Category Archives: book lists

Collections and lists of popular books.

December 21, 2018 · 8:56 am

15 Self-Help Journals to Help You Find Happiness

Whether your New Year’s resolution is to focus more on YOU or to finally (for real this time) make an effort to find the joy, it can be hard to jump in and get started. Making self-help goals are great for your mental health, but it can certainly be a struggle to figure out where to even begin.

Thankfully those that have come before us have realized this, too…and have given the reading and writing lovers among us a variety of self-help journals to help us list and doodle our way to happiness. If you’re on a mission to better your life in 2019, check out these 15 self-help journals that will help you find happiness.

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15 Self-Help Journals to Help You Find Happiness

One Question a Day: A Five-Year Journal – A Personal Time Capsule of Questions and Answers: A simple guided journal that offers one question per day, to be answered on the same day for five years in a row.

The Mindfulness Journal: Daily Practices, Writing Prompts and Reflections for Living in the Present Moment: With The Mindfulness Journal, you can build a stress-reducing habit that makes you appreciate every single day.

52 Lists for Happiness: Weekly Journal and Inspiration for Positivity, Balance and Joy: 52 Lists for Happiness will inspire existing fans and new journal readers to cultivate their own uniquely happy and fulfilling lives through the power of lists!

Cheaper Than Therapy: A Guided Journal: Journal about your childhood, your recurring dreams, and what your relationship was like with your parents.

This Time Next Year: 365 Days of Exploration: Over the course of a year, this prompt-a-day journal will lead you to discover what makes you tick and how you can use that knowledge for greater happiness and success.

I Am Here Now: A Creative Mindfulness Guide and Journal: I Am Here Now inspires readers to explore the world with greater curiosity and find moments of mindfulness in everyday life, while unleashing your creativity along the way.

The Inspirational Journal Book: Self Help Book with Inspiration, Quotes, Positive Affirmations and Motivational Exercises: This inspirational journal book suggest various ways to stay motivated some of which include reading inspirational and motivational quotes, listening to certain types of music, coloring mandalas, using positive reaffirmations and so on.

Practice You: A Journal: Practice You is a portable sacred sanctuary to record our flashes of insight, find our ground, create and clarify our goals, and bear witness to our own evolution.

Let That Shit Go: A Journal for Leaving Your Bullshit Behind and Creating a Happy Life: With Let That Sh*t Go, you’ll find moments of profanity-laced catharsis and joy through journaling activities and inspirations that are positive as f*ck.

Start Where You Are: A Journal for Self-Exploration: Start Where You Are is an interactive journal designed to help readers nurture their creativity, mindfulness, and self-motivation.

Good Days Start with Gratitude Journal: Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude: Good Days Start With Gratitude is a 52 week guide to cultivate an attitude of gratitude! It is a self exploration journal designed to focus on being thankful for what we have, the big things in life, as well as the simple joys.

Claim Your Power: A 40-Day Journey to Dissolve the Hidden Blocks That Keep You Stuck and Finally Thrive in Your Life’s Unique Purpose: Identify and dissolve whatever’s holding you back, break free from trauma and victimhood, and transform your life. Not only will you change your life for the better, but in doing so, you’ll improve the lives of the people you love.

Present Not Perfect: A Journal for Slowing Down, Letting Go, and Loving Who You Are: A beautifully illustrated guided journal that helps women slow down and enjoy life rather than pushing for perfection.

Zen as Fuck: A Journal for Practicing the Mindful Art of Not Giving a Shit: Journal your way through positive affirmations and cathartic-as-f*ck activities on your liberating journey toward something pretty close to happiness.

How to Be Happy (or at Least Less Sad): A Creative Workbook: Through a series of supportive, surprising, and engaging prompts, this journal helps readers see things in a new light, and rediscover simple pleasures and everyday joy…or at least feel a little less sad.

Looking for a new book to read? Check in every Friday for a “Bee Happy” post, where I share reviews of books I’ve read or other book-themed lists.

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December 14, 2018 · 8:27 am

13 Books to Read on a Snowy Day

There’s nothing like curling up with a good book on a snowy day…even better is a book that totally immerses you in a winter world from the comfort of your own home!

