Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin

I've been on a Gretchen Rubin re-reading kick, and Better Than Before may be my favorite Rubin book. I liked it the first time I read it last year. I am still a fan.

In the last year, I've implemented some of the tips she writes about and applied them to habits I wanted to create. For example, Monitoring is just keeping track of when we do a certain behavior. Our pets need their teeth brushed, and just by putting a mark on the calendar each time we brush their teeth, we have significantly increased the number of times we do it each week. (It's still not a fun chore though, but we like to have good dental hygiene in our family.)

If there are habits you'd like to create or break, I would recommend reading this book. It's motivational and practical at the same time.

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

I first read The Happiness Project back in 2010. (You can see what I thought of it here.)

This was a re-read, but it was a very fresh look at it because I am a much bigger fan of Gretchen Rubin these days. Yes, I liked The Happiness Project much more this time around, and I recommend reading it if you haven't yet.

I also re-read another Gretchen Rubin book so later this week, I'll write a review about Better Than Before.

Worms and Wormeries by Mike Woolnough

Boomer and I are now the proud employers of hundreds of red wiggler worms who, as I type, are acclimating to their new home in our garage. We hope that they will be up to the task of eating all of our kitchen scraps. We, as their employers, will give them room and board in exchange for their hard work.

Actually, I am just hoping that they survive the week and we can figure out how to take care them. Fingers crossed!

We attended a Composting Workshop given by our city and came home with tons of information about composting, and a pound of red wiggler worms! We built our own worm bin using stuff around our house (and my parents' house) and introduced them to the bin last night.

This book was very informative about how to create a worm bin and how to care for it. I think I will be referring back to it often until we get the hang of caring for them.

Modern Lovers by Emma Straub

A book about college friends now in mid-life living in Brooklyn with families and all of the complications that come with life.

Last July, I read Straub's The Vacationers and found it to be an easy, but so-so read. My experience with Modern Lovers was the same. Pleasant enough, but ho-hum.

Don't You Cry by Mary Kubica

Quinn's roommate suddenly disappears overnight through her open bedroom window. At the same time, a mysterious girl shows up in a cafe and captures the attention of Alex. Are these events connected?

A bit creepy and a fast read, but kind of anti-climatic and underwhelming.

Year of No Sugar: A Memoir by Eve O. Schaub

I've been researching ways to make some dietary changes to address a health issue, and I picked this up as I was browsing the health books at the library.

Schaub, along with her family, cut out sugar from their diets for a year. She writes about the challenges and the ups and downs. It seems like they spent a lot of time and energy trying to find substitutes so they wouldn't miss the sugar. However, she does spend a bit of time reflecting on the changes in her own taste buds. It's unclear whether or not they experienced any health benefits like weight loss though or improved health. It seemed like they were just trying to get through the year.

The Assistants by Camille Perri

A fascinating fiction book about an executive assistant embezzlement scheme via expense reports and all in the name of paying off student debt.

A delightful read that kept me mesmerized for the day.

Flight of Dreams by Ariel Lawhon

I am not naturally drawn to historical fiction, but I found myself absorbed by Flight of Dreams. It's about the ill-fated flight of the Hindenburg in 1937 as it crossed over the Atlantic headed to New Jersey.

The characters are based on actual passengers and crew. There is a murder plot along with unrequited love and secrets.

A fast, fast read. I finished it in two days, but I think I could have finished it in one except that we had dinner with some friends.

I also checked out some documentaries about the Hindenburg and the footage of the explosion is fascinating. Thanks to Boomer for spending several evenings watching Hindenburg documentaries with me!