• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

I am a Honey Bee

All about my adventures with cooking, crafts, and travel

  • Home
  • About
    • About Me!
    • Press
    • Privacy Policy & Disclosures
    • Contact
  • Recipe Index
  • Exploring
    • Exploring- Florida
    • Exploring- Boston
    • Exploring- Cruises
    • Exploring- New England
    • Exploring- New York City
  • Resources
  • Disney Fun!

books

Book Club. 2015 Part 3

December 29, 2015

A Book is a dream in your hands

(Source)

Now that you have your brand spankin’ new Kindles and Amazon gift cards from Christmas, you need some books!!

And I have some suggestions!

After a summer filled with a lot of reading I eased off a bit as I tackled other things with my free time, but I took that break to regroup and figure out what books I wanted to add to my wishlist and then dove right back in.

Currently Reading…

fursiously happy

Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson

I just received this and I’m devouring it.

I was cracking up while reading it when I was getting a pedicure last night. I think I made this confusing and difficult for my manicurist. But it was so good!!!!

It’s by Jenny Lawson, The Bloggess, who is a fantastic story-teller who has the best taxidermy ever. She even said ‘Lady Garden‘ on CNN. So she pretty much is my hero.

icy sparks book

Icy Sparks by Gwyn Hyman Rubio

Yep, still trying to get through this. I wanted to like it. I really did. But it’s not holding my attention so I keep putting it down and reading others instead of it.

We’ll see what happens in the next month with this.

Just Read These Bad Boys…

barbara-the-slut-and-other-people

Barbara the Slut and Other People by Lauren Holmes

I saw this book on in a photo on the IG page of Melissa Hartwig, the co-creator of Whole30. I had absolutely no idea what it was about when I bought it on an impulse.

It’s a collection of short stories that are honest, in depth, and refreshing. Through various story tellers you hear the stories of 20-something women as they explore their identities, self-worth, and sexual relationships.

I loved them all. Go read it. ASAP

Trouble Maker

Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology by Leah Remini

I admit that I have a full on big addiction to all things Scientology. In general, I have a great interest in all religions related to their origins, how they function and are organized, why people join, and even why people stay when they have doubts. Basically, all of it.

I breezed through this as it was a light read, and I was so interested in Leah’s experience with Scientology that I couldn’t put it down.

Her experience is really interesting and I found her really brave for going through it, surviving it, and for sharing it. Plus, I just love her humor and personality.

(Can we ditch Erin Andrews on DTWS and get Leah to co-host? I loved when she was filling in for Erin this year.)

The Leaving of Things

The Leaving of Things by Jay Antani

I think I picked this up when it popped up as a suggestion in my Kindle Store and I’m glad I grabbed it as it was not normally something I thought I would enjoy but it was.

It’s an interesting ‘coming of age’ book about an Indian teenager who has to go back to India after 10 years in the US with his family when his father gets a great job there. It shares his struggles to embrace his culture again as he misses the US so much.

I left like I could relate to it as I am embarking on a big move soon. I am looking forward to it, but I am sure there will be things that I will miss about Boston, like how the teen can’t wait to get back to the states, but will still miss India. I needed to read this book at this time.

everybody rise

Everybody Rise: A Novel by Stephanie Clifford

I won this book on a blog giveaway and I’m glad I did. It was really enjoyable

It was somewhat relate-able as I grew up in Greenwich, CT which is well known for its WASP-iness, so I couldn’t easily imagine these characters. I couldn’t exactly relate as I didn’t grow up in the wealthy areas, but I was on the fringe, like how the main character was. I’m certainly glad I moved so I didn’t get sucked into the world of excess that the main character so eagerly strived for.

You  keep rooting for her to get her act together, but at the same time you are rooting for her to get taken down a notch.

The Ghost Network Book

The Ghost Network: A Novel by Catie DiSabato

I feel that I am still confused by this book but I liked it.

I think it would be a great movie. There were so many things that were described beautifully that I wish I could see it come to life. There would be some great chase and fight scenes to capture.

It was a little difficult to follow at times as there were so many things to juggle as there were several layers to the story, but it was worth it all coming together in the end.

