November Reads

This month I read 7 books, taking my yearly total to 86. It does not look like I will meet my yearly goal of 100 - I do not see where I will find the time to read 14 books this month...UNLESS the books I read to the kid and the girls count as part of my overall goal. Hmmmmm...lol.

 Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close was on a list of books every 20 something woman should read. I know I am a tad bit late with this - but I laughed while reading it. More so because I could relate to the disasterous relationships being held on to because you don't want to be alone and the struggle with finding your place in the professional world while having a passion for what it is you do every day. And let's not forget the never ending barrage of invitations to baby showers, weddings, and bachelorette parties. Never once did I feel as though I missed out on a college experience by not going away and living on campus. But I must admit, the friendships these women formed with each other while experiencing college and life thereafter was very admirable. It's a good thing I have my high school girlfriends to go through life's mishaps with. And the most profound thing I read in this book, Be yourself or be nothing and live humbly but live true.

Sylvia Day's Reflected in You - this is the 2nd novel in her Crossfire series. I was conflicted as I read it - I think it is unhealthy to be in a relationship where you feel as if you cannot function if all of your spare time is not spent with your significant other - like you need them around just to breathe. Day describes this as "the sweet, sharp edge of obsession" - obsession is putting it lightly. There has to be a stronger word for this. I know myself and outside of my time I spend with my partner, I also need me time, family time, friend time and specifically girls days/nights in order to not feel suffocated. But to each its own. At the end of this novel, I am still trying to decide if I prefer Christian Grey's manic over Gideon Cross' - I have one more novel to read before I HAVE to come to my final conclusion - but first Entwined With You needs to be released, so until then I think I am a Grey type of girl although I love how Cross has a lot of pull in NYC (you all know the love affair I have with the city).

In preparation for Thanksgiving, I perused and read 3 cookbooks looking for perfect new recipes to try. They were the Brown Betty Cookbook, In the Kitchen with David, and Tate's Bake Shop Baking for Friends. I found myself lost in the familial stories in 2 of them and lost focus on my objective - creating a dessert menu. It took me many post its and weeks later to narrow it down.  I loved the new techniques shared for some of my family's staple desserts Brown Betty shared in the book. They definitely made a difference. David had lots of great recipes I want to try soon - and I actually did brine chicken to fry it - I def wasn't a fan of this technique. But I read online you had to maintain the oil temperature at 300 degrees and I didn't use the deep fryer which allows me to regulate temperature. I didn't get a chance to try too many of the recipes of Tate's Bake Shop because I became so fixated with Brown Betty's. Maybe for Christmas I will dabble more with their recipes.

I read a few free books this month offered on my new kindle paperwhite just so I could play with my new toy. Did I tell you all how much I love it?! I still need to find the perfect case - until then I keep it close to protect it from any damage.

First up was Susan Hatler's An Unexpected Date - a quick read I could relate to. Holly (yes, that really was her name) was about to turn 30 and hadn't been on a date in awhile...sound familiar?! But I will digress.

Then there was Crystal Bowling's Always the Last to Know. This book drove me insane and I just wanted it to end. I guessed the ending way before it happened. Just thankful it was over.