Before we begin, look to the right. If that doesn’t say you’re following the blog make sure you put your email in and I’ll send you free downloads from here on out!

In 2017 I started a list of my goals and accountability tracking for the year. I reached and exceeded every goal.

Download Your Yearly Goal Sheet For FREE Here! 

If you’re looking for more book or podcast recommendations you can read my other book reviews from this year you can catch up here.

The goal of this section of the blog is to share a glimpse into what inspires, motivates and teaches me. Out of the books I read, I only bring up the ones I would suggest taking a look at…there are still a few that get left out; entirely based on my own opinions.

So where do I find all these books to read? Lots of places. I follow the Book of the Month Club on Instagram and I get weekly suggestions from my daily news source, theSkimm. You can sign up for free here using my referral code!

 

Read For Fun

Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter

I had started this book a few months ago but didn’t finish it before it was due back. I was interested enough because it was a Karin Slaughter novel (and I love all of her work) to circle back. Reading anything Slaughter writes is like taking the twistiest, turniest, fastest roller coaster. Her typical family-based crime thriller filled with family secrets. A daughter believes her mother is one person but when she sees her talk down a crazed shooter in the mall they’re at, it turns out she was involved with a cult of insanely biased (and faithful) terrorists. This is packed with adrenaline and is another hit of Slaughter’s.

 All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin

A Nashville-based story revolving around characters from small-town middle-class to wealthy and privileged in Nashville’s elite. Then it all gets tipped on it’s head when a photo snapped at a drunken party surfaces involving their kids. This plays out a narrative on the double-sided repercussions between men and women. It was a gut wrenching story written well and read well from all the perspectives. It shows just how messy these situations can get. It’s something important for parents and kids to understand. 

 

The Swans of Fifth Avenue By Melanie Benjamin

If you enjoy getting lost in a book of alluring socialites in the 50s, here you go! In comes a man (real-life Truman Capote) to upturn their circle of ‘swans’ (including real-life Babe Paley) with scandal that will interfere with their glamorous lives for years. This is seeping with pretentious, snide drama that the author imagined into the lives of these fashionable icons. While they’re real people she imagined conversations and connected missing lines from her research and interest. I didn’t realize these were real people until the Author’s Note at the end. If you’re a fan of these people you will enjoy this.

THERE THERE BY TOMMY ORANGE

Multiple outlets and companies exclaimed this was a Book of the Year. It features 12 Urban Indians living in Oakland, CA. The voice is so strategic with violence and poetry that you can easily see the side of America we usually don’t face. While this is a novel, the stories following these characters take you through what it would be like with native american heritage and connecting to their families in today’s times. I wouldn’t say this is my favorite book of all time but I can understand why it was recognized in so many categories and was different from anything I’ve ever read. 

You by Caroline Kepnes

If you haven’t hopped on the bandwagon for this enthralling, creepy and super addicting show on Netflix just type in the single word and off you go. I hadn’t heard of the book until after the show aired and ended up on a waitlist for a few weeks. Besides being insanely annoyed by the best friend named Peach (REALLYYY) this book was fun to listen while I could imagine the scenes. It swayed off and on the path of events I had seen on the show and it makes you wonder why the book was more realistic than the streaming series.

 

THE SUNSHINE SISTERS BY JANE GREEN 

A mother is wrapped up in self-absorbed dreams of becoming an actress and, in doing so, lacks in the mothering department. She turns her frustrations and judgments on her three daughters and the story takes you through each of their live’s paths. We find out the mother is diagnosed with ALS and so begins the journey of bringing her daughter’s home, re-creating relationships and dealing with the repercussions as she plans to have her last weekend of life as one family. This took a minute to get into but it’s ultimately heartwarming, endearing and a personal navigating the mother-daughter and sister-sister relationships. If you enjoyed You Before Me, you will enjoy this. 

The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis.

This was a fictional book but inspired by the author’s research on certain characters, schools and books. While I’ve never been to New York but I am well aware of Grand Central Station where this story is featured. Fiona Davis is a best-selling author known for her captivating novels. This flashed back to an artist unaware the Great Depressoin would soon cause her dreams of creating work for Vogue to come crashing down. The second is an artist who, nearly 50 years later, who gets a job in Grand Central Station and discovers the abandoned art school in the terminal. I love when stories are created around something we are all familiar with like Harry Potter or Night at the Museum. Along with a hint of The Woman In Gold. While I don’t consider myself an art expert by any means this was still relevant to anyone who feels like they’ve created something. And it’s got a great mystery/figure it out puzzle twisted in there.

 

Read For Improvement

 

The Soul of America: The Battle For Our Better Angels by Jon Meacham and Fred Sanders

#1 NYT Bestseller and a Pulitzer Prize-winning author helps us understand the current political climate by looking back at critical times in our history. It was named one of the best books of the year for valid reasons. “The good news is we have come through the darkness before.” A lot of comparison from fear and cowards vs. hope and leaders. It was a powerful, smartly- written based on history so it was well-rounded and unbiased. it’s an easy way to learn about history, make comparison and learn new things. I highly, extremely highly, recommend reading this or downloading it as an audiobook.

 

 

THE RULES DO NOT APPLY BY ARIEL LEVY

This book was named NYT Bestsellers “This year’s must-read memoir” plus named one of the best books of the year by Vogue, Time, Esquire, and several more large reputable brands. This was a fantastic read from a life so extremely different than anything I’m used to. I’m talking finished it in three days. Highly recommend. 

 

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You’ve read through my opinions so you deserve some FREE STUFF! Make sure you are following the blog (upper right of this page) to get free downloads in the future. Once you’re following, go ahead and download this document: GOALS FOR 2019 from Local Collaborative I mentioned to track your goals and adventures for the rest of the year and into 2019.

Cheers!

Marin

PS: Are you enjoying these blogs? Have we worked together? I would love to get your short and honest review on my Facebook page. Thanks in advance!

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