{"id":5799,"date":"2022-08-15T10:31:52","date_gmt":"2022-08-15T10:31:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/?p=5799"},"modified":"2022-08-15T11:15:14","modified_gmt":"2022-08-15T11:15:14","slug":"what-i-read-in-july","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/everything-else\/what-i-read-in-july\/","title":{"rendered":"What I read in July"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sharing the books I read in July and if I\u2019d recommend adding them to your list!<\/em><\/p>\n

Hi friends! How are ya? Hope you\u2019re enjoying the morning so far! We\u2019re back from a super quick trip to San Diego to celebrate Max\u2019s Bar Mitzvah. I wish we could have stayed longer (!), but we managed to do as many San Diego adventures (and eat as much as much amazing food) as possible. I\u2019ll share some more pics and adventures in this week\u2019s Friday Faves.<\/p>\n

For today\u2019s post, I\u2019m sharing the books I read last month! I\u2019ve been slacking a little bit on IHP studying,<\/a> but managed to read five books in July. Sharing the goods (and not-so-good\u2026) below! If there\u2019s anything I need to add to my list this fall, please lmk!<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

(Suit is here.<\/a> One of my faves!)<\/p>\n

What I Read in July<\/h2>\n

The Alchemist<\/em><\/a><\/h3>\n

The Alchemist<\/em><\/a> seemed to me like one of those books that \u201ceveryone has to read.\u201d It\u2019s received overwhelming positive reviews, is frequently recommended in my online book groups, and I appreciated it was rejected by various publishing houses before becoming a worldwide sensation. It reminds me of a fable, and is very short and easy to read. It\u2019s based on the story of a shepard named Santiago who seeks out to find treasure and various characters and situations he encounters on the way. Despite obstacles during his journey, he remains dedicated to achieving his \u201cPersonal Legend.”<\/p>\n

The Alchemist<\/em><\/a> demonstrates that the journey can sometimes be more important that the destination, the importance of staying committed to our goals, and that our desired destination sometimes isn\u2019t what we truly need or expect. \u00a0While I did enjoy the message behind the book, it\u2019s not in my top five favorite books. I felt like I could have read the Cliff\u2019s Notes synopsis and been completely satisfied. My rating: 6\/10<\/p>\n

From Amazon<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

\u00a0Paulo Coelho’s enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world. This story, dazzling in its simplicity and wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an Alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles along the way But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a meditation on the treasures found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is art eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Obesity Code<\/em><\/a><\/h3>\n

I\u2019ve heard Dr. Jason Fung speak on a few podcasts and really appreciate his perspective and knowledge, so I was excited to read his book, The Obesity Code<\/em><\/a>. Just a heads up, if you order this, make sure you receive the correct version! I ordered a copy from this page<\/a>, and received a book that was actually written by Dr. Jason K. FUNG, aka a bot based out of another country. I\u2019ll share some of the text on IG stories, but the Pilot refused to let me return it because we were cackling with laughter reading it.<\/p>\n

Sooooo once you have the correct version, I highly recommend. He explores the tie between insulin resistance and many of the common health issues we face today as a society, as well as an action plan for how to maintain more stable blood sugar and improve insulin response. He also dives into obesity and why weight loss can be so difficult to maintain, as it diminishes your metabolic baseline. It was a valuable and enjoyable read, but some portions were redundant, so I give it a 9\/10.<\/p>\n

From Amazon<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

Everything you believe about how to lose weight is wrong. Weight gain and obesity are driven by hormones – in everyone – and only by understanding the effects of insulin and insulin resistance can we achieve lasting weight loss.<\/p>\n

In this highly listenable and provocative book, Dr. Jason Fung sets out an original, robust theory of obesity that provides startling insights into proper nutrition. In addition to his five basic steps – a set of lifelong habits that will improve your health and control your insulin levels – Dr. Fung explains how to use intermittent fasting to break the cycle of insulin resistance and reach a healthy weight – for good.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

It Ends with Us<\/em><\/a><\/h3>\n

My first Colleen Hoover book and I was excited to see if it lived up to the hype! I read the entire book<\/a> in one sitting (on our flight to Hawaii), and was locked in the entire time. Even though the plot is very good (trigger warning: contains domestic abuse), I found her writing to be lackluster. Don\u2019t throw anything at me, but after reading so much vivid and descriptive storytelling over the past couple of years, it felt like there was so much untapped potential. Even so, I\u2019ll absolutely be reading more of her books. 7\/10<\/p>\n

From Amazon:<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

\u00a0Lily hasn\u2019t always had it easy, but that\u2019s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She\u2019s come a long way from the small town where she grew up\u2014she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. And when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily\u2019s life seems too good to be true.<\/p>\n