These 13 books do just that. From snowy countrysides to magical far-off places, these 13 books are perfect for reading on a snowy, blistery winter night.

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13 Books to Read on a Snowy Day

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The Snowman, Jo Nesbø

When dozens of women show up murdered on the day of a first snow fall, investigator Harry Hole is put on the case. As his investigation deepens, something else emerges: he is becoming a pawn in an increasingly terrifying game whose rules are devised—and constantly revised—by the killer. This one is long, but worth it in the end.

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The Road, Cormac McCarthy

A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape, save the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don’t know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other. A heartbreaking story of love and survival.

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The Girl with Glass Feet, Ali Shaw

Strange things are happening on the remote and snowbound archipelago of St. Hauda’s Land. Magical winged creatures flit around the icy bogland, albino animals hide themselves in the snow-glazed woods, and Ida Maclaird is slowly turning into glass. Ida is an outsider in these parts who has only visited the islands once before. A visitor to this land before, she has returned in search of a cure.

Chocolat and The Girl With No Shadow, Joanne Harris

The delicious story about Vianne Rocher and her chocolate shop begins with Chocolat and continues with The Girl With No Shadow. Two whimsical, romantic books that will warm your heart and soul (and make you hungry for some delicious hot cocoa!).

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Memoirs of a Geisha, Arthur Golden

In Memoirs of a Geisha, we enter a world where appearances are paramount; where a girl’s virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men; and where love is scorned as illusion. It is a unique and triumphant work of fiction—at once romantic, erotic, suspenseful—and completely unforgettable.

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The Book Thief, Markus Zusak

By her brother’s graveside, Liesel’s life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger’s Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordion-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor’s wife’s library, wherever there are books to be found.

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Little Women, Louisa May Alcott

A family of ladies, including talented tomboy and author-to-be Jo, tragically frail Beth, beautiful Meg, and romantic, spoiled Amy, unite in their devotion to each other and their struggles to survive in New England during the Civil War.

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The Harry Potter Series, J.K. Rowling

No real description needed here! This entire series is always a fun one to re-read in the winter (or anytime, really!).

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The Snow Child, Eowyn Ivey

Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart – he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season’s first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone – but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees. What they eventually learn about this girl they call Faina will transform all of them.

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The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. Beautiful winter scenes pepper this book with a magical landscape, and the rich, seductive prose, makes this spell-casting novel a feast for all the senses.

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Snow Falling on Cedars, David Guterson

San Piedro Island, north of Puget Sound, is a place so isolated that no one who lives there can afford to make enemies. But in 1954 a local fisherman is found suspiciously drowned, and a Japanese American named Kabuo Miyamoto is charged with his murder. In the course of the ensuing trial, it becomes clear that what is at stake is more than a man’s guilt. Gripping, tragic, and densely atmospheric, Snow Falling on Cedars is a masterpiece of suspense that will leave you shaken and changed.

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The Golden Compass, Philip Pullman

Can one small girl make a difference in such great and terrible endeavors? This is Lyra: a savage, a schemer, a liar, and as fierce and true a champion as Roger or Asriel could want–but what Lyra doesn’t know is that to help one of them will be to betray the other. The first in a magical series of books that will stay with you long after you’re done.

Looking for a new book to read? Check in every Friday for a “Bee Happy” post, where I share reviews of books I’ve read or other book-themed lists.

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December 7, 2018 · 8:49 am

15 Multicultural Christmas Books for Kids

Sure we’ve all read The Polar Express and How the Grinch Stole Christmas a hundred times…but there are a ton of other amazing Christmas books out there for kids, many of which teach children about celebrations around the world.

From a feminist take on the three wise men to stories about those who celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah, here are 15 multicultural Christmas books to add to your family reading list!

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15 Multicultural Christmas Books for Kids

Light the Lights!: A Story about Celebrating Hanukkah & Christmas
A delightful picture book captures the warmth of family tradition as Emma and her family celebrate two holidays–Hanukkah, a time to light the menorah and play dreidl games, and Christmas, a time to sing carols and open presents.

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The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story
A particularly irate latke is the star of The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming, but many other holiday icons appear and even speak: flashing colored lights, cane-shaped candy, a pine tree. Santa Claus is briefly discussed as well. The ending is happy, at least for some!

