By Jessica Tomes, TMD Social Media Director
“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.”
C.S. Lewis
I have always had a voracious appetite for the written word. My childhood best friends were books, and characters, and plots I still recall today. I can remember reading and rereading Roald Dahl’s Matilda and Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women until the pages were practically falling out of their bindings. I never went anywhere without a book in hand. A trip to the library or the local bookstore was a treasured outing, and many late nights were spent reading in bed by flashlight, hidden under the covers.
This early love affair with reading served me well during the entirety of my school career, and remained with me in adulthood. Though I don’t get to read as much as I would like to these busy days—mostly quick articles and blog posts on my cell phone or iPad as I scarf down a meal or a frantic cup of coffee—I try to make time for a little pleasure reading whenever I can squeeze it into my hectic, work-from-home, mommy of two schedule. Like on vacation, or while nursing my newborn at two in the morning.
Whether you are hoping to finally read that chick lit novel all your girlfriends have been gabbing about, or perhaps you are looking to read something with a little more gravitas, summertime is the perfect occasion to make a sizable dent on your own reading list. Cup of tea in hand, here are a few books I can’t wait to read this summer.
TMD Choice: The Beach Novel
Girls in White Dresses
Synopsis: Wickedly hilarious and utterly recognizable, Girls in White Dresses tells the story of three women grappling with heartbreak and career change, family pressure and new love—all while suffering through an endless round of weddings and bridal showers. With a wry sense of humor, Jennifer Close brings us through those thrilling, bewildering, what-on-earth-am-I-going-to-do-with-my-life years of early adulthood. These are the years when everyone else seems to have a plan, a great job, and an appropriate boyfriend, while Isabella has a blind date with a gay man, Mary has a crush on her boss, and Lauren has a goldfish named Willard. Through boozy family holidays and disastrous ski vacations, relationships lost to politics and relationships found in pet stores, Girls in White Dresses pulls us deep inside the circle of these friends, perfectly capturing the wild frustrations and soaring joys of modern life. From www.goodreads.com.
TMD Tea Pairing: White Chocolate Obsession
Just like the book I plan to read while sipping, Bigelow’s “White Chocolate Obsession” tea is both decadent and indulgent (in a good way). A dreamy blend of chocolate and robust black tea, a cup of this beverage is like a mini vacation unto itself, especially when paired with a touch of milk and the sweetener of your choice. And it’s only five calories per serving. Yum and yum.
TMD Choice: The Spiritual Read
One Thousand Gifts
Synopsis: Discover a way of seeing that opens your eyes to everyday amazing grace, a way of living that is fully alive, and a way of experiencing the constant presence of God that will bring you deep and lasting joy. There is purity in simplicity and a breathtaking beauty that can be found even in life’s slightest details. Author Ann Voskamp welcomes you in to explore her grace bathed life of farming, parenting and writing and encourages you to draw nearer to Him and experience your own life in a deeper way, no matter where you are. Renew your appreciation for the beauty that permeates all creation with the wisdom-soaked pages of this Christian living treasure. From www.christianbook.com.
TMD Tea Pairing: Madagascar Red Vanilla
Celestial Seasoning’s “Madagascar Red Vanilla” tea is one of my all-time favorites. This delicious red tea features Rooibos, a mellow and relaxing herb with a slightly nutty flavor, with hints of cherry and toffee—the rich vanilla flavor is the perfect complement. More than likely I will be reading One Thousand Gifts first thing in the morning, or closer to bedtime (the ideal times of day for spiritual enlightenment in my opinion), so this tea makes the perfect pairing.
TMD Choice: Personal and Professional Growth
Manage Your Day to Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind
Synopsis: Do you work at a breakneck pace all day, only to find that you haven’t accomplished the most important things on your agenda by the time you leave the office? With wisdom from 20 leading creative minds, 99U’s Manage Your Day to Day will equip you with pragmatic insights for using your time wisely and making your best work. We’ll show you how to build a rock solid daily routine, field a constant barrage of messages, find focus amidst chaos, and carve out the time you need to do the work that matters. From www.goodreads.com.
TMD Tea Pairing: Awake Brewed Tea
When I am not guzzling coffee, Starbucks “Awake” tea is my go-to beverage of choice in those occasions when I need a little pick me up. If you are going to read a book about becoming more successful at managing your time and work flow, this bold, black breakfast tea seems like a no-brainer must drink choice.
Method for My Madness: Plain and simple, Girls in White Dresses is my guilty pleasure read selection. (Let’s be honest, my number one qualification for a beach or pool read is the expected fun factor.) I am constantly hearing good things about One Thousand Gifts so I think it is high time that I make the time to read it. I am forever guilty when it comes to overscheduling and living at a frantic, breakneck pace—so I hope this book and the author’s story help me to re-evaluate my own priorities, and to live a more intentional existence. Successfully managing my time has always been a struggle for me. A perfectionist to the core, I am notorious for waiting until the last possible minute to complete an assignment, so as to avoid rewriting my own work 52 times. I hope Manage Your Day to Day helps me to create a better working schedule for myself as we head into the second half of 2014. Crossing my fingers!
What are you guys hoping to read this summer? We would love to hear; feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments section below! We might even have to add them to our own summer reading lists…
Born and raised in Southeast Texas, Jessica currently lives in Billings, Montana with her husband Tyler, her one year old Savannah, and the newest addition to the family, Emma Kate (three months). Jessica graduated from Texas Christian University where she studied Broadcast Journalism. A writer, blogger, and fashion enthusiast, Jessica also owns her own business: Jessica Morgan Photography and Events. She loves everything about weddings, and is so excited to have joined the team at Tamara Menges Designs!