REVIEW: Thanks for the Feedback by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen

If I were the type to make New Year's Resolutions, which I'm not, one of them might be to get better at reacting to feedback. I have a tendency to ignore feedback that might be helpful (performance reviews at work), and to focus too heavily on unhelpful feedback (you are letting a daycare center raise your kids.)

I'm really glad I got around to reading Thanks for the Feedback by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen before my next performance review. This book goes in-depth on the types of feedback you may receive, how to use it, and when to set boundaries. There were actionable items on almost every page. I got my copy from the library, but will most likely buy my own to keep so I can highlight on a re-read. While this book focuses on receiving feedback, it also made me more aware of the ways in which I'm giving feedback.

If you're the New Year's Resolution type, may I also suggest:

If you're giving an evaluation at work, or writing your self-review I recommend the following:

Note: links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

My favorite quotes from books I read in 2015

I started keeping a written reading journal this year precisely so that I would have a good way to record quotes from the books I'm reading. Here are my favorite quotes from books I read in 2015:

From First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen:

"Motherhood is hard enough without judgment from others who don't know the whole story."

From How To Eat A Cupcake by Meg Donohue:

"And then I was alone in the tapering crowd."

From Who Could That Be At This Hour by Lemony Snickett:

"If someone wanted to torture me until I gave them critical information, all they would have to do is get my socks wet."

From Life Is a Wheel by Bruce Webster:

"One day you're a Jetson, the next you're a Flinstone."

From Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote:

"I felt in my pocket the key to this apartment; with all its gloom, it still was a place of my own, the first, and all my books were there, and jars of pencils to sharpen, everything I needed, so I felt, to become the writer I wanted to be."

From A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote:

"As for me, I could leave the world with today in my eyes."

From The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver:

"There are more words in the world than no and yes."

From Yes, Please by Amy Pohler:

"I'm tired of being tired, and talking about how tired I am."

From A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

"Never forget what you are, for the world surely will not. Make it your strength. Then it will never be your weakness. Armor yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you."

From Tricky Twenty-Two by Janet Evanovich

"My hair was out of control by birth. Hers was by design."

(Note: Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support.)

2015 Reading Challenges Wrap Up

Cape Cod, a great place for reading

I love to take part in various reading challenges throughout the year. In 2015 I took part in two notable ones: Modern Mrs. Darcy's 2015 Reading Challenge, and the Books on the Nightstand Summer Book BINGO. I finished Mrs. Darcy's challenge, and came close to completing the square on BINGO. Here's how I filled the categories:

2015 Reading Challenge:

A book you're been meaning to read: Station Eleven

A book published this year: I Take You

A book in a genre you don't typically read: Can't we talk about something more pleasant?

A book from your childhood: Ramona Quimby Age 8

A book your mom loves: W is for Wasted

A book that was originally written in a different language: Heidi

A book that "everyone' has read but you: Me Before You

A book you chose because of the cover: Prospect Park West

A book by a favorite author: On Writing

A book recommended by someone with great taste: Game of Thrones

A book you should have read in High School: My Antonia

A book that's currently on the bestseller list: All the Light We Cannot See

Summer Reading BINGO:

Published before 1970: A Separate Peace

Cozy Mystery: The Nightingale Before Christmas (Meg Langslow Mysteries)

Set in a place you want to visit: Doctor Sleep

10 Short Stories: stories by O. Henry, Maeve Binchy, Truman Capote, and from the journal One Story

An audiobook: I Know How She Does It: How Successful Women Make the Most of Their Time

A presidential biography: Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President

Nonfiction: Sally Ride: America's First Woman in Space

A novella: Breakfast at Tiffany's

Borrowed from the library: Never Let Me Go

Free Square: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)

With only words on the cover: W is for Wasted (Kinsey Millhone Mysteries)

With a red cover: How to Eat a Cupcake: A Novel

Travel writing: Life Is a Wheel: Memoirs of a Bike-Riding Obituarist

By an author of a different gender: Jurassic Park: A Novel 

Started but never finished: One Summer: America, 1927

Young adult novel: The Fever: A Novel

That you've pretended to have read: To Kill a Mockingbird

Currently on the bestseller list: The Girl on the Train

Found in a used bookstore: The Poisonwood Bible: A Novel

Fantasy: Wizard and Glass: (The Dark Tower #4)(Revised Edition)

Squares I missed:
A play
With a number in the title
By an author of a different culture
Recommended by a librarian or a bookseller
With a one-word title

What book challenges are you looking forward to in 2016?

