The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend: Book Review

Last year I set a goal of reading 100 books in 2015. Unfortunately, I fell short of my goal. I ended up reading 73 books out of 100.

Even though I didn't reach my goal last year, I think that setting the goal benefited me because it encouraged me to set aside time to read more, and it helped to remind me that I had other things to do than constantly stream movies and tv shows.

This year I've set a goal of reading 90 books in 2016. It's a bit lower than last year's goal, but still more than I actually managed to read last year.

One of the books that I've enjoyed so far has been Katarina Bivald's The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend. I was first attracted to the book by the beautiful cover and by the comparison of the book to The Gurnsey Literary and Potato Peel Society.

 
The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend lived up to my expectations. It's a satisfying story about both love and books. A woman from Sweden travels to a small town in the US to meet her penpal who has unfortunately died shortly before her arrival. Instead of leaving, she decides to stay, and the townspeople take care of her and put up with her idea to open a bookstore dedicated to her friend. The plot itself seems improbable, but that won't in any way stop the reader from enjoying the story.

If you're a fan of romantic comedies and of books, chances are you would enjoy this book! You can find out more about The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend on Goodreads or on Amazon.

Disclosure: I received a e-copy of this book from Netgalley in order to review it. All opinions are my own, and I received no compensation other than the text itself.

Review of Women's Health Lift to Get Lean Book

Women's Health Lift to Get Lean: A Beginner's Guide to Fitness and Strength Training in 3 Simple Steps by Holly Perkins is the perfect book if you've been wanting to try strength training but don't know where to start. Holly, a certified strength and conditioning specialist starts the book by explaining all the benefits of incorporating strength training into your workout. If you're skeptical about building muscle, this part of the book will have you convinced that strength training is answer to getting the toned, feminine body that you want.

 I was already convinced strength training was the way to go (just look at Miss Mississippi who swears by strength training). What I needed was parts two, three, and four where Holly explains everything you need to know to get started. Part two has wonderful explanations of her simple three step system for building muscle and how to properly do each exercise. She even gives advice about how to navigate the weight training section of the gym without letting guys make you feel intimidated! To take the confusion out of knowing which exercises to do, part four goes over four plans that will take you from beginner, intermediate, and major transformation stages of strength training. Part four explains everything else you need to know to get started like tips for your first workout and food suggestions to fuel your workouts.

I bought the book a month ago, and I wanted to try it out for myself before I suggested it to other people. I've been working out consistently for a month now, and I'd definitely recommend it!

I'm usually skeptical of people promising major body transformations, but the book lined up with what I've learned from my undergraduate studies in Nutrition and Dietetics and my current graduate studies in Occupational Therapy learning about the anatomy and kinesiology of the body.

I love how Holly Perkins geared the strength training to work for the females instead of taking a male approach. I also loved how she covers everything in a way that's simple, so even though it was awkward the first few workouts to workout with the guys, I felt confident that I was performing the exercises correctly. The only con is that you do need a gym membership to do the workouts. I've found though since I'm paying for a membership that I've stuck with the workouts, and I've really started to enjoy pushing myself and using the weight equipment. This is a great book for all women who are looking for a way to get fit that's sustainable and that will change the way their bodies look!