____________________

Be sure to check out my other suggestions:

Book Club.2015 Part 1

Book Club.2015 Part 2

Book Club.2014 Part 1

Book Club.2014 Part 2

Please send me some suggestions! xox

Post contains affiliate links

Filed Under: Living Tagged With: books

Book Club. 2015 Part 2

October 2, 2015

reading

I’ve been ferociously reading books lately. It’s like I just rediscovered how great reading is and I need to make up for a slow spring. It’s great. I love it.

Currently Reading…

The Ghost Network Book

The Ghost Network: A Novel by Catie DiSabato

I got this from a recommendation based upon the books I’ve recently been reading. I think the topic is really interesting as it deals with the disappearance of a popstar (think Lady Gaga), but I am not loving the style of writing, but I’m hooked at the same time. Kinda when you love to hate something, but do like it. I find it a bit slow but I find it so attention getting.

I’m looking forward to getting to the end, but to just getting to the end, but to see where the story takes me as there so so many pieces to it.

icy sparks book

Icy Sparks by Gwyn Hyman Rubio

I took this book from the house in Maine during our last visit in July. I’ve seen it for years in the house and have flipped through it but I finally asked Elaine if I could borrow it.

I’ve slowly been reading this book as it’s not the lightest book to read, but it’s an interesting story (so far) about a young girl with tourettes in the 1950’s in the rural Kentucky. She struggles with relating to her peers and teachers in school, and then her onset of tourettes increases her struggles as she doesn’t understand what is happening to her and her impulses get her in trouble.

I am looking forward to where this book takes Icy.

Just Read These Bad Boys…

easily amused book

Easily Amused by Karen McQuestion

I was going through Amazon’s Kindle Store and found this book in their deals section. I’ve gotten some great books during their flash sales, so I figured I’d try it again with this pick. It had a good rating so I figured I’d give it a spin.

Like some of my other summer reads, I thought that it was light and fun.

the life list

The Life List: A Novel by Lori Nelson Spielman

This book was suggested to me from my friend Dawn. I’m glad she suggested it as it was a fun summer read.

I breezed through this book because it was a light read and I enjoyed it so much. I liked how the main character, Brett, rediscovers herself through her old life list. Her journey at finding happiness while abandoning her materialistic life behind her seems sincere and heartfelt. Her struggles are ones that we can relate to in our own ways.

There were points when things seemed a bit vague, like the value of the inheritance, or just came together too well, like Mr. Trenchcoat, but overall it was a book that I enjoyed and would suggest.

It made me want to think back to my old life lists and try to remember what I wrote down to see if I was on the path I imagined when I was a young teenager. I think that while some of my life list goals have changed since then I am still on the right path.

Big-Little-Lies

Big Little Lies by Laine Moriarty

I bought this the very afternoon after I finished Moriarty’s The Husband’s Secret. I enjoyed it so much that I had to get another one of her’s ASAP.

the husbands secret book

The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty

It’s really amazing what we secrets we keep.

From the little secrets to the big ones. They all impact us in various ways from how to react to others to how we view ourselves. I continued to think about that, and what if’s, while reaching this book. I tried to put myself in the shoes of main characters and imagine what I would do if I was them. It kept me on my toes while I was trying to figure out how the story would reach it’s apex.

the girl on the train book

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

I didn’t love the beginning of it, but once I got about 20-30 pages in I was hooked. HOOKED. I loved reading it. It was so good. I wanted to slap the main character so many times but I still felt invested in her and the story.

I didn’t see the end going the way it did and I loved it for that.

 The Boston Girl

The Boston Girl: A Novel by Anita Diamant

This book is exactly why I love scrapbooking. And blogging!

It was such a wonderful read about a woman recanting her life to her granddaughter. I loved the storytelling aspect of it. It was told in a charming way that made it seem like that grandmother was talking right to you, as well. I found that it was a good reminder that our parents and grandparents lived these amazing lives before us so we really should shit down to take the time to talk to them.

It was set in and around Boston, which I just loved too. As I’ve lived here for the past 12 years, I enjoyed reading about the North End, Brookline, Roxbury, and, the further out, Rockport. I did a lot of googling of places and restaurants after reading about them to pull up old pictures and maps. So fun.

