Bookworm: 9 Favorite Cookbooks

I love collecting all books from classic novels to coffee table books. During the last few years I have discovered that I really enjoy spending time at home in the kitchen preparing meals and treats to share with family and friends. As a result I have began collecting cookbooks. I love flipping through the glossy pages of my favorite cookbooks and choosing the dishes to make for my next get-together.

There are so many great chefs and cookbooks out there this list could have easily gotten out of control and been way too long to share. After a lot of thought I narrowed my collection down to in my opinion nine of the best.

ONE // Sauces & Shapes: Pasta the Italian Way. Italian food is basically the best. If I could live on pasta and cheese I would be one happy girl. Sauces & Shapes is a great cookbook because it provides authentic Italian recipes that are easy enough for even inexperienced cooks.

TWO // The New Best Recipe. This is a massive general cookbook that you will find yourself relying on again and again. Numerous recipes were tried for each item in this book before the absolute best was chosen to be included.

THREE // Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust. I consider myself to be pretty good in the kitchen and that is partially thanks to Ina Garten. I first got into cooking and baking after I began watching Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network and began picking up tips and techniques from Ina. All of Ina's cookbooks are amazing but I chose this one because it provides so much information and recipes to help entertaining be mistake proof.

FOUR // Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London's Ottolenghi. This cookbook celebrates vegetables with 120 delicious recipes. The recipes are flavorful and colorful. As a vegetarian there should be little doubt that I would love this book but Plenty was written by a nonvegetarian so I think the recipes really appeal to everyone.

FIVE // Sally's Baking Addiction: Irresistible Cookies, Cupcakes, and Desserts for Your Sweet-Tooth Fix. This is the latest cookbook added to my collection. I have loved Sally McKenney's blog for years and have tried many of her recipes and never had one fail so picking up this book was a must for me. One thing I love about Sally's recipes is that they never call for crazy ingredients or have a million steps. If you can read I promise that you can bake Sally's wonderful creations.

SIX // Extra Virgin: Recipes & Love from Our Tuscan Kitchen. This is another incredible Italian cookbook. In this book you will find beautiful, rustic Italian recipes. Everything is easy to prepare and has huge fresh flavor.

SEVEN // The Weekend Baker: Irresistible Recipes, Simple Techniques, and Stress-Free Strategies for Busy People. I loved baking long before I loved cooking but I often found that I didn't have the time to whip up many of the recipes I wanted to try. The Weekend Baker is a great book for busy people. The recipes in this book are easy to follow and organized so that you can have tasty, homemade baked treats in your home even when you are short on time.

EIGHT // Julia's Kitchen Wisdom: Essential Techniques and Recipes from a Lifetime of Cooking. I think everyone can agree that Julia was basically a rock star in the kitchen and I am sure I am not the only one who has found her recipes intimidating. Julia's Kitchen Wisdom is more of a kitchen guide than a cookbook. It is filled with useful basic recipes and techniques as well as time-saving tips Julia learned over the years.

NINE // Endless Summer Cookbook. This book provides fresh, simple, healthy recipes that are great for summer get-togethers. The peach blueberry cobbler is a huge winner.

image via: target, edited by Sunny Days and Starry Nights

How to Create The Perfect Book Nook

Maybe you remember that Tracy and I started a book club with our sister Tiffany and our best friends a several months ago? We both are avid readers. We are constantly ordering books from Amazon, picking out armloads of books from discount racks, and we are frequent visitors to the library. We buy, borrow, and trade books. Books are swapped between us and our friends so much that we all always have a stack of books to read. Do you enjoy reading? It is seriously my favorite hobby. What's not to love about it? You can learn tons of new things, visit far off places (or completely imaginary worlds), and it's so much fun!

If my future home could have a library in it I would be tickled pink. I know it might not be reasonable to think that I could some day have a library all of my very own, but my home would definitely have to have a comfy spot for reading. If I can't have a library, I definitely need a cozy book nook.

The perfect book nook for a book worm like me would have to be a comfy spot with lots of light. If it could be by a window it would be awesome to have the natural light streaming in. I also imagine that this would be "my spot" as Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory would say. It would be decorated to suit my needs. So what would the perfect book nook need?

ONE // White Book Shelf: If I can't have a library, I need at least one book shelf to display all of my favorite books. My favorites include Pride and Prejudice and the Harry Potter series. This shelf would contain books that I love to reread.

TWO // Pink Stripe Pillow: Pillows are a must because comfort is key. I can read for hours at a time, if no one disturbs me.

THREE // Classic Book Set: Pretty books like these could find a home on my shelves. I love the classics, fantasy books, and mysteries.

