This month, I’m linking up with Kristin and Rachel for their first ever Book by Book Link Up. It’s a way to share all the books we’ve read and get new ideas for new books to add to our lists. Below, you’ll find the books I read in April and what I thought about them.

★★★★★ – All time favorite, there aren’t many of these in the world.

★★★★☆ – Loved this book, held my attention and made me want to keep reading.

★★★☆☆ – Good book, I liked it.

★★☆☆☆ – It was fine, definitely won’t be recommending it to my friends.

★☆☆☆☆ – I finished it, but it wasn’t that great.

☆☆☆☆☆ – Didn’t bother finishing it. There are too many books on the shelf to finish one that isn’t grabbing my attention.

A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World

by Paul E. Miller

Non Fiction – Christian/Self Help | ★★★★★

Prayer is all about relationship. Based on the popular seminar by the same name, A Praying Life has discipled thousands of Christians to a vibrant prayer life full of joy and power. When Jesus describes the intimacy He seeks with us, He talks about joining us for dinner (Revelation 3:20). A Praying Life feels like having dinner with good friends. It is the way we experience and connect to God. In A Praying Life, author Paul Miller lays out a pattern for living in relationship with God and includes helpful habits and approaches to prayer that enable us to return to a childlike faith.

At the beginning of 2018, I made a goal to focus on and study prayer in conjunction with my One Little Word, connect. As I mentioned this to friends, many of them suggested this book to me, so when I saw a group of folks at work were going to be reading it together, joining them was a no-brainer. I loved every single second of this book and felt like it has had a huge impact on my life. I love how the author combined personal accounts, biblical truths, and practical applications for incorporating prayer into every day life. Having a book study to go along with it reminded me to take it in small doses (something I’m not great at) so that I could savior it.

10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works

by Dan Harris

Non Fiction – Self Help |★★☆☆☆

After having a nationally televised panic attack on Good Morning America, Dan Harris knew he had to make some changes. A lifelong nonbeliever, he found himself on a bizarre adventure, involving a disgraced pastor, a mysterious self-help guru, and a gaggle of brain scientists. Eventually, Harris realized that the source of his problems was the very thing he always thought was his greatest asset: the incessant, insatiable voice in his head, which had both propelled him through the ranks of a hyper-competitive business and also led him to make the profoundly stupid decisions that provoked his on-air freak-out.

I found this book by looking through Goodreads recommendations, and I have to say that as the first one I read I wasn’t very impressed nor do I think (based on what I’ve read) that this really makes sense as a recommendation. Regardless, I’m glad I read it because even though it doesn’t align with my core beliefs, I can sometimes get in my own bubble reading similar books. I always think it’s a great idea to learn about things that you don’t necessarily agree with. The idea around this book is meditation and how that can have substantial affects on your mind and body. One of my favorite things about this book is that the author doesn’t seem to have it completely figured out and he’s ok with that. He seems to admit that he’s not a professional, but more that he’s just telling his story.

Yes Please

by Amy Poehler

Non Fiction – Biography |★★★★☆

Do you want to get to know the woman we first came to love on Comedy Central’s Upright Citizens Brigade? Do you want to spend some time with the lady who made you howl with laughter on Saturday Night Live, and in movies like Baby Mama, Blades of Glory, and They Came Together? Do you find yourself daydreaming about hanging out with the actor behind the brilliant Leslie Knope on Parks and Recreation? Did you wish you were in the audience at the last two Golden Globes ceremonies, so you could bask in the hilarity of Amy’s one-liners?

If your answer to these questions is “Yes Please!” then you are in luck. In her first book, one of our most beloved funny folk delivers a smart, pointed, and ultimately inspirational read. Full of the comedic skill that makes us all love Amy, Yes Please is a rich and varied collection of stories, lists, poetry (Plastic Surgery Haiku, to be specific), photographs, mantras and advice. With chapters like “Treat Your Career Like a Bad Boyfriend,” “Plain Girl Versus the Demon” and “The Robots Will Kill Us All” Yes Please will make you think as much as it will make you laugh. Honest, personal, real, and righteous, Yes Please is full of words to live by.

This has been on my list for a while and I finally got an audiobook rental app that lets me check out 9 books per month at our local library, so I figured this would be a great one to listen to while I was exercising. That wasn’t a good idea considering the number of times I was doubled over laughing on the treadmill. This book was endearing and sweet with some great and some not-so-great advice. She shares the real life sides of her job and being a broke comedian and I love how real biographies make people feel more real and connected. Definitely a good one if you’re looking for something light and are into her sense of humor.

Thanks so much for reading! Let me know if you have any suggestions!

HARDBACK OR TRADE PAPERBACK OR MASS MARKET PAPERBACK?

I always end up breaking all my spines, so I prefer having my bookshelf filled with hardbacks that don’t show the evidence. Plus they tend to hold up better after sharing them over and over.

AMAZON OR BRICK AND MORTAR?

Amazon, so much cheaper!

LOCALLY OWNED BOOKSHOP OR BIG NAME CHAIN STORE?

Local bookshops are my favorite, but the hours of our local ones are meh.

BOOKMARK OR DOG-EAR?

Either, although I generally have a bookmark on hand! I’m a book highlighter and note-taker so there’s no ruining a book for me.

ALPHABETIZE BY AUTHOR OR ALPHABETIZE BY TITLE OR RANDOM?

At home, I arrange by height.

KEEP, THROW AWAY, OR SELL?

I keep 5 stars books to re-read and share, but otherwise I donate or fill up my local Free Little Libraries.

KEEP DUST JACKET OR TOSS IT?

Keep it!

READ WITH DUST JACKET OR REMOVE IT?

I take it off to read it otherwise it gets destroyed in my bag.

SHORT STORY OR NOVEL?

Novel. 100%.

COLLECTION (SHORT STORIES BY SAME AUTHOR) OR ANTHOLOGY (SHORT STORIES BY DIFFERENT AUTHORS)?

I can’t say that I’ve read either. *Adds to reading list for the year*

STOP READING WHEN TIRED OR AT CHAPTER BREAKS?

Chapter breaks. What kind of savage stops in the middle of a chapter?!

“IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT” OR “ONCE UPON A TIME”?

Once upon a time.

BUY OR BORROW?

Borrow, unless it’s a favorite book/author.

NEW OR USED?

If I have the option, I’ll go for new.

BUYING CHOICE: BOOK REVIEWS, RECOMMENDATION OR BROWSE?

I hate browsing bookstores because I want them all. I love a good recommendation from someone who gets me.

TIDY ENDING OR CLIFFHANGER?

Tidy ending, unless it’s a series.

MORNING, AFTERNOON OR NIGHTTIME READING?

Yes, please!

SINGLE VOLUME OR SERIES?

I love a good series.

FAVORITE SERIES?

The Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter are tied in my book.

FAVORITE BOOK OF WHICH NOBODY ELSE HAS HEARD?

I loved The Broken Way: A Daring Path to Abundant Life by Ann Voskamp.

FAVORITE BOOKS READ LAST YEAR?

Scarlett, Chronicles of Narnia, Creativity, Inc

FAVORITE BOOKS OF ALL TIME?

Gone with the Wind, Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia, Outlander

As a fan of recommendations, I would love to see how you would answer these! Comment or leave a link below!