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Grace at Christmas
Grace loves Christmas – acting out the nativity story, opening presents, celebrating with Ma, Nana and Paw-Paw. But this Christmas Nana announces they will have visitors from Trinidad. Grace is horrified! She does NOT want to share the day with another little girl she doesn’t even know. But after some wise words from Nana, Grace’s generous spirit shines through.

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Yoon and the Christmas Mitten
When Yoon’s teacher lends her a book about Santa Claus, Yoon can’t wait to show it to her parents. To Yoon’s disappointment, though, her mother responds, “We are not a Christmas family.” As Christmas Eve approaches, Yoon learns more and more about this exciting holiday. But no matter how hard she tries to convince her parents to sing Christmas songs or put up Christmas stockings, they always say no. A determined Yoon soon realizes that she must use her own “Shining Wisdom” to persuade her parents that they can indeed be a Christmas family.

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Too Many Tamales
This is the story of a treasure thought to be lost in a batch of tamales; of a desperate and funny attempt by Maria and her cousins to eat their way out of trouble; and the warm way a family pulls together to make it a perfect Christmas after all.

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Tree of Cranes
As a young Japanese boy recovers from a bad chill, his mother busily folds origami paper into delicate silver cranes in preparation for the boy’s very first Christmas.

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La Noche Buena: A Christmas Story
Nina is visiting her grandmother in Miami for Christmas. Usually she spends it in snowy New England with her mother and her family, but this year is different. She isn’t certain what to make of a hot and humid holiday, until she learns the traditions of her father’s side of the family from her Cuban grandmother.

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The Trees of the Dancing Goats
Trisha loves the eight days of Hanukkah, when her mother stays home from work, her Babushka makes delicious potato latkes, and her Grampa carves wonderful animals out of wood as gifts for Trisha and her brother. In the middle of her family’s preparation for the festival of lights, Trisha visits her closest neighbors, expecting to find them decorating their house for Christmas. Instead they are all bedridden with scarlet fever. Based on a long cherished childhood memory, this story celebrates the miracle of true friendship.

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The Snowy Day
No book has captured the magic and sense of possibility of the first snowfall better than The Snow Day. Universal in its appeal, the story has become a favorite of millions, as it reveals a child’s wonder at a new world, and the hope of capturing and keeping that wonder forever. The adventures of a little boy in the city on a very snowy day.

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Three Wise Women
Three wise women follow a bright star to find a very special newborn baby in a stable, where each of them is able in her own way to give the child a gift, in a feminist adaptation of the Nativity story.

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N is for Navidad
From the angel hung above the door to the zapatos (shoes) filled with grass for the wise men’s camels, each letter in this festive alphabet introduces children to a Spanish word, and each colorful page takes them through another joyous aspect of the 22 days of the traditional holiday.

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The Legend of Old Befana
This is a delightful reading of the favorite Italian Christmas story about an eccentric old woman and her never-ending search for the Baby King.

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The Spider’s Gift: A Ukrainian Christmas Story
Although Katrusya’s family cannot afford to celebrate Christmas, they cut a small pine tree in the forest, decorate it with buttons, and when baby spiders hatch in its branches, they especially enjoy the silvery webs that appear.

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Coyote Christmas: A Lakota Story
On Christmas Eve, Coyote wants to find some people to trick out of a hot meal. Sneaky Coyote is known in the Native American tradition as the Trickster. He knows that there’s one character people can’t refuse on Christmas Eve: Santa Claus! Using straw for a jolly belly and wool for his Santa’s beard, the Trickster fools a family into welcoming him to their Christmas meal. But just when he thinks he’s gotten away with his ruse, he’s foiled by a strange occurrence. Could it be a Christmas miracle?

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Jingle Bells
Join children on a Christmas sleigh ride around the world as they discover traditions from Mexico, Sweden, the Philippines, Poland, Italy, Kenya, and the United States. Festive illustrations show the customs and foods that each country has to offer. Music and lyrics are also included.

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Looking for a new book to read? Check in every Friday for a “Bee Happy” post, where I share reviews of books I’ve read or other book-themed lists.

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November 9, 2018 · 10:45 am

One Book a Month: Reading All Year Long

Hard to believe, but it’s about the time to start thinking of those New Year’s resolutions. If your resolution involves wanting to read more, this list is a great place to start!

