Month: August 2019

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Book Review Family Book Review

Book Review: Educated by Tara Westover

Title: Educated

Author: Tara Westover

Genre: Memoir

Publisher: Random House

Rating: Related imageRelated imageRelated imageRelated imageRelated image

Educated is one of those books that was super popular last year.  When I first heard about it, I didn’t want to read it because I have found that I’m not a fan of books that everyone goes crazy over. But after seeing it on Libby as an audiobook and waiting for about ten weeks, it was the perfect companion as I was taking a road trip.  Educated is a memoir by Tara Westover where she details what it was like growing up in a family that was radically religious and awaiting the end times. Tara was able to overcome poverty and a lack of education to go on and not only receive one degree but to get a Ph.D. from Cambridge.

***I tried to keep spoilers out of this review but it was hard.  With that said, you will still enjoy the book.***

My thoughts:

While she grew up in a family that is Mormon, Westover gives a disclaimer to say that this book isn’t about Mormonism.  Her father is an extremist and while it makes you wonder if being a Mormon lead him to this lifestyle, it becomes clear throughout the story that his extreme lifestyle where he is preparing for the end times comes more from some form of mental illness. It doesn’t appear that they always lived this way.  He doesn’t believe women should work but met his wife while she was working.  When they first started to have children, they had birth certificates, went to school, had things like car insurance and then somewhere along the lines that changed.  Tara’s mother becomes a midwife illegally to stick it to the medical system.  Starting as an assistant, she ends up becoming the only midwife for 100 miles when the previous one leaves town.  Tara’s mother is terrified, and people had to talk her into delivering their children.  You see how she overcomes this fear and becomes this strong woman when she allows Tara to come with her for one of the births.  On the way there she is chanting all of the what-ifs.  What if they get caught by the feds?  What if something goes wrong with the delivery?  It reminded me of how sometimes you can get to a point where you feel confident enough and own who you are, but there is still sometimes a small voice that can nag you. The sad part is that a lot of times that voice is your own.  But once Tara’s mom arrived, she put on this new persona of a confident midwife and Tara feels that this is really who her mother is.  This is an important lesson that I feel like mothers have to teach their daughters.  How to overcome the voice that speaks our fears, but when the time comes, become confident, and get things done.

Tara speaks about the difference in her father from when she grew up compared to her older siblings. We don’t think about the fact that as our parents are raising us, that they are growing up themselves.  I think about the fact that my mom had me at 20 and even now with me being 30, I can’t imagine what it would have been like trying to go through the last ten years of my life with a child in tow. But I also see a difference in how my mother parented me versus my sister, who is almost 11 years younger than me.  When my sister and I talk, we remember two different women.  While I was growing up and fighting for my voice and identity in my teens, my mother had entered another decade and was raising an infant/toddler.  By the time I moved out, I had missed much of my sister growing up and entering her teens.  But her experience with my mom was different.  Even now, with my mother being in her 50’s, she is a changed woman experiencing freedom and a carefree lifestyle that she didn’t get to have while raising two children in two different decades.  She is learning her identity again outside of a mother. Seeing how Tara explains the differences between her sibling’s relationships with her father, it shows how one can parent individually to each unique child.

Listening to Tara explain all that she believed as a child highlights the trust that children have for their parents.  You are trusting your parents to teach you correctly.  You are trusting them with your whole life.  But I wonder if this is considered trust?  Because you don’t know that there are any other options.  With Tara’s parents, their view on education shifted.  Some of the kids started in school and then were pulled out.  Some of the kids never went to school at all.  But they had such a strong reaction to some of their kids wanting to go back to school.  Without outside interaction, they had no idea if what their parents were teaching them was right or wrong.  One of her brothers, Tyler,  wanted more and to go to college, yet he wasn’t trying to break away from his faith.  He wanted to go to a college run by the church.  But the father’s delusions were so bad by this time he started to believe the Illuminati infiltrated the church. With nothing else to compare their father to, they grew up trusting what they were taught. But I wonder if the pull that Tyler felt to go back to school was God and His way of freeing Tyler from that environment. I don’t believe that God will not allow us to have a chance to figure out the truth for ourselves. I like to think that Tyler’s desire and urge for more and the differences with him that Tara explained, was God’s hands on him.  I wish there was more information about what happened to Tyler and his point of view.

There are a few accidents, and Tara does such an excellent job of describing them and using such imagery that I swear I could physically and emotionally feel what she was feeling.  She has such a way with words that you can tell something tragic is going to happen before she even gets to the details.  It’s frightening because I know that there are people who live like this.  Where because of their parent’s extreme views, their lives are at risk.  This time, Tara’s brother, Luke, ends up getting hurt.  Because they can’t afford to replace things, he has duck-taped his shoes to his feet and has his pants tied to his body with a string.  So during the accident, he is trapped by his clothes, which makes the accident worse.  I can’t imagine the pain.  Tara’s role in this was, at ten years old, she had to figure out how to help her brother.  Her mother wasn’t home, and it was up to Tara to access the situation and save him. What blows my mind by all of this is, the lifestyle they are living is all a choice that the parents are making.  Therefore the kids don’t have an option.  That’s the frustrating part.  But it makes me think about the people that have to live like this because of poverty or homelessness.  How can I help the less fortunate?  What are ways I can volunteer? Who can I donate to?

The mother doesn’t truly get a pass in this story.  After Luke’s accident, the mother fusses at Tara for how she handled the situation.  A ten-year-old little girl who, in my opinion, dealt with this emergency quite well (I mean she could have called an ambulance) and was smart enough to think about possible infection with the wound.  Tara’s memory of the situation with her brother Luke is fuzzy, and she admits she had to get pieces filled in for her.  She doesn’t remember her father helping at all while another version of the story is that he had a hand in saving Luke that put his own life in danger.  It makes me think, what type of father can put his life in danger in this situation to save his son, but there are so many other things he is depriving his children of.  I can imagine the split second to save his son that probably wasn’t even a decision.  He made that choice but is making so many other bad ones on what his children can and cannot do.  They can’t go to school.  They can’t go to the hospital.  They can’t have a driver’s license.  He doesn’t want car insurance.  It just doesn’t make sense.

