February was a slow month for reading. I read a bunch of books in January, and then February got busy and I only made it through a couple of books. I’m in the middle of 3 more, but I just didn’t manage to finish any of them. Here’s my ‘What I Read – February (Reviews and Recommendations).’

Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist

Synopsis:

In these pages, New York Times bestselling author Shauna Niequist invites you to consider the landscape of your own life, and what it might look like to leave behind the pressure to be perfect and begin the life-changing practice of simply being present, in the middle of the mess and the ordinariness of life.

As she puts it: “A few years ago, I found myself exhausted and isolated, my soul and body sick. I was tired of being tired, burned out on busy. And, it seemed almost everyone I talked with was in the same boat: longing for connection, meaning, depth, but settling for busy.

“I am a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, neighbor, writer, and I know all too well that settling feeling. But over the course of the last few years, I’ve learned a way to live, marked by grace, love, rest, and play. And it’s changing everything.

My Thoughts:

This book came highly recommended to me by multiple women, so I was super excited to get a deal on Kindle for it. And then I was super excited to start reading it. But, I was honestly kind of disappointed. I felt like it took a long time to get into it, and I wasn’t inhaling it, like I do similar books by Rachel Hollis and Jen Hatmaker. My issue? I don’t feel like Shauna Niequist really wanted us to get to know her. She wanted to say her pretty platitudes and similes, and connect them to her life, but in a brushed over way where she didn’t have to explain anything too painful or personal. It took three-quarters of the way through the book before I felt like she let go of that and started really letting us see how these principles applied to her life. Which means, it took three-quarters of the way though the book before I highlighted anything. I didn’t hate the book – but it just wasn’t life changing or eye-opening to me, like I’d hoped it would be. That said, if she put out another book, I’d probably pick it up at the library and give it a chance. 

My recommendation: Borrow it from the library or buy it if you get a great deal.

See What I’ve Done by Sarah Schmidt

Synopsis (Amazon):

In this riveting debut novel, See What I Have Done, Sarah Schmidt recasts one of the most fascinating murder cases of all time into an intimate story of a volatile household and a family devoid of love.

On the morning of August 4, 1892, Lizzie Borden calls out to her maid: Someone’s killed Father. The brutal ax-murder of Andrew and Abby Borden in their home in Fall River, Massachusetts, leaves little evidence and many unanswered questions. While neighbors struggle to understand why anyone would want to harm the respected Bordens, those close to the family have a different tale to tell―of a father with an explosive temper; a spiteful stepmother; and two spinster sisters, with a bond even stronger than blood, desperate for their independence.

As the police search for clues, Emma comforts an increasingly distraught Lizzie whose memories of that morning flash in scattered fragments. Had she been in the barn or the pear arbor to escape the stifling heat of the house? When did she last speak to her stepmother? Were they really gone and would everything be better now? Shifting among the perspectives of the unreliable Lizzie, her older sister Emma, the housemaid Bridget, and the enigmatic stranger Benjamin, the events of that fateful day are slowly revealed through a high-wire feat of storytelling.

My Review: 

This books was about the historical Lizzie Burden murders, and whether or not she did it. This was another slow book for me. I wanted it to read like a typical popular thriller, but it just didn’t. I read it for a book club; otherwise, I probably would have put it down and not picked it back up. It is an interesting concept to give fictional personalities and stories to historical people and use that to wonder who committed the Borden murders. I just felt like it could have been a lot better – but a lot of people seemed to really enjoy it.

My recommendation: Give it a try – Hit up the library! Not sure it’s worth paying much for, though. 

What I Want to Read in March

Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis 

If you know me, you know I am a huge Rachel Hollis fan. I love her first book, Girl, Wash Your Face, and I love her podcast. She has a great habit of just telling it like it is, which I appreciate. Her new book comes out March 5th, and I’m super excited to dig in and read it! 

Plus, this book is a Great on Kindle book, which means that, if you buy it on Kindle, you get 25% of the price back in credit toward another GOK book. So, if it’s $16, you’ll automatically get $4 toward another book, which is like getting free books or half-price books. 

Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon

I got this on Kindle, and I’ve just started it. It’s cute and sweet, and it’s got a lot of interesting lifestyle stuff, recipes and more. 

Plus, this book is a Great on Kindle book, which means that, if you buy it on Kindle, you get 25% of the price back in credit toward another GOK book. So, if it’s $16, you’ll automatically get $4 toward another book, which is like getting free books or half-price books. 

What have you read recently? I’d love your recommendations to add to my to-read list! Comment below and tell me!

Check out my past Reviews and Recommendations:

January 2019

November/December 2018

October 2018