My Bookstore Escapades + 10 New Books You Need to Read this June + July

I like to scroll through the books section on Amazon as if I'm in a bookstore perusing the shelves. I open links like I would grab eye-catching covers off the shelf and flip through a few of the pages. My strategy is to throw everything in my cart and pray that I don't accidentally check out and have to explain to Rick why I just spent $300 on Amazon. I consider that to be pure accident. I don't think he'd see it quite that "accidental" though.You see, I may have gone on a quick errand to Half Price the other night with a friend. I left with one book and spent less than $10. That's a book store win if I've ever heard of one. It's perfectly poised to answer a question another friend of mine and I are struggling with - really, the book found me.The next day, I casually sauntered into Mardel with a notion to "just check their clearance rack".Please. Cue your laughter now.I left with 7 books. Was it an accident? Was it serendipity? When you find a book you've wanted to read for 6 years for a whopping $1, what is a girl to do!?If you didn't answer with "grab all the books, throw your money at the register and run to your car because that's a steal," I'm not sure we can be friends. Okay, we can. I just may have a slight book obsession.Now that I've been scrolling through Amazon, what have I discovered? Way too many books. Too many books that have grabbed my face and said, "read me". Too many books that have pounced on my heart and are beckoning to be read. I'll be featuring my favorites here that are coming out over the next two months, but in case they aren't hitting you quite like they've stuck out to me, I've made an honorable mention category that you may love just as much. Let's face it, I'll probably be searching to read those too anyway. Those are the very struggles of being a bookworm, no?

Coming in June 2018 + Ready for Preorder

June 5 –When Life Hands You Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger

I struggled with whether or not to put this one on the list, but I kept coming back to it. If you're a Devil Wears Prada fan or even a little bit curious as to how the life of the assistant in the movie, Emily, is after the movie story ends, this is a fantastic one to pick up. I'm not so much a fan of the movie itself, but the curiosity bug has bitten, and I want to know how this plays out. This reads to be a the perfect book to grab and throw in a tote before you head out to the beach. It seems like this may be the third in a series but feels like it can easily stand alone.

June 5 – Redeeming How We Talk: Discover How Communication Fuels Our Growth, Shapes our Relationships, and Changes Our Lives by Ken Wystma + A.J. SowbodaFor awhile now, the use of language has fascinated me. It's intriguing that just tweaking a single word can convey a completely different message. In today's digital world, conversation is something that is going to the wayside. In-person conversations are not only a thing of the past, but when we do have conversation, they are almost always interrupted by showing something on your phone. This book aims to revive and understand conversation in a new way.June 5 – Alone Time: Four Seasons, Four Cities and the Pleasure of Solitude by Stephanie Rosenbloom

It's summer, which means it's time to find a world traveling kind of book. This book spans different cities and seasons around the globe. Traveling solo is one of the hardest things to imagine. Stephanie invites her readers into a new kind of travel book as she delves into the psychology, history and sociology of how happiness and solitude are intricately interlocked.

June 12 – Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water + Loving the Bible Again by Rachel Held Evans

This cover sparked me to pick it up. The description quickly thrust it to the top of my stack. Not that I'm not in love with the Bible per say, but there's just some Biblical tales that are... boring. Yes, boring. Rachel's attempt to bring them to life in new ways almost didn't catch my attention. We've all heard a Bible story brought to "modern day". The way she's attempting to tackle that through poetry, skits and even memoir makes me want to see what this ride will be like to fall in love with the Bible once again.

June 14 – The Weight of a Thousand Feathers by Brian Conhagen

Tough subjects are ahead in this weighty tale. Centered around a teenager caring for both his younger brother and ailing mom, uncertainty abounds. Questions are thrown around on all sides begging the ultimate question of how far will one go for love.

For me, this book causes a lump in my throat and a tightening in my stomach as I wonder what the outcome will be of all the questions and the decisions that a teenager has to make. A decision that I would never want to make.June 24 – Welcoming the Stranger: Justice, Compassion + Truth in the Immigration Debate by Matthew Soerens, Jenny Yang + Leith Anderson

Immigration is a tough topic. As part of my International Studies courses in college, I took an entire course on immigration which began my wrestling journey with how to reconcile what the laws of our land say versus what the Bible says to do. I'm still living in that tension. That hasn't stopped me from researching policies and hearing stories. This book combines both of those as they dive into this controversial topic from both sides.

Coming in July 2018 + Ready for Preorder

July 3 – After the Trip: Unpacking Your Cross-Cultural Experience by Cory Trenda + Tim Dearborn

Growing up, I went on several international mission trips. We always had a debriefing meeting both on the trip and once we were back home to discuss culture shock, how to take what we've learned and apply it where we could in our own lives. Sadly, as I've grown older and older, I don't see that practice. When I stumbled across this book, it stood out like a gem among rocks. Being veteran international trip leaders, they weave their wisdom, insight and stories along with practical tips into this handy guide for you to use before, on and after your trip both individually and as a group for the maximum way to allow it to change your life and not just let it be a one week thing.

July 10 – If You See Me, Don't Say Hi by Neel PatelStereotypes. They're everywhere. We naturally buy into them without really wrestling with what that means. Neel seeks to shed a light on those we often stereotype without truly knowing their stories. Focusing on first-generation Indian Americans, Neel helps us delve deep into some very drastically different stories. As stories develop, there is a tension between big cities and small towns, old world and new world, and of course traditional cultural ideals ie. arranged marriage as they but up against modern rituals like internet dating and Facebook stalking.July 17 – Eat Cake. Be Brave. by Melissa Radke

This book would have never been on my radar - until I listened to one interview with Melissa Radke a few months ago, that is. I fell in love with her instantly. She's super funny and really tells it like it is. There's no beating around the bush with her whether it's about her faith, her personal life or how she feels about red ribbon week. That is so incredibly refreshing to me. Her memoir focuses on what it took for her to be truly brave in her 40's.

July 24 – 30 by 30: How I Made a Mess of My Twenties, and You Can Too by Marina Shifrin

30 is closing in on me. Every now and then I get asked about my own 30 by 30 list. I've started one, but I've never been fully satisfied - plus, it's nowhere near 30! Marina made one and did it. All of it. Including quitting her job. She invites us on this journey with her as she seeks to figure out life while crossing things off her list no matter how small or wacky. Count me in! I need some of my own ideas for my 30 by 30.