There have been two major car accidents for this family.  The first car accident the mother is severely injured.  It seems to be internal injuries, including a possible traumatic brain injury. The second car accident, it is Tara who is injured.  There is an older brother, Shawn, who ran away and at this time, he comes back to help his father in the scrap yard.  He is trying to convince Tara to go to the doctor, but she is so adamant that the mother can fix her, so she ignores him.  This scene makes me wonder why the wife hasn’t left the husband.  The accidents are entirely the fault of the father and his decisions.  This accident happens after he decides he is going to race a snowstorm that is coming.  Not only that, but he decides he is going to speed to prove that the angels are by his side.  Why isn’t anyone questioning anything that this man does? After two accident, no one stops to think that something could be wrong.  He went crazy with Y2K preparations, and when that didn’t happen, no one thought to get him any help.

Shawn seems to start to take after his father with his extreme views and actions.  She skirts around calling what her brother did to her abuse.  But I’m torn with who is to blame.  The environment that they grew up in, it was bound that someone would grow up with some problems or anger issues.  But  Shawn was able to get away and only came home after the accident to help his father.  But it was him returning that has him becoming angry and violent.  You can predict that the father is going to make excuses for his behavior.  And everyone is pacifying the abuse until Tyler comes back home.  How can you have a super religious family and be silent to this type of violence and not confront it?  How can you pick and choose what is right and wrong and ignore the blatant wrong?  There are times when Shawn reaches out to Tara to try and help her.  It just gives a glimpse into a torn and broken man.  He probably had some clue that what he was doing was wrong, but their relationship never gets resolved.  But the opposite happens with her father.  He never sees the error in his ways.  He comes to Tara to say he prayed about her going to school, and the wrath of God will come down on her.

Tara describes some cringeworthy and embarrassing moments in her life.  Like when Charles tells her, their house smells like rotted plants.  He admits that he has smelled it on her, but after going into her home, he now realizes that is where the smell was coming from.  I wonder why he didn’t feel like he could have had this conversation with her before? We are at times so concerned with hurting peoples feelings that we don’t have necessary conversations that could prevent further embarrassment.  She also has an embarrassing moment at BYU in class, where she says out loud that she doesn’t recognize a word and it ends up being Holocaust.   It was a real-life moment of the saying, “You don’t know what you don’t know.”   There is also the story she decides to tell about her brother calling her the N-word. First thing, to all the nonblack authors out there: YOU DON’T HAVE TO SAY/WRITE/TYPE THE N-WORD.  I think Tara thinks this story is necessary, and she ends up sympathizing with African Americans because she admits how she used to laugh at the word.  But she now sees how bad the word is when her brother uses it against her. She could have kept this story simple just like she did with the Holocaust story.  She could tell us about her learning about Civil Rights and slavery.  The whole thing didn’t sit well with me as she was trying to connect herself to the difficulties African Americans face. I’m sorry, but a white person being called that word will never compare to what it means for a black person to be called it.

Tara isn’t supposed to study the books of her faith according to her father.  She is supposed to cherish the books and not to use them for learning.  I’ve heard this about the Bible where you aren’t supposed to look at it as a textbook or a book that you can get any knowledge from.  One of the things I struggle with is I like learning, and I like knowledge.  So it’s hard not to approach the Bible wanting to learn all I can about God.  But I see the dangers in just approaching it for knowledge.  It’s honestly an internal battle that I have to fight with frequently.  I do believe there is a way to learn from the Word of God and yet still honor it as the Word of God.  When it comes to what goes into your conscience, from things like books, music, movies, etc.,  there is a fragile line with how you perceive the information you received.  A lot of people don’t realize that all of that is forming our opinions or more accurately our worldview. It may be that we believe our worldview comes from our religion and our beliefs, but those come from someplace. Personally, my views came from my parents and grandparents because it is what they have been taught.  When you have been taught a specific way, sometimes expanding upon what it is you currently know is so discouraged that you don’t know that there is a whole other world out there.  We need to be taught to make decisions for ourselves and to have our own beliefs.  Another book I read recently said that we have the right to question our beliefs, and if they were aligned with biblical truth, they would withhold our questions.  That opened my mind and let me know that it is okay to question things, especially things that others find it wrong to doubt.  But nowadays people don’t like to be questioned.  And it’s because they don’t understand what it is they believe and why.

The part of Tara’s story after BYU seems extremely rushed.  She spent 2/3rds of the book focused on her childhood, and it feels like she ran out of time to tell her story about her thought process changing.  For me, as a woman who is currently going through her reforming of the mind, it’s so frustrating that it took her so long to get to this point.  Yet, I understand it.  Like I’ve said before, it has taken me to almost 30 to rethink my beliefs.  For her, you can see where she starts to question things and knows that something wasn’t right, but she fought so hard against.  I can’t understand why.  But I know that a lot of it has to do with what she was taught and what she believes.  I believe the mind is a powerful thing.  It can be powerful for the right or the wrong reasons.  It’s frustrating for me as an outsider looking in.  Another part is it seems she went from one extreme to another.  She doesn’t flat out say she is a feminist and I don’t personally believe that feminism is the opposite of being radical, but I do know some people feel that way.  It seems she goes from where women don’t matter to the other extreme of women are the most important.  Did she do this because she just needed to escape what she was feeling and experiencing?  She could have ended up anywhere in the middle of the road, where she understood that women need respect, and some women are called to the home.  Some of the things she now says, it still makes me wonder does she truly believe this now or is it still just that she was exposed to it and has excepted it as her belief because it was so different from her families views.

