2018 In Books!

Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend and you are feeling refreshed this morning. Mine was quite busy so even though I’m not like SUPER refreshed physically, my heart is oh so happy. Running, church, time with my awesome girlfriends, and special time with my husband sure do make me happy. Thankful for a weekend packed with love. Funny story, I had originally planned on sharing with you ALL the books I’ve read this summer. Then I realized that it’s August and I’ve literally read ONE book so far lol. So much for that! So I decided I would share all the books I’ve read/listened to so far. Bear with me guys. I truly do love reading but for some reason I just can’t get around to doing it while marathon training.

Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain by David Eagleman

This was such a nerdy read and I loved it! I’m a huge science nerd and I was actually watching a YouTube video (Because Science) where this book was mentioned. I used my Audible trial to listen to this while I drove around for work. It is so interesting how our brains function and how our personalities are shaped due to our perception. While this book is science heavy, it is still enough of an easy read that it can be very interesting for anyone. The narration is captivating and I truly enjoyed each minute of it.

This Is Your Brain On Parasites by Kathleen McAuliffe

Again, coming in with the YouTube video book suggestions. Yes the title sounds super weird but it’s so dang interesting. True story, I know someone who has one of the parasites discussed in this book. My sister-in-law is a microbiologist so we geeked out hard on this one. VSauce3 does such an awesome job turning this book into an awesome video but there’s way more detail in the book. It’s interesting to see how our brain and body reactions to outside organisms. There’s things we do that may be driven by parasites and we have absolutely no idea about it. This one is a bit heavier on the science side but still, it reads well so you can pick up on it and breeze through it.

Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy by Sheryl Sandberg

At first, I didn’t want to read this book. I had a ROUGH start to the year and basically felt like I was in the lowest low in my life. However, I saw that another blogger read this book so I figured I’d give it a try. I SOBBED through the first couple chapters. Y’all this book ain’t for the faint of heart. Sheryl reveals the heartbreak that she went through when she lost her husband unexpectedly. She talked about how this isn’t her “Option A” of life but she is sure going to live her best “Option B” which in her case is her life without her husband. I’ve lost family members and I’ve felt like the rug was pulled out from under me this year and I cried so much reading this because she’s so right. Eventually, you get up and put one foot in front of the other and go on living your best “Option B”. One thing she talked about really stuck with me. People often say “I don’t know how you do it” but you really have no choice. It’s such a good story about coming back from heartbreak whatever it is.

Shaken: Discovering Your True Identity in the Midst of Life’s Storm by Tim Tebow

I see a trend in these books. My husband picked this one up and shared this with me. This was a really easy read and you could probably read it all in one sitting on the weekend. What I like about Tim is that he shares his stories with such honestly. It’s almost like he’s sitting across from you and chatting with you. It’s tough not to feel for the guy when he tells you what he dealt with when he was cut from team after team. Even if you’re not that much of a football fan, we’ve all faced rejection so we can relate.

Chasing The Scream by Johann Hari

Yet another book recommended by trusty YouTube. I was watching a video about addition by It’s Okay To Be Smart and he mentioned this book. Of course, I like to learn and I wanted some more info so I checked this book out. We all see those caught up in addiction as bad people or those who are down and out. There’s recovery groups at my church specifically for those dealing with addiction so this video and book made me much more curious. What drives someone to addiction? Is it genetic? Is it environment? Why do some people get hooked on hard drugs and others don’t? Why do some people relapse multiple times and the same program helps others? This book give SUCH an interesting history of the drug war and how drugs are viewed in other countries. This is a great read regardless of what your views are on addiction. I truly believe it’s better to be informed about these things and how they affect others.

In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day by Mark Batterson

My husband suggested this book as well and I have to say it was a good read! It was fairly easy to read through and can be a weekend read. This book centers around a story of scripture that is usually passed over. Mark Batterson ties back that story with how we face things in life. Most of us tend to stay in our comfort zone and don’t really take any chances. Sometimes, God calls us to step out in faith and we don’t listen. This book really focuses on listening to what God is telling you and how you shouldn’t let fear keep you from chasing your dreams.

Well that’s all the books I’ve read this year. It’s not as long of a list as I would like but I’d love to hear some of your suggestions! As you can tell my reading selection is all over the place. I would definitely recommend all of these books, especially in audio book format so you can listen while you workout or drive!

What are some of the books you’ve read recently?