Show Us Your Books June 2021

This came up fast, no? 

Happy birthday to my co-host and longtime friend of over 25 years, Jana (it was Saturday). 

Happy Pride Month!

I am not a book challenge person, but if you are, please check this timely and important challenge out: One of our regular linker uppers, Dara from Not in Jersey, has gotten together with a group of bookstagrammers to celebrate Jewish authors with The #JEWnish Book Challenge. With anti-semitism on the rise around the globe, there is no better time. Click here to read her instagram post and find out more on the challenge, which is super simple: reading a book by a Jewish author this month and sharing. 

Here's what I've been reading since the last linkup. 

Engrossing Reads

Hostage by Clare Mackintosh - I blew through this, a Memorial Day Weekend read. Suspension of disbelief required and some why is that in here but otherwise interesting and kept me tied in. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, comes out June 22.

Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland - This reminded me of Dirty Dancing, so how could I not love it. It definitely touched on some serious issues, but it also managed to be lighthearted and the kind of funny you don't laugh out loud at but find yourself smiling when you're reading. The Catskills as a setting, two Jewish families intertwined in business and more. It was hard to pick a favorite character. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Passed the Time Just Fine

Thicker Than Blood (Zoe Bentley Mystery #3) by Mike Omer - I enjoyed this series a lot - I think it's over, but not sure-and will read more by Mike Omer. He has a few other series books as well. Paperback, own, bought used

One Two Three by Laurie Frankel - Here's a story no one cares about. I read 9/10s of Frankel's massive hit This is How it Always Is and the story was important but I literally put the book down with less than 100 pages left. It is a massive book and felt so fucking repetitive and I had no appetite for that at the time - I was reading it right after Geege died in 2017. It's probably the longest I've read a book/closest in proximity to the end when I quit. Fast forward and this book was totally fine, an interesting premise and characters, and I know people will love it. I just...it's doing too much again. I think Frankel is a good for you, not for me author. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid - Not my favorite of hers. Something was missing. Feeling? Still compulsively readable but I didn't finish it and want to tell everyone about it. I did discuss with Nadine and Heather on the gram, but not in an OMG we loved it way LOL. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review 

Under the Magnolias by T.I. Lowe - This was a little draggy in parts but a solid coming of age tale in the south in the 80s with mental health and community and being seen all strong themes. Austin was reminiscent of Kya from Crawdads in fleeting ways. . Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

One Small Sacrifice by Hilary Davidson (Shadows of New York #1) - I am not sure where I heard about this book, I assume from this linkup? Or how I acquired the paperback copy I found on my shelf, or how long I've had it...but I did find it and read it and was unsure of it for a while but I didn't mind it. I know that's not a rousing go read it but it's all I can muster at the time. If there are more in a series, I'd read them. Is that better? Paperback, own, unknown origin

Not Worth It

The Serial Killer's Wife by Alice Hunter - his felt a little repetitive. I had high hopes based on the title and this had a lot of potential, none of which panned out how I thought it would. There are avenues left unexplored that would have been rad. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Photographer by Mary Dixie Carter - This was a shorter novel so I sailed through it, but the story telling itself was slow in pace until the end. You have to sort of suspend all belief in what people would actually do in real life. I liked the writing though and would read another by Carter. Free advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Did Not Finish

n/a

Linkup Guidelines:

This link up is the second Tuesday of every month. The next linkup is Tuesday, July 13, 2021. 

1. Visit and comment with both of your hosts, Jana & me, and check in with as many in our reading circle as you can - give some love to the later linker uppers! 
2. Link back to us in your blog post - if you want the button you can get it from that link

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

TWTW - the extra long one

Wednesday after work we hit the boards for dinner at Opa, go carts, some arcade games, and a nice night. I worked when we got back. MFD picked up Jared who flew up from FL as a surprise for my brother's birthday.

Thursday I was supposed to be off, but had a meeting in the afternoon so I ended up thinking about that before it and after it and come on. It was a nice beach day when I wasn't thinking it would be. We did apps for dinner and Aubrey, Stephen, and Jared took the kids to the boards while me, Dad, and Carol stayed home and Dad dressed up like Stephen and we were roaring laughing. MFD was back and forth to Philly for work. 

Friday My brother's birthday! National Donut Day! I picked up a nice dozen from Nauti Donuts and we did some heavy sampling. Aubrey's parents came down for the day and the ladies did some Asbury Ave. shopping, then we hit the beach. Aubrey made a big spaghetti dinner and a cake for Stephen and we sang multiple times. Boardwalk was out as it down poured for over an hour. 