Although I was happy that Tara stopped hiding her upbringing and the fact that she didn’t go to school, it seems like she is starting to tell everyone only to garner sympathy.  At BYU for her undergrad, I felt like that was the time she should have owned her story and told it to explain why she didn’t know certain things.  But at Cambridge, Tara wants to show what she was able to overcome.  But in reality, she overcame by going to BYU.  She overcame way before she had to take a trip overseas and now feels like she belongs.  But while she says she has overcome the situation, every time she goes home, she is wrapped up in it again. It’s still frustrating to see her taking strides and doing things to get ahead on God’s path, and then she does things that bring her a few steps back.  Part of me feels like the reason she is struggling so much is that she is doing it all on her own.  At one point, she had a bishop that was helping her, and she was getting spiritual guidance.  He seemed to identify that her upbringing was extreme, yet he still honored her faith.  I thought at that time, she would genuinely seek the outside help she needed, but she refused counseling.  I believe everyone should have a therapist, even from a very young age.  Not to have someone fix you but so you can have an objective third party that can help you if they start to see signs of certain things that you may not be able to identify yourself.  That could prevent so much of what we have in our lives.  I understand a lot of what we go through helps mold our future but learning how to process those experiences, and talking it out would be beneficial.

One negative with the book is the timetable.  I was frequently lost on when things were happening and if they were in order or not.  Sometimes Tara mentions an age, and sometimes it seems like there are gaps and she is going backwards.  It makes me wish I would have taken a moment to document a timeline of her age, and when things happen.  It doesn’t appear that things are happening in order from the youngest memory she has to the oldest.  And if it’s not in order, I wasn’t able to catch how she is telling the story or the purpose of her telling the story in this way.  It was confusing to me.  One positive for me was, I loved the drive that Tara had for her education.  And even though I am personally not a Morman, I do appreciate that she turned to her religion and the Bible.  She turned to the Old and New Testament and because of her faith, the Book of Mormon.  I’m not sure if she stayed a Mormon, but I do hope that she was able to find Jesus as her personal Savior.  There are some relationships in Tara’s life that seem to be unresolved even with her continued hunt for some closure.  You get the feeling that Tara still feels like she is the problem and the one that is lost.  But even with all of that, this was a surprisingly excellent book.  I’ve mentioned before, but Tara is an excellent writer.  The story itself was frustrating in a good way as you root for Tara to overcome her extremist childhood. That is why I am giving this book a 5-star rating.

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases using the links included in this post.

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Rhenáe's Recap

Rhenáe’s Recap: 8/11/19 – 8/31/19

New & Notable

 

I took a mini break after realizing that I was experiencing some type of block when it comes to reading and writing my reviews for the blog.  I decided I needed to spend some time with God just to make sure I was still on the right path.  And man, am I glad I did that.  I was able to start and create over 20 posts to release for the blog.  I’m excited for two (maybe even three) series that I will be launching later this year.  For now, it’s a secret but here is a hint for two: they combine reading and growth.

 

 

 

I’ve also started to share in my Instagram and Facebook stories the free book deals that I get daily.  The genres range from Romance, Self Help, Business and Christian.  You can download using Amazon Kindle or Apple Books.  They normally only last a day so make sure you check them out and download them if you think they sound like a good read.

 

 

 

Reviews

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

This review was a long time coming.  But I finally got it done! Now the real work begins.  As I mentioned in the post, the book is formated as a 12-week course.  So I plan on starting today with writing my morning pages and going on my artist dates.  Cameron does recommend that you keep the morning pages to yourself but I will share what I can over on  Instagram and Facebook.

 

 

 

Educated by Tara Westover

The review was crazy for me to write. This was an audiobook that I listened to on a roadtrip.  I didn’t expect a lot of notes but when I had so many opinions, I turned to my voice memo app.  Listening to my voice while typing out my notes was weird. But I got it done. Finally.  This was an amazing book that was unexpected.

 

 

Other Happenings

Down the TBR Hole #21-40

I skipped a week with doing this meme so I doubled up with this one.  I walked through 20 books from my TBR list and made decisions on if I was keeping them or removing them from the list.

 

 

What We Are Watching

 

My husband and I watched both seasons of this (20 episodes) over the past few weeks.  It was a hilarious show for the most part with some serious issues sprinkled in.  Now the part that I hate, we have to wait for the next season.

 

 

We also watched the first season of this show (5 episodes).  I’m not sure what the plans are for future seasons but it was an excellent show. What I enjoyed about it was the behind the scenes into what this process and what the criminal justice system does on someone’s mental health. Good news for Meek is that his case was officially closed this week.  This nightmare is over for him but his bringing awareness to the problem is just starting.

 

 

Currently Reading

 

Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss –Honestly, this is the only book that I have been actively reading while on my break.  I think it’s because of how it’s presented with each titan having a couple of pages.  So it’s almost like I’m reading a quick snapshot of each one instead of a book.

 

All of the other books I’ve started and just haven’t been able to finish are currently on hold.  It’s been a while so I am going to have to start them from the beginning anyway.  Feel free to click the Rhenae’s Recap tag below to see them.  If they haven’t moved to Finished Reading, they are on hold ;).

Finished Reading

 

The Southern Hero by Lenora Worth

 

 

 

Recently Acquired

 

Her One Mistake by Heidi Perks (giveaway win)

 

The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman

 

 

Dear John by Linda Heavner Gerald (giveaway win)


 

Grind: A No-Bullshit Approach to Take Your Business from Concept to Cash Flow by Michael J. McFall (giveaway win)

 

 

Goodreads Challenge Update: 45/52

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases using the links included in this post.

Categories
Book Review Faith Book Review Family Book Review

Book Review: The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Title: The Artist’s Way

Author: Julia Cameron

Genre: Self-Help/Christian/Creativity

Publisher: TarcherPerigee

Rating:Related imageRelated imageRelated image

I found this book by way of the planner community and YouTube.  You may have heard of Morning Pages.  It is the practice of spending time in the morning, writing out whatever is on your mind for three pages. I’ve been one of those on and off again journalers who has an addiction to notebooks and needs to do something with the dozens of empty ones I have.  I was doing more research and found out the idea originated from this book, which I was able to download on Libby after having it on hold for a couple of weeks.

My Thoughts:

Julia Cameron starts the book off by explaining how creativity is indeed a spiritual practice.  At the time of reading this book, I was reading Exodus and came across a verse that describes where God specifically gave certain people skill and intelligence to be creative while building the Tabernacle.  Seeing that connection made me connect more to the book because I don’t see myself as a creative person.  One thing I didn’t care for that Cameron did was, she felt the need to explain her use of the name of God.  She even provided alternatives.  It didn’t sit well for me because, as someone who believes in God, I don’t make it a point to explain away that belief for those that don’t believe.  I felt like she was trying to appease others at the expense of God and to sell books.

