10 Books to Order, Read, Pre-Order, and Re-Read during Quarantine

A few years ago I wrote about books to order, pre-order, and re-read and had so much fun writing it that I decided to share another roundup for quarantine. I already mentioned that I preordered the new Susan Elizabeth Phillips book coming out in June, but below are a few books that are on my radar at this moment. A few I already own but have been saving, some are my favorites I want to re-read, and there are also a handful that I'm planning on ordering when I'm done with my current book stack.

1. The Road to Character by David Brooks. I was first introduced to this book when I went to a St. Jude event in Memphis. I ordered it as soon as I got back and it's been sitting on my bookshelf ever since. This is the absolute perfect time to read a book like this, so it's the next book I'll reading after my book club book choice.

2. Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas. I've always found this book to be a tough sell to my friends, I think mainly because of the scandalous sounding title. However, Lisa Kleypas never fails to deliver a juicy book with a fast moving plot and the best characters. I'm definitely going to reread this book during quarantine and suggest you do too, if only so you can dream about the (fictional!) Travis family.

3. Magnolia Table, Volume 2 by Joanna Gaines. I didn't really understand the Fixer Upper hype...until I actually watched the show. I totally get it now and love her Magnolia magazine and the recipes inside. They all seem easy and approachable, so I can't wait to order her book and try out a few recipes from Joanna's newest cookbook.

4. Daddy's Girls by Danielle Steel. I haven't read any of her books, but because she is so well regarded, I'm going to preorder her book coming out in June. It seems to be an interesting storyline and I'm always up for trying something new!

5. The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. It's no secret here that I'm a huge fan of his and this was the book that started it all. I highly recommend reading this book if you're ready to get your finances in order. There is a step by step plan for you to execute, which is exactly what I needed. If it wasn't too nerdy, I would add to this list his daughter, Rachel Cruze's book but I know not everyone is as finance focused as I am right now.

6. Queen Been by Dorothea Benton Frank. I bought this book two years ago, when I was going to Charleston for a friend's wedding and didn't quite get to it. It's been sitting on my shelf at home ever since, so I'll definitely be working through that stack and this will be one of the first to get through.

7. The Jetsetters by Amanda Eyre Ward. This was my second choice for book club. It seems like a fun, quick read with just the right amount of family drama. After I work through my long queue of books, this will definitely be ordered.

8. More Beautiful by Mark D. Sikes. I love going back to Mark D. Sikes' first book, so I'm eager for his second book to come out in the fall. It will be perfect timing, as I will be looking for fresh inspiration to dive into! I can't wait to preorder this book, because it's always fun to have something to look forward to at the end of summer.

9. Heaven, Texas by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. This was the book that started my SEP love and I will absolutely be rereading it this summer. It has everything from great writing, quick banter, and a quirky cast of characters. While I started the series with the second book, it didn't ruin the first book, It had to be You. I still recommend reading the series from start to finish though!

10. The Most Powerful Woman in the Room is You by Lydia Fenet. I'm eager to dive into this book, mainly because I love anything involving auctions and Lydia Fenet is a force within the industry. Even if you aren't involved in the art industry, everyone could learn a few things from someone who has such a presence

Happy reading,

ARS xx

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Currently...

Stopping myself from online shopping. While I did buy a two much needed Ann Mashburn pieces last month that never go on sale, I'm been dedicating the rest of my money to the four walls. Anything that is leftover is going right to my emergency fund! (FYI - Ann Mashburn is a designer I shared my love for in the past and is having a phenomenal sale.)

Preordering Susan Elizabeth Phillip's new book Dance Away with Me. SEP is by far my favorite author - her motto is "because life's too short to read depressing books". Reading an escape of your choosing, so why not pick a happy book. June can't come soon enough (for more reasons than this one)!

Battling with a florist to get my money back for a class I was unable to take due to the virus. I'm not one to bash companies online, so I'm not sharing the name of the florist. While I normally would just reschedule the class, my job future is very uncertain right now and every dollar counts right now. I will say that I'm very disappointed with the way it was handled, but they are now mailing out a check, so I'm at least grateful for that and will be eying the mail regularly.

Listing all of the charities I plan to support in the next couple of months. I've been so blessed in life and am extremely grateful for all I've been given. My favorite way to show my gratitude is by giving back to the community. Whether it's financial support or me showing up in person to lend a helping hand, there is nothing more satisfying than giving back to my community. Above is a snowflake from The Augusta Training Shop - one of many causes that is on my list.

Researching different CSA's to sign up for. I've always wanted to do a CSA and this year seems like it might be the time to sign up for one. I'm torn between two of them, but need to narrow it down before it is too late to sign up. The three I'm looking at, in case you are in Manhattan and also searching are Rocksteady Farm and Local Roots.

Hope everyone is staying sane,
ARS xx

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Designer Love: Julie Vos

I've only ever really fallen for one instagram ad to date and my purchase was so solid I shared it with you all last week. That being said, I'm in the danger zone of falling for the Julie Vos ads that are constantly popping up on my instagram feed. Pretty jewelry is hard to resist on a good day, let alone a stressful time like this. The pink and blue jewelry are particularly eye catching and what draws me in. I mean, an extra ring or bracelet won't hurt...right?

Staying strong for now,

ARS xx

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