Reading Journey: Emotional Agility by Susan David Part 1

Hi, book lover!

Thank you for visiting my blog.

I have started a new book by Susan David, Emotional Agility. I am thrilled to share with you my reading journey.

I chose this book because I am fascinated by the power of our thoughts and emotions. I have read several books about it such as Richard Schwartz's No Bad Parts and Altogether You by Jenna Riemersma. They opened my mind to the important roles of our thoughts and emotions, especially the "negative ones" to our well-being.

When I came across this book, I grabbed it hoping to learn more about myself which is the first step of being a master of my thoughts and emotions.

So far, I have learned how we get ensnared by situations and get carried away by our feelings. David discussed the steps to face these challenges and learn from them.

Memorable Quote

"There’s a misconception that you need to be tough on yourself to maintain your edge. But people who are more accepting of their own failures may actually be more motivated to improve."

Thoughts and Reflections

How our mind works is really fascinating. This meaning machine is nonstop analyzing all information around us, making sense of the environment, and making sure we are safe. It is the mechanism that we inherit from our ancestors. But here's the tricky part. It still operates in a way that it did thousands of years ago. We became anxious about things that were not directly causing us physical pain -- speaking in front of the crowd, taking a test, and trying new things. I think the mind still believes that they are lions that would attack us. That's why we have to process every thought and emotion to help us see the real facts that could help us overcome any challenges.

🙋‍♀️Question

Do you like reading self-help books? Feel free to share in the comments below!

I can't wait to see how Emotional Agility works for me.

Join me next time for more insights and discussions.

Reading Journey 4: The Boys by Katie Hafner

Hello, fellow bookworm!

I just finished Katie Hafner's novel, The Boys. 

More intriguing elements and shocking twists that were revealed towards the end of the story made me understand Ethan more, emotions were also getting deeper, and invitations to reflect on personal growth grew stronger. I am excited to share with you my reflections. 

Heads-up! Spoilers ahead. 

The story is about Ethan Fawcett who is an introverted person. He married Barb who is his exact opposite, she's outgoing and loves to socialize. They were happy at the beginning of their relationship, but everything went south after getting married and factoring in having children. Barb brought home twin boys to foster them. Aggravated by Ethan's past trauma and the pandemic, he became obsessed with taking care of the boys to the point it affected his relationship with Barb. When they separated, Ethan went to Italy with the boys, and in my previous post, I said that I was scared about what would happen to them. 

It turned out that his time in Italy was the moment of profound realization about his past, his relationship with Barb and the boys, and his future. 

This book resonated with me, and I find myself in Ethan who is introverted, aloof, and solitary. I was shocked at the story's ending but relieved that he finally saw what was important to him. If he were my friend, I would hope that he began exploring or discovering how to process his past.

 

I'm not a big fan of character-driven stories but the high quality of writing and great characterization made me enjoy the book so much. 

Memorable Quote

"You are so much more amazing than you can possibly know..."

Thoughts and Reflections

Sometimes our past can affect our present. The pain that we experience holds on to our memories, in the deepest parts of our subconscious minds. When faced with a triggering event or challenging situation, our response is clouded with that pain. As far as I'm concerned, self-awareness and acceptance are two of the essential things that we need to dismantle the past's grip on us. 

🙋‍♀️ Question

Do you like character-driven stories like The Boys? Why or why not? Feel free to share in the comment section. 

So this is the end of my reading journey with this book.  Thank you so much for dropping by. 

If you are interested in knowing my reading experiences in the beginning, check these out: 

Reading Journey 1

Reading Journey 2

Reading Journey 3

Reading Journey 3: The Boys by Katie Hafner

Hello, fellow bookworm!

Today I'm going to share with you updates on the book that I am reading, The Boys by Katie Hafner. 

It's about an introverted man Ethan who fell in love with Barb, an extroverted woman. They thought that they complemented each other but it turns out their differences drove them apart. 

In the beginning, Ethan left the most impression on me because of his introvertedness to which I could relate. His sad childhood made me identify with him more. When he met Barb, it's so nice seeing he's opening up to new experiences. Barb was his total opposite. She loved to explore the world. 