The first thing that I had to overcome was the idea that I wasn’t an artist. Her view is that everyone is an artist.  My original opinion was the artist is someone who makes art, paints, draws, even those in the entertainment industry like musicians. I am none of those things, so it wasn’t until I did a little digging into the definition of artist that I changed my mind.  According to dictionary.com, the fifth definition of an artist is “a person whose work exhibits exceptional skill.” To me, that could mean any work can make me an artist.

Cameron states that this process can be a form of meditation.  I can see my journaling as a way to talk to God.  This book is recommended as a course that takes 12 weeks to complete.  It’s broken up in weekly sections.  Being a popular library book, I don’t have time to read it over 12 weeks (and let’s be honest, I’ll forget about it after a couple of weeks).  Throughout the reading, she gives plenty of small action steps that are almost like testers.  Practice saying this affirmation, write it down, etc.

Cameron gives a lot of detail behind how we think, why her teaching is needed, etc.  I feel like she is trying to sell me hard on why I need to continue her process.  I appreciate the details, but I would prefer more information about how to do it versus why I need to do it.  She does give you tasks, which is an excellent summary of what she wants you to do for the week from the reading. She warns you that it’s a lot of work.  For instance, week one has ten tasks and three check-ins.  My opinion on this?  We make time for what’s important. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women spend an average of 4.9 hours a day on leisure activities, while men spend 5.7 hours a day.  Watching T.V. is the largest of that time block at 2.8 hours a day (“American Time Use Survey Summary,” 2019).  You have time to improve yourself if you want to.

I plan to do as much of the work she recommends.  She advises doing what you resist the most.  I would generally share my responses with you as I did here, but part of doing the morning pages is not to share it with anyone.  Plus looking at some of the tasks, they can be deeply personal.  But some of the items are simple, like a 20-minute walk.  Others are thinking and then writing.  In my opinion, my answers can be apart of my morning pages.  That helps me fill out the three pages.  I will share what I can on my Instagram or Facebook.

This book was the 25th-anniversary edition, and while reading certain words, you could tell that.  Half of me wished Cameron went through and updated the language to be inclusive of today’s terminology.  The other half, I was easily able to gloss over the 90’s terms and identify them as that and not take offense for myself or others.  Also, a lot of the quotes she included mentioned painters.  I wish she would have found quotes speaking about different types of creative beings, including nontraditional artist roles.  This would have gone a long way in proving her point that being an artist and being creative doesn’t necessarily mean painting art. I was left wishing that there was a 21st-century version of this book.

I also wish it was from the standpoint of someone that is creative but not in the field of painting, movies, or writing.  Another thing that ages this book is her frequent references to topics like miscarriage or incest as similies. I can’t comprehend someone not liking your painting to a miscarriage or a parent giving you criticism as incest. I get that back in 1992 when the book was published, we weren’t as politically correct or openly caring about how our words impact others and their feelings.  But as a re-release of this book, I’m left again wishing she would have updated this book and specifically removed these references.

She has this quote in Week 1 that reminded me of my childhood in terms of me now thinking about what I want from my life.  “Nothing has a stronger influence psychologically on their environment and especially on their children than the unlived life of the parent.” – C. G. Jung.  For me, I had one parent who had certain goals by a certain age.  So I was raised to see that only reasonable careers and money were important, not happiness.  My other parent didn’t set goals, and a paycheck was a means to the end.  It wasn’t until my late twenties that I realized people could be happy and doing what they loved at the same time.  I believe that God will take care of my needs, even if I don’t make a lot of money.

While I thought Cameron’s only method was the morning pages, she offers a second piece to this process.  That is the Artist’s Dates, which is where I think I will struggle the most.  Why?  Although I am an introvert through and through, I hate going out and doing stuff alone.  I would instead drag someone with me to the grocery store or get pedicures with someone else.  Or my preference is not to do any of that and have someone come to me (Thank God for grocery delivery).  But because I know this will be a challenge, this will be what I focus hard on making sure I accomplish each week.

One of her chapters discusses how others can negatively impact our progress and creativity, even if unintentionally.  Between that and our self-doubt, it’s sometimes easier to not do things that can help you grow.  That left my biggest takeaway from this particular week being how important it is to do things for yourself.  It reminded me of a conversation I had recently about having a servant’s heart but not any substance.  I’ve learned this lesson myself.  It wasn’t until I really took time out with only God that I started to see any growth.  On top of that, I then saw my time increase.  I felt more productive, yet I had more free time.  I felt like that was God’s reward to me.

During week 4, I realized that what Cameron is trying to achieve is what I was also trying to accomplish during my Sabbatical.  Although I wasn’t doing the morning pages specifically, the small amount of writing along with me shedding my old persona and working on finding what works for me, allowed my creativity to flow.  For five months, I was doing this work and then felt I hit a stage that was somewhat like what women that have been pregnant say is nesting.  My hunt for self and what this book teaches were aligning.

One section that I did not agree with and felt like she should update was her recommendation on reading deprivation.  Not just because I love reading or have a site that includes book reviews.  I’ve gone a week without reading and could do it again if need be (hello current reading slump).  My fault is her reasoning why.  She considers it a distraction that we could go without to refill our well.  Here is a huge reminder that this book was written 25 years ago…before social media.  People are reading to escape the energy-sucking that is social media now.  That’s where our distractions are.  Now, does this mean I am going to skip this particular week’s assignment?  No, especially because at the beginning of the chapter in the intro, she told us to make sure we don’t.  But here is really why I won’t skip it.  I’ve made reading and learning my life.  Now with the blog, I really consider it a full-time hobby.  Because of how I work, I have the potential to burn out.  I don’t want that to happen with something I love so much.  So I know that means I will need to take regularly scheduled breaks.  Skipping reading is week 4 in the course and will be about three months after I launched my blog.  I think that is a great time to take a break, reevaluate how things are going and making sure I am still in love with what I am doing.

