2016 Book Challenge Results

January 1, 2017January 1, 20171 Comment

Happy New Year!

I hope each of you had a wonderful night, ringing in 2017 with the ones you love. I love beginning the year anew, writing down resolutions and planning all of the exciting adventures ahead!

Every year, I aim to read as many books as possible to de-stress and to spark creativity in my own life. Now that I’ve started graduate school, my reading for pleasure has tapered off somewhat, but I always like to share what I’ve read each year and look for new suggestions in the year ahead.

Below are the books I read in 2016. (Click for recaps from 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.) You can keep up with the current list for 2017 by visiting the Book Challenge page at the top menu or by clicking here.

Books I’ve Read in 2016:

The Mayo Clinic Handbook for Happiness by Amit Sood (1/6/2016)
How To Talk To Girls At Parties by Neil Gaiman (1/14/2016)
The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson (1/18/2016)
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (1/23/2016)
Room by Emma Donoghue (1/31/2016)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald (2/24/2016)
Looking For Alaska by John Green (3/1/2016)
Psychopath Free by Jackson MacKenzie (3/19/2016)
Slumber Party by Christopher Pike (3/21/2016)
The Pilot’s Wife by Anita Shreve (3/30/2016)
So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson (4/13/2016)
American Housewife: Stories by Helen Ellis (4/17/2016)
This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper (5/7/2016)
Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham (5/18/2016)
Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes (5/22/2016) – 25 at 25 Bucket List: My Year of Yes
The Giver by Lois Lowry (5/23/2016)
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (6/3/2016)
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (6/27/2016)
You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero (7/30/2016) – All Or Nothing Day: Creating A Life You Love
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling (8/31/2016)
All Is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker (10/5/2016)
The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer (10/24/2016)

Any suggestions for 2017? Share in the comments section below!

2015 Book Challenge Results

January 5, 20163 Comments

keep-calm-and-love-reading-64 Happy New Year, friends! I hope everyone has had a wonderful first few days of 2016 and that you are keeping on track with your New Year’s Resolutions. I have a few health and wellness goals this year (don’t we all?), but one of my annual goals is to make time for reading. 🙂

Reading a variety of genres and authors exposes you to new perspectives and can make you a better writer! Every year, I share my recap of what I read the year prior, as well as links to the blog posts that some of these books inspired.

Below are the books I read in 2015. (Click for recaps from 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.) You can keep up with the current list for 2016 by visiting the Book Challenge page at the top menu or by clicking here.

Books I Read in 2015:

1. The Disaster Artist by Greg Sestero (1/12/2015)
2. The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick (1/29/2015)
3. How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie (2/3/2015)
4. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (2/9/2015)
5. The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides (3/21/2015)
6. The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom (3/22/2015)
7. Women, Food and God by Geneen Roth (5/18/2015)
8. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (5/22/2015)
9. The Lover’s Dictionary by David Levithan (5/24/2015)
10. Why Men Love Bitches by Sherry Argov (6/4/2015)
11. Sex and the City by Candace Bushnell (6/6/2015)
12. Winkie by Clifford Chase (6/11/2015)
13. I’m Only Here For The WiFi by Chelsea Fagan (6/18/2015)
14. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (6/23/2015)
15. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (7/6/2015)
16. Dating Up by J. Courtney Sullivan (7/24/2015)
17. Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling (9/23/2015)
18. The Mathematics of Love by Hannah Fry (10/1/2015) — Unique Holiday Gift Guide for All Friends
19. When The Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka (11/12/2015) — Adventures in Florida: Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens
20. Many Waters by Madeleine L’Engle (12/11/2015)
21. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux (12/13/2015)
22. Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich (12/29/2015)

Have you read any of these books? Any suggestions for 2016?

Share your thoughts and recommendations in the comments section below!

Link Love Wednesday: Keep Calm and Do Your Pilates

October 21, 2015Leave a comment

whoever-thinks-that-10-seconds-goes-by-really-fast-has-never-taken-a-pilates-class-9c667 Good evening, readers! It’s Homecoming Week at my alma mater, so I’m feeling the nostalgia and school spirit (even if my football team isn’t playing so well this year). I can’t wait to get decked out in black and gold at the game this weekend! What are you all up to this week?