(Note: links to amazon.com are affiliate links. thanks for your support.)

This post is linked to The Sunday Post at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Five Read Out Louds I Look Forward to Sharing With My Kids in 2016

I'm so glad my kids finally have enough of an attention span to listen to read out loud chapter books. Here are 5 I plan to read to them in 2016.

You can click on any of the images above to see a description on amazon.com.

(Note: links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!)

Eight classics I want to read in 2016

I'm in the middle of a multi-year attempt to read all of the classics I missed (or didn't pay enough attention to) in high school. Here are the 8 I've assigned myself to read in 2016.

You can click on any of the images above to see a description on amazon.com.

(Note: links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!)

Forty Non-Fiction Books I Want To Read in 2016

My goal in 2016 is to read 50 non-fiction books, with 40 of them being "pre-assigned". This is in an effort to read more substantial non-fiction. These are in no particular order, and selected from my TBR list, my library holds list, and from books I already have at home.

You can click on any of the images above to see a description on amazon.com.

(Note: links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!)

My 2016 reading goals

I read a lot of books in 2015. All together I read 37 non fiction books, 5 classics, 5 read out loud chapter books, and 78 other works of fiction. So, when I tell people I want to set some reading goals for 2016 they might think I'm a little crazy. I know my bookworm friends will understand my intention to read with more purpose though. Assuming that I will keep up about the same total, I'd like to bring my non-fiction numbers up to 50 and replace a lot of the cookbooks and celebrity memoirs with books about brain science, presidential biographies, books on goal setting, and books that will help at work. I would also like to keep on reading more of the classic books that I either missed or didn't appreciate in high school. Finally, now that my kids are older and can better appreciate reading chapter books out loud, I'd like to increase that number to eight.

Because I read like it's my job, and not because it is my actual job, I want to leave some room for whimsy in my reading life. If someone gives me the title of a book that they think I need to read RIGHT AWAY I'm not going to tell them no because I have 50 works of non-fiction to read first. Plus fiction will always be a large part of my reading life. For that reason, I'm going to "assign" myself 40 non-fiction books, 5 read out louds, and 8 classics to read in the year 2016. To read my assigned reading lists, click on the links below:

Non-fiction

Classics

Read-Out-Loud

The 8 books I gave 5 star ratings to in 2015

As of today, I have read 125 books in 2015. Almost all of them were rated 3 stars or above, simply because I have no qualms about abandoning anything that I don't like. It takes something special to rate 5 stars though. Here are the eight books that I ranked with 5 stars in 2015.

Sally Ride: America's First Woman in Space -- an amazing biography that made me want to dust off my physics degree and launch myself into space.

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 -- I listened to the audiobook with my kids, and it's just as good as it was when I was 8.

The Pearl That Broke Its Shell -- I didn't think I would like this book, but ended up not being able to put it down. Being stuck in a snow storm in Cleveland with this book is one of my best memories of 2015.

Above All Things -- This was fiction told so vividly you felt like you were there. If you're a fan of Into Thin Air read this one.

On Writing -- I read this once a year. It remains a five star book. Don't just read this if you want to learn about writing. Read it to learn about life.

Destiny of the Republic -- Another great audiobook. I got a lot of extra ironing done when I was listening to this.

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk -- The tips in this book really work. They should hand it out to every new kindergarten parent.

Doctor Sleep -- This was another book I put off reading. I finally took it on vacation with me, and couldn't put it down. This is the older brother to many of King's early hits. Just a bit more calm and rational, but still very, very good.

(Note: links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support.)

Because I needed more books on my TBR: what I've added lately

In my world, all of the best of books lists that come out this time of year are more exciting than Christmas morning. I've been devouring them for the past week or so, and now I have hundreds of new to me books on my to-be-read list. Here are some of the highlights:

I can hardly wait! Happy reading!

Note: Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

Tis the season to read some fluff (or listen to it)

This time of year I spend a lot of time working in the kitchen while listening to purely fluffy audiobooks. My recent listen to The Royal We is a perfect example. This one was pure fun, and perfect for my three pie, four loves of bread baking spree the other day.

Other fun books that have kept me working:

Note: Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. thanks for your support!

REVIEW: The Dinnertime Survival Cookbook

I came across The Dinnertime Survival Cookbook by Debra Ponzek when I was looking for something else at the library. The title brings to mind one of those books that tells you how to survive the apocalypse or a terrorist attack. Dinnertime has invaded us, and it is something we must survive. The book isn't like that though. These aren't quick let's throw something on the table type recipes. They're hey, you have to eat anyway, so why not make it fresh and delicious type recipes.