The further I got in the book, the more excited I was to start doing the tasks.  It was difficult for me not to skip the explanations and just read the exercises, tasks, and check-ins.  But Cameron wrote the explanations for a reason, and they are helpful with understanding why the activities and tasks are needed.  It took a while, but I do appreciate that she gave the bulk of what we will be doing at the beginning of the book.  You read through the first two chapters, and you already know the main thing is the morning pages and the artist’s dates.  Most authors will drag you along and maybe give you the needed info by the halfway point of the book.

I don’t like how she continues to discount intellectuals and those that are behind the scenes doing work for the creative types.  The editor, instead of the writer.  The film editor, instead of the film director.  Yes, I’m sure some are doing those jobs because they are fearful of stepping out to do their dream job, but at the end of the day, you need that film editor.  There are some people who that is their dream job, and they get to be their type of creative in that environment.  She starts with pushing the idea that not all creatives are painters, directors, and writers but as she writes you can tell that that is precisely who she considers the artist and creative person in this book.

She’s a great writer.  There is no doubting that.  She’s mostly eloquent (except here: Besides, they had connections, a rich father, they belong to a sought-after minority, they slept their way to the top. I’m scared even to ask what a sough-after minority even means.) and her writing is well thought out.  Almost too much so.  Truthfully this book could have been a lot shorter.  While explaining her points, she could have eliminated a lot of fluff and repetitive information.  The book had a 17-page index yet was only a little over 200 pages.  I also believe there is a way to show us who you are and potentially why you feel you are qualified to write the book without consistently talking about your work and accolades.  I found time after time, she would bring up her film and writing career, yet the whole story didn’t fit.  I get using real-life examples, but it was almost like she wanted us to know she wrote for the original Miami Vice, so she included that story.  Although, it didn’t matter at all to her point.  Even though I love the idea behind the book, with all the negatives, I decided to give this one a 3-star rating.

American Time Use Survey Summary. (2019, June 19). Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/news.release/atus.nr0.htm

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Down The TBR Hole

Down the TBR Hole #21-40

Welcome to Down the TBR Hole #21-40.  Have you been feeling inspired to go through your list of books that you have to read?  Or have you maybe found some books that I mentioned to add to your list?  Need to catch up?  Head here to see the last post.  As a reminder, here are the rules:

I am starting this week with 4,678 books.  Not sure how I ended up with more books than I started with last time.  I’m sure this reading slump I am in is not helping.  But of course, there is never a shortage of books to add to my list.  I also skipped last week so let’s double up this week.  Let’s get started.

1. Business Boutique: A Woman’s Guide to Making Money Doing What She Loves by Christy Wright

In a past life, I was all into finance and financial planning and thought that would be my career.  I also owned my own business for a bit. I found Christy Wright by way of Dave Ramsey and started listening to her podcast. I started reading this book, but for whatever reason, I didn’t finish it.  But from what I remember, it was good. I own it on Audible, so I’m keeping it.

2. The Secrets You Keep by Kate White

My best friend recommended this book to me.  I think it took 15 years for me to realize that we no longer have the same taste in books.  She leans heavy into suspense and psychological thrillers while I am more into non-fiction books and romance.  But that doesn’t mean I won’t try and read one of her recommendations.  But I wasted an audible credit on this one. Thirty minutes in and I could go further. I’m removing this one.

3. Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges by Amy Cuddy

This book was recommended to me by an SVP that I admired at my old job.  She continuously kicked butt in a male-dominated world and specifically with a couple of challenging males that I had to work with daily that she had previous experience with.  I’m forever thankful that she took the time out to help mentor me. I started to read this book after she recommended it, but we were so busy my projects took over my life, and I had to put the book down. But I have a physical copy of this book plus the Audible version so I’ll be keeping it.

4. The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement by Eliyahu M. Goldratt 

This was the first book that we were to read as a team at my old job. Recommended by the same SVP from above.  The only problem was my team was crazy busy.  We kept having to move the meeting that we had to talk about the book.  I’m not even sure I had time to finish one chapter. I do remember that it had an interesting concept, and I also happen to own a physical copy and the Audible version.  I think I will be keeping this one.

5. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg

This book has been on almost every recommendation list for businesses owners that I have come across.  So I downloaded it on Audible.  I feel like building habits is part of my theme for the year, so I am keeping this one.

 

6. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey

Like the book above, I have yet to come across a list that didn’t have this book recommended. I think I downloaded this one on Audible at the same time as the last one.  But it’s another one I haven’t had a chance to listen to. It’s a book on habits and fits my theme, so I’m keeping it.

7. God, Are You There? by Kay Arthur

I discovered Kay Arthur last year through Right Now Media and the inductive Bible study method. I instantly fell in love with her style and how her message of just using the Bible to interpret the Bible was so clear. I went on a hunt and ordered a few of her books (as you can tell).  I did read one of them and enjoyed it so I will be keeping this one.

 

8. Lord, Teach Me to Study the Bible in 28 Days by Kay Arthur

While I think I understand already what she will teach in this book because of watching her studies, I am keeping this book since I have a physical copy of it.  I also think it will be a quick read.

 

9. Discover the Bible for Yourself: Helpful Introductions to Every Book, Practical Approaches for Study, Applications for Everyday Life by Kay Arthur

You guessed it; I’m keeping this one.

 

10. Don’t Settle for Safe: Embracing the Uncomfortable to Become Unstoppable by Sarah Jakes Roberts 

First and foremost, I stan for Sarah Jakes Roberts.  If people can stan for musicians and actors, I can stan for a pastor.  What I love about her is she keeps it honest.  She made mistakes, and she had to work through them.  I’ve read another book of hers and probably every sermon she has preached.  Plus I’ve had the pleasure of seeing her teach in person.  I’m keeping this one.

11. Brave Enough to Succeed: 40 Strategies for Getting Unstuck by Valorie Burton

My previous business mentor recommended this book to me.  I’ve never connected with Burton based on what she posts on social media, but I was willing to give this book a chance.  I wonder, would this help me with my reading slump?  I’m feeling kind of stuck.  I’m keeping it.