Enjoy this week’s Link Love, and as always, share your favorites in the comments section below! 🙂

Did you know that Pilates has been around for more than 100 years? I sure didn’t! Absolutely loved this eye-opening article about the history of one of my favorite workouts, which was originally designed to nurse prisoners back to good health after an illness!
Mel Joulwan shares 20 ways to make paleo easier and more fun. (Great follow-up article to last week’s article from Stupid Easy Paleo!)
A big thanks to my sister for sending me these awesome Harry Potter memes. You know me too well!
Let’s hit the mall! Sarah Scoop shares the 10 items of clothing that every girl should have in her closet.
This recipe for ranch-flavored baby carrots was pretty delicious and easy to make.
As a fan of Gothic literature, I enjoyed this timeline of the genre’s greatest moments… Although I could do without the Twilight references!
Choosing a career is tough, but these four tips can make the process a lot simpler!
In case you missed it, check out my latest recipe post on the blog. 🙂

Things I’m Loving Lately

Macarons. I tried my first one over the weekend as part of my 25 at 25 Bucket List!
My NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder.
The Morikami Museum and Gardens in Delray Beach. Look out for an upcoming blog about my experience there!

Share your link love in the comments and have a wonderful week!

Link Love Wednesday: Futuristic Fashion, Love & Mathematics

July 1, 2015Leave a comment

5ClGUNklg-wk7KVyQwU50Q Happy July, readers! I hope the summer is treating everyone well and that you are finding fun ways to beat the heat. Grab a cold beverage, crank up the air conditioner, and tune into this week’s batch of link love to entertain yourself on one of those days when you just can’t bear to go outside. 🙂

Fashion designers in the 1930s predicted that we’d be wearing outfits like these by the year 2000. I think we could all use an electric belt to adapt the body to climactic changes. (I think it’s also important to have that headlight to help “find an honest man,” but I guess we have flashlights on our iPhones and that’s kind of the same thing.)
Speaking of fashion, Who What Wear has an excellent guide to defining your personal style.
As a former career counselor, I couldn’t help but laugh at these spoof interview tips.
Looking for summer reading? Check out Modern Mrs. Darcy‘s suggested books based on your Myers-Briggs personality type!
I’m moving to a new apartment in a few days, and I’m obsessed with this new pineapple trend.
Seriously, I love pineapples.
In case you missed it, check out my recent blog making fun of the diet industry!
I loved this article and TED Talk about how to use mathematical principles to get the things you want in life, love and your career.
The Girl Scouts turned down a huge donation from a donor who demanded it not be used on a trans girl. It is so refreshing to see an organization so committed to the acceptance of all girls.
My latest guest blog for Career Camel discusses the different ways you can take advantage of the summer to propel your career and college goals forward.

What are some of your favorite links from the last week? Share your Internet findings in the comments section below!

Link Love THURSDAY: From A to Zinc

March 6, 2015Leave a comment

big dill Bon jour and happy March! I hope everyone is having a great week and enjoying this beautiful new month. I had the opportunity to take a few days off from work to see family from overseas and spend time in my hometown. I can’t deny it: there’s no place like home. 🙂

How has everyone else been spending the new month? Any vacations planned in the near future?

As always, enjoy this round of link love and be sure to share your own favorites in the comments section below!

Did you know that red peppers are richer in Vitamin C than orange juice? Health.com highlights the best foods for each vitamin and mineral, from Vitamin A to Zinc! 🙂
It’s National Book Day! In honor of this awesome holiday for bibliophiles, take this short quiz to see which banned book you are. (I’m Tropic of Cancer!)
On the subject of good books, Beauty Coated Life has compiled an excellent list of books that every career girl (and guy) should read.
Last night, I made a delicious, veggie-filled and Whole30-compliant version of fettuccine alfredo, featuring cauliflower and zucchini noodles. Friends, you have to try this!
Where are the men of The Princess Diaries today? BRB, swooning over Chris Pine right now. (I love and miss you, Fat Louie.)
I love these style tips! Glam Radar shares a few fashion techniques for looking more youthful.
Eating healthy or following a program like Whole30 can be difficult to do while maintaining your social life. Check out my tips on how to enjoy both without sacrificing one or the other!
I am now managing my dog Charlie’s Instagram page. Please be sure to follow him @charlie_sez for adorable pictures of the nicest Cavalier King Charles Spaniel you’ll ever see.