They got married, went to an amazing escapade in Italy, but when they fostered twin boys, their relationship became wobbly. It was aggravated by the pandemic when people globally literally stayed and worked from home. This part made the story realistic as I also experienced staying at home, social distancing, and the wearing of the mask and plastic face shield. 

The strain in Ethan and Barb's relationship saddened me. I was rooting for the both of them. But sometimes, love fades because of differences and it's just sad that they weren't able to work it out. 

Now, Ethan made decisions that could complicate things. He brought the twins with him to Italy where he and Brab spent their honeymoon. I am bracing myself for the worst things that could happen to them. 

Memorable Quote

"...people’s personalities and proclivities often emerge from crises in more pronounced form.”

Thoughts and Reflections

They say that opposite attracts but the differences could take a toll on the relationship in the long run. When breaking up is inevitable, there's nothing that could be done but accepting it and move on, which is truly difficult. 

🙋‍♀️ Question 

A year after the pandemic, I started book blogging to help me cope my anxiety. Did you also start something like a hobby during that time? Feel free to share in the comments. 

I think I will be able to finish the book in 2 days and I can't wait to share my thoughts. 

Thank you for dropping by and reading my reading journey. 

'Til next time. 😊

Reading Journey - Day 2: The Boys by Katie Hafner

Hello, fellow bookworm!

In today's post, I want to go deeper into the world created by 'The Boys' written by Katie Hafner. 

Let me share with you the book description:

A tour-de-force novel about love, the yearning for connection, and the ways in which childhood trauma plays out in adult life.

When introverted Ethan Fawcett marries Barb, he has every reason to believe he will be delivered from a lifetime of solitude. One day Barb brings home two young brothers, Tommy and Sam, for them to foster, and when the pandemic hits, Ethan becomes obsessed with providing a perfect life for the boys. Instead of bringing Barb and Ethan closer together, though, the boys become a wedge in their relationship, as Ethan is unable to share with Barb a secret that has been haunting him since childhood. Then Ethan takes Tommy and Sam on a biking trip in Italy, and it becomes clear just how unusual Ethan and his children are—and what it will take for Ethan to repair his marriage. This hauntingly beautiful debut novel—a bold and original high-wire feat—is filled with humor and surprise.

What Resonated with Me

Ethan's character becomes deeper and deeper as I turned every page. I found myself emotionally invested in his history, struggles, and growth. I also like Barb, too. She helped Ethan opened to a new world of family and traveling. Her parents were adorable. 

***

The vivid descriptions of the people, places, and events drew clear pictures in my mind. I could almost see Ethan, Barb, and other secondary characters, hear the voices of people at a family event, and feel as if I was at the Mutter museum. 

*** 

The Boys weaves in themes of family throughout the first few chapters. It made me reflect on the importance of love and family in order to thrive. 

Ethan had a strong aversion of traveling, like I do, and Barb and her family encouraged him to expand his horizon. It's just nice that he found people who understood him and helped him spread his wings, fly, and explore the world. 

Memorable Quote

One quote that stood out to me today was:

“Ethan, you can’t spend the rest of your life hiding from experience,” she said. “And in order to have experiences, sometimes you just have to get on a plane and go somewhere.”

Thoughts and Reflections

I have read until the middle of chapter 7. 

I am actually surprised that could identify with Ethan who was shy, awkward, introvert, but opened to new experiences. 

I also don't like traveling like he did but Barb's family convinced him to. 

And me, too. 

I think I need to go out of the house or out of town in order to expand and flourish. 

I get it, but fear would just appear and stop me. 

I think I have to face my fears of traveling. 

🙋‍♀️ Questions

Do you like traveling? Any tips?

I'm excited to know more about Ethan and his trip.

Join me next time for more insights and discussions.

Reading Journey - Day 1: The Boys by Katie Hafner

 

Hello, fellow bookworm!

Welcome to the first day of my reading journey with The Boys by Kate Hafner.

I want to share my real-time thoughts and experiences as I read this book, and I'm excited to do this. 

