Our trip to Kauai was such a blast. How lucky are we to get to go to such an amazing place with our family. Thank you Grandpa! We wrapped up our final days relaxing at the beach and by the pool, savoring some of the island’s incredible local food — from fresh sushi to delicious meals from food trucks. It was really great watching Elias with all of his cousins. He really enjoyed all the attention that being “the baby” entailed. Whether he was digging in the sand, blowing bubbles with his cousins, playing in the pool, or s jumping on the air mattress, Elias had fun. He is at such a wonderful age where everything is fun and exciting — and he has such contagious happiness that he is a real joy to be around.
While in Kaua’i, I also celebrated a personal milestone: reaching 400 consecutive days of reading! So far this year, I’ve read 23 books. Last year I finished over 75 books! Some of my recent standouts include:
- The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
- This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar
- Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
- Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (on Audible)
- The Bridge Kingdom series by Danielle L. Jensen
- What Comes of Attending the Commoner’s Ball by Elisabeth Aimee Brown
- The Warbler by Sarah Beth Durst
- The Aurelian Cycle by Rosaria Munda
- The Let Them Theory by Mel Robins (I’m a big Mel Robins fan!)
I primarily enjoy reading fantasy novels, but I also mix in non-fiction books on business, life, and personal growth. I aim to read at least 10–15 minutes each day. At this point, I read almost exclusively ebooks due to sheer volume and ease. I primarily read on a kindle paperwhite but also use the kindle app on my phone quite a bit.
So what’s my trick? In general, I actually don’t go on social media all that much. I limit myself to a maximum of 30 minutes a day across various platforms, unless I am doing something work related. I’ve found it is SO easy to get sucked down a rabbit hole of watching reels (I refuse to do TikTok!) and, in the end, I am not sure I ever “feel” better after binging on it. But, I do feel better when I read. I have a love/hate relationship with social media so for me limiting my use is fairly easy but I totally get why people like to do it.
I still enjoy a good scroll session and, when I am online, it’s usually to look at Booktok to help me find a new read. If it’s on booktok and it’s fantasy, chances are I’ve read it. When I can, I also listen to audiobooks but that’s gotten harder now with Elias as I try to listen to things that are more age appropriate for him.
I’m always on the lookout for good book recommendations, so if you have a favorite to share, please feel free to message me!