What are your favorite links from the week? Sound off in the comments section below!

2014 Book Challenge Results

January 2, 20152 Comments

tumblr_static_bibliophile Happy New Year, and thank you for stopping by! 🙂 2015 is an exciting time for me at So It Must Be True, with health and wellness becoming one of the blog’s added focuses, as well as some brand new content. As a writer, I love to read in my spare time, and occasionally the books I read will inspire my blog posts!

Every year, I aim to read as much as I can, and I create annual recaps to share my book lists with readers!

While adjusting to full-time employment and a busy schedule, I haven’t had a ton of time to read for pleasure this year, but I am still happy to have enjoyed some great books! (Yes, I know I fell way short of my 50 book challenge, but hey – I really liked the books I did get to read!)

Below is a list of books I read this year, as well as any blog posts inspired by them. (Click for recaps from 2011, 2012 and 2013.) Let me know what great books you’ve enjoyed this year!

Books I’ve Read in 2014:

1. The Godfather by Mario Puzo (1/18/14)
2. Silent Dancing by Judith Ortiz Cofer (1/21/14) – The Stories We Tell Ourselves
3. I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts On Being A Woman by Nora Ephron (1/28/14)
4. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (2/20/14)
5. It Starts With Food by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig (2/25/14)
6. Divergent by Veronica Roth (3/30/14)
7. My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult (4/30/14)
8. Dirty Love by Andre Dubus III (5/22/14)
9. Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg (7/10/14)
10. The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz (8/2/14) – How I Met Your Mother, Toltec Wisdom and Letting Go
11. Bridget Jones’ Diary by Helen Fielding (9/3/14)
12. Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin (12/25/14)

Have you read any of these books? What are some of your favorite books you’ve read this year? What do you suggest for 2015?

Link Love Wednesday: Draco Malfoy & Shane at Walmart

June 25, 2014Leave a comment

Courtesy of HelloGiggles.com

It’s that time of the week again! You know, that time when I post interesting, funny and sometimes bizarre articles from around the web for a very eclectic link roundup. Get ready for this week’s Link Love and share your own favorites in the comments section below!

Naturally, the marketing professional in me cringes (and occasionally laughs) when she sees some of these crimes against design.
Sugar is packed in everything we eat, but how much are we sacrificing our health for taste? (You’ll be shocked at how much added sugar we consume in the U.S. compared to the daily recommended amount.)
Shane is either the best or the worst Walmart employee of all time. I’ll let you be the judge of that! (I’m assuming this is completely fake, but it’s still pretty funny.)
As a UCF alumna and Knights fan, I’m a little bit obsessed with this homemade crocheted Knightro hat.
Male celebrities get an interesting Photoshop makeover with Zooey Deschanel’s eyes. Cee Lo looks adorable.
According to J.K. Rowling, if the Harry Potter series were written from Draco’s perspective, you could expect such titles as Draco Malfoy and the Rejected Handshake and Draco Malfoy and the Year His Father Would Hear About. Check out this post for the full list of Draco Malfoy titles, as well as the titles of other books as narrated by different characters.
Here are five things to do before bed that will make tomorrow a whole lot easier!
In case you missed it, check out my article on the role of women in romantic comedies.

Any fantastic articles you’ve come across lately? Drop a note in the comments section or share your favorite posts that you’ve published!

Link Love Wednesday: Remembering Maya Angelou

May 28, 20141 Comment

“Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage.” – Maya Angelou

This morning, I was devastated to learn about the passing of great American author and activist Maya Angelou. I first fell in love with her powerful writing during my sophomore year of college, when we read her poetry in a women’s literature class, and that love soon extended to her other noted work. Maya Angelou was truly an inspiration to so many of us, and I firmly believe that her work will continue to empower women and men alike for years to come.