There’s no need to dive in to reading one book a week, you can start simply with just one book a month…and what better way to look forward to the next book than to read something in the spirit of the season?

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Gathered and arranged specifically to put you in the festive mood from January through December, this list of 12 books encompasses a little something for everyone…some classics, some new releases, some graphic novels and even some short stories.

Happy reading!

One Book a Month: Reading All Year Long

January
A Year of Living Kindly: Choices That Will Change Your Life and the World Around You, Donna Cameron

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In A Year of Living Kindly, author Donna Cameron shares her experience committing to 365 days of practicing kindness. This is a great read for establishing a fresh start or a life goal come New Year’s.

February
Persuasion, Jane Austen

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Even if you’ve read Persuasion before, it’s certainly worth a re-read. A beautiful love story that’s probably one of Austen’s most reliable, the intimate romance between Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth will absolutely put you in the mood for Valentine’s Day.

March
In the Woods, Tana French

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As dusk approaches a small Dublin suburb in the summer of 1984, mothers begin to call their children home. But on this warm evening, three children do not return from the dark and silent woods. When the police arrive, they find only one of the children gripping a tree trunk in terror, wearing blood-filled sneakers, and unable to recall a single detail of the previous hours. Filled with atmospheric beauty, In the Woods will take you straight into the heart of Ireland.

April
A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There, Aldo Leopold

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Written with an unparalleled understanding of the ways of nature, A Sand County Almanac takes readers into the heart of Wisconsin, exploring the flaura and fauna that makes this state such a beauty in the heart of the spring (there are stunning illustrations, too!).

May
What To Do When I’m Gone: A Mother’s Wisdom to Her Daughter, Suzy Hopkins and Hallie Bateman

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What to Do When I’m Gone is the illustrated instruction manual for getting through life without one’s mom. It’s also a poignant look at loss, love, and taking things one moment at a time. During the month of Mother’s Day, this book will certainly make you more appreciative of the woman you love!

June
Small Great Things, Jodi Picoult

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With incredible empathy, intelligence, and candor, Jodi Picoult tackles race, privilege, prejudice, justice and compassion in her page-turning book, Small Great Things. A great book for a summer read, this novel will also open your heart and encourage discussion (this would also be a great read for a summer book club).

July
The Good Girl, Mary Kubica

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And speaking of summer reads, The Good Girl makes for an awesome beach read if you’re more of the thriller type. A stalker has been tracking Mia for days…and after a series of terrifying events, no one could have predicted the emotional entanglements that cause Mia’s family to shatter to pieces.

August
A Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson

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We all like to think we’re the nature type, but truth be told, not all of us are cut out for it. If you’re one who enjoys “glamping” rather than sleeping among the leaves, you’ll get a kick out of A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. A true account of his hike along the Appalachian Trail, this book will make you laugh out loud and appreciate, even more, the comfort of a bed and air conditioning!

September
A Thousand Days in Venice, Marlena de Blasi

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As summer turns to fall, warm your heart (and your belly!) with A Thousand Days in Venice. A true story about falling in love with a man and a city, this book brings you straight into the heart of Italy, complete with delicious recipes you can make at home to help you savor every page.

October
Nocturnes, John Connolly

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This haunting book of short stories will certainly get you in the Halloween spirit! With stories of various lengths, Nocturnes is great for reading before bed…if you’re brave enough…

November
The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well, Meik Wiking

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You know hygge when you feel it. It is when you are cuddled up on a sofa with a loved one, or sharing comfort food with your closest friends. It is those crisp blue mornings when the light through your window is just right. With helpful hints, tips and recipes to help you better achieve a sense of hygge, this little book is a quick, yet super informative read for embracing a more comfortable and cozy lifestyle.

December
Letters from Father Christmas, J.R.R. Tolkien

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Every December an envelope bearing a stamp from the North Pole would arrive for J.R.R. Tolkien’s children. Inside would be a letter in a strange, spidery handwriting and a beautiful colored drawing or painting. The letters were from Father Christmas. Collected here in this beautiful book, Letters from Father Christmas is a wonderful read that the whole family will enjoy.