The sun shower was cool though viewed from the porch, as was the resulting rainbow and sunset. 

Saturday was an amazing beach day. We were down by 10 and stayed down until 4. Jared and his brother were a huge help in the beach wheelchair, fetching and moving, and kid entertainment game. 

The driveway BBQ was not as smoky as the Great Smokefest of Labor Day 2020. Dad manned the grill and we had salads and hotdogs and hamburgers. MFD caught a big striper Tuesday and he did some of that on the grill and in the air fryer. The guys went up to the boards except for Dad and we stayed back and watched Raya and some dragon thing. MFD, Jared, and I took Baby Stephen, Bruce, and Ben to the bay for the sunset, then sat on the porch for a while. It was a lovely day and night.

Sunday I made Mimi's bacon breakfast muffins. Justin took off early to go the Sixers game and the rest of us headed to the beach while MFD went elsewhere to fish. We got Jared an uber to the AC airport, wolfed down some food, emptied the house, and Dad and Carol headed home while the rest of us headed to the boardwalk for some last rides. It was crowded as hell. Stephen, Aub, and the kids left and I slunk onto the couch like a shell of myself LOL. I painted my nails and toes, started a new book that I cannot even recall right now, and fell out. 

Happy happy birthday to my brother on Friday, and to my BFF Kim on Saturday. 

It was a great long stretch of time together and I'm glad we got to do it thanks to the beach wheelchair and the people who pushed it on the actual beach. 

Show Us Your Books tomorrow! See you here for that!

Four practical tips when planning a couple's getaway

Image by Arthur Brognoli from Pexels.

 

Have you decided to go on your first trip with your better half? And you have no idea where to start?

You might be married for several years, and you want an escapade to reconnect. A getaway is a great way to relax, spend more time, and bond more with your partner. 

Truth be told, the idea of ecstasy can turn sour, and some of your plans might go awry if not well pulled off.

Fortunately, you can note the following four tips to have a perfect and romantic getaway.

Plan Your Trip Together

A couple’s trip will lose its meaning if you do not plan it together since one of you might end up following the other around engaging in activities that do not interest them. As a result, this will surely affect the mood of your trip due to arguments.

Sit and jot down your desired destination, preferred activities, and your budget. Additionally, discuss the type of holiday you want as a couple, whether it is a quiet resort-centered vacation or an exciting trip.

Try New Activities Together

Trying new activities can spice up your trip. You might consider going fishing or paragliding over the gleaming water, and there are many fun things to do in Myrtle Beach to make your trip more exciting.

Getting out of your daily routine and trying new experiences together can help tighten your bond. Both of you will create memories since you can look back fondly on your getaway.

Furthermore, there are numerous travel websites where you can research to get better ideas on where to go—there are various activities for every couple.

Include Time for Rejuvenation and Relaxation

It is crucial to remember that the trip is focused on your relationship. Nurture that by sparing some ample time to wind and rejuvenate.

You can do that by arranging for a side-by-side massage session while reminiscing about the first time you met. Regardless of how enjoyable your destination is, prioritize having deep conversations and connecting with your significant other.

The best thing about couple getaways is that they can help rekindle that spark in your relationship, and you can connect and bond without destruction from work, kids, and even your daily routine.

And for that reason, it is a recommendation to do it more regularly.

Get Personal and Plan Surprises

Surprises never age. Including little fun and impulsiveness elements is an excellent way to rekindle your passionate connection with your spouse.

 These can be small acts like a bouquet or creating a mixtape of songs that you often listen to together, to something more detailed like a special dusk cruise or an elite luxury dwelling.

 If you are not an imaginative person and are poor at surprises, you might consider reserving a resort with a vacation suite!

Conclusion

A couple’s getaway is indeed an excellent way to explore and bond with your significant other away from work and daily commitments. You can consider short weekend getaways for starters, and then you might include destinations far from your place afterward.

Consider going on trips together and build a happy and healthy relationship.

***

This post was written with the Life According to Steph audience in mind

Four easy ways to make your mornings healthier

Starting the day right is a great way to actively work towards a healthy lifestyle. Pre-pandemic, this was not something I paid much attention to. It was super easy for me to ignore a morning routine because I was so worried about getting to the train on time. My morning routine used to consist of sleeping until the last possible second, running around upstairs like a tornado, hurtling down the steps, grabbing things, shrieking when I could not find things, bulldozing humans (MFD) and dogs (all) in my path, and running out the door like my behind was on fire. Now that I work from home, these are some ways I go about making my mornings - which translates into my days - healthier. 

Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is incredibly important to your lifestyle, and I'm going to bet 90% of people reading this do not get the amount of sleep their bodies are asking for. Getting the right amount goes beyond being awake enough to perform the tasks that you do each day. Getting enough sleep can improve your health by a huge degree, enabling your body to have the right amount of rest to digest food, while also improving your mental health by putting less stress on your brain. In most cases, around eight hours of sleep each night should be the minimum that you’re aiming for. Yes, this means maybe letting the house go a little dirty or putting your phone down earlier. 

Start With Exercise and Fresh Air

The idea of starting each morning with exercise is torture to people like me who are not I Love Exercise people. This idea comes with many benefits, though, and this goes beyond simply making yourself look good. Early exercise can kickstart your metabolism, enabling your body to digest food properly and avoid storing things like sugars as fat. Exercise also helps me feel energized. The first few pandemic months I didn't know why I was so sluggish - I never realized how much of my commute involved walking in the morning. When I added walking back to my morning life, things got much better. 

Eat The Right Breakfast

The food you eat in the morning will have an impact on your body throughout the day. Eating fried food each morning is bad for your body, putting pressure on your heart and other organs while also providing very few of the nutrients you actually need. Eating fruit, low-calorie cereals, and other healthy foods will make you feel much healthier throughout the day. Eating healthy breakfasts doesn’t have to be boring, and there are loads of options available on the market that make this easy. I am a huge fan of the breakfast burrito, power breakfast muffins, or hard boiled eggs with a side of raw peppers and some fruit. 

Create Healthy Drinks

Alongside the food you eat, it also makes sense to give yourself access to healthy drinks in the morning. Coffee is fine but mainlining a pot probably isn't. I like to do two cups of iced and then make sure I take in 40 oz of water by 11 and another 40 oz by 2 to make sure I am hitting 100-120 oz by bedtime. I am not a huge smoothie person, but I don't mind juices. I like mango that I buy in the store. Options like sweet beet juice can be very good for you, and you can find recipes for those types of juices all over the web. Your drink can offer a good opportunity to make your mornings healthier.

Making sure that each of your mornings is as healthy as possible doesn’t take much work. Morning routines are infinitely tweakable. How do you start your day off right? 

TWTW - the one with the Memorial Day

Friday By the time Friday rolled around I was worn the fuck out as noted in Friday's post. I hit Dog Beach in the morning, which is the last time we'd see the sun for days, worked, made salmon and salad for dinner, painted my nails, zoned the fuck out and finished a book.

Saturday was like a plunge back into pre-panny life. My brother Sean and Nicole got engaged, and there was a surprise to her gathering after. It was supposed to be outside at Keenan's but were you alive on Saturday? The rain and gale force winds had us inside. I had a grand ol' time behaving like I was in my early 30s. Thanks to Rich for the drinks and ride, to the whole fam for the fun, to Stephen and my Mom for bringing the 80s along, to the universe for no hangover when there surely should have been one, and to science and vaccines for a little taste of what used to be normal years ago and was fun to revisit. I was worried about how I'd be my first time in a close crowd of people I don't know. There were a lot of people, we were close, and I was fine. I think we psych ourselves out for things. I do, anyway. I'm happy because I want to be able to go back to concerts, weddings, large events, and crowded city sidewalks without feeling panicked. Congrats Sean & Nicole! I'm excited for you!  

Sunday was possibly worse feeling weather-wise than Saturday even though there was less rain? It was fucking cold and miserable. Aubrey and Stephen were gone by 9:30. I did literally nothing aside from read, shower, walk dogs, eat salad and hotdogs, and watch the finale of Mare of Easttown. How much do we love this cast? So fucking much.

Monday We finally saw the fucking sun and could step out into the world without freezing (well, end of May freezing). I cleaned the house when weekend renters left which was pretty quick because thankfully they left it in good shape. I read again - three full books this weekend, and the one I finished Friday night - and whiled away hours on the porch. We walked down for the sunset and MFD and the old dogs arrived late late. I always make Memorial Day Monday a pretty quiet day. It seems fitting in reflection of who has died for this country and why, and what we can do as a society to make sure it's less and less and less all the time, both in active duty and also from things like suicide and anything that deteriorates bodies after they come home. 

It was really nice to be out in the world this weekend, and to see people back at parades and with friends and family. It almost makes me cry every time. It's been a hard year for everyone. I hope we approach this summer giving each other grace and space. 

Happy birthday to Kate yesterday and to KVSR today!