If you haven’t heard Maya Angelou recite her own poetry, I highly suggest you do so. This reading of Still I Rise will give you the chills!
CBS News collects some of Angelou’s top quotes and tweets.
One more list of Angelou’s wonderfully inspirational quotes, courtesy of ABC News.
If you could speak to your heroes, what advice would they give you? Sarah from Yes and Yes compiles the sage wisdom of some of her own heroines.
On a lighter note, as a resident of Central Florida, I enjoyed this list of the seven deadly sins of theme park visitors!
For my fellow introverts, learn how to communicate effectively in the workplace by turning your introversion into an asset.
People are unnecessarily critical when it comes to the dietary choices and restrictions of others. This was an interesting read on why we are so quick to judge vegetarians and vegans.
Want to create the perfect resumé? Avoid these seven clichés.
One employee’s vacation request was accidentally forwarded to the entire company. Then the entire Internet responded.
I love The Little Mermaid as much as the next 90s kid, but this list of horrible lessons learned from the film is definitely worth a chuckle. (It’s amazing to look back at the gender roles in Disney films as an adult!)
Abercrombie and Fitch has definitely gotten into some hot water over the past few years, but it seems that some changes are finally being made in an effort to resurrect the brand’s image.
Allow this sweet song to brighten your day.

Link Love Wednesday: Crazy Stock Photo Edition

May 14, 20142 Comments

What a wonderful week it has been! In the last seven days, I celebrated my one-year anniversary at work, played my favorite arcade games and won a silly mask, visited my family for Mother’s Day, and went on a shopping spree. I’m looking forward to the weekend already, but as always, the Internet has done a great job of keeping me entertained after work. 🙂

BuzzFeed posted these 50 completely unexplainable stock photos (like the man with the corn dog, pictured left) that had me literally laughing out loud. For the record, I would probably have a similar reaction if someone asked me to eat a corn dog!
New bloggers: These are some great tips for blogging etiquette.
The Onion is creating its own parody of sites like BuzzFeed and Upworthy, and I’m excited for it to launch!
PR and marketing professionals will appreciate this one: 11 ways dating and public relations go hand in hand.
In honor of Shailene Woodley’s misguided comments about feminism, enjoy this list of non-feminist celebrities who actually owe their careers to feminism.
What happens when you remove one letter from your favorite book title? Huffington Post investigates. (Here’s looking at you, Twilight New Moo!)
Loved reading about this young woman’s experience working for Miss Cleo’s psychic hotline.
Want to see some of the Disney attractions that were never built? Now’s your chance! (My favorite is probably Hotel Mel.)
I watched Rocko’s Modern Life as a child, but I never realized how dirty some of the jokes were!

What were some of your favorite links this week?

Link Love Wednesday: Love at First Tweet

March 26, 2014March 26, 20142 Comments

Whew – this month is flying by! I can’t believe that the first quarter of the year is almost up. At my job, this means that event season is about to pick up, and with that comes all of the craziness involved with packing, planning, commuting and a dash of public speaking. Of course, that means that now is as good a time as any to take a deep breath, log onto my RSS reader and enjoy some good old fashioned link love. I’ve got some great articles for you this week!

In honor of Twitter’s 8^th birthday, plug in your Twitter handle at this site to see your very first tweet!
I couldn’t help but laugh when I read Chelsea Fagan’s list of 25 things you catch yourself saying seriously when you start your career. I’m only a year into mine, but I’m constantly “checking my calendar” to schedule lunch dates and promising to “touch base” with people. (Recently, I developed a newfound appreciation for Office Space as well!)
Forbes recently posted three powerful ways to stop wasting time.
If you’re starting a healthy new lifestyle and in need of a boost, check out Motivate Your Plate, an inspirational blog focused on health and fitness. The posts are motivational and upbeat, and best of all, the blog is written by a former classmate/cheerleading teammate of mine! This recent post was probably my favorite so far.
Did you know that you can now donate your voice?
My wanderlust has been reawakened with these 32 places that actually exist on earth and are not Photoshopped. Who wants to hop on a plane with me? 🙂 (Thanks for the link, Branden!)
After reading these facts, you won’t look at these 50 books the same way ever again. (As a side note, Peter Pan is a much darker story than we all remember!)
Another BuzzFeed article: Some history on Maleficent and the gender roles in various adaptations of Sleeping Beauty. I’m a huge nerd when it comes to this sort of thing, so it was interesting to learn about some of the earlier versions of the story and the less “feminine” aspects of one of my favorite villains.
I do love a good superhero movie, but these are some of the ugly lessons they teach.
Oh, and if you haven’t already, be sure to check out my recent review on Masik Collegiate Fragrances – they are amazing!