Just because this isn't a quick cooking cook book doesn't mean that the recipes are complicated. Most have just a handful of ingredients, but they are good and flavorful ingredients. I made the Baked Mac And Cheese the day I brought this cookbook home, and my whole family loved it.

If you're in a cooking rut, struggling with wanting to serve whole foods to your family but need ideas, or want to give a great cookbook as a gift I'd recommend this one!

Other Great Cook Books For Busy Families:

Note: Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

Quick Lit December 2015

My reading this month has been pretty diverse - from cookbooks to drug dealers I've read it all. Most of the year I stick pretty closely to my reading lists, and spend a fair amount of time reading ARCs. This time of year though I just read what I want. It's kind of like my attitude towards desserts this time of year. If I see it, and I want it, I go for it!

All Fall Down by Jennifer Weiner isn't a fluffy chick lit novel. It takes on the serious topic of addiction. The main character makes many, many mistakes, and is a somewhat unreliable narrator. However she was likable, and I found myself rooting for her. 

I really liked Cooked by Jeff Henderson. I found it at the library when I was looking for something else, and read it on a whim. If you missed this book when it came out, I suggest you give it a try. It really gives an inside look at the life of a drug dealer, and what it takes to come back from a prison sentence.

Until we read The Adventures of a South Pole Pig by Chris Kurtz out loud, I didn't know a pig could be so inspiring. This kept my 7 year old boy and my 4 year old girl interested, and it made a great next read after Charlotte's Web.

Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center wasn't the best book I've read all year, but it had some good spots. It worked as an audiobook.

I listened to All The Wrong Questions - Shouldn't You Be In School by Lemony Snicket in my car while I was driving to get groceries or running my kids around. I usually find these in the kid's section of the library, but I think a lot of it goes over my kids' heads. At least I know there's not going to be any swearing so they're car safe.

Note: This is linked to Modern Mrs. Darcy's Quick Lit. All links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support.

Why did I wait so long?

I finally read The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (AKA J.K. Rowling) this week. I don't know why I was convinced that I wouldn't like it, because I totally did. What's not to like about a fast paced British detective story where everyone has nicknames? The best part is I have two more books in this series to go!

(Spoiler alert: So many people complain because these mysteries by J.K. aren't anything like Harry Potter. Obviously they aren't, but I found similarity in the structure of The Cuckoo's Calling and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.  In my mind John=Quirrell and Tony=Snape. Just saying.)

If you liked this series, you may also like:

Note: Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

REVIEW: The Longevity Kitchen by Rebecca Katz

I got The Longevity Kitchen by Rebecca Katz and Mat Edelson the day before Thanksgiving, and immediately sat down and started reading. The heavy eating of the holidays hadn't even kicked off yet, but already I was craving food that was good for me. This new cookbook hit the spot.

The book isn't based on any fad diets. Instead it focuses on recipes featuring a handful of super foods like asparagus, basil, coffee, dark chocolate, kale, olive oil, sweet potatoes, and wild salmon. The book is set up in chapters like a regular cookbook - it starts with soups and goes through desserts. What I loved though is the section that indexes the recipes based on what you are trying to get your food to do for you: build immunity, lower cholesterol, enhance memory, strengthen the heart, etc. I can't wait to try the Carrot Apple Slaw with Cranberries that is featured on the cover. It sounds and looks amazing!

I'd highly recommend this book for anyone who wants fresh ideas for an already healthy diet, or who is looking to turn over a new leaf in January!

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

REVIEW: Mistakes I Made At Work

Mistakes can be so isolating. When you make one, it kind of feels like you're the only one to have ever screwed up so badly in all the history of the world. But, of course, you're not. We should all talk about our mistakes more. You go first.

Luckily Mistakes I Made At Work by Jessica Bacal has stepped in to fill the void. This book isn't 100% great. Some of the stories read as if the author is trying to say that her mistake was working with people that just aren't as awesome as her. But there are other stories, like the one by the ER doctor, that really help to reflect on when I'm up at 3 am going over again how I could have forgot to add a decimal point in the Excel sheet I was working on. Or whatever. That's just a totally made up example.

More books that get me through the day at work:

Note: Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. I was given a copy of Mistakes I Made At Work as part of the Library Thing Early Reviewers program, but all opinions are mine.