Looking for a new book to read? Check in every Friday for a “Bee Happy” post, where I share reviews of books I’ve read or other book-themed lists.

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October 12, 2018 · 8:35 am

16 Creepy AF Paranormal Books

A few weeks ago, I shared a collection of 18 Creepy AF True Crime Books…and today, here’s the other half of that awesome collection – 16 Creepy AF Paranormal Books…just in time for Halloween!

From ghosts to goblins, UFO’s to yettis, this collection of paranormal books dares to explain the unexplainable. Including ghost anthologies, as well as fiction and non-fiction books in the paranormal realm, this book collection is a great one to add to your list this fall!

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16 Creepy AF Paranormal Books

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The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed & Lorraine Warren: The Demonologist reveals the grave religious process behind supernatural events and how it can happen to you.

This House is Haunted: The Investigation of the Enfield Poltergeist: In 1977, normal life ended for the Harper family. It began with a bang on the walls of their council house in Enfield. Then furniture started moving of its own accord…

Fringeology: How I Tried to Explain Away the Unexplainable…and Couldn’t: Steve Volk investigates what happens in the brains of people undergoing religious experiences, learns how to control his own dreams, and goes hunting for specters in his family’s old haunted house.

On Monsters: An Unnatural History of Our Worst Fears: Stephen Asma’s On Monsters is a wide-ranging cultural and conceptual history of monsters–how they have evolved over time, what functions they have served for us, and what shapes they are likely to take in the future.

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Unbelievable: Investigations into Ghosts, Poltergeists, Telepathy, and Other Unseen Phenomena: Stacy Horn explores science’s remarkable first attempts to prove—or disprove—the existence of the paranormal.

American Monsters: A History of Monster Lore, Legends and Sightings in America: Bigfoot, the chupacabra, and thunderbirds aren’t just figments of our overactive imaginations—according to thousands of eyewitnesses, they exist, in every corner of the United States. This book examines a hidden menagerie of America’s homegrown beasts.

Cops’ True Stories of the Paranormal: Ghosts, UFOS and Other Stories: Best selling author of over 50 books, retired cop Loren W. Christensen asked men and women in uniform—police officers, sheriff deputies, SWAT, command, correction officers, and MPs—to convey their experiences with the paranormal.

Roald Dahl’s Book of Ghost Stories: Who better to investigate the literary spirit world than that supreme connoisseur of the unexpected, Roald Dahl?

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Ghost Stories of an Antiquary: Renowned for their wit, erudition and suspense, these stories are each masterfully constructed and represent a high achievement in the ghost genre.

Bag of Bones: As Mike is drawn into a lover’s struggle, he is drawn into the mystery of the site of ghostly visitations and escalating terrors. What are the forces that have been unleashed here—and what do they want of Mike Noonan?

Dark Matter: Jack is not alone. Something walks there in the dark…

This House is Haunted: Eliza realizes that if she and a group of children are to survive a houses’ violent attentions, she must first uncover the hall’s long-buried secrets and confront the demons of its past…

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Her Fearful Symmetry: Audrey Niffenegger weaves a captivating story in Her Fearful Symmetry about love and identity, about secrets and sisterhood, and about the tenacity of life–even after death.

Eight Ghosts: Eight authors were given after hours freedom at their chosen English heritage site. Immersed in the history, atmosphere and rumors of hauntings, they channeled their darker imaginings into a series of extraordinary new ghost stories.

Anya’s Ghost: Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old well, a new friend was not one of them. Especially not a new friend who’s been dead for a century.

The Man in the Picture: The Man in the Picture is a haunting tale of loss, love, and the very basest fear of our beings.

Looking for a new book to read? Check in every Friday for a “Bee Happy” post, where I share reviews of books I’ve read or other book-themed lists.

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August 31, 2018 · 9:00 am

18 Creepy AF True Crime Books

When it comes to guilty pleasures of the literary kind, there’s nothing I like better than a good true-crime thriller.

Be it murder, mayhem, corruption or conspiracy, I’m all about those haunting stories that keep us up at night.

If you’re in the mood for something similar, check out this list of amazing true-crime books that will leave you itching for more…

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18 Creepy AF True Crime Books

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My Story, Elizabeth Smart

On June 5, 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was taken from her home in the middle of the night by a religious fanatic. Elizabeth was chained up, raped and hidden from view until her rescue nearly one year later. This book recounts her amazing story of survival in her own words.

