In 2013 I read...a lot!

Clearing my list on the lower right to list my 2014 reads, so logging 2013's right here! 

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth

2. The Pleasure of My Company by Steve Martin

3. The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

4. The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones

5. Love Anthony by Lisa Genova

6. Starstruck by Lauren Conrad

7. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

8. I, Rhoda by Valerie Harper

9. The Lion Is In by Delia Ephron

10. The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister

11. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

12. The Lost Art of Mixing by Erica Bauermeister

13. The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan

14. 5th Avenue, 5 A.M by Sam Wasson
15. Man Up by Ross Matthews

16. Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella

17. Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham

18. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

19. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

20. Revenge Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

21. The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls

22. Claudia Silver to the Rescue by Kathy Ebel

23. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

24. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

25. Emma's Secret: A Novel by Steena Holmes

26. Fin and Lady by Cathleen Schine

27. Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight

28. And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

29. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

30. Sister Mother Husband Dog by Delia Ephron

31. A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

32. The Interestings by Meg Wolizer

33. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

34. Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding

35. The Good House by Ann Leary

36. Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

37. Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan

38. What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

The Painted Girls

This book is an absolute must-read! I loved every page and am keeping my fingers very crossed they turn it into a movie. I loved it SO much that in the acknowledgments I saw the title of the documentary that inspired the author and promptly set to work on finding it. GOOD NEWS PEEPS! It lives on you-tube.

SO…do yourself a favor, and buy The Painted Girls by Cathy marie Buchanan and then watch this documentary after!

Tristan and I will definitely be making a weekend trip to DC soon, to see the artwork that inspired the documentary that inspired the book in person!

Friendship & Cooking

I have a love of books about friendship and knitting. I can't help it. As soon as I see the word 'purl' or 'knit' on a cover I'm drawn to it.  However, most recently I've realized it's not only friendship and knitting that interests me. It's friendship and COOKING as well.  The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister was a perfect read for this new-found interest.  I loved the story and the way it was written. I felt like I knew the characters and could smell/taste the food! 

*I need to make note here- juts because I'm interested in READING about cooking doesn't mean I want to start doing it! 
Although…there's a chance I will give it more of an attempt than usual now.

Something Green

My friend/teacher/mentor, the incredible Victoria Kann, has released her latest picture book in the Pinkalicious series, Emeraldalicious. It's a gorgeous book with a beautiful message about how everyone can make the world a a green and beautiful place. If you have a little one, you should definitely pick it up and see if she's coming to a town near you for a reading/signing.

More about the book HERE and watch the trailer!

& this just in...it's #1 on the NY Times Bestseller List!!!!

Bookworm, 2012 edition!

Any year I start off by reading a book by Jennifer Hudson is bound to be a good reading year for me! I'm not kidding, I love Jhud.

In 2012 I read the below list of books…my 3 favorites being Arcadia, The Art of Fielding and Heartburn.  The prettiest cover award definitely goes to The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo.  The most likely to be a good movie award goes to Gone Girl.  

1. I Got This By Jennifer Hudson
2. The Four Agreements by don Miguel Ruiz
3. Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

4. I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

5. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

6. Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea

7. Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James

8. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

9. Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James

10. The Fame Game by Lauren Conrad

11. Wild by Cheryl Strayed

12. I Hate Everyone...Starting With Me by Joan Rivers

13. Arcadia by Lauren Groff

14. Heartburn by Nora Ephron

15. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

16. The Age Of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

17. The Art Of Fielding by Chad Harbach

18. Gold by Chris Cleave

19. Needles and Pearls by Gil McNeil

20. The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo by F.G. Haghenbeck

21. The Chocolate Money by Ashley Prentice Norton

22. Where We Belong by Emily Giffin

23. Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin

24. Most Talkative by Andy Cohen

It feels a bit anti-climatic to have read 24 not 25, but whatcha gonna do? I'm starting off 2013 with Divergent by Veronica Roth. I hope to read 25 this year! Any recommendations?  

The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo

I love Frida Kahlo. I've always loved Frida Kahlo. My mom was an art teacher during my childhood, and was THE BEST at exposing my sister and I to every museum possible at a really young age. Frida became the subject of all my women's history book reports and everything and anything having to do with art history.  I even made a pop up book at some point for a school project (note to self, try to find that)!

Anywhooooo, somewhere out there in blog-o-sphere, a few months back, I came across this gorgeous cover and was PSYCHED! A  historical fiction novel about Frida!!!! Anyway, lucky for me it hit paperback in time for my honeymoon, and I read it pool and beach side in Aruba. I loved every page of it, especially how recipes were worked into the novel.  I recommend this book to all the Frida fans out there. I think if you're not a Frida fan, you might still like it, but it's definitely the bits and pieces of her real life moments that make their way into her artwork that make it interesting.

Learn more about The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo here: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13544788-the-secret-book-of-frida-kahlo