Holly did something a little different last week, and I’m going to take a little detour from food this week also. Not only do Holly and I LOVE food and cooking and being in the kitchen, we also LOVE reading. I’m in a bunch of bookclubs (Hi book club friends!), belong to a bunch of book related Facebook groups (Hi Facebook friends!) and my kids have GoodReads accounts before they’re old enough for email addresses. Yes, I LOVE TO READ, it is my food for the soul! Read on to find out what we’re reading (and LOVING!)…
[SOME OF THE LINKS IN THIS POST ARE AFFILIATE LINKS AND WE WILL RECEIVE A SMALL COMMISSION IF YOU MAKE A PURCHASE AFTER CLICKING ON OUR LINK. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR WORK HERE AT WITH TWO SPOONS!]
Luckily, many of my best recommendations have come from Holly so we’re in agreement about the majority of these!
FICTION WE’RE READING (and LOVING!):
The Hearts Invisible Furies by John Boyne. Some books stay with you for a long, long time. I will admit as I began reading this I wasn’t quite sure. The beginning sucked me in, but I got kind of lost in the main character’s, well, lost-ness. I almost texted Holly to see what it was she liked so much. But perseverance won and the payoff came. And when it did…this book rocked my world. An epic story of love and redemption told in a magical way. This is one of the few I’m sure I’ll read again.
The War That Saved My Live by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. I listened to this one on audiobook and I almost couldn’t wait to get in my car-just so I could keep listening! The is a completely different take on the war and it what it meant for some of the children who were sent away from the city. The main character will have you laughing and crying and cheering for her until the very end.
The Queen of Hearts by Kimmery Martin. I first met Kimmery in a Facebook writer’s group and I will tell you, she is the real deal. Just like her book. This books explores friendships and secrets, set on the high stakes backdrop of medical school. Told by someone who’s lived it. The critics called this one Grey’s Anatomy meets Big Little Lies, and I think they were right!
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. I’ve always been a fan of Kristin Hannah but there is no doubt she has gotten better with time. The Nightingale was one of my favorite books, and this one, although different, is also fantastic. In this one she tackles the tough topics of domestic abuse, coming of age, first love and survivalism. In fact, ever since I read this book, I’ve been dying to go to Alaska!
NONFICTION WE’RE READING (and LOVING!):
Educated by Tara Westover. This one is quite the ride. Tara was born into a fundamentalist family who is all kinds of dysfunctional. She somehow perseveres and makes an educated life for herself, despite a lack of schooling in her formative years. It reads like a novel, but its all true!
In Shock by Rana Awdish. I met Rana in the same writer’s group as I met Kimmery (see above) and her story is nothing short of amazing. This book, which has been circulated widely amongst healthcare professionals, attempts to bridge the gap between physicians and their patients. A great read for anyone who will ever be a patient, you will cheer for Rana long after the book is over.
Tell Me More: Stories about the 12 Hardest Things I’m Learning to Say by Kelly Corrigan. I would be delighted to have Kelly Corrigan as a bestie. The words that come out of her mouth are often ones I’ve thought. She is irreverent, down to earth, and oh-so-real. And the letter she writes to her friend, Liz, who passes away is heart wrenching. Just try not to cry, I dare you.
COOKBOOKS WE’RE READING (and LOVING!):
Date Night In by Ashley Rodriguez. This cookbook was a gift from Holly for my 40th birthday. I’ve read it like a novel-TWICE. The recipes are delicious and flavorful. The photography is fabulous and the stories hit home as they are all about creating special moments in time even when you don’t feel like you have time or energy. Even better, Ashley’s newest cookbook, Let’s Stay In, will be on shelves this fall.
The Minimalist Kitchen by Melissa Coleman. This is a relatively new find to me. Written by a blogger that lives in Minneapolis (so do we!), I can totally relate to her desire to bring order to the kitchen. I’ve read this one from cover to cover (twice) also. Melissa has a ton of great tips for decluttering your kitchen and a ton of great recipes using a list of staples. All I could think while I was reading this one is “my family would totally EAT this!”. The sign of a great cookbook. Did I mention the beautiful photography?
The Whole Smiths Good Food Cookbook by Michelle Smith. This is another recent purchase, that I found at Costco of all places. I have been considering doing the Whole 30, although for many, many reasons have not yet been strong enough to do it. However, I’m forever trying to find ways to eat more healthy foods. This beautiful cookbook with many great recipes, makes me feel maybe I could do the Whole 30. Or at least a 3 day detox. Stay tuned. Buy the cookbook.
BLOGS WE’RE READING (and LOVING!):
Heartbeet Kitchen. How beautiful is this blog? Healthy recipes. Beautiful photography. Amazing person. You won’t be sorry you followed this one.
A Simple Pantry. Anyone whose tagline is “I prefer margaritas and sitting in the shade to pina coladas and getting caught in the rain” is my kind of person. Period. The recipes are simple but elegant. And the photography is stunning too.
My Name is Yeh. There is a reason Food Network gave Molly Yeh a show. She’s cute, quirky, interesting, and so much fun! From New York to North Dakota, Molly is living her life and letting us grab a glimpse. We’re thankful.
Jessica Gavin. Jessica is a food scientist who is trying to teach us all more about science and its applications in cooking. As a scientist by trade, I love this spin on food blogging. Not to mention the awesome recipes.
Pinch of Yum. I met Lindsay when I took her Pinch of Yum Tasty Food Photography Workshop (more about that here). She is amazingly talented (and so, so nice) and I honestly look forward to each of her new posts. Her recipes are ones that are on repeat in my house. Try the Korean Beef Tacos. You won’t be sorry.
Unfortunately , this is only a tiny slice of What We’re Reading, but if you like this, we can make it a more regular feature. And if you need any suggestions beyond what I’ve listed, give us a holler! The only thing we like talking about more than books is FOOD!
Please make this a regular feature! I love to hear what people are reading and these look like great suggestions across multiple genres. Books + recipes = perfection ❤️
Hmmm…maybe we will! We LOVE to read!