____________________

Be sure to check out my other suggestions:

Book Club.2015 Part 1

Book Club.2014 Part 2

Book Club.2014 Part 1

Please send me some suggestions! xox

Post contains affiliate links

Filed Under: Living Tagged With: books

Book Club. 2015 Part 1

July 30, 2015

anna quindlen quote

{Sourced}

I wish I was able to read as much as I wanted to. I wish I could just curl up with a good book and get lost for hours in the pages full of different settings, characters, and thick plots.

Sadly, life does not afford me that luxury so I typically do most of my reading while on the bus to and from work. Thankfully, I’ve actually been getting up from my desk during lunch to sit outside so I’ve been reading then as well lately. Can’t be summer reading!

I have a big stack of books I still want to conquer this summer. Wish me luck!

Currently Reading…

The Boston Girl

 

The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant

It was suggested to me via Kindle after finishing We are Called To Rise. I picked it because I wanted to read this book about an interesting, strong young woman while it was set in Boston a hundred years ago.I just started it so I’ve just dipped my toe into it but so far I like it and it’s fun imagining Boston back then.

Just Read These Bad Boys…

the ninth wife

The Ninth Wife by Amy Stolls

I read this in Maine over 4th of July weekend. I really, really enjoyed it. I didn’t want to put it down. There were real moments when I just wouldn’t. Even reading in the car on the way back home, which typically makes me sick.

I liked the story telling as it was Third-Person Point of View, which I think worked well for the story and I don’t often read, so it was a nice change. Plus, the way that the story was broken up with alternating chapters about Bess and Rory. It had a nice flow to it.

The one part that I didn’t like what how the author sorta brushed over an elderly abusive relationship. I understand that relationships are complicated, complex, dynamic, but the way that the author had the main character, Bess, address the abuse seemed flawed or even passive. I dunno.

we are called to rise

We are Called to Rise by Laura McBride

I L-O-V-E-D this book.

I came across this book from a suggestion from blogger Stephanie Howell, who has an Instagram account dedicated to her passion for reading. She mentioned how much she loved it so I wanted to give it a try, and I ended up loving it as well.

The book weaves the stories of 3 main characters together in such a way that has you begging for more with each page. I loved the style of writing and story. It was written beautifully and it comes together in the end so well, while still leaving you with so many questions.

Highly recommend this book!

*For years I have followed Stephanie Howell on various social media platforms as she is a fantastic scrapbooker and I have loved her work and style. Like me, her scrapbooking has taken a back seat to the mess of other stuff we juggle in our daily lives, but I have still followed her adventures of rising 4 girls abroad with her military husband. Anyway, she has always been a voracious reader and now she is sharing her passion for books on her blog and new IG account, WhatStephReads. Go follow along and you’ll be sure to get some great reads.

the heart collector

The Heart Collector by Jacques Vandroux

This is written by the same author who wrote The Bone Collector, which was a major motion picture years ago. It started Ashley Judd and I love her so I loved the movie. Anyway, I didn’t immediately realize it was by the same author when I selected it from a few free Kindle books I was offered- love when Kindle does that!

I liked how it blended a bit of fantasy with faith. It did get a bit predictable in the end but it was cool how all the different characters wove together. I liked how the author described the towns and cathedrals where the different murders occurred. It made me want to book a flight to France.

flirting with felicity

Flirting with Felicity by Gerri Russell

I don’t really read romance novels but I received some free Kindle book offers and selected this one as one of the books to receive.

It was fun and quick to read. Kinda a good summer beach read. I actually read it on the cruise we went on in January.

It sort of reminded me of the Fifty Shades of Grey books, but without the submissive relationship and (excessively) described sex. The story was pretty typical – strong, yet poor girl meets rich, flawed guy, at first there is friction, but once they get to know each other and let their guards down they fall for each other. If you like romance novels then I bet you will like this.

The Book of Joe

The Book of Joe: A Novel by Jonathan Tropper

This book reminded me of a s007-08 show called October Road, which also features a national bestselling author, who wrote some not so nice things about his hometown, and has to goes back years later. He discovers a lot about himself and the people that he left behind.

