alltheradreads's Reviews (1.9k)

This book was intriguing to me like many others similar to it are (Essentialism, Create vs Copy, Better than Before, etc)-- because I'm so interested in our we build healthy habits to live fulfilling, productive, and creative lives. This book wasn't dry or slow at all, but extremely helpful with an endless number of direct applications to my life and work. Every chapter ended with action steps, which I found SO helpful as each chapter got me fired up about a different facet of my work and I wanted to dive right in. There are so many acronyms throughout this book that are great tools for remembering how to apply these practices, and I've already started journaling with the "DATE" one at the end of the day to remember what I discovered, achieved, am thankful for, and experienced. I know I'll refer back to this one as my career continues, and I'm still thinking about so many of the ideas and strategies Webb shared here. A fantastic, applicable, helpful, motivating book!

This wasn't the best book on creativity and work that I've ever read, but it wasn't the worst. It was solidly average, with a few snippets of new, quotable, helpful tidbits, but mostly just more of the same, I thought. I wasn't blown away, but found it to be a fun and easy little lunch break read.

I really, really enjoyed this one. It was fresh and new in a way that I haven't come across in a while. The story was engaging (Goodreads describes it as "a vivid portrait of an unforgettable woman whose gift for flowers helps her change the lives of others even as she struggles to overcome her own troubled past"), and the layer of all the meanings of the flowers that was woven throughout the storylines was fascinating to me. I was rooting for Victoria from the early pages, and was so curious to see how her life would play out, and really enjoyed the way this one wasn't what I expected it to be at all.

This was one I saw RAVED about all over social media, and it came to our lovely book corner at work, so I snagged it. As far as books by Christian women go, this is one I actually liked, but it still didn't blow me away. I don't know what it is about books by Christian women, but usually I find them icky or shallow, but this one wasn't either of those things. It was a refreshing read, a fun read, and Annie wrote like a real friend, which I really liked. I'm all about choosing joy and choosing gratitude, and this was right up that alley.

It is RARE that I love books written by Christian women these days. Usually I find them to be cheesy or cliche or just way too glossy and not real at all, but this one really surprised me. It was honest, relevant, fresh, and not at all cheesy. I loved the way Jess and Hayley took turns writing chapters, but also both responded to the other chapters with their own thoughts. I was encouraged by this one and felt very empowered to live as my truest and freest self, which was awesome. This is one of the best books about Christian womanhood I've read this year.

I'm so attracted to the idea of minimalism, but I'm also such an over-spender and shopper and Target lover, ya know? So this one definitely sparked my interest when I saw it come by the office book pile of advanced reader copies we get from publishers. It, like Marie Kondo's book, made me PURGE my closets and room and everything, which I think is exactly the point. I'm really adopting much more of a minimalist mindset about my spending and really trying to streamline how I spend money and what I purchase, and I'm loving the process. This is an easy read, but the implications of what Becker talks about are powerful and I highly recommend this one if you're at all curious about what it looks like to live minimally or you're feeling overwhelmed by all the things in your life.

This was a historical fiction story that showed a whole different side of World War II, focusing on Japanese people in America who were sent to internment camps. I found this story highly engaging, beautifully written, and eye opening. I've read quite a few WWII books lately, and this one stands out as a fresh take on it all that I'm glad I am more aware of now.

So, I didn't know Jen Hatmaker's husband was an author too. When this one showed up at work as an advanced reader copy, I grabbed it and read it during a lunch break, and was actually pretty uninterested in it overall. I guess I expected more of Jen's style of wit and humor, and this didn't have that at all. It's supposedly about going deep in your faith, but it felt superficial to me. I really didn't get much out of this one, but I think for new Christians or believers who have struggled to really own their faith in their life, this could be a helpful beginners guide.

I listened to this one on audio while driving to and from work, and I actually think it was the better choice as opposed to reading the physical book for once! I didn't love the story, but found the relationship between the daughter stuck in the hospital for complications of a vague sickness and her mother who visited. As the story went on (mostly told in conversation between mom and daughter, with the daughter's insights and background and other thoughts throughout), I kept being surprised by details and different facets of the relationships and people they discussed, and it really didn't turn out to be what I expected at all. Not my favorite book, but an interesting one nonetheless, and a good, short audiobook if you're looking for something you can get through quickly!

The cover of this one grabbed me when I saw it on the BookLook Bloggers site-- the green isn't often found on book covers and the title is in a large, handwritten font that makes it instantly feel like it's more personal. From the first few pages (they're the super slick, shiny pages, not rough paper like most books are!), I could tell this book would be perfect for high school or college girls who need encouragement for the adventures ahead of them. It felt a little young to me (and I'm only 24!) but I can't wait to pass it along to a friend. The chapters end with journaling pages that would be great for anyone wondering about and wrestling with the next stages of their life. Grace tells her story openly and warmly, and feels like a friend throughout this book. It's not theologically deep or terribly earth-shattering, but as the back cover says, it really is "a positive and encouraging book [that] offers inspiration to anyone who wants to live a fulfilling life right now."