Reading RoundUp #30

Traveling to and from Italy alone certainly gave me lots and lots of time to read last week. I finished two books during the trip and recently started a few more. Thank goodness for Goodreads helping me keep track of everything. Here’s a look at what I recently finished and what I’m reading this week!

Juliet’s balcony in Verona

This week’s Reading Roundup!

Work Book (for lunch time reading):

The Little House on the Prairie Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder – I grew up reading this books and just purchased an illustrated box set using our wedding registry discount. It’s obviously been a loooong time since I read the series, so I felt like diving in again. She is amazing at bringing her childhood to life.    

 

House Books:

Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan – Colgan is a recent discovery and I’m systematically devouring all her novels. She often writes about books or dessert mixed in with lighthearted drama and a sweet romance. Basically everything I ever wanted from a book! In this story, a woman follows her dream and starts a cupcake cafe after being let go from a corporate job.  

Windfall by Jennifer E Smith – I came across this author somewhere on a blog or in a magazine and started scouring my libraries for any of her books. Luckily I found one! A young adult story about a boy and a girl, obviously :). The boy wins the lottery and they start to realize the influx of cash may not be as great as it seems. 

 

Kindle Books:

Practicing Normal by Cara Sue Achterberg Cara reached out to me and asked if I would read and review her book (which I am thrilled to do!!). Her story follows a not so “normal” family in the suburbs trying to fit in at school, with the neighbors, and with each other. I’m really enjoying the characters and the story. In particular I love the daughter, Jenna who has a unique teenage compulsion of breaking into neighbors’ houses and eating their ice cream. 

The Tour by Jean Grainger – This caught by eye on my library’s Overdrive website due to the Ireland connection. We’re planning a trip to Ireland and Scotland next year, so I’m sure I’ll be reading everything Ireland-related I can find. 

 

From Around the Web:

How a Family of 7 eats for $125/week – This is probably a weird thing, but I’m fascinated to learn what other people spend on food. The Kitchn has a whole series about food budgets in different U.S. cities.

Game of Thrones Themed Book/Premiere Party – This blogging duo shares posts about their literary lifestyle, including a few book themed dinner parties they host. See also East of Eden and The Great Gatsby

 

*Disclosure – I earn a small commission if you purchase any items through the links above. Thanks for supporting my reading habit!

 

17 Comments

  1. I love that you have work books and house books. I tend to read more than one book at a time too!! Sounds like you’ve had some good reads lately – I hear good things about Windfall. I need to read something by this author.

    -Lauren

  2. i’ve read one of Jenny Colgan’s books and the others are on my list. romance + food, what more could you want? i am also fascinated by what people eat and how much they spend per week or month, mainly because i feel like we spend way too much for just my husband and i. but he eats A LOT so it’s more like a family of 4 with my husband being 3 people lol.

  3. I loved the Little House on the Prairie books as a child. I grew up relatively close to Walnut Grove and they have an annual pageant in her honor that I have vague memories of attending. Hmmmm … I have never reread those books as an adult and that might be a fun thing to do!

    1. Oh that annual pageant sounds wonderful! They are certainly just as fun as an adult as I remember them being as a kid.

    1. Wow – that title is immediately jumping to the top of the TBR list. I looked it up and it sounds right up my alley. So glad you mentioned it!

  4. I am intrigued by your lunch reading! Do you eat while you read? I’ve always wanted to be able to multitask eating and reading, but I”m too messy 🙂

    1. Yep – every day I read while eating lunch. I typically pack non messy foods to keep my books safe 🙂 Plus, I get an hour for lunch (and usually scarf down my meal in ten minutes), so that leaves plenty of time focused just on reading. I love it!

  5. I love the Little House books! We had the yellow box set when I was young and my mom was disappointed that she could only find the blue box set as a wedding present — I love it the same 🙂

  6. I loved Windfall. I have read a few of Jenny Colgan’s but not Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe. I have a Little House Box Set still in plastic that I purchased years ago. I think I need to re-read it soon. Thanks! Pam

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