The Stranger Beside Me: Ted Bundy: The Shocking Inside Story, Ann Rule

Ann Rule was a writer working on the biggest story of her life, tracking down a brutal mass-murderer. Little did she know that Ted Bundy, one of her closest friends, was the savage slayer she was hunting.

Finding Me: A Decade of Darkness, a Life Reclaimed, Michelle Knight

For more than a decade, Knight was kept hostage in a basement in Cleveland, Ohio. Kept in captivity with two other women, Knight and her fellow captors endured horrible torture and pain. Their escape in 2013 made headlines around the world and Knight’s account will leave you shook.

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In Cold Blood, Truman Capote

In November of 1959 in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by a shotgun to the face. There was no motive and there were no clues. As Capote tries to reconstruct the murder and the investigation that led to finding the killers, he generates great suspense and astonishing empathy, making this book a true classic.

Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders, Vincent Bugliosi

Prosecuting attorney in the Manson trial, Vincent Bugliosi, held a unique insider’s position in one of the most baffling and horrifying cases of the 20th century: the murders carried out by Charles Manson and his followers. This book recounts the story of these famous and haunting crimes.

The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair that Changed America, Erik Larson

In this engrossing book, Larson intertwines the true tale of the Chicago World’s Fair with the cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure victims to their death. A true must-read, especially if you’re from the Chicago area!

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Columbine, Dave Cullen

What really happened on April 20, 1999, the day two troubled teens decided to bring a whole arson of weapons into their school? Cullen, who was a reporter on the Columbine shooting for years, puts together an amazing account by combining first-hand interviews, insights from psychologists and the killers’ own words and drawings into a book that you’ll want to finish in one nail-biting sitting.

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer, Michelle McNamara

Written at the time of her sudden death, this book offers an atmospheric snapshot of a moment in American history that sent chills down the spines of the entire west coast. A book that may have helped lead to the capture of “the Golden State Killer”, this page-turner is made all the more bittersweet in that McNamara couldn’t see the subject of her study captured.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, John Berendt

Filled with sublime and seductive language, this book is an engaging portrait of a Southern city torn. On the morning of May 2, 1981, shots rang out in Savannah’s grandest mansion. Was it murder or self-defense? Berendt journeys to find out…

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Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery, Robert Kolker

Award-winning investigative reporter Robert Kolker delivers a humanizing account of the true-life search for a serial killer still at large on Long Island and presents the first detailed look at the shadow world of online escorts, where making a living is easier than ever, and the dangers remain all too real.

The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective, Kate Summerscale

In June of 1860 three-year-old Saville Kent was found at the bottom of an outdoor privy with his throat slit. The crime horrified all England and led to a national obsession with detection, ironically destroying, in the process, the career of perhaps the greatest detective in the land. This is the dramatic story of the real-life murder that inspired the birth of modern detective fiction.

People Who Eat Darkness: The True Story of a Young Woman Who Vanished from the Streets of Tokyo-and the Evil that Swallowed Her Up, Richard Lloyd Parry

Lucie Blackman – tall, blonde, and 21 years old – stepped out into the vastness of Tokyo in the summer of 2000, then disappeared forever. The following winter, her dismembered remains were found buried in a seaside cave. With a little something for everyone, this book is a non-fiction thriller, a courtroom drama and the biography of both a victim and a killer.

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American Fire: Love, Arson, and Life in a Vanishing Land, Monica Hesse

The arsons started on a cold November midnight and didn’t stop for months. Night after night, the people of Accomack County waited to see which building would burn down next, regarding each other at first with compassion, and later suspicion. The culprit, and the path that led to these crimes, is a story of twenty-first century America.

The Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple, Jeff Guinn

This is the story of preacher Jim Jones, the man responsible for the Jonestown Massacre – the largest murder-suicide in American history. Through FBI files, research and interviews, Guinn tries to piece together what led Jones to this tragedy at Jonestown.

