recently read

I was recently offered a part time gig helping bloggers come up with catchy blog post titles ... as evidenced by today's unique post title. But, the post speaks the truth. I did (sort of) recently read these books and if I've already recommended them ... oops. I'm sorry. These five star ratings aren't official ... just Grace official which should probably be taken with a grain of salt but I love reading what other people read and loved so I'm just paying it forward, I guess. I love reading Meredith's ratings and recommendations, Fran has yet to steer me in a bad literary direction, Janssen is the book review queen, and Anne has thee best summer reading guides around.

1. Dumplin' -  A Fran recommendation. It was one of the only books that wasn't on a million year hold list at our library so my hopes weren't super high but I was pleasantly surprised. I'm guilty of diving into easy to digest and predictable chick lit and not that this isn't easy to digest but it's unpredictable and made me appreciate that I'll never have to go back to high skool. I hope.

2. Three Wishes - I don't use the word, "adore" often/ever but I truly adore everything Liane Moriarty writes. This was her first novel and is just has quick and captivating as all of her others. (Rumor has it that Jennifer Anison has agreed to star in What Alice Forgot and that Reese Witherspoon is currently filming Big Little Lies for an HBO show adaptation. Yee Haw)

3. Attachments - I've tried reading other Rainbow Rowell books but none have hit me quite like this one. Maybe because I communicate with so many of my friends via email? I don't know but when I read the premise I was a little skeptical but it was really hard to put down and I went through a little period of mourning (head-to-toe black and all) when it was over.

4. The Royal We - When I saw that Christy wrote about this on her blog (one of my favourites - that's how she spells it, copycat forever) I followed suit and started reading it almost immediately. It exceeded all of my expectations and now I might just turn my library card over to Christy and tell her to go wild. Lucky her.

5. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - a throwback and I'm not sure what I was doing when everyone else was reading this but I'm glad I got with the program over a decade later. Like most of the books listed here it was really hard to tear myself away from even when 5/5 kids were crying. Hard. And then the cream cheese frosting on the cake was that I could watch the movie right away when I was finished reading. (Same for the second book AND the second movie ... the series that keeps on giving)

6. Why Not Me - how do I say this without sounding like every other obsessive Mindy fangirl out there? I can't. Although our day-to-day lives are almost polar opposite I find her so relatable and really think we would hit it off in the friendship department - once she sorts through her million other bff applications. Her second book was as hilarious as her first but gave me a greater appreciation for how hard she works on top of how talented and brilliant she is. I told you! Obsessive.

Currently Reading: last person on earth to read Big Magic ... it's slow going but everyone raves about it so I'm sticking with it! And I'm loving Shay's brand new cookbooks. We all know I need all the help I can get in the meal planning department and Julia plans on making a cake for every single one of her classmates for her Valentine's party tomorrow. Hopefully she's rocking her ambitious apron this afternoon.

Next up: Kate Morton's The Lake House

What are you reading? What should I read? Tell me! Please!!!

Thanks. And now I'm going to make a lot of cakes.