Book Review: Brad Street Gate by Robin Kirman

With the small teases of summer weather we've been getting here in western PA, I have been itching for some easy summer reads.  You know, the ones you can't see to put down and you buzz through them quickly and then look up at the end and seriously wonder how you caught everything when you're brain was reading so fast.  For this exact hope, I chose to read Brad Street Gate by Robin Kirman as Good Housekeeping had deemed it, 'un-put-downable.' listed right there on the cover!

The book is set up like a mystery...kind of, spanning several years during and following the Harvard graduation of three college friends (well, they're kind of friends) that all have a front row seat (kind of) to a murder that happened their senior year of college.  There's a whole lot of kind of going on in the book, which is why I can say I kind of enjoyed it.

It was difficult for me at the start of the book as the story is told in a flip flopping time frame where the narrative reveals itself through the three friends' personal lives depending on the chapter, and almost never in chronological order.  It was hard for me to get a grasp on who was who and why they reacted to certain things in a particular way because I couldn't remember their back story (or hadn't read their full backstory yet).

By the middle though, I was pretty invested in the characters and learning about what exactly did happen their senior year.  It was captivating to me the way the story continued to unfold, showing that despite some drastic life differences following college, that one tragic event was still holding them together.  The story is incredibly researched - so much so that I was mentally giving Kudos to Kirman for how much effort she put into the details of the character's professions.

Just as I was anticipating a look inside the truth of both the event and the bottom of each character and their motives, the book ended.  It was one of those bizarre moments when you look up from the book and say (in my case, aloud), "that's it?"  It was not so much disappointing as puzzling - I didn't feel like the mystery was resolved in any concrete way, nor did I have a firm idea on how the characters and their relationships to one another finally evolved.

There were glimmers of really interesting storytelling, and as I said the amount of research was astounding and admirable.  But truth be told, it wasn't 'un-put-downable' for me.  I don't think it was a waste of my time, just not a book that I would immediately recommend when pressed for a 'good read' suggestion.



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I received this book from Blogging for Books, but all opinions are my own. 

Book Review: The More of Less

I have been feeling the weight of clutter recently in a big way.  The fact that we are getting ready to welcome our fourth baby in our home in the next few weeks might have something to do with it - but I have regularly found myself feeling overwhelmed and desperate when I see the amount of stuff we have accumulated over the past eight years of marriage and six years of being parents.  It's often, that my husband and I literally ask each other aloud, 'When did we get all this stuff?!'  In an effort to jump start my motivation to clear.all.the.clutter, I recently read The More of Less by Joshua Becker, and I am pleased to say, the book has definitely inspired me to work towards minimalism in our own life.

I was grateful right from the start that Becker promotes minimalism as 'the removal of things that distract us from the things we most value.'  It's not a removal of everything and living on the bare minimum - but unique to each of us and being able to live the life we most cherish by not holding on to things (or buying more things) that take away our time, space, and energy.

I especially appreciated the chapter on Troubleshooting, including suggestions on how to look at the areas of our personal belongings that in Becker's experience has been the most difficult for people to minimize - including two of my weaknesses: books and keepsakes.  Becker mentioned how his wife initially struggled with minimizing the box of keepsakes she inherited after the passing of her grandmother and I found myself nodding my head.  But then this explanation felt like such a light bulb moment, "We kept only the best - items with which to remember former times and beloved people.  Then, instead of keeping those special pieces in boxes , we found places for them in our home where we could see them....In keeping fewer of Grandma Irene's things, we have brought greater value to her memory." 

Becker covers a range of topics and reflections on how to make minimalism work for your specific life.  He offers many examples of people from all walks of life and from various stages of life and how minimalism looks for them - and how it has offered them a lease on life in which they can live out their greatest potential.  Becker even tackled the tricky situation in which only one member of the family is sold on living minimally, which felt like it was written directly for me.  My husband is interested in the idea, but is much less of a go-getter attitude than I am at actually acting on that idea. Becker gave specific suggestions for moving forward in minimalism with a partner and kids of varying ages that I found helpful and direct.

The book is laid out in a way that is really manageable for small, meaningful little bites of information and as a busy mom of three little ones, it made it easy for me to read throughout the day without losing momentum every time an interruption came up.   I liked the fact that it didn't feel like there was any superfluous fluff in the book, it reads almost like a presentation, where only the most important and blunt information has made it into the book.