FOUR // Diamond Print Chair: A beautiful and comfortable chair is also key. A chair is enough for this spot, because when you are reading you don't need other people sitting around you trying to talk to you. I love chairs that are pretty prints like this one.

FIVE // Table Lamp: You can't read if you can't see. Lamps like this would be great for an end table beside my chair.

SIX // Pink End Table: An end table is needed next to my comfy chair to hold things like a lamp, the book I am currently reading, or my cup of coffee.

SEVEN // Gold Agates: Beautiful agates like these would make excellent bookends for my book shelf. Last Thanksgiving I purchased a set similar to these while Tracy and I were in NYC for the holiday.

EIGHT // Emerald Lattice Print Rug: A rug like this one adds a pop of color to my book nook. Also on those cold Winter days it will keep my feet off the cold hard wood floor.


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Bookworm: 2015 Beach Reads

It Comes in Waves by Ericka Marks
Summerland by Elin Hilderbrand
Tempting Fate by Jane Green
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Nantucket Sisters by Nancy Thayer
Just Destiny by Theresa Rizzo
The Other Half by Sarah Rayner
The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain
Island Girls by Nancy Thayer
My upcoming vacation plans for this summer are still up in the air. Not having set plans is making me anxious because I am definitely one of those people who likes to have an established game plan in place. It is almost certain that I will be heading to a beach somewhere. I can almost feel the salt in the air and hear the waves already. Above is the a list of books that I think would be great for countless hours relaxing on the beach or by the pool this summer. I am especially looking forward to reading this one and this one.

P.S. You can find a previous beach reads list I made here.

Bookworm: Books For The Francophile

Paris Street Style: A Guide to Effortless Chic
How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are
The French Cat (furry felines photographed with lovely French backgrounds!)
The Sweet Life in Paris
Paris: An Inspiring Tour of the City's Creative Heart
Tout Sweet (for anyone who has ever dreamed of starting all over in France)
Parisian Chic: A Style Guide (tips of becoming effortlessly glamorous)
At Home with Madame Chic
Mastering the Art of French Eating

I am not sure when my fascination with France began or even why but I am without a doubt smitten with all things French. Another thing I love is books so you can certain that I happily collect any book about France that I can get my hands on. The newest book in my collection is this book that Jessica got me for Christmas. I love flipping through its pages when I have a couple quiet minutes. Above are a few more of my favorites. Do you have any suggestions for books that this Francophile should read?

Bookworm: Reading List

It by Alexa Chung
Refinery29: Style Stalking by Piera Gelardi and Christene Barberich
The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday
I Was Here by Gayle Forman
Yes Please by Amy Poehler
It Starts With Food by Melissa Hartwig and Dallas Hartwig
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (current book club pick)
Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson
I'll Drink to That by Betty Halbreich and Rebecca Paley
Over the last four or five months I have greatly increased the amount of books I have been reading. Starting a book club with Jessica and several friends was a great idea. I have always loved reading but several years ago it greatly tampered off because I never made time for it. When the idea of starting a book club came to me I immediately thought that at least I would be reading one book a month but it has rubbed off and now I finish several books each month. For our February book club meeting our friend choose this book but I hope to also work my way through the other books above in the next couple months. What are you currently reading?

Bookworm: Currently Reading

I love to read and I always have a stack of books in the corner of my room that I want to read. Usually, I pull a few from that stack that I want to read first. Reading is an activity that I enjoy. It is so easy to escape reality with a good book. You can get transported to other places and other times. Reading is just so relaxing and calming to me.

Right now I am reading Wicked, Grimm's Fairy Tales, Dracula, and Little Women. I have been reading Wicked for our very first book club meeting this weekend. I haven't finished it yet, but I can definitely say that this book is not what I expected it to be. I have always loved fairy tales and ever since I started watching the tv show Grimm, I have been more interested in Grimm's fairy tales. As for Dracula and Little Women, I received a Barnes and Noble gift card a couple of months ago and they were two of the books I picked out. I haven't started Dracula yet, but I am excited to get to it. Little Women is a book that I have read several times and that I absolutely love. The strong bond between sisters is something that I can relate too.

Have you read the books that I am currently reading? What books to do you recommend?

Bookwork: Summer 2014

#GIRLBOSS / The One & Only / The Matchmaker / One Plus One / I Love You More / The Vacationers / Landline / The Fever
Jessica and I both love to read but our taste in books tend to be greatly different. Above is a list of books that I have either read already this summer like this one or intend to read in the upcoming weeks (next up is this). Each of these books would make a fantastic beach read or a great way to spend a lazy afternoon after you skip out of work early. Perhaps my favorite read in recent months is #GIRLBOSS. Definitely an aspiring read and full of great tips and motivation if you dream of owning your own business or looking to find a little push with your career. What great books have you read this summer?