Monday, March 12, 2012

Recommended Reads

Happy Monday! (If you're in to Mondays that is)

Considering the family and I have just finished stupendous books, I figured it a good time to share some worthy reads with you.

Sharing is caring. :)

First off, is a book the hubby just finished. (Non Fiction)  It's called BORN TO RUN: A Hidden Tribe, Super athletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen BY Christopher McDougall 

If you're a runner, you need to read this book! It just may change the way you view running shoes.
From Goodreads:
Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world’s greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong.
As my hubby was reading this book, he kept sharing little insights he would learn. I found it really neat and I didn't even read the book! Check it out!

My kiddo has found a new series which she has been highly enjoying. (Middle Grade) The first in the series is Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute (Lunch Lady #1)  by







From Goodreads:
When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy finds out her mother might've been telling the truth. With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - and it's one she's not sure if she wants to be a part of.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I knew the hype, but I don't usually agree with hyped books. But I won it on Goodreads a few months (probably MORE than a few months) ago. Finally, I got around to reading it. I'm so sorry I didn't start it sooner. I was hooked from the first sentence: " A couple of things made that day stand out more than any other: it was my sixth birthday, and my mother was wielding a knife."
Loved that!
She must have sprinkled crack cocaine in between the pages because I read it in two days, and now I can't wait to read the rest of the series. :)
One side note: For those who are sensitive, there is a choice word used in the book. It's the big one, but only used once and in a dire situation.

So those are the recommended reads form the Shirk household. Hope you get a chance to check some of them out!

Have any good reads to recommend?

29 comments:

Laura Pauling said...

I enjoyed Switched too! I'm always wary of hyped books b/c sometimes they disappoint. Lunch Lady looks good!

Unknown said...

My husband loved "Born to Run." Of course with the marathons and half marathons under his belt, I think the guy was born to run - so it makes sense :) I would probably enjoy "Lunch Lady" because I actually was a lunch lady at a camp when my husband and I met. He asked me out even with the plastic gloves and apron (I drew the line at the hair net), so I knew it was true love. Lol.

Unknown said...

My husband loved "Born to Run." Of course with the marathons and half marathons under his belt, I think the guy was born to run - so it makes sense :) I would probably enjoy "Lunch Lady" because I actually was a lunch lady at a camp when my husband and I met. He asked me out even with the plastic gloves and apron (I drew the line at the hair net), so I knew it was true love. Lol.

Old Kitty said...

Yay!! What a great family and great family reads!! Thanks for the review and info to these books! I love that first line from Switched!!

Take care
x

Linda G. said...

Those all sound great -- thanks for sharing your thoughts on them. Two of my brothers are marathoners, so I might have to get Born to Run for them.

Nancy said...

Lunch Lady looks like so much fun. I'm always open to new children's books. I do enjoy these in a series.

Karen Baldwin said...

Thanks for sharing. It always helps when someone else has read a book I've been considering.

Southpaw said...

I haven't read switched but I did read another book by Hocking. It was pretty darn good.

Linda Kage said...

And...my must read list grows longer!! Thanks for the recommendations! I'm going to have to check out Hex Halls too!

Wendy Paine Miller said...

Lunch Lady--excellent & Born to Run sounds right up my alley!
~ Wendy

LTM said...

FANtastic!!! Thanks so much for these, Jennifer! I think I have Switched on my Kindle, but I haven't read it yet. I was wary, too. That Lunch Lady will be perfect for Cat, and I wonder if hubs would like the running book. He's one of those who'll take off out the front door and 12 miles later he's back. I often compare him to a dog off it's leash. But he hates "runner talk." He thinks it's so pretentious and annoying... is it like that? Otherwise, he loves NF~ :o) <3

Rula Sinara said...

I just jotted them down, thanks! And I've recently started into jogging...

Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell said...

Switched won me over with that first line too. So glad you shared it; now I have to read it!

Terri Tiffany said...

I never heard of Switched but it sounds great! Love that opening line --if she wrote the rest of the book as well it must be good!
My husband might enjoy that other book as he is a runner and actually loves it.

Laura S. said...

Thanks for the recommendations! I'm a runner and must check out that running book. Sounds fascinating and fun!

I was on vacation snowboarding in Vermont last week and I bought six new books as my souvenirs, LoL. It makes sense to me since whenever I read them or see them on my bookshelf I'll think of my vacation! (Plus two are by Vermont authors. Totally legitimate souvenirs I think!) So once I get through them I should have some good book recs. :)

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

Natch, I've heard all the buzz about Amanda Hocking, but have never read any of her books. After seeing that first sentence, I may have to give that book a try, though. Another book I'd recommend is "The Role of a Lifetime." Let's see, that was written by ... ooh, what's her name? A really nice gal. Oh yeah, Jennifer ... Jennifer Something. Shirk, isn't it? Yes, that's it! Lovely book. (I really DID like it.)

Karen Lange said...

Thanks for the info, Jennifer. I recently finished Julie Klassen's The Lady of Milkweed Manor, enjoyed it very much.

Happy Monday to you too! :)

Carol Kilgore said...

I'm looking for some new books - I'll check out Switched. I think my niece would like Lunch Lady.

Kristin Rae said...

Oh I wish my hubs would read. He just doesn't want to. :(

I've been wondering about Switched! Glad to hear you enjoyed it :)

Shelley Munro said...

The running book sounds interesting. Actually your entire selection sounds interesting. I have an Amanda Hocking book on my to-read pile. I think I need to start it now.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

I'm not a runner, but I want to read that book :)

Jennifer Shirk said...

Thanks, Susan!
That's so nice to hear!

Susan Fields said...

My husband is a runner and reads plenty of books on running - I'll definitely have to tell him about Born to Run!

Susan Fields said...

Or better yet, I'll buy it for him for our anniversary next month - I never know what to get him!

Sarah Tokeley said...

Okay, I'm intrigued by Switch :-)

Jessica R. Patch said...

Thanks for the reads, girl! Sweet!

Jessica Nelson said...

Hmmm, the running book actually looks really interesting! And I don't usually read non-fiction.

I've been wary of Hocking's stuff but since I saw your review, and now reading the first sentence/premise, it sounds pretty good!

Cheryl Klarich said...

Those look like a lot of fun!!
I just watched a movie of The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin- I'd forgotten how much I love silly YA!!

TheBookGirl said...

Thanks for this fun glimpse into your family's reading choices :)

The one your husband read sounds fascinating to me; I want to see if my library has a copy.