Recent Arrivals chronicles the books that have made their way onto the Today, I Read… bookshelf. Here’s the latest arrival: Comfort Living by Chrstine Eisner

First line: Remember in "The Wizard of Oz" how Dorothy looked everywhere and asked everyone in her search to [...]

Initial thoughts: This book is gorgeous. When it arrived in the mail (along with its companion journal), I was stunned by its layout, colors, and formatting. Care went into its design and it shows.

So far, I’ve read a few of the pages and I’m pleasantly surprised. There’s a very approach to making changes around the home which means nothing is too jarring. In fact, I can’t wait to start applying some of the techniques discussed and seeing how well they work over the next couple of months going into the new year.

Book description:

Learn how little it takes to introduce positive change into day-to-day living!

People talk about comfort foods–foods that not only satisfy the appetite, but also nourish the soul. What about Comfort Homes and Comfort Lives? Comfort Living: A Back to Basics Guide to a More Balanced Lifestyle introduces a new way for people to think about, create and live with their physical surroundings and daily routines.

Author Christine Eisner demonstrates that creating a balanced lifestyle doesn’t have to be time-consuming, complicated or costly–and that living a good life is within easy reach. In Comfort Living, there are no rules or mandates; just some very simple and practical tools, presented in a casual, contemporary and relevant way.

• If you’re searching for your keys in the morning instead of sitting down for breakfast, this book is for you.
• If you envy the cozy nooks you see in catalogs and magazines but don’t have a clue about how to create your own, this book is for you.
• If you already enjoy fixing up your home with fabrics and furnishings but wonder if the look reflects who you truly are, this book is for you.
• If you are not able to enjoy your "decorated" home as much as you thought you would, this book is for you.
• If you simply want to make your house more of a home–a place that revives you each day–this book is definitely for you!

In these times, life isn’t about keeping up with "the Joneses," and it’s not about total deprivation either. Believe it or not, "the good life" is there for the taking. Just as with Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, it can be as simple as looking inward and saying, "There’s no place like home."

In Comfort Living, Christine is the reader’s personal guide, leading them through a process of self-discovery and creation. By translating inner priorities into physical surroundings and daily routines, each day can become a bridge to comfort, meaning, community and growth.

For each individual, this interactive book will ultimately become a personalized edition, customized to their particular needs and journey. Consider this book an 8-week investment in yourself and those who live with you–with lasting results.

Book Details: 84 pages; Lifestyle Design; Pub. November 15, 2009

Learn more:

• Official website

Recent Arrivals chronicles the books that have made their way onto the Today, I Read… bookshelf. Here’s the latest arrival: A Sportscaster’s Guide to Watching Football by