I can’t get enough of Jonathan Tropper’s writing style. I loved how raw and real he makes the characters, and Joe is pretty flawed so it’s a good read to read about his complex feelings. He struggles with a lot to find happiness and I think that we can all relate to that feeling at various points in our lives so you can connect with him and you really root for him, even when he is acting like a jerk,

____________________

Please send me some suggestions! xox

Post contains affiliate links

Filed Under: Living Tagged With: books

Book Club. 2014 Part 2

December 30, 2014

Man, I was on a roll with reading books all summer and then boom, my kindle app stopped working and I got so fustrated that I took a break. Lame, I know.

I should have been all 5 years ago me and bought some hardcover books, but I didn’t. But good news is that after like 8 uninstalls and reloads and updates my Kindle app on my phone is working again so I’m back to reading. Like a smart person. Or a person. Whatever.

Currently Reading…

The Book of Joe

The Book of Joe: A Novel by Jonathan Tropper

I just started this book- only 5 chapters in!-  so I can’t say too much about it but assuming that I enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the other Jonathan Topper books I read this year I am going to love it.

If anyone remembers the show 2007-08 October Road, imagine that… an national bestselling author, who wrote some not so nice things about his hometown, goes back years later. He discovers a lot about himself and the people that he left behind.

And I’ve read these bad boys…

Yes Please

Yes Please by Amy Poehler

This was the last book I read. Such a great read. It makes me love Amy Poehler even more now. I admire her constant hard work. Her life and career are incredible taking her from the ‘burbs of Boston to Chicago to New York to LA. Her writing is relate-able and mak

I remember nothing

I Remember Nothing: And Other Reflections by Nora Ephron

I read this gem this summer. At least I think I did, as I remember nothing. Really, I am just as bad at remembering people’s names as Nora is. It’s incredible in a horrible sort of way. At least it made me feel like I wasn’t the only one out there who couldn’t remember the names of people she has worked with for years. ha! But that is just the focus of one of the many short biographical stories she shares in this book.

Anyway, if you like her movies then you will love this book. Promise.

A King of Infinite Space

A King of Infinite Space (Long Beach Homicide) by Tyler Dilts

Earlier this year I got an email from Kindle saying I was eligible for a free book. They provided me with a few selections and from them I picked the 2nd book in this Long Beach Homicide series. At the time I didn’t know it was the second book in the series, as it read with such ease, it didn’t feel like I was really jumping into an on going story. Once I was done with it I looking into the author for other books, which is when I realized I needed to go back to read the first book in the series, A King of Infinite Space.

It tells the story about a Long Beach, homicide detective Danny Beckett and his partner as they solve the murder of a nearby High School teacher, who was brutally murdered in her own classroom. While Beckett works the murder the reader learns about the complex back story and how he is trying to come to terms with the loss of his wife and family.

I loved how there was so many layers to the characters and how Dilts perfectly paints the scenes and story with his writing. It leaves you on the edge of your seat.

The Pain Scale

The Pain Scale (Long Beach Homicide) by Tyler Dilts

While I had read this book prior to reading the first book in the Long Beach Homicide series, I didn’t have any problems understanding the lead character, detective Danny Beckett, and how he was coming back on the job from a year-long medical leave from an injury on the job. It didn’t dwell on the prior case that caused the injury, but focused on the new murder while still weaving the injury into the story.

Dilts beautifully takes you into the mind of Detective Beckett in such a a way that you really get to see his point of view while feeling his pain. I swear your arm might just ache along with his.

 A Cold and Broken Hallelujah

A Cold and Broken Hallelujah (Long Beach Homicide) by Tyler Dilts

The latest book in the Long Beach Homicide series.

As soon as I finished the second book in the series I ordered this book to get up to date with the happenings of Detective Beckett. Another murder, another twist. Beckett knows when things don’t add up and you’ll quickly realize that the murder of an innocent homeless man is more and just a robbery.

This is where I leave you

This Is Where I Leave You: A Novel by Tyler Tropper

When I saw the commercials for the movie starting Tina Fey, Jason Bateman, and Jane Fonda, I knew that I just had to see the movie, This is Where I Leave You. But first I just had to read the book. I have a rule about that. I have to read the book first before seeing a movie. I don’t want the movie shaping my imagination as I read. So I immediately bought the book and sailed through it.

