Meet your next favorite book

I love to read. There is something refreshing about starting a new book and getting lost in other peoples "lives." When I was little, to stop me from getting out of my crib, my Mom would throw dozens of books in there and tell me to not get out of bed. And I didn't. I sat in that crib for hours reading the same books over and over. Ferdinand the bull? Done. Dr. Seuss? Finished. I think my mother regretted this little procedure after probably the 3rd month of me getting little to no sleep. It was also around this time that my family gave me the nickname "bookworm". 

To this day, I still find myself reading 3 or 4 books at a time, going to the library about every week, and constantly spending time on GoodReads.com finding the newest fad in literature.

 I guess reading is a rather healthy addiction. I pride myself on this hobby. There are worse things I could enjoy doing, like say, eating ding dongs in the bathtub or playing online poker. I have NEVER eaten a chocolate treat in the tub, so I think we are OK... 

Here I present to you the top books I have read as of lately... 

Shanghai Girls 
By Lisa See 

I could NOT put this book down. After my Mom finished it in 48 hours and stayed up until 2am reading it, I thought it would be worth a shot. 

I was not disappointed! It follows the life of two sisters Pearl and May in Shanghai during the 1930s. Life is good for the both of them until their Father sells them to suitors who have traveled from California to find Chinese brides. This is the story of their adventure of coming to America and getting to know the way of Hollywood life. 

Which brings me to my next book ALSO by the same Author. 

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

 by Lisa See

Another winner of a book, it is similar to "Shanghai girls" in a sense that they are both taken place in China. This novel goes into detail about Chinese culture and a secret language called Nu Shu that is created by the Chinese women to communicate in secret. The best way I can describe this custom is like female "pen pals". They send messages to each other and become BFF as they go through life discussing arranged marriages, motherhood and the shared agony of the customary food binding. (Which includes lots of detail...I was so fascinated by this procedure!) 

Still Alice by Lisa Genova 

Found this through a recommendation on goodreads.com (Seriously, get an account) Alice is a Wife,  Mother and Harvard Professor. Its a progression through her loss of memory and her journey through early-onset Alzheimer's. Slowly her life unravels as she loses her ability to follow a conversation or recall information she heard just moments before. It really makes you remember to not take your memories for granted! 

In-N-Out Burger by Stacy Perman 

If you know anything about me, you know that I love In-N-Out. So when I saw this book at the library I was so excited to get the back story about how this became such a huge phenomenon with loyal fans. The story was well written, and didn't feel choppy or historical. It gave insider information on the family owned business and made me love In-N-out burger even more than before. If your from California, you should definitely check it out! 

Beauty Junkies: Inside our $15 Billion obsession with cosmetic surgery 

By Alex Kuczynski 

I have always had a fascination with plastic surgery. I admit that I watched Dr. 90210 back in the day, and always found it so captivating that someone would botch their face on purpose. This book highlights on why this is such an American fad and why we are so increasingly desperate to never age. Kuczynski goes behind the scenes to New York and Los Angeles to discover the self-transformations and the addictions to look perfect. After reading this I had the thought that a psychiatrist visit should be included in all cosmetic procedures. 

The Five Love Languages 

by Gary Chapman 

I don't know how I lived 22 years without reading this book. After reading it, I immediately wanted to recommend it to everyone I saw, including the guy taking my order at Carls Jr. 

Dr. Gary Chapman has a theory that there are 5 key basic love languages. Quality time, words of affirmation, gifts, act of service, and physical touch. Everyone feels love differently, and some people can identify with more than one. This has helped me so much in my marriage with Peyton. I know what his love languages are, and he knows mine. Its so helpful to remind each other of how we feel love and how we can speak it. Definitely worth reading, even if you don't have a significant other, because showing love to your family and friends count as well! 

Other books I have read recently and recommend are 

• The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
• Seriously...I'm kidding by Ellen Degeneres 
• The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond 
• Sing you Home by Jodi Picoult 
• The Female Brain by Louann Brizendine
• One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus 

Join GoodReads.com and add me. I'd love to hear your book recommendations. 

What should I read next ??