My Dark Places, James Ellroy

In 1958 Jean Ellroy was murdered, her body dumped on a roadway in a seedy L.A. suburb.  Her killer was never found, and the police dismissed her as a casualty of a cheap Saturday night. James Ellroy was ten when his mother died, and he spent the next thirty-six years running from her ghost and attempting to exorcize it through crime fiction. In 1994, Ellroy quit running.  He went back to L.A., to find out the truth about his mother–and himself.

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The Midnight Assassin: Panic, Scandal, and the Hunt for America’s First Serial Killer, Skip Hollandsworth

In the late 1800s, the city of Austin, Texas was on the cusp of emerging from an isolated western outpost into a truly cosmopolitan metropolis. But beginning in December 1884, Austin was terrorized by someone equally as vicious and, in some ways, far more diabolical than London’s infamous Jack the Ripper. For almost exactly one year, the Midnight Assassin crisscrossed the entire city, striking on moonlit nights, using axes, knives, and long steel rods to rip apart women from every race and class. With vivid historical detail, Hollandsworth brings this terrifying saga to life.

The Road Out of Hell: Sanford Clark and the True Story of the Wineville Murders, Anthony Flacco

From 1926 to 1928, Gordon Stewart Northcott committed at least 20 murders on a chicken ranch outside of Los Angeles. His nephew, Sanford Clark, was held captive there from the age of 13 to 15, and was the sole surviving victim of the killing spree. Here, acclaimed crime writer Anthony Flacco―using never-before-heard information from Sanford’s son, Jerry Clark―tells the real story behind the case that riveted the nation. This book was also the inspiration for Clint Eastwood’s movie, The Changling.

The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder, Charles Graeber

When nurse Charlie Cullen was arrested in 2003, journalists were quick to dub him “The Angel of Death.” But Cullen was neither a mercy killer nor a simple monster. He was a son, a husband, a father, a best friend, and a valued caregiver. He was also implicated in the deaths of as many as 400 people, and may be the most prolific serial killer in American history.

Looking for a new book to read? Check in every Friday for a “Bee Happy” post, where I share reviews of books I’ve read or other book-themed lists.

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August 3, 2018 · 8:11 am

Around the World in 18 Cookbooks

Whether you’re craving traditional Indian food or your missing the delicious street food of Israel or Thailand, the next best thing to getting up and getting on a plane is to take a few steps to your kitchen.

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With this collection of amazing cookbooks from far-away places, you can easily re-create your regional favorites from the comfort of your own home.

Around the World in 18 Cookbooks

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Argentina
Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way, by Francis Mallmann

Brazil
The Brazilian Kitchen, by Leticia Moreinos Schwartz

China
Every Grain of Rice: Simple Chinese Home Cooking, by Fuchsia Dunlop

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Denmark
Scandinavian Comfort Food: Embracing the Art of Hygge, by Trine Hahnemann

Ethiopia
Teff Love: Adventures in Vegan Ethiopian Cooking, by Kittee Berns

France
Mastering the Art of French Cooking, by Julia Child (I mean, duh)

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Greece
Ikaria: Lessons on Food, Life and Longevity from the Greek Island Where People Forget to Die, by Diane Kochilas

Iceland
The Nordic Cookbook, by Magnus Nilsson

Israel
Jerusalem: A Cookbook, by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

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India
Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen: Traditional and Creative Recipes for the Home Cook, by Richa Hingle

Italy
Cooking with Nonna: Celebrate food and Family with Over 100 Classic Recipes From Italian Grandmothers, by Rossella Rago

Japan
Mastering the Art of Japanese Home Cooking, by Masaharu Morimoto

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Mexico
Mexico: The Cookbook, by Margarita Carrillo Arronte

Morocco
Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey and Lebanon, by Claudia Roden

Peru
Peru: The Cookbook, by Gaston Acurid

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Russia
Kachka: A Return to Russian Cooking, by Bonnie Frumkin Morales

Spain
Charcuteria: The Soul of Spain, by Jeffrey Weiss

Thailand
Simple Thai Food: Classic Recipes from the Thai Home Kitchen, by Leela Punyaratabandhu

Looking for a new book to read? Check in every Friday for a “Bee Happy” post, where I share reviews of books I’ve read or other book-themed lists.

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July 13, 2018 · 9:14 am

Books about Your Favorite Animals, Part 1

I’m always fascinated to learn about our animal brothers. The emotional range of elephants, the level of commitment from lobsters, the strategy and hierarchy of a wolf pack…the animal kingdom never ceases to amaze me.