Tropper does an incredible job with narrating the point of view of the main character. I think he is one of the best writers in creating a ‘real’ character. There are plenty of other author’s characters that are relate-able, but I swear that you really get brought into the minds of Tropper’s characters as he shares you the most vulnerable parts of all of us. It sucks you in.

Funny things is, I got this book so that I could read it to watch the movie, and yet months after it was released I still haven’t seen it. Oh life, you are just too busy!!

 plan b

Plan B: A Novel by Jonathan Tropper

Once I finished This is Where I Leave You, I bought about Tropper book as I enjoyed his writing style so much. I flew through this as well. So good!

A group of High School friends who have lost touch over the years come together to help out a friend who’s famous life is spiraling out of control. An elaborate plan on rescuing him from his demons brings them to a family cabin in the woods, and that is when things get really interesting. Detoxing, fighting, and the threat of emanate arrest grab your attention at every page.

Everything Changes

Everything Changes: A Novel by Jonathan Tropper

Another Tropper book!!

Another complex character. I just love the way Tropper creates these every man characters. He captures how Zachary’s seemingly perfect life gets a major shake up. You want him to stop messing things up but at the same time you know that the upheaval is for the best. But getting there is such a major mess!!!

 landline

Landline By Rainbow Rowell

I think I saw a blurb about this book in a People magazine while getting my nails done. I could just be imagining that. Either way, I got this book and really enjoyed it.

Without giving much away, it ultimately makes you believe in magic. And putting hardwork into your relationships. Plus, solidifies that being a mom is a pretty complex thing. Basically, read it and you’ll be cheering for Georgie, for love, and for yourself.

 eleanor and park

Eleanor & Park By Rainbow Rowell

This wasn’t my favorite book. I’m not saying it wasn’t good as it was but I didn’t get so attached the the characters like I had with Landline. But it was probably from my own personal experiences and how I couldn’t relate to it as well as I had with Landline.

If you like sweet teenage romances then this is for you. It tells the story of Eleanor and Park, who sweetly fall in love even though there are plenty of obstacles preventing their relationship to blossom. You’ll root for them and sweet teenage love everywhere.

 attachments

Attachments: A Novel By Rainbow Rowell

This was a pretty easy read that I connected to as it reminded me of all the long emails that I send back and forth to my best friend about everything and anything.

Beth and Jennifer spend plenty of time sending emails to each other about everything from work, family, and relationships. Their emails are monitored at work but they don’t care as they continue on with the back and forth all because the guy monitoring them doesn’t have the heart to report them. He is lonely himself and enjoys reading their emails and feeling a connection them. Things get complicated, but that makes for some fun!!

____________________

Please send me some suggestions! xox

Post contains affiliate links

Filed Under: Etc. Tagged With: book club, book suggestions, books, Jonathan Tropper, Rainbow Rowell, reading, The book of Joe

Book Club. 2014 part 1

August 7, 2014

 

INSTANT DOWNLOAD Mason Cooley Reading Quote by artkeptsimple

Sourced

Every day, I spend 120 minutes sitting my butt hooked up to my annoying, but awesome, pump.

What’s a girl gonna do in that time?

READ!!!

Okay, I have done plenty of screwing around on my phone scrolling through Instagram or watching TV via Hulu, but my favorite way to burn through those 20 minutes is to read.

I really enjoy autobiographies. I love ones by really funny people, but I also really like ones that describe struggles that people have overcome. I’ve focused this part of the year on the auto’s but I’m switching it up for the rest of the year so please send me some suggestions of books you’ve enjoyed recently! Pretty please!!

And I’ve read these bad boys…

 16085481

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

I want to plan a trip to Asia now. The (fictitious) lives showcased in the book are so insane. The drama, culture, traditions, and opulence is fun. Sure if I ever went there I would never get to enjoy their chauffeured cars, helicopters, yacht, insane wardrobes, but at least I would get to experience the smells, tastes, and sights described in the book. Aside from that, I loved all the drama, good and bad, that weaved everyone together.

I did feel that it could have used a family tree to better follow along with the drama of who is related/married to who. Those things always trip me up.

