I have a real problem. I get close to not having anything to read and then I look up articles featuring the must-read books. My fingers magically make loads of library requests, and I’m happy, thinking that none of them will come in for awhile. But then they all come in at the same time.
Right now, I have four library books in my house to read, one book my partner bought me for Mother’s Day and oh yeah, four more library books are waiting for me in the holds section at the library right now. That’s nine books. And we can’t forget that I will have a book club book to read this month as well. I DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS.
Just kidding. I’m a manic reader. I’ll make time for this nonsense one way or another. So onto what I am reading!
Reading Social Media News
Instagram is quickly becoming a monster of an app. It wants to be everything to everyone which kind of scares me. But the power it has cannot be denied. The latest upcoming feature, Peek, is interesting in that it responds to the desire for more private one-on-one communication on social. It has potential for brands, but of course, we won’t really know until it’s in our hands and we can play with it.
I like regular check-ins about whether what you are doing is truly effective and is there anything you can do better. And that’s why I’m all about this article from Content Marketing Institute. It’s a great jumping off point for looking at what’s happening on your own social media channels and what needs to change.
Reading Books, Books and More Books
Past
Come & Get It by Kiley Reid surprised me. I glanced over it when I decided to put in the library request, not really realizing who the author was. And then I read the cover and remembered I did not like her first book. I picked it up immediately, thinking I might as well get it over with. It was good. Super readable and Reid’s writing has matured since her debut. Is it the best thing I’ve read all year? No, but I’d recommend it whole heartedly as something light that touches on hard topics in a way that is relatable and doesn’t make you flinch away. Score: B+
I have been waiting for The Year of Living Constitutionally by AJ Jacobs since the project was announced. I LOVED his A Year of Living Biblically to the point that I will tell anyone who will listen that they should have read it by now. Since I used to be a huge political nerd, I knew a trip through the Constitution was going to connect with me. And my God did it. I loved learning obscure facts while revisiting so many of my favorite subjects to study in college. Jacobs’ quirky sense of humor shone through as well as his kindness. It was everything I wanted and more. Score: A+
Present
I’m trudging through Ellipses by Vanessa Lawrence right now. I thought I’d read the last bit quickly so I could put it in the past as soon as possible and not deal with it anymore. But I decided to give it more of a chance than that and spend some time trying to figure out just why I’m not connecting with it. Ugh. Stay tuned.
Future
The day before Mother’s Day, we went to the bookstore for story time. I had already been there that week to pick up AJ Jacobs’ latest book, and while there, I spied the latest from another author I adore. But I couldn’t pull the trigger. So I spent the days between thinking about how I wanted it. It wouldn’t be good enough to just borrow it from the library. I needed to own this book and pour over the words whenever I can. And as I stood behind my partner who was buying a book for our daughter, he looked at me with my bright eyes and a book tightly in my hands. “Give it to me. If it makes you that happy, I want to buy it for you.” And that’s how Doris Kearns Goodwin’s An Unfinished Love Story ended up next on my list of books to read.
So what are you reading? What books are you looking forward to?