Whenever I’m in a reading slump and I don’t know what to read next, I tend to gravitate towards books about animals. The Secret Life of Lobsters was one I read on a whim…and was completely captivated by their social and romantic lives (I know, so scandalous!).

Never Cry Wolf was the book that motivated me to be more proactive about protecting this beautiful, smart, amazing creature…and The Elephant’s Secret Sense helped open my eyes to an animal that’s smarter, kinder, and more protective than most people I know.

Creating a list of books about animals is daunting to say the least…therefore, I have decided to break this up into parts…the first section being brought to you today! Here are a few great books to read if you want to learn about everything from the rat to the platypus.

Books about Your Favorite Animals, Part 1

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Lobsters
The Secret Life of Lobsters: How Fisherman and Scientists are Unraveling the Mysteries of Our Favorite Crustacean

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Elephants
The Elephant’s Secret Sense: The Hidden Life of the Wild Herds of Africa

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Grizzly Bears
The Lost Grizzlies: A Search for Survivors in the Wilderness of Colorado

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Wolves
Never Cry Wolf: The Groundbreaking Book that Changed How the World Looks at the Wolf

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Squid
Kraken: The Curious, Exciting, and Slightly Disturbing Science of Squid

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Seahorse
Poseidon’s Steed: The Story of Seahorses, from Myth to Reality

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Octopus
The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness

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Crow
Gifts of the Crow: How Perception, Emotion, and Thought Allow Smart Birds to Behave Like Humans

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Bat
The Secret Lives of Bats: My Adventures with the World’s Most Misunderstood Mammals

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Pig
The Whole Hog: Exploring the Extraordinary Potential of Pigs

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Dog
How Dogs Love Us: A Neuroscientist and His Adopted Dog Decode the Canine Brain

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Giraffe
Tall Blondes

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Bees
Plan Bee: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about the Hardest-Working Creatures on the Planet

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Pigeons
Pigeons: The Fascinating Saga of the World’s Most Revered and Reviled Bird

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Rats
Rats: Observations on the History and Habitat of the City’s Most Unwanted Inhabitants

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Cod
Cod: A Biography of the First Fish that Changed the World

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Tuna
Tuna: A Love Story

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Fox
Foxes Unearthed: A Story of Love and Loathing in Modern Britain

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Platypus
Platypus: The Extraordinary Story of How a Curious Creature Baffled the World

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Looking for a new book to read? Check in every Friday for a “Bee Happy” post, where I share reviews of books I’ve read or other book-themed lists.

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June 29, 2018 · 7:00 am

Just 25 Book Memes that Will Have Book Lovers Shouting “ME TOO!”

Take a break from Friday reading and enjoy these hilarious (and true) memes for book lovers!

25 Book Memes for Book Lovers

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Looking for a new book to read? Check in every Friday for a “Bee Happy” post, where I share reviews of books I’ve read or other book-themed lists.

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April 27, 2018 · 8:26 am

How Many of the Greatest Books of All Time Have You Read?

So I recently stumbled upon an amazing site called thegreatestbooks.org…which is exactly what you think it is. Want to know the greatest books of 2000? The Greatest Books of 1900? The Greatest German Novels of the 20th Century? It’s all waiting for you!

While browsing around this site, I found a list of the greatest books of all time. ALL. TIME. I was a little skeptical about this list because they’re not really that open about how these lists are curated, but from what I could find, they reviewed more than 100 “best of” book lists from a variety of sources, then created an algorithm to determine how many times a particular book appears on a list…thus this greatest list is born.

Now this ultimate list is pretty cumbersome. I stopped after 5 pages, but it keeps going and going and going…there are actually more than 2,000 books on this list!

As a fun little Friday activity, I’ve gathered the top 100 books on this ultimate list to see how many we’ve all read! My score was pretty pitiful (I’ve only read 27 of the top 100)…but to be fair, I’m really not one for the classics…

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You can download your spreadsheet of the top 100 books here! Leave a comment below and let me know what your score is!

Looking for a new book to read? Check in every Friday for a “Bee Happy” post, where I share reviews of books I’ve read or other book-themed lists.

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