18490573

I Like You Just the Way I Am: Stories About Me and Some Other People by Jenny Mollen

I want to be Jenny. At the very least I want to hang out with her. She is hilarious in a ‘shit I think the same way she does!’ sort of way. Her various stories tell the insane tales of her adolescence growing up with detached parents and how that has fed into her craziness today. You feel bad for her but ultimately you don’t because if her mom didn’t make her get fake ID’s so she could go along with her to bars she wouldn’t have that story to write about. As well, she has a fairly decent obsession with her husband’s (Jason Bigg’s) ex- girlfriend, which is creepy/funny in the best sorts of way.

Plus, she is a fucking cool mom. Follow her Instagram for pics of her adorable son, Sid. There will be breastfeeding and pumping pics in the mix, which my be off-putting for some, but makes me love her even more.

 13609922

Everything Is Perfect When You’re a Liar  by Kelly Oxford

Twitter phenom, Kelly Oxford, has attracted a huge following with just 140 characters full of wit, humor, and sarcasm. She is great at 140 characters so just imagine the magic she has done with a whole book! She has fantastic stories related to her homeland of Canada and such adventures, like ‘meeting’ David Copperfield through Twitter and then becoming a special guest of his in Las Vegas. That friendship has grown ‘deeper’, okay, that sounds weird, but that’s cool because now her family now travels to his private island of Musha Cay, and you get a fun peak at the island through her Instagram as well.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

Oh Mindy, I love you. I never watched The Office but I can’t get enough of “The Mindy Project”. I’ve watched every episode multiple times. (Thanks HULU!)

But the answer is Yes. Or no? Or maybe. It all depends. But I have felt similar to her at various stages of my life. Why wasn’t I invited to that birthday party? What are my friends all doing while I babysit? Ultimately, what does it matter. Just have your own sort of fun.

I didn’t know much about Mindy, aside from her going up near Boston (she gets plastered on a lot of magazines around here), so this was refreshing as I got to hear funny stories from her youth, which ultimately framed her into becoming the hilarious person that she is.

Best bets, May 19

Someone Could Get Hurt: A Memoir of Twenty-First-Century Parenthood by Drew Magary

I love a good ‘parenting’ book by a man. It’s always interesting, fun to read about parenting through a man’s point of view. He shares great stories about complications at birth, vacations, discipline, and visits to the amusement park. I absolutely love his honesty because it makes him real and perfectly vulnerable and relatable. It’s a great read about loving your little cute screaming adorable monsters. < I’m saying monsters because, let’s be honest- you’re a monster if you like to wake others up in the middle of a night by screaming just so they can change a pile of crap in a teeny tiny diaper in the dark. Truth.

 

Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape by Jenna Miscavige Hill (with Lisa Pulitzer)

I have a thing with autobiographies when the author has escaped/survived a harrowing ordeal, especially when it comes to religion. I don’t believe in God, but I’ve read and studied (college elective!) the origin and traditions of different religions to try to understand why so many people believe in something that they can’t see. Because I find it courageous that people leave an organiztion that they have known their whole lives, and often their family, I love to read books about it.

This book fits my interest to a T. Jenna was born into Scientology and underwent a lot of unbelievable things and made the best of horrible situations. This book details her experiences with these events, like being dropped off at a ranch at the age of 4 to go to ‘school’ and do endless hours of manual labor. Or being separated from her siblings and living on her ‘own’ as a young teenager. Ultimately, she left and her life is much better for it as she now has a happy marriage and 2 young kids.

Elizabeth Smart's Memoir Cover Revealed
My Story by Elizabeth Smart

Oh man, I really admire Elizabeth for being such a strong woman. She was just so young when she was kidnapped but not only did she survive that she has thrived since then. Her story is really quite sad but I still find it uplifting. If she can get through being kidnapped and being mentally and physically abused daily, and get out of that alive then I feel that when I have a rough day I just need to suck it up and move on. It really puts things in perspective and makes you appreciate your life while admiring her.