As someone who is at the beginning stages of trying to living minimally, Becker's book truly felt like a useful tool in first understanding the importance in removing unnecessary items from my life, but also provided concrete steps and suggestions for moving forward.  I'm not only inspired to live minimally, but I feel like I have a plan now too after reading The More of Less.


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I received this book from Blogging for Books, but all opinions are my own. 

Throne Reading

Sorry, is that a gross title?  Probably, but I thought "reading while using the toilet" was maybe a little to graphic for a blog post title.  who knows?  Anyway, this post is tagged as one of my favorite things which might have taken it over the tmi ledge for blog writing.  How to redeem myself at this point...let me start over.

I am a multi-tasker to the core.  In my eyes, using the bathroom is just untapped time to be learning...so I have stocked both bathrooms in our house with some easy reading fare for our guests.



master bath reading

 In our master bath, I have the following light reading displayed (from the bottom up):
1.  The Apple that Astonished Paris; a collection of poems by my number one favorite poet, Billy Collins.  (if you've never read any Billy Collins poems and/or you think you don't like poetry, go here now to read my favorite Collins poem.  Or here.  or here. or here.

2. Webster's American Sign Language Dictionary

3. Church Signs:  You know how churchs usually have the witty little sayings on their marquees - well, Brandon thinks these are hilarious and insightful.  This little book is especially for him

4. 101 Things You Should Know How To Do.  Adorable little book that covers topics ranging from; How to get a drink in a crowded bar to How to fold a fitted sheet. 

5. Fortune Telling:  Book of Dreams.  Especially helpful in the morning:)












guest room

In the guest room, we have set out a little more variety of reading materials - because you never can tell the preferences of john-browsing of guests. (starting at bottom right)
1. Modern Art.  Mostly pictures for those uninterested in reading

2. Porn for Women.  Hilarious little book that has pictures of men doing things like vacumming and turning up the thermostat while a dialogue bubble says "Let's keep it set at tropical."  For those lady guests looking for a laugh.

3.  The Book of the Zodiac.  Really easy to read information about zodiac sign characteristics (if you're into that kind of thing).  Also gives information about personal tendencies based off of Chinese astrology (animal years).  All specific for gender.

4. Frost.  An anthology of Robert Frost poems, because you doesn't like Robert Frost?

5. Superstitions.  Adorable little flip book recalling the history of where superstitions got started.  For example, did you know that the superstition that its bad luck to open an umbrella indoors stems from the early belief that using parasols (to shade from the sun) as decoration and open them indoors was disrespectful to the power of sunbeams.  So this was believed to anger the sun gods and they would then wreck havoc on anyone who acted as though the sun wasn't powerful.

6. The Bathroom Guestbook.  This was given to me by my sister, Kayla (hi, Kayla!) since she knows my weird bathroom book collection.  It is hilarious and guests happily sign it, trying to outwit previous entries with funny bathroom-inspired messages. 

7. Fortune Telling:  Birthday book.  This one is of the same line as the Book of Dreams in the master bath, but it includes personal traits and fortunes depending on your birthday.


Most guests rarely comment on the vast array of knowledge to be learned while visiting our bathrooms (with exception to the occasional whisper, I signed the guestbook, hehehe ), because talking about reading while you're in the bathroom is not really appropriate conversation.  And yet, I'm blogging about it...so there ya go.

Greyson's Book Review: Armadilly Chili

This is by far one of Boo Boo's favorite books.  Armadilly Chili by Helen Ketteman is reminiscent of the Little Red Hen with a southwest twist.  Despite the length (really meant for kids older than 4 months) Grey hangs on to every word and loves the vibrant, colorful pictures.  Momma loves it because it lends itself to multiple opportunities for funny voices. 


disclaimer: its a good story, but brace yourself, it takes me 6 minutes to read it!

Bookworm baby

Greyson really loves reading books and seems so engaged in the pictures.  Here we are reading Sometimes I Like to Curl up in a Ball  by Vicki Churchill.  He is 4 months.  From his expressions, his crazy flailing limbs, and his little grunts...Grey thinks this story of a wombat is pretty action-packed.

Caution: there's a pretty awesome projectile spit up at the end...that I totally didn't notice until after the camera stopped rolling.  Grey doesn't miss a beat and practically laps it up.  hah.

The Greyson Book Review: Piggley's Colorful World

At 2 months (tomorrow),  Greyson gives Piggley's Colorful World two enthusiastic thumbs up.  Just watch & listen to how much he loves those crazy farm animals talking about colors.



hahhahaha