 

12. Simplify: Ten Practices to Unclutter Your Soul by Bill Hybels

This was the second book that was recommended by my business mentor.  I was a Professional Organizer, so a book about organizing your soul? I’m all for it.  I’m keeping this one.

 

13. Battlefield of the Mind Bible: Renew Your Mind Through the Power of God’s Word by Joyce Meyer

I started to read her book by the same title and knew I wanted to get the Bible as well.  But I have the Bible and was using it when reading the book.  I don’t think it belongs on this list anymore.  I’m going to be removing it and putting it on my read list

 

14. Hebrews Bible Study Book: The Nearness of King Jesus by Lisa Harper

This is a bible study that I started but never finished.  Honestly, the turnoff was I had to either rent the videos or pay a large sum to own the videos.  For some reason, Lifeway has the video studies priced so high that I can’t always justify the cost. It was a good study, and I love Lisa Harper, especially after hearing her in person.  I’m keeping this one with the hopes of one day being able to complete it.

15. Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Home: No-Nonsense Advice that Will Inspire You to Clean Like the Dickens by Thelma Meyer

I went through a phase where I was trying to do a better job at setting the atmosphere of my home. I already loved having a clean house, so I was open to see if there were alternative ways to doing things.  So I felt like I was buying all the cleaning books.  I’m removing it, but it will make some cute decor.

 

16. Clean My Space: The Secret to Cleaning Better, Faster, and Loving Your Home Every Day by Melissa Maker

Another book from my home cleaning phase.  I’m removing it from my list but will keep it for decor.

 

17. How to Start a Home-based Professional Organizing Business by Dawn Noble

I might have mentioned a time or two that I previously had a Professional Organizing business. So although I bought this book while doing my research, I found so much info online that I didn’t need it.  I’m removing it.

 

18. Stronger than the Struggle: Uncomplicating Your Spiritual Battle by Havilah Cunnington

I bought the study for this book after hearing Havilah speak.  I enjoyed the study and wanted to read the book behind it, so I purchased it.  I enjoy listening to her preach, and I expect the same from her books.  I’ll be keeping it.

 

19. Anonymous: Jesus Hidden Years…And Yours by Alicia Britt Chole

A friend recommended this book to me after they enjoyed it.  I haven’t had a chance to start reading it yet, but I do like the concept. I have a physical copy of this book, and I am keeping it.

 

20. Everyday Hope: Holding Fast to His Promise by Katie Orr

Now that I have done a study with Katie (Philippians study), I want to do all of her studies.  She is an amazing Bible teacher.  You will see next week that I have a few of her studies.  I’m keeping this one.

 

Final count: Removing 5; Keeping 15; TBR down to 4,674

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Down The TBR Hole

Down The TBR Hole #11-20

Welcome to Down the TBR Hole #11-20.  Head here to get more information on this meme that I am doing.  As a reminder, here are the rules:

I am starting this week with 4,676 books on my To Be Read list.

1. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen

This book is on every productivity recommendation list I have ever come across.  I have the physical copy of this book and had started to read it but ended up putting it down.  This was during the season where I couldn’t find joy in reading because of other things happening.  I will eventually read it, so I’m keeping it.

 

2. Grace for the Good Girl: Letting Go of the Try-Hard Life by Emily P. Freeman

Another book that I have a physical copy of.  As someone who is recovering from being all about doing things and doing them right to please others, I bought this one when I was in Altar’d State out of town.  I started another book by Emily P. Freeman recently, and it’s pretty good, so I think I will be keeping this one for now.

 

3. Sacred Influence: How God Uses Wives to Shape the Souls of Their Husbands by Gary L. Thomas

I will take all the books on marriage I can take.  It is literally the hardest thing I have done.  I am keeping this one.

4. Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs by Emerson Eggerichs

A friend let me borrow this book, and I fell in love with it.  I took my time reading it, took a ton of notes, started to implement some of the recommendations, and then decided to order my own along with the workbook.  Then I stopped reading it.  I started again on my sabbatical but couldn’t get back into the flow I was in before.  But this book is beyond amazing, and I will read it and soon.  I’m keeping it.

5. Sink Reflections: Overwhelmed? Disorganized? Living In Chaos? The FlyLady’s Simple FLYing Lessons Will Show You How to Get Your Home and Your Life in Order–and It All Starts with Shining Your Sink! by Marla Cilley

I use to follow the FlyLady, and it did wonders for keeping and maintaining my house clean and organized.  I still follow the essence of her advice as it has become routine for me, but I’m not strict with what she recommends.  I also believe I can find everything in this book on her website.  So although I own a kindle edition of this book, I am removing this one.

6. Boundaries in Marriage by Henry Cloud

I’ve had Dr. Cloud’s books recommended to me a million times.  I felt like he was a legend at my previous home church, and everyone swore by his books like they were the Bible (which should have been my first clue).  A friend let me borrow the audiobook.  I bought the workbook. I think I downloaded the eBook.  I could not get into this book.  Or the regular Boundaries book. And you know what I am done trying.  I’m removing it.

 

7. Lucky Suit by Lauren Blakely

This book was one of the books I picked from the free Audible Originals one month.  It looks like it will be a quick romance to listen to so I am keeping it.

 

8. Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder by Arianna Huffington

I love Arianna Huffington.  She’s done and launched amazing things.  Her story of burnout resonated with me from when I worked in Corporate America.  I have already read one of her books and loved it.  I own this one on Audible, so I am keeping it.

 

9. Win From Within: Finding Yourself by Facing Yourself by John Gray

I have been a fan of John Gray for a while and until recently would watch most of his sermons.  He went through some criticism lately, and his response to that was to become an angry preacher, so I stopped watching him.  But I do plan on reading his books, and maybe one day I’ll check back in on his messages.  I own this one on Audible, so I’m keeping it.

