On My Nightstand

When it’s below freezing outside you can usually find my hibernating in my bed under the covers with a cup of tea on my night stand and good book in my hands. I’m by no means qualified to give book reviews, but I wanted to share with you the one I couldn’t put down, the one I was excited about but didn’t measure up and the other ones that fascinate me. So, lets begin…

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Not one to read non-fiction, I kind of pick this one off the shelf on a whim while I was waiting for my new Kindle to arrive since Joel accidentally broke my first one. (It’s okay, I forgave him cause the new paperwhite ones are sweet!) The story is told by a women researching the history of a lady named Henrietta Lacks, who’s cells became the most powerful scientific tools in the 20th Century. I had never given any thought to the science of cells in my daily life and had never heard of HeLa cells before this book, but I was captivated from the beginning. I have a secret nerdy part of myself that totally loves science, especially related to the body. It was fascinating to hear the story of Henrietta alongside the history of medicine and patience privacy.
Bottom Line: Loved it! 

Five Languages of Love
I’m not exactly sure why I love the genre of ‘self improvement.’ Maybe it’s the psychology of it all or consent state of looking ahead to the next thing, but I love them! And if is relationship based, plutonic or romantic, sign me up! This book actually changed the way I look at love between two people. I discovered my love language was quality time followed by gifts, which sounds superficial until you read the chapter. And I think I’ve narrowed Joel’s love languages to words of affirmation and acts of service. So we obviously speak completely different love languages, which is okay as long as you know the others. All my girlfriends also read the book, which made deciphering everyones love language over a few glasses of wine far too entertaining! I think everyone, single or attached, needs to read this book!
Bottom Line: You gotta read this!

Diane: A Signature Life
I searched around town for this book with no luck, so I had to buy it online. I anxiously waited for its arrived before vacation and couldn’t wait to read it bathing in the sunshine on the beach. I’m a big fan of Diane Von Furstenberg and admire her business wisdom, which amplified the appeal of this book. I’m not sure if I just not used to first person memoires or if this book just wasn’t well written, but I just didn’t like it. I kept pushing through, as it’s an easy read, but lacked any real feeling. I kinda felt like I was reading a really long wikipedia page narrated by Diane. My bookmark is still sitting in the middle of the book, but I have not interest in pickup it up again. It was a big disappointment.
Bottom Line: Eh, not so great…

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do In Life and Business
If you’re a marketing dork or home psychology nerd like me, this book is fascinating! I’ve never thought through the concept of a habit and how ingrained it is every part of life. The author explains the science behind habits, then pairs the notes to real life examples from quitting smoking, Alcoholic Anonymous, civil rights movement and some really marvelous  yet creepy ways Target uses its customer’s data. I’m not sure Joel likes this book as much as I do, since I’m always waking him up to tell him about a little tidbit I just read. This book doesn’t have a storyline, just a wonderful investigation to the power of habits.
Bottom Line: A good and fascinating read!

I’m always on a hunt to find new books! So, tell me what you’re reading or your favorite book!