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2021 Books To Date

written by Parita Leave a Comment

I set a reading goal of 21 minutes in 2021, and while I haven’t ticked it off every single day, I have gotten through some really good books. I’m now also lowering the bar to ‘however many minutes in 2021.’ HA!

With that, here are my 2021 books to date…with my personal rating (as you can see, I’ve made some good selections so far)!

  1. A Promised Land – Barack Obama – 10/10
  2. Untamed – Glennon Doyle – 10/10
  3. The Nightingale – Kristin Hannah – 9/10
  4. Untold – Brown Girl Magazine and Modern Marigold Press – 10/10
  5. Anxious People – Frederik Backman – 9/10
  6. The Four Winds – Kristin Hannah – 8/10
  7. Life’s Too Short – Abby Jimenez – 8/10
  8. One to Watch – Kate Stayman-London – 7/10
  9. Professional Troublemaker – Luvie Ajayi Jones – currently reading
  10. People We Meet on Vacation – Emily Henry – reading next
  11. What a Happy Family – Saumya Dave – reading next

Now tell me – what do I need to add to the list for the second half of the year?

Written on June 7, 2021 Related:Book, Uncategorized

2019 Reading List + 2020 Reading Goal

written by Parita 4 Comments

I’ve always loved to read. Ask my mom. My obsession was so intense that I used to try and read in the dark when I was supposed to be sleeping. Of course, back then, my books of choice were everything The Baby Sitters Club…man those were the days!

Over the years, I’ve evolved in my reading preferences. Now, I love everything from self-help/personal development to suspense to romance to historical fiction…and the list goes on. If my 2019 reading list reveals anything at all, it’s that my book choices don’t follow any real pattern. I just go by what I’m feeling at the time and try to find something that fits my mood and needs (re: toddler development books. HAHA!).

With that being said, let’s talk about 2019. I set a goal back in January to read 12 books over the course of the year, and I’m happy to report that I met it! No more, no less. And while I’m happy with how much and what I read, I know I can do better. That crazy, read-in-the-dark Par is still inside of me wanting to devour books left and right. And she’s making a comeback in 2020.

Soooo…in 2020, I plan to read 20 BOOKS! That’s eight more than this year, but it’s still not a ton. Little by little, people!

And I’m officially a City of Chicago public library card holder, so hopefully the means I’ll be able to access more great books! SO EXCITED!

Here’s my 2019 list of what I read…

Clickable links for easy access

  1. No Bad Kids*
  2. Becoming*
  3. One Day in December
  4. An American Marriage
  5. I’m Judging You
  6. Searching for Sylvie Lee*
  7. I’ll Never Tell*
  8. How Toddlers Thrive*
  9. Things You Save in a Fire
  10. American Royals*
  11. The Tattooist of Auschwitz*
  12. The Resilience Drive*

*personal favorites

And as always, I’ll continue to share book reviews over on my Instagram page. Follow me! And don’t forget to share your favorite reads with me at any time. I’m always looking for suggestions from fellow book worms!

No portion of this post is sponsored.  However, affiliate links are included. There is no extra cost to you, but I do receive a small commission on anything you buy through my links.  Thank you for reading and supporting My Inner Shakti!

Written on December 30, 2019 Related:Book

Updates + Books + Recipes + Games

written by Parita Leave a Comment

Ready or not, here comes a random but hopefully informative post!

First up, life updates…

There have been some changes at work, which means more/elevated responsibilities for me. This also means I’ll be travelling to Rome, Italy for a week in March. So much going on!

I recently shared on Instagram that Vishnu’s on night float for the rest of this week and next. This usually throws me off, but this time around, I’m really trying not to let it get to me. I know we’re only a few days in, but I think I’m doing a great job. Positive self-talk + slowing down a little really helps.

The one thing throwing me off has nothing to do with night float. Kaiden’s been waking up earlier than usual, and it’s exhausting! He wanted to party from 1-2 am the other night! Silly boy! When he wakes up before 5:30, I bring him in our room, so we can both get a little bit more rest. I don’t know if that’s the best move because now he literally points to our room and then our bed. It’s like he wakes up just so he can come sleep with me! Not necessarily the best habit, but I kind of love it. He’s such a cute snugly bug when he sleeps! We shall see where this takes us…

He’s lucky he’s cute!!

Now on to a few book recommendations!

My 2019 goal is to read 24 books. That’s two per month. I’m a little behind at this point but hoping I can make up for it soon.

Here’s what I’ve read so far…

No Bad Kids by Janet Lansbury
Becoming by Michelle Obama

Up next I’ll be reading One Day in December by Josie Silver.

Now, get ready because you’re going to get a little hungry…here are a few recipes I’ve recently tried and LOVED!

IP Lasagna Soup by The Chutney Life – I’ve made this twice now, and it’s been a hit both times!

IP Masala Khichdi by The Chutney Life – not surprising…another fav! Love the masala aspect to this recipe!

Energy Balls by The Lean Green Bean – you guys know I love Lindsay’s recipes! This one is full of all the good stuff and both adult and kid tested and approved. Kaiden ate two balls last night and probably would’ve had more if I let him!

I got a few messages on Instagram about the games I shared in my stories over the weekend. We played Codenames Pictures (so fun, so hard!), 5 Second Rule (so intense…leaves me so flustered and goofy!), and the age old favorite, Cards Against Humanity. All great options to have on hand for game night!

Guys, I wanted to share some new makeup products I’m using too, but I’m tired and feel like the more responsible thing would be be to go the f to sleep! HA! I’ll share a roundup very soon.

Happy Valentine’s Thursday, y’all! Don’t forget to eat a little chocolate today!

No portion of this post is sponsored.  However, affiliate links are included. There is no extra cost to you, but I do receive a small commission on anything you buy through my links.  Thank you for reading and supporting My Inner Shakti!

Written on February 14, 2019 Related:random, review

Library of books

29 Fiction Books to Add to Your Reading List

written by Parita 4 Comments

I put a call out to my followers on Instagram the other day for their favorite fiction books.  I’ve been reading a lot of non-fiction lately and just want a good book or two that I can get lost in – good story line, great character development, etc.  I said I have no preferences for genre…any and all recommendations are welcome!

And boy did people deliver (THANK YOU)!  I got so many great recommendations that there was no way I couldn’t share the list via a dedicated blog post.  So if you’re like me and just looking for a good book, I think you’ll find at least one below.  Happy reading!

Library of books

Pachinko

The Last Mrs. Parrish

The Hate U Give

Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk

Beartown

Us Against You

Little Fires Everywhere

This Must Be the Place

This is How It Always Is

The Handmaid’s Tale

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness

The Almost Sisters

Crazy Rich Asians*

China Rich Girlfriend*

Rich People Problems*

I Like My Life

Small Great Things

The Woman in Cabin 10

The Nightingale

The Night Circus

A Place For Us

When Katie Met Cassidy

The Sympathizer

Great Kitchens of the Midwest

Elegance of the Hedgehog

A Visit from the Goon Squad

Emma Ever After

Eligible

The Kite Runner*

*Books I’ve read.  Clearly, I have some work to do!

No portion of this post is sponsored.  However, affiliate links are included. There is no extra cost to you, but I do receive a small commission on anything you buy through my links.  Thank you for reading and supporting My Inner Shakti!

Written on August 15, 2018 Related:Book

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