I first knew about Hafner on Domestika, a learning platform where she teaches writing. I checked out her course and it contains a lot of good insights about writing. When I learned that she wrote a novel, I got interested in seeing how she applied her teachings in her writing. I've always wanted to improve my writing but I am not confident about it. But then, I'll just keep on trying. 

Moving on to the book cover art, it is interesting. Against the peachy orange background is a rectangular shape. Inside, there's a pathway with lines of perhaps cypress trees on either side. The sky is purple. A man riding on the bike is in the middle-bottom of the rectangle, facing away from the reader. Below him is a big bold book title and the author's name. It gives me an impression of a journey to somewhere nice and fun. I think it's the colors that give me that vibe. 

Daily Reads: North Queen (Crowns 1) by Nicola Tyche (Days 19-20)

Hello, fellow bookworm!

I finally finished the book and…

Reading the last chapters of North Queen was like a roller coaster ride. 

My expressions while reading were …

Oh no!

What!

It’s getting boring!

Ah, now it makes sense.

What?!?!

No!!!!!

After I read the last sentence of the book…

I wanted to read the second book right away but after a few moments… 

I was not sure anymore because I got mixed feelings about the turn of events. 

Enemies become lovers…

Book Review: The Sacredness of Secular Work by Jordan Raynor

 

I grew up in a Christian church with cousins who were worship singers, Sunday school teachers, or youth leaders, and uncles who were pastors. I thought that their line of work was more favorable to God than my secular job as a teacher.  

In his latest book The Sacredness of Secular Work, Jordan Raynor shows that it’s not the case. My job is as important as their work in the church before the eyes of God. For many years, Raynor has helped millions of Christians to see the importance of their creativity and work in God’s plans through his books, The Creator in You, Called to Create, Master of One, and Redeeming Your Time and podcast, Mere Christians.

Book Description 

Daily Reads: North Queen (Crowns 1) by Nicola Tyche (Days 18)

 

Hello, fellow bookworm!

It's Day 18 in reading Nicola Tyche's North Queen. To recap, it's about Norah who went missing for three years. When she was found, she was brought to a kingdom that she didn't know where she lived. And the most shocking part? She was the kingdom's incoming queen. 

I read Chapter 19 and a little bit of chapter 20 on Day 18. I was busy and tired from work but I was still able to find 30 minutes to read. I couldn't miss the new information about Norah that made me more curious about her.

The three things that stood out to me:

• A skirt being heavy symbolizes the gravity of the burden on her shoulder as the queen of her kingdom. However, Norah could still move easily while wearing it which, for me, represents her strength and resilience to carry out her duties despite her memory loss. 
• Glimpses of her past were starting to show up and it makes the story more interesting. 
• Norah's sense of humor was a breath of fresh air. 

That's all for now. 

If you are interested in reading Days 1-17, just go here and Day 19-20 here.

Until next time, fellow bookworm! 😊📖☕

Daily Reads: North Queen (Crowns 1) by Nicola Tyche (Days 1-17)

 

Heads up! Just a friendly reminder that my Daily Reads may contain spoilers, so proceed with caution. 

Hi, fellow bookworm! 

Thank you so much for dropping by.

I am going to share with you my daily reading experiences as I read Nicola Tyche's novel, North Queen. 

I've been meaning to share my reactions and reflections about the book I am currently reading, hoping that this could help you get to know the book and give it a read.

As I've said, this time, I am reading North Queen which I found on Netgalley.  I was so thrilled that I was able to get an ARC. I love fantasy novels the most. After reading contemporary novels and non-fiction books for the past months, I needed to have a break by going to a fantasy world and experience the magical story of interesting characters.

North Queen is the first book of the Crowns series. I'm 18 chapters into the book, out of 57 chapters, 551 pages all in all. It's about Norah, a princess who went missing for three years and who held the key in saving the kingdom of Mercia. Not only that, she also lost her memories. This is one thing that hooks me the most. I can't wait to read the part where everything about Norah is revealed. 

So far, I'm having a great time. So many intriguing twists that shocked me. The characters are likable and memorable. Tension escalated as I went deeper into the story. My interest is still up which means no desire to rush my reading or DNF the book. I'm taking my sweet time to read every line on the page. 

The key events that hooked me more to the story: