I really felt like I came away having learned a little history and gaining a greater respect for the victims of seemingly arbitrary race laws.

(12) The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg

Have you ever thought about the fact that you have to put little to no thought into brushing your teeth or tying your shoes? This book explores the way our brains are wired to fall into habits, many of which we don’t even realize have formed.

The main premise involves the ability change our unwanted habits by thinking about both what triggers certain actions (boredom leading to eating junk food, for instance) and the reward we receive from completing the habit (in this case, a snack or break from boredom) – and hopefully adjusting our response to over time override the existing habits with new, healthier ones.

Really interesting stuff!

(13) You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero

I. Love. This. Book.

Over the course of my career, I’ve read a lot of books in the self-help/motivation/business genre. Honestly, I started this one thinking it would be like any other.

But while it does have a very similar you-can-do-it vibe as The Crossroads of Should and Must, this one really hit me hard!

Maybe it’s the writing or maybe it’s just where I am in my life right now, but this really hit the spot and gave me some much-needed motivation to pursue a project I’ve been toying with for a really long time.

Need a little push? This might be the book for you.

(14) Wondrous Pursuit: Daily Encounters with an Almighty God (A 30-Day Devotional) by Jarrid Wilson

I’ve been trying really hard to be better about reading the Bible on a more consistent basis, but, even though I know it’s an endless supply of wisdom, I struggle with finding that I’ve either read “the good parts” a million times or get lost in the historical details and lineages, which I find a little boring.

What helps me with that is doing guided devotionals like this one.

I’m only about a week into it, but I’m really enjoying this one. For each day, there is a passage of scripture, along with some commentary and a few questions to get those wheels turning – or if you’re like me, to serve as journal prompts.

I also FINALLY finished all 1050 pages of A Dance with Dragons, but I’m leaving that off here since I mentioned in a previous Book Club post. With that out of the way, I’m excited for another peak season of reading.

Until October, read on!