 ____________________

Please send me some suggestions! xox

Post contains affiliate links

Filed Under: Etc. Tagged With: autobiographies, Beyond Belief Jenna Miscavige Hill, books, Crazy Rich Asians, Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan, Drew Magary, Elizabeth Smart, Everything Is Perfect When You're a Liar, Everything Is Perfect When You're a Liar by Kelly Oxford, I Like You Just the Way I Am, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling, Jenna Miscavige Hill, Jenny Mollen, Kelly Oxford, Kevin Kwan, Mindy Kaling, My Story by Elizabeth Smart, reading, Someone Could Get Hurt: A Memoir of Twenty-First-Century Parenthood by Drew Magary

Book Swap

August 9, 2011


 

Last Friday night, my office held a book swap. We have a weekly “buzz” when we gather at 5pm to enjoy some drinks and chips by the inspiration lounge/library (I dunno)r. It’s a nice way for us to catch up with each other on projects, softball, or anything in general. For a while we would do a “week in review” doodle that would focus on the current events that happened in Boston, but then things got a bit more casual and that stopped. With a lot of new faces in the office within the year the buzz is evolving again to include games, like Apples to Apples. The book swap was another effort to liven things up.

Prior to moving, I packed up a lot of books to donate/sell. Off they went and I packed up the books that I really ‘wanted’. Well, once I unpacked and organized them, and then Price moved them again to be able to paint, I realized that 1) I don’t want to move another damn book around again 2) I doubted that I would read these ‘wanted’ books again. So, I decided that they would have to go. I talked with one of my bosses and was given the go ahead for the book swap to held during a buzz.

 

Instead of our usual spot, we took over our large joint conference rooms. There were lot of books were swapped, with a lot still remaining in the “book swap basket”. This basket is going to hang around so people can add more books to it so there is a constant flow of books that everyone can share.

 

I suggest that people organize a book swap with coworkers, friends, or neighbors so it allows you to unload some books, while getting a few new ones in the process. Labor Day is a great time to read while relaxing in the sun so you can sneak a book swap in before then, or do one in the fall when you can curl up with a good book.

PS. I swapped about 30 books for this 1 book. Price just rolled his eyes when I showed it to him. hehehe 🙂

_________________________

Thanks for visiting. Please leave me a comment to provide some feedback. I appreciate all the comments I receive.

Filed Under: Etc. Tagged With: @ work, book swap, books, swapping

Good Eats

October 13, 2009

IMG_0461A

I got to meet and got a book signed by Alton Brown tonight! Yes, the Alton Brown on Good Eats and Iron Chef America and the Next Iron Chef. He’s a busy man. But not too busy to sign a book. Okay, it was for a book tour to promote his new book, Good Eats: The Early Years,  but it was still so great to get him to sign the book and take a picture with me.

I met my friend Natalie to go to the signing. We waited in line for about an hour at Brookline Booksmith. We were excited!!

IMG_0457 IMG_0458

As we got closer we got more excited, plus we could see him!

IMG_0459 IMG_0460

And then it was our turns! I got the book signed for Price and me so Alton asked who Price was. I told him my boyfriend. Noticing that there was no boy with me he asked where he was and I told him in class. ‘Class for what?’ ‘ Architecture’ ‘ Cool, but there are already so many buildings. You made the right choice coming here tonight.’ Oh, Alton I agree 🙂

IMG_0463 IMG_0464

Filed Under: Etc. Tagged With: books, boston, I win

Primary Sidebar

EMAIL NEWSLETTER!

Sign up HERE for meal planning suggestions & tips to take a great trip!

Top Posts & Pages

  • Meghan Markle's Zucchini Pasta Sauce
    Meghan Markle's Zucchini Pasta Sauce
  • Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
    Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
  • Room Review: Cars Family Suite in Disney World's Art of Animation Resort
    Room Review: Cars Family Suite in Disney World's Art of Animation Resort
  • Easy Pepperoni Pizza Roll Ups
    Easy Pepperoni Pizza Roll Ups
  • New Haven Style White Clam Pizza
    New Haven Style White Clam Pizza
  • The Ultimate Weekend Away Packing List for Babies and Toddlers
    The Ultimate Weekend Away Packing List for Babies and Toddlers
  • How To: Labeling Your Garbage Cans
    How To: Labeling Your Garbage Cans
  • Pistachio White Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
    Pistachio White Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
  • Sauteed Red Wine Garlic Mushrooms
    Sauteed Red Wine Garlic Mushrooms
  • Oreo Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies
    Oreo Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies
collage of recipes of common ingredients
collage of soup stew and chilis bowls

Follow Us

Copyright© 2023 · Brunch Pro Theme by Feast Design Co.

 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.