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He\u2019s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn\u2019t hurt. Lily can\u2019t get him out of her head. But Ryle\u2019s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his \u201cno dating\u201d rule, she can\u2019t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.<\/p>\n

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan\u2014her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

One Italian Summer<\/em><\/a><\/h3>\n

This was probably my second favorite read of the summer (next to Book Lovers<\/em>). I also read this book in one sitting (the flight home from Hawaii) and it was magical. I LOVED that it was set in the Amalfi Coast (I\u2019m drying to go back) and I really love this author\u2019s style of writing. She also wrote\u00a0In Five\u00a0Years<\/em>, which I highly recommend. 10\/10 if you\u2019re looking for a breezy and enjoyable read.<\/p>\n

From Amazon<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

When Katy\u2019s mother dies, she is left reeling. Carol wasn\u2019t just Katy\u2019s mom, but her best friend and first phone call. She had all the answers and now, when Katy needs her the most, she is gone. To make matters worse, their planned mother-daughter trip of a lifetime looms: to Positano, the magical town where Carol spent the summer right before she met Katy\u2019s father. Katy has been waiting years for Carol to take her, and now she is faced with embarking on the adventure alone.<\/p>\n

But as soon as she steps foot on the Amalfi Coast, Katy begins to feel her mother\u2019s spirit. Buoyed by the stunning waters, beautiful cliffsides, delightful residents, and, of course, delectable food, Katy feels herself coming back to life.<\/p>\n

And then Carol appears\u2014in the flesh, healthy, sun-tanned, and thirty years old. Katy doesn\u2019t understand what is happening, or how\u2014all she can focus on is that she has somehow, impossibly, gotten her mother back. Over the course of one Italian summer, Katy gets to know Carol, not as her mother, but as the young woman before her. She is not exactly who Katy imagined she might be, however, and soon Katy must reconcile the mother who knew everything with the young woman who does not yet have a clue.<\/p>\n

Rebecca Serle\u2019s next great love story is here, and this time it\u2019s between a mother and a daughter. With her signature \u201cheartbreaking, redemptive, and authentic\u201d (Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author) prose, Serle has crafted a transcendent novel about how we move on after loss, and how the people we love never truly leave us.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Bodyguard<\/em><\/a><\/h3>\n

This was a Book of the Month<\/a> find, and while I wasn\u2019t super excited about the plot, I figured I\u2019d give it a whirl. I LOVED this book.<\/a> The writing was witty, the storyline was sweet and unexpected, and the whole book was a lighthearted treat. If you\u2019re looking for a light cupcake of a book, definitely check this one out. 10\/10<\/p>\n

From Amazon<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

She\u2019s got his back.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with a wine bottle opener. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. But the truth is, she\u2019s an Executive Protection Agent (aka “bodyguard”), and she just got hired to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton from his middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s got her heart.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jack Stapleton\u2019s a household name\u2015captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, famous for, among other things, rising out of the waves in all manner of clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity. But a few years back, in the wake of a family tragedy, he dropped from the public eye and went off the grid.<\/p>\n

They\u2019ve got a secret.<\/strong><\/p>\n

When Jack\u2019s mom gets sick, he comes home to the family\u2019s Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn\u2019t want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah\u2015against her will and her better judgment\u2015finds herself pretending to be Jack\u2019s girlfriend as a cover. Even though her ex, like a jerk, says no one will believe it.<\/p>\n

What could possibly go wrong???<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hannah hardly believes it, herself. But the more time she spends with Jack, the more real it all starts to seem. And there lies the heartbreak. Because it\u2019s easy for Hannah to protect Jack. But protecting her own, long-neglected heart? That\u2019s the hardest thing she\u2019s ever done.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

I\u2019m still using Book of the Month<\/a>, but I\u2019ve skipped it for a few months because I haven\u2019t been intrigued by their latest selections. Crossing my fingers that they\u2019ll offer more this fall that I want to read!<\/p>\n

So, tell me, friends: what\u2019s the best book you read lately?<\/p>\n

What\u2019s on your list right now?<\/p>\n

xoxo<\/p>\n

Gina<\/p>\n

The post What I read in July<\/a> appeared first on The Fitnessista<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sharing the books I read in July and if I\u2019d recommend adding them to your list! Hi friends! How are ya? Hope you\u2019re enjoying the morning so far! We\u2019re back from a super quick trip to San Diego to celebrate Max\u2019s Bar Mitzvah. I wish we could have stayed longer (!), but we managed to\u2026
\nThe post What I read in July appeared first on The Fitnessista.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5801,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":""},"categories":[20,1,21,22,19],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5799"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5799"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5799\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5807,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5799\/revisions\/5807"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5801"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5799"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5799"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5799"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}