Month: May 2019

BOOK REVIEW: The Little Book of Hygge, by Meik Wiking

~ Hillary Rose ~ Leave a comment

Title: The Little Book of Hygge: Danish secrets to happy living
Author: Meik Wiking
Genre: Hygge, Lifestyle, Nonfiction
Publisher: Penguin Life
Release Date: September 1st, 2016

What is hygee? And how do you say it, anyway? Meik Wiking says that hygge (pronounced HOO-GA) “is about an atmosphere and an experience, rather than about things. It is about being with the people we love. A feeling of home.” He then teaches how to create hygge in the home and in your life like the Danes, the happiest people in Europe according to the European Social Survey.

So what are some ways we can bring some hygge into our lives? Wiking includes a “Hygge Manifesto” complete with adorable graphics:

  1. ATMOSPHERE (Turn down the lights.)
  2. PRESENCE (Be here now. Turn off the phones.)
  3. PLEASURE (Coffee, chocolate, cookies, cakes, candy.)
  4. EQUALITY (“We” over “me.” Share the tasks and the airtime.)
  5. GRATITUDE (Take it in. This might be as good as it gets.)
  6. HARMONY (It’s not a competition. We already like you. There is no need to brag about your achievements.)
  7. COMFORT (Get comfy. Take a break. It’s all about relaxation.)
  8. TRUCE (No drama. Let’s discuss politics another day.)
  9. TOGETHERNESS (Build relationships and narratives. “Do you remember the time we…?”)
  10. SHELTER (This is your tribe. This is a place of peace and security.)

I loved this book! I recommend you reading it with a cup of tea or coffee, snuggled under a cozy blanket, with a candle lit close by. Now, doesn’t that sound hyggelig?

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Reads and Roses is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

BOOK REVIEW: Body Love, by Kelly LeVeque

~ Hillary Rose ~ Leave a comment

Title: Body Love
Author: Kelly LeVeque
Genre: Health, Nonfiction, Nutrition, Self Help 
Publisher: William Morrow
Release Date: June 27th, 2017

“At its core, Body Love is about feeling empowered, not overwhelmed, by food and nutrition. It’s about learning simple tips and tricks to eat to satiety and naturally balance your hunger hormones, not fighting not to eat. It’s about ditching the food drama.”
– Kelly LeVeque, Body Love

Health and wellness consultant Kelly LeVeque uses her extensive knowledge of nutrition and science to offer a sustainable alternative to frustrating diets. Her alternative focuses on what she likes to call the Fab Four: protein, fat, fiber, and greens. Protein, among other things, signals to your brain that you’re full; fat is necessary for brain functioning and helps manage hormones; fiber moves food through our digestive system and removes toxins from the body; greens are a natural source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

LeVeque teaches a science-driven approach: eat for satiety, elongate your blood sugar curve to burn fat, and be “hormone aware” to autocorrect if necessary. Not only does this approach help your body find (and maintain) its ideal weight, it’s doing so in a healthy, sustainable way. This book includes 88 Fab Four recipes (over 50 smoothie recipes!) to help you “live in balance, weight what you want, and free yourself form food drama forever.”

Body Love, a light, yet educational read, was exactly what I was looking for. Not just informational, but inspirational!

If you enjoyed this review, please consider following Reads & Roses. It would mean the world to have you on my team!

Reads and Roses is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

BOOK REVIEW: Ogre Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine

~ Hillary Rose ~ Leave a comment

Ogre Enchanted (Ella Enchanted, #0.5)


Title: Ogre Enchanted
Author: Gail Carson Levine
Genre: Fairytale, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Romance
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: October 16th, 2018

Ogre Enchanted is a prequel to Ella Enchanted, written two decades later. Lucinda the fairy, in her terrible judgement (as always), turns Evie, a young healer, into an ogre after turning down a marriage proposal from her best friend, Wormy. Evie only has 62 days to accept a marriage proposal and undo Lucinda’s curse – but will someone fall in love with her in ogre form?

Join Evie as she embarks on a quest to save herself from a terrible fate, experiencing friendship, heartache, and self-discovery along the way. Journey back into this beloved world created by Gail Carson Levine that has all the magic and charm of Ella Enchanted.

I enjoyed this new book by Gail Carson Levine, though I found the beginning to be a little on the slow side. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out the rest of her books!

If you enjoyed this review, please consider following Reads & Roses. It would mean the world to have you on my team!

Reads and Roses is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

 

BOOK REVIEW: Girl, Stop Apologizing, by Rachel Hollis

~ Hillary Rose ~ 4 Comments

Title: Girl, Stop Apologizing
Author: Rachel Hollis
Genre: Inspirational, Lifestyle, Nonfiction, Self Help
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: March 5th, 2019

“I can achieve anything if I’m willing to work for it. Not because I’m
especially gifted, but because I’m especially dedicated to improving
along the way.”
– Rachel Hollis, Girl, Stop Apologizing

If you read last week’s post, you already know how much I loved reading Girl, Wash Your Face. This new release by Rachel Hollis is even more amazing! Girl, Stop Apologizing: a shame-free plan for embracing and achieving your goals is a book targeted to women in their 20’s and 30’s, though I think all women, teens and up, can take something from it.

In Girl, Stop Apologizing, Hollis addresses excuses to let go of, behaviors to adopt, and skills to acquire so that you can turn your dreams into plans. She challenges you to walk out your calling without worrying about other peoples’ opinions of you. Whether you are single, a wife, a mom, an entrepreneur, or anything else, she drives home that there is no “right” way to do life.

I enjoyed Rachel’s direct approach and fresh perspective on work, goals, family, and faith. This book affirmed things I’ve thought for years: do not feel guilty for living your life in a way that’s different than what others expect; do not feel the need to justify your dreams, or apologize for having them in the first place; do not let others say who you can and cannot be. You get to decide what you are going to do with your life.

So chase those dreams, make those plans… and girl, stop apologizing!

If you enjoyed this review, please consider following Reads & Roses. It would mean the world to have you on my team!

Reads and Roses is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.