10. Feeding the Dragon by Sharon Washington

Another book I received for free from Audible Originals.  I love reading autobiographies from women of color, and her living on the top floor of a library made me want to add this to my collection.  Plus her father being a custodian and her love for literature was something that made me relate to her as my father had a job as a building custodian at one of the apartments we lived in, in New Jersey.  And I shouldn’t need to say how I relate to her love of literature…since you are on my book blog :).  Needless to say, I am keeping it.

Final count: Removing 2; Keeping 8; TBR down to 4,674

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Rhenáe's Recap

Rhenáe’s Recap: 08/04/19 – 08/10/19

This has been a pretty light week on the blog as I’ve had to spend quite a bit of time detoxing and sleeping. Because of that, I didn’t read or write too much but instead thought through some decisions I needed to make to help with my reading slump.  I think I was finally able to break it with some easy romances and hoping that having spent some time organizing what is in my head will help make next week a lot more productive.

New & Notable

 

 

In the reading world this week, we had the passing of a legendary author, Toni Morrison, on August 6th. (Photo Cred: AP/CNN)

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 9th was Book Lovers Day.

 

 

I launched a new weekly book meme (book lingo for a challenge), Down The TBR Hole.  I take ten books from my TBR list on GoodReads that I have been building since 2017 (2016 in Evernote) and decide if I will keep it on the list or if I am no longer interested and will be removing it.  It’s a great way to see what I thought when I added the book and what my thoughts are on individual books now.

 

Currently Reading

If you have read any of my previous Rhenáe’s Recaps, you may have noticed at least two of my currently reading books have been the same.  I’ve started a new book each week and am now at four books that I am just struggling to finish.  They are great books, and I can’t wait to read them, but I’ve had some block.  So I decided to put down three of the books I am not making progress with. I won’t add them to DNF because I WILL finish these books.  I’m just not going to push myself to do it right this moment.

 

Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss – I went to the back, and there are 705 pages. It’s broken into three sections, the first being “Healthy.”  I expected to skip this section altogether, but as I was flipping through it, some items made me stop and read it. I am currently on page 167 in this book and have been making progress each week.

 

Finished Reading

Thank goodness for Amazon Kindle and Apple Books deals.  These books were free this week, so I downloaded them. Two quick romances and a suspense/mystery that I was able to read in one day.

 

Her Texas Cowboy by Debra Clopton

 

Entangled by Barbara Ellen Brink

 

 

Full Circle by Mona Ingram

 

 

 

Recently Acquired

I signed up for emails that send me Amazon Kindle and Apple Books deals.  To keep my budget under control (and my husband happy), I only download the books if they are free.  With that being said, I tend to download probably about five new books a day.  That’s crazy, I know, and I probably won’t read all of these books.  But I’m a book hoarder, and with them being eBooks, I don’t see a problem. This is how I have been able to discover amazing authors and some different genres that I am enjoying.

Let’s do some quick math.  ~5 books a day, seven days a week means I am probably downloading 35 books a week. I think what I am going to do is share those on my Instagram and Facebook stories each day (you can get in on the deals also). Then in my Recap, I will share which ones I am looking forward to reading the most.

Goodreads Challenge Update: 44/52

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Down The TBR Hole

Down The TBR Hole: #1-10

I never thought that I would be one to do a book meme (book lingo for a challenge) on my site, but I found one that I believe will help me out. If you know me, you know I love all things organizing (This site initially belonged to my Professional Organizing business). So anything that will help me organize this crazy TBR (To Be Read) list I have is fantastic. I found Down The TBR Hole on the blog, A Book. A Thought. The original creator of the meme has taken her site down but here are the rules:

Why am I doing this one? At the present moment, I have 4,679 books on my To Be Read list. Yes, I do. My problem is, whenever someone, somewhere recommends a book, I add it to my list. 25% of the time, I will check on what the book is about to see if it is something I will read, but most of the time, I add.

I know, logically that I will never get through this list and read all of these books. But I also never have to worry about being without a book recommendation. I do expect to remove some books off this list by doing this meme (weekly is my goal but don’t hold me to that just in case life happens). Let’s get started.

1. Knowing God Intimately: Being as Close to Him as You Want to Be by Joyce Meyer 

I own a physical copy of this book (or maybe my mom technically owns it, and I borrowed it indefinitely) and I have this dream of reading every book I own. I love Joyce Meyer’s teaching, but I’ve only read one of her books, half-way. But I also have a ton of her books (or my mom does). Plus this topic is something I could always use a refresher on. I’m keeping this one mostly because I own it.

2. The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

This book is only on my list because I have heard so much about it. From my experience, that isn’t always a good thing. I’m not even sure how I feel about the Law of Attraction. I did try and watch the Netflix special and couldn’t make it past the first 10 minutes. I’m removing this one.

 

3. Discerning the Voice of God – The Bible Study Book by Priscilla Shirer

I’ve already done this with a small group and own the Bible Study book, so I am assuming I meant to add the actual book Priscilla Shirer wrote. That book also happens to be on this list so I will be removing this one.

 

 

4. Girls with Swords: How to Carry Your Cross Like a Hero by Lisa Bevere

I own this book because I started it with a large group at church, but we never finished the book. Now that I think about it, our large group never finished the last three books we were supposed to read, including one by our lead Pastor. Nevertheless, I didn’t like this book enough to finish it on my own. It could have been the slow pace of reading a chapter or two a week to stay on track with the group. Or maybe the season I was in. I’ve heard Lisa Bevere preach once and enjoyed her, but I wasn’t a fan of one of her husband’s books, so I’m a little concerned with how I will feel about her books. But since I own a physical copy of the book, I’m keeping it on the list.

 

5. I Want It All: Exchanging Your Average Life for Deeper Faith, Greater Power, and More Impact by Gwen Smith

Not sure how this book ended up in my collection, but it is another one that I physically own (and this one actually belongs to me). I’m on this kick lately of knowing that there is more to life than just living so the pull to exchange an average life is enough to say I am keeping this book on the list.

 

6. Women of the Bible by Frances VanderVelde

I don’t know how I ended up owning this one, but it’s on my Kindle app, so it isn’t going anywhere. I think I went through a season of wanting to know all I could about women in the Bible. I probably wanted to see how they were able to do life. I’m keeping this one.

