January Book Reviews

A number of you have become friends with me on GoodReads and I love it because I gotten so many ideas!  During October I was committed to reading only business books as part of Birthday Challenge 3.  The result was AMAZING in terms of knowledge, but it really made my soul hurt…I know you laugh, but it’s true reading relaxes me, gives me ideas and inspires me to think outside the box. 

FOR FUN
Mr and Miss Anonymous by Fern Michaels
Sometimes don’t you just need a mindless read? I do and if it involves a little obvious romance and a fairly obvious happy ending, so what! I enjoy pretty much any book by Michaels and this was no exception. The book follows two people who donated sperm and eggs respectively during college, only to later find out they may not have been going to the deserving people that they had hoped…maybe they were being used for something more devious.

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
Again another fun no brainer. I was intrigued by the story and found myself reading later in to the night with this fun loving book. It follows a woman whose life is not exactly going as planned, then gets even stranger when a ghost begins to tag along every where she goes.  It’s amusing and uplifting and yup romantic and completely unbelievable.  What can I say, I’m a sucker for silly fiction.

FOR SPIRIT
4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris
While this book isn’t directly tied to spirit, I think it’s applicable because it’s all about what you can do to free up time to LIVE life.  It’s about being efficient and opening your eyes to new possibilities so that you can fully embrace opportunities.  I listened to the audio book while running and then got the hardback to actually read through a few other things and get websites he lists.

Attractor Factory by Joe Vitale
This is another book about the law of attraction. It goes beyond just smiling to feel better and focuses on really feeling what it would be like to have the things you desire. I am enthralled with the idea that everything that happens to me I have attracted in some way.  For example, when I thought about my wedding I was focused on three things: Seeing David at the end of the aisle, dancing with my father and having a MEMORABLE wedding.  Well HELLO hurricane Anastasia may have made for an awful wedding, but no one has yet forgotten that day.

FOR RUNNING
The Extra Mile by Pam Reed
Wow intensity personified.  I enjoyed this book, but didn’t find in it the motivation that I did with something like Dean Karnazes.  I think this could be because so much of the book focused on her struggles with food or with her family. It’s not that I couldn’t relate but that I felt weird about her choices…not eating prior to most runs which are well over 20 miles and such.  I understand this was her story and not a guide for how to be a better runner, but

Run For Life by Roy Wallack
This is a great book for learning all kinds of things.  Here is where I found information about exercises to improve my form, as well as some new stretches and all kinds of other recommendations to keep my body strong for years to come.  I also really enjoyed the many, many interviews in the book with athletes. It shows you that no one approach fits everyone and  provides some motivation to still be in amazing shape when I’m 40, 50, 60 and heck 90! I think it would be amazing to be the 90 year old woman finishing a marathon…I guess we’ll see in 52 years if I still feel that way!

What great books have you read?? What no time for reading…grab an audio book for that next long run!
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Gratitude Journal
Jan 25
I am grateful for bloggie meetups
I am grateful for new farmers markets
I am grateful for long lasting phone batteries
I am grateful for ice cream
I am grateful for cookies