Good Books I've Read Lately

I don't get to squeeze in as many books as podcasts into my daily routine but when I do I want to make sure to share with you guys the ones I like the best.

If you don't know by now, I'm a bargain hunter. Or cheap. However you want to say it. I rent all of my books from the library! You can rent audiobooks from the library too. I listen to audiobooks on the app called Overdrive. It may mean that I have to wait a little longer for a new release but that's fine with me. I have plenty of podcasts to listen to!

This first one was recommended to me by a friend and it was a great recommendation! Behind Closed Doors is a psychological thriller but it's not a overly scary thriller. At least I don't think so. I mean, it's not going to be like the movie SAW let's put it that way. More of just a really good story that unravels slowly.

Here is a summary of the book from the amazon website:

Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace. He has looks and wealth; she has charm and elegance. He’s a dedicated attorney who has never lost a case; she is a flawless homemaker, a masterful gardener and cook, and dotes on her disabled younger sister. Though they are still newlyweds, they seem to have it all. You might not want to like them, but you do. You’re hopelessly charmed by the ease and comfort of their home, by the graciousness of the dinner parties they throw. You’d like to get to know Grace better.

But it’s difficult, because you realize Jack and Grace are inseparable.

Some might call this true love. Others might wonder why Grace never answers the phone. Or why she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn’t work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. Or why she never seems to take anything with her when she leaves the house, not even a pen. Or why there are such high-security metal shutters on all the downstairs windows.

Some might wonder what’s really going on once the dinner party is over, and the front door has closed.

I enjoyed this autobiography from Chrissy Metz. I listened to the audiobook and Chrissy narriates it herself. It was easy to follow, entertaining and I appreciated her honesty. She takes you through her early life and the beginning of her career. She offers some self help advice along the way. 

The author J.D. Vance goes into depth about his family's history in Appalachia, how they moved from Kentucky to Ohio in search for work and how they all continued to meet obstacles no matter how far and hard they tried to escape being poor. I really enjoyed the author's writing, his honesty and I also liked being challenged to think about social and economic topics that effect Appalachia. 

Here is a summary from the amazon website: 

The Vance family story begins hopefully in postwar America. J. D.’s grandparents were “dirt poor and in love,” and moved north from Kentucky’s Appalachia region to Ohio in the hopes of escaping the dreadful poverty around them. They raised a middle-class family, and eventually one of their grandchildren would graduate from Yale Law School, a conventional marker of success in achieving generational upward mobility. But as the family saga of Hillbilly Elegy plays out, we learn that J.D.'s grandparents, aunt, uncle, sister, and, most of all, his mother struggled profoundly with the demands of their new middle-class life, never fully escaping the legacy of abuse, alcoholism, poverty, and trauma so characteristic of their part of America. With piercing honesty, Vance shows how he himself still carries around the demons of his chaotic family history.

Why Books Win @Asheville Grit

Check out my new article that just went up over at AshevilleGrit.com!

Comfort Girl

Sweater: Thrifted Target, Denim Shirt: Thrifted Levi's, Pants: Thrifted, Shoes: L.L. Bean

You may be asking yourself...does this girl wear anything other than her L.L. Bean boots? Not lately. They are just too darn comfy and too darn easy to throw on when I'm heading out the door. Plus I just got through watching Olive Kitteridge on HBO since I had just finished reading the book and Olive wears her Bean boots a couple of times in the movie. Perfect setting since it is filmed in Maine. So that just gave me the extra fuel I needed to wear them again...and again... But I promise to spice it up soon around here! No worries. If you haven't read or watched Olive Kitteridge I would recommend it. Read it first, of course, for the true experience. Although HBO does very well with the small screen adaptation. Francis McDormand is fantastic. Her interview with Katie Couric is interesting too. She is very frank and honest with aging and how women get all tripped up in the anxiety of it all. Something that I don't want to admit that I am doing and will do more of...age. In the meantime my Maine hunting boots will be a tribute to Olive today. Cheers Ollie.

The Secret World of Stitchery

My future mother-in-law gave me these really neat vintage needlepoint books. I have NO clue how to needlepoint or stitch. I have only done cross stitch in my lifetime. But I would like to eventually try one of these techniques. It looks super time consuming and a bit intimidating. I've had my eye on embroidery too as of late and I am tempted to take a class. Although, I really need to get basic sewing under my belt before I add anymore projects to my bucket list. The photos of these projects sure are fun to stare at, though. Look at that cute little pom pom fish pillow in the first photo. Cute!!

I really love the girly lace stuff too. Like the ones above on the left these below:

Yeah, don't know what any of that means but it sure does look purty

One of my favorites - this little poof footstool:

Trickery!

Well, if I can't use them now as guides I will use them as decoration!



Around the house

I do love lazy, rainy, Sunday afternoons puttering around the house. A few things that I see while I'm still in my jammies :)