The Best of The Best Books Lists of 2015

I love this time of year for many reasons, but one of the biggest reasons is because of all of the best books lists come out. I spend hours scouring them all, and adding books to my TBR. Here are some of the ones I found to be the most fruitful this year:

Publisher's Weekly

The Guardian Part One and Part Two

The Washington Post

School Library Journal

Goodreads (even the voting led me to add to my TBR)

Do you love these lists too? What was your favorite book of 2015?

My Three Favorite Christmas Scenes From Kid Lit

Children's literature has shaped the way I want to celebrate Christmas as an adult. I love the simple pleasures and uncomplicated joy in the little things. Here are my three favorites.

In Little Women the March girls know they are in for a sparse Christmas, but still find it in their hearts to give their breakfast to a local family who has nothing. Later that day their elderly neighbor is so touched by their act that he sends over ice cream and bon bons for the girls and their friends.

There are two Christmas scenes in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Both are very well written, but the one that I love involves main character Francie and her brother Neeley and a gigantic Christmas tree. In their neighborhood there was a custom that trees that were unsold by Christmas Eve were free - if you could catch them when the burly tree seller guy threw them at you. Francie and Neeley try for, and catch, the biggest tree. It's a great story that shows how in a harsh world, you can still find joy.

All of the Little House books have some pretty good Christmas scenes, but my favorite is when Pa gets lost in a blizzard in On the Banks of Plum Creek. He has to hole up in a snow cave, and the only thing he has to keep him alive is the girls' Christmas candy. Pa eventually realizes he's just feet from home, and they are reunited in time for Christmas. Some things are better than candy!

If you love these stories as much as I do:

I've searched for great Christmas novels in the realm of adult literature, but haven't found a ton. Why is that? Two that I did enjoy are:

Do you have any suggestions for me? My TBR is lacking in holiday spirit.

Note: Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

REVIEW: Why don't they ever get it right? My review of A Window Opens.

I read A Window Opens this week, and walked away frustrated. This book, while having some true moments, reads mostly like some sort of conservative treatise against women in the workplace. It was supposed to be true and honest, but to me it came off as a ridiculous warning.

Look, I know a woman's decision to work is a personal one that needs to take place on a family by family level. However, if you do go back to work, I don't think it will cause your husband to become an alcoholic, keep you so busy that you won't realize when your kids learn to read, or try to prohibit you from sitting by the death bed of a loved one. If any of those things does happen, it's probably a sign that you have the wrong job, not that you can't have one. (You should probably also try some marriage counseling. If you need to leave work because your kid is sick, and no one can find your husband because he's passed out drunk in the basement, that is not the fault of your job.)

I have this frustration a lot. It seems like authors can't write about working moms without having them be either complete screw ups at work, or frazzled messes who can never be depended upon to bring cookies to the bake sale. I'm not saying life is easy over here, or that I have it all together. I'll promise you this though - I know my kids' teachers names, my kids' teachers know my name, my kids knowing how to read would never come as a surprise to me, I made it to two parent teacher conferences this week, and no one has threatened to fire me.

My  suggestion: skip this book.

A Book I Did Like About Working and Caregiving:

It's a graphic novel! Try something new.

Note: Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

I linked this post up with On My Bookshelf.

REVIEW: The Secrets of Happy Families (For Real)

Tis the season for family disharmony. Before you get divorced/abandon your home and kids/vow never to celebrate another holiday with your in-laws again, try implementing some of the tips from The Secrets of Happy Families from Bruce Feiler.

I was skeptical at first, but I followed some of Feiler's tips on a recent family vacation. No joke, it was the best one we ever had. Why? Because instead of all sitting around trying to fulfill everyone's vision of a perfect vacation we banded together to dig a huge hole in the sand, and to rescue a rubber chicken from a tree. That sentence would make sense if you had read this book. Well, maybe not, but it worked, and I would have never instigated this kind of nonsense if it weren't for this wonderful, wonderful book.

If your family is already perfect, try this book:

Note: Links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support.

Five Facts I Never Knew About the Wright Brothers

I started listening to the audiobook version of David McCullough's The Wright Brothers, and I'm hooked. It's the kind of audiobook that has you driving around aimlessly just so you can listen to it a little bit longer. I'm amazed that there is so much that I didn't know about these famous brothers. Here are my top five favorite new to me facts about the Wright Brothers:

1. We think of them as geniuses, but at the time most people thought they were crazy.
2. They lived in a tent while they built the first plane.
3. They learned to fly from watching birds.
4. They gave leftover plane material to a local to make dresses for her daughter.
5. There was a Wright sister, and she was awesome.

If you love this book, you might also like:

Note: links to amazon.com are affiliate links. Thanks for your support.