 

 

7. Chazown: A Different Way to See Your Life by Craig Groeschel

Guess what? I don’t own this one. I’m also a little over reading books about the vision or call for my life. That is to give God glory, and however He wants me to do that, He has told me or will let me know. I’m removing this one.

 

 

8. Women Living Well: Find Your Joy in God, Your Man, Your Kids, and Your Home by Courtney Joseph

I use to love Good Morning Girls, and I am sure I downloaded this book on Kindle when I was following their reading plans. I still like them, but they aren’t in-depth enough for me in this season, but they are great for people just beginning to get into the Word of God. As for her book, I love the cover and have wanted to know more about Courtney. I know she has had some life changes since this book, but I would still like to read it. I am keeping it since it’s on my Kindle app.


9. Start Balancing by Kristy Dickerson

I found out about Kristy Dickerson by using her Start Planners. When she came out with this book, it was so adorable, and I was all for trying to organize, simplifying, and balancing this thing called life. I started the book but didn’t finish it. Unfortunately, since then, I have realized that Kristy herself isn’t all that balanced. She has created and launched quite a few businesses in the past few years, and I’ve noticed that she just isn’t juggling like she was. Which is more like real life.  Maybe she needs a bigger team; perhaps it’s just a growing or stretching season. Either way, I’m not interested in the book anymore, especially since I realized there isn’t really a thing called a balanced life. I own a physical copy of this book, but I am removing it because I don’t plan on finishing it.

10. Rhythms of Grace: Discovering God’s Tempo for Your Life by Kerri Weems

Remember up above when I said my church started three books during Large Group and never finished? Including one by our Pastor? This is it, which is hilarious considering shortly after we entered a season where we picked back up honoring the Sabbath. The book was great. I had to force myself to slow down to stay on the same page as the group, which is honestly what made me put it down. I’m sure I only had a few more chapters to go also. But I’m keeping this book on the list because it was so good.

Final count: Removing 4; Keeping 6; TBR down to 4,675

I know…that number seems crazy. And it is. But just think, I removed 40% of the books on today’s review, which means there is hope for my list. Plus I am reading a bunch still. I have eight books right now borrowed on my apps that once I read and finish them, will be able to come off. I’m making progress.

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Rhenáe's Recap

Rhenáe’s Recap: 07/28/19 – 08/03/19

Reviews

The Four Agreements

My first 1-star review on the blog and the first book that I didn’t finish because I just couldn’t.  What I learned from this book was to be okay with putting a book down (or anything really) if I feel like it will do damage to my subconscious.  I’ve worked hard for the past year or two to think about what I allow into my mind and remove things that I think negatively impact my thinking.  Sometimes with books, I try and push past my initial hunch because I feel like no matter what I can always learn something.  But with this book, I realized how dangerous that was.  I have plenty of other books I can read.

The Printed Letter Bookshop

I love reading cute little romances to help break up the sometimes heavy self-help and business books I tend to lean towards. While this one wasn’t the best book, I couldn’t help but love a book about a bookshop.  My lesson from this book?  While it is okay to live your life, primarily when you work so hard, there comes the point where it can start to become irresponsible.  Where and how am I careless with my life? If my world changes tomorrow, what would I need to change?

Currently Reading

This week has been a mess for me. Typically, I turn to reading when I need to escape, but it didn’t work so well this time.  But I do feel like I am coming out of my slump and I am setting a crazy goal to finish three of the below books this week.  Pray for me!

 

Rich Habits Poor Habits by Tim Corley and Michael Yardney

 

 

Messy Beautiful Friendship by Christine Hoover

 

 

The Next Right Thing by Emily P. Freeman

 

Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss

 

 

 

Finished Reading

 

Letters to the Church by Francis Chan (for the second time)

 

 

Recently Acquired

I made the switch from mostly using Libby and Hoopla to Scribd this week. I was getting caught up in the 14 or 21-day timeframe to read a book.  While I usually finish books in 1-2 days, sometimes having up to eight books downloaded at once, made that a struggle.  Luckily, I was able to find three of my currently reading books there (the other I own as a physical copy).  I also download a few books that caught my eye while scrolling.  It’s a pretty long list, so I may do a separate post.  If I do, I will come back and link it.

Goodreads Challenge Update: 41/52

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Book Review Faith Book Review Family Book Review

Mini Book Review: The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay

Title: The Printed Letter Bookshop 

Author: Katherine Reay

Genre: Christian Fiction/Romance

Publisher: Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Rating: Related imageRelated imageRelated image

The Printed Letter Bookshop was a cute story about hard times, friendships, and what a bookshop means to the community.  Madeline doesn’t grow up with her aunt outside of a few visits here and there thanks to a family riff, but she has pretty fond memories of the bookshop.  She is completely taken by surprise when she finds out that the aunt who she shares her name with left her the bookshop and her house after passing away.  Madeline has to battle her conscience of why she didn’t visit her aunt when she was sick all thanks to a childhood belief that she later found out was misrepresented.  Needing a change in her life after being passed over for partner at her law firm for her ex-boyfriend, she decides to move into her aunt’s house and give running the bookshop a chance…to get it primed to sell.

Janet and Claire are employees at the Bookshop for Madeline’s aunt and were close friends while she was sick.  Janet is a bitter woman who has cheated and gone through a divorce and is now suffering the consequences of her choices.  It’s everyone’s fault but her own.  Claire is a previous stay at home mom, who is just looking for a little escape.  But at the expensive of her relationships at home, she is struggling to hold on to her identity while raising teenagers who want nothing to do with her.  Both Janet and Claire are trying to do their best to show Madeline that even though the Bookshop is failing, it can be turned around and saved.

Throw in a potential love story with a gardener who has his own career shift and Madeline is the queen of projecting her issues with where she should be in life and failures onto him, blocking her blessings.  I felt like most of the book didn’t have a point outside of giving extended background information.  75% of the book was laying the foundation for the climax of the story that was easy to predict.  It was nice how friendship pulled the ladies together, and everyone had the chance to learn their lessons. I’m giving this quick, cute story about a bookshop 3-stars.

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