Books I'm Itching To Read Next

Most of my daydreams about cozy home life involve me and a book.

Sitting on my sunporch under a blanket, reading on a crisp spring morning while my cats sunbath in the windowsills.

Laying out in my backyard with a beach read and some lemonade.

Listening to a late summer thunderstorm from the safety of my front porch while I devour the last pages of a compelling read.

Curling up in front of my fireplace and digging into a long classic with a cup of hot cocoa.

Does it really get any better than that?

If you follow me over on Goodreads, you know that I've set myself a fairly lofty reading goal for 2018 of 30 books. As of today I've read 11 books, so I'm doing pretty well but I have a long way to go yet. There are certainly going to be plenty of chances ahead of me to live out all of those idyllic scenarios and luckily, I have a "to read" list that keeps up with and far exceeds those 19 remaining books!

So what am I looking to read next? How funny you should ask, I've got a list right here.



A Gentleman in Moscow - Amor Towles

I read the author's first novel, Rules of Civility, two years ago and loved it. The prose was so atmospheric and gorgeous that I found myself rereading sentences just to revel in them. Rather than exploring more of late 1930s New York City, Towles' third novel takes place in 1920's Moscow. The book centers around a Count stuck under house arrest, living in a hotel. Historic, character-driven fiction, fantastic writing and a trip to a foreign country from the comfort of my own bed -- that's everything I could ask for. And great reviews certainly don't hurt either.








How To Sit - Thich Nhat Hanh

This book is completely unlike anything I've read before, but I'm very intrigued. First in a series of 5 "mindfulness essentials" short books, this book talks about sitting. Nothing more. Just how to sit. I've been reading more and more about mindfulness and meditation over the last few years and I would love to continue exploring. This book should be a fairly simple read practically speaking since each chapter is only a single paragraph long but I'm sure it'll take a lot more to unpack and digest the advice, visualizations and practices.








Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion - Elizabeth L. Cline

I'm simultaneously looking forward to and dreading reading this book. I have been increasingly aware of and interested in my personal impact on this planet, whether that be environmentally or ethically, and one of the biggest industries that I regularly participate in is the fashion industry, a notoriously bad industry in both regards. I'm hoping this book will back some shock value, because it's been really hard for me to kick the fast-fashion habit even though I know I should. It will surely be hard to read this, and I'll be sad to part with the fun, cheap fashion stores I rely on now, but I will certainly be happy about it in the long run!







Minimalist Baker's Everyday Cooking - Dana Schultz

Maybe this doesn't really count as a book, but that doesn't stop me from really wanting to dive into it. I cooked my first recipe from the Minimalist Baker blog in January as part of my 30 day experiment with all new recipes and since then I've made several of Dana's recipes many times over. In fact, I've got a batch of the quinoa taco meat in the oven right this moment! I love that all the recipes are plant-based so I can feel good about having less of an environmental impact but most of all I love that they're all super simple and every single one I've tried has been packed with flavor. I cannot wait to learn more about plant-based cooking and try out the recipes that are exclusive to the cookbook.






One Small Act of Kindness - Lucy Dillon

Lastly, the cherry on top. I absolutely love a good chic lit book. They're fun, unpretentious and always make you feel good, especially when the author frequently involves dogs in the story! I've read several of the author's previous books and I'm looking forward to returning to the little world she's created in small-town, dog-loving England. They stopped releasing her books in the United States as far as I can tell, but luckily I popped over to London recently and picked this book up. I'll laugh, I'll cry (I'm a sucker for those emotional rollercoasters) and I'll do it all with a G&T in hand, lounging out in the summer sun!