We’re at mid-year, and I’m 32 books into this year’s Goodreads reading challenge (64% towards my target).
The highlight.
I’m enjoying branching out into different genres.
This month’s highlights – all non-fiction (WHAAAT?) – were assisted by a digital detox and getaway in the caravan where I could finally sink my teeth into a couple of books sitting in my growing reading pile.
My July reads from best to least favourite.
The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music – Dave Grohl
I’ve had this baby sitting on my bookshelf since I purchased it on pre-order in 2021.
After Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters drummer) suddenly passed away, I shelved The Storyteller as I didn’t want to cry (I also stopped listening to the band’s music for a while cause, well, more crying).
Yeah, I’m a fan.
Anyway, this month, I finally felt it was time and took this baby with me on our trip in the van. I love Dave Grohl and have followed him over the years since Nirvana. I especially treasured him sharing his short tales over Insta during the COVID pandemic. I remember taking screenshots of the stories and sending pages of them to my brother over text at the time – my brother isn’t on Insta.
Anyway, I get away from myself. The Storyteller did not disappoint, from reminiscing about how grunge rock changed music in the 90s to quirky tales on the road and his love for family.
A 5-star read and a reinvigoration of my love for music, something I’ve neglected over the last few years.
Feel Better in 5: Your Daily Plan to Feel Great for Life – Dr Rangan Chatterjee
Dr Chatterjee’s podcast, Feel Better Live More, is one of my top three podcast listens, with him and his guests exploring various health and wellness topics that have supported me in my recovery from burnout and changing my life and thinking.
A super-quick read, Feel Better in 5 consists of simple tips to change your life in only 5 minutes a day. From breathing and strength exercises you can do as the kettle boils to tips for incorporating more mindfulness and creativity into your days, I’ve found this book really helpful as I start to work on building my upper body strength (I have none) and, well, breathing better.
4.5 stars for Feel Better in 5.
Switch: How to Change When Change is Hard
Change is hard.
It’s unsettling, it’s time-consuming, and all too often, we give up at the first sign of a setback.
If you’re a coach, mentor, manager or leader, Switch is a great book to add to your arsenal. I’ve found the framework for change, as explored in the book, useful in my work with ADHD clients especially.
3 stars.
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals
Gosh, this book was not what I expected and thank goodness for the appendix as I finished reading in a depressed funk. Which was probably the purpose … to get you thinking about life and to shake things up a bit, but I just expected something more uplifting and enlightening. In reality, I was left feeling deflated.
2 stars.
What about you? What’s your fave goodread so far this year?
I’m always looking for recommendations. Drop a comment below to tell me about it!
