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What would life be like without books? Thankfully I’ve never had to find out! Although I don’t read as much as I probably should, I’ve been doing pretty well this year … I’m on my sixth or seventh book so far which isn’t too shabby for me!
Today I thought I’d share a short review of three of the books I’ve read this year. You’ve already heard me talk about two of them if you follow me on Instagram. If not, make sure to follow me because I like to share book reviews on there fairly often and they don’t all make it to the blog!
In my reviews below I’ll share a brief synopsis of each book (taken from the back of the books because why re-write what is already well written) and then I’ll share my thoughts on each one.
If you’ve read one or all three of these books, comment below and share your thoughts! I LOVE discussing books I’ve read with other book lovers!
My Review of 3 Books I’ve Read This Year
1. A Simplified Life by Emily Ley
Synopsis
In A Simplified Life, you’ll find Emily’s strategies, systems, and methods for permanently clearing the clutter, organizing your priorities, and living intentionally in 10 key areas—from your home and meal planning, to style and finances, parenting, faith life, and more. Emily will show you how to truly make the most of your days with realistic, achievable, and tactical tools.
Walk alongside Emily through each page of the book, working through her simple strategies toward your own goals as you simplify and make space for what matters most.
What you should know
A Simplified Life is a beautifully designed book. It’s full of lots of large, gorgeous pictures and makes a great book to set out on display.
It’s also a fun, easy read. It’s a great book for when you want to read something useful but don’t want something that will use too much brain power haha. I enjoyed all the topics the book covered and finished it relatively quickly though I only read a bit at a time.
A Simplified Life is what I call a fluffy book. Full page pictures, quotes that fill entire pages, a large font throughout, and similar things all mean that A Simplified Life is less substantive than it’s size might make you think. That’s not necessarily bad, but it’s something to take note of.
Each chapter reads like a blog post – well written and interesting, but somewhat surface level. I think that in trying to cover 10 areas, the book ends up just scratching the surface of each one.
In summary, A Simplified Life is an enjoyable read with a lot of great reminders, but nothing new or eye-opening. Whether it’s for you or not totally depends on what you’re looking for in a book!
2. More Than Just Making It by Erin Odom
Synopsis
When you’re trapped in a cycle of financial frustration, and you feel like you’ve tried everything only to end up with more month than money yet again, More Than Just Making It is your promise and pathway to thriving again.
Take it from someone who’s been there. Erin Odom grew up in the private schools and neatly manicured lawns of Upper Middle Class America, but was thrown into low-income living during the economic crash. She was a stay-at-home-mom, her husband was supporting the family on a teacher’s salary, and despite the fact that they had no debt to their name, they were scrambling to make ends meet. Suddenly Erin found herself standing in line for food stamps, turning down play dates because she couldn’t afford the gas, and ultimately walking into bankruptcy court in the eighth month of her third pregnancy.
More Than Just Making It tells the story of their breaking point, as well as the triumph of their comeback. It took hard work, creativity, and faith in God’s provision to reset their bank account as well as their hearts, but ultimately they found a new way to thrive and freedom from financial anxiety.
What you should know
I love that Erin shared her personal story. It was interesting to read and it gave great insight into where she was coming from.
I also really benefited the chapter discussing whether you have a spending problem or income problem. I had never thought quite along those lines and it spurred me on to try to find new ways to supplement our income.
More Than Just Making It also reminded me not to judge – we have no idea what others are going through or why they are in the situation that they are in!
I will note that I did not learn a lot of new frugal-living strategies in this book. However, I was raised to be frugal so I suspect that it would be more helpful to those who were not raised that way.
3. Cozy Minimalist Home by Myquillyn Smith
Synopsis
In Cozy Minimalist Home, accidental stylist and bestselling author Myquillyn Smith guides you step by step on making purposeful design decisions for your home. You’ll have the tools to transform your home starting with what you already have, and using just enough of the right furniture and decor to create a home you’re proud of in a way that honors your personal priorities, budget, and style. No more fretting when it comes to decorating your house!
Written for the hands-on woman who’d rather move her own furniture than hire a designer, this is the guidance she needs to finish every room of her house. With people, priorities and purpose in mind, anyone can create a beautiful home that transcends the trends.
What you should know
I loved Cozy Minimalist Home! Like A Simplifed Life, it is a very beautiful book with lots of pictures – just how a book about home design should be.
Again, like A Simplifed Life it was a fun, easy read. I read it slowly but I certainly could have finished it quite quickly if I had wanted to.
I found Cozy Minimalist Home to be very practical and helpful. Keep in mind that I am not much of a decorator so if you’re really into that kind of thing maybe this book would feel very basic to you. However, basic was what I needed so I loved all the practical tips.
I loved the design philosophy of cozy-minimalism that Myquillyn presented. I’ve always liked the idea of having less stuff but minimalism sounds so bare and stark to me. Cozy-minimalism seems like the perfect balance. 🙂
Cozy Minimalist Home also has a great format. I liked how the chapters progressed, explaining (and showing) how to decorate a room step-by-step. Super helpful!
Have you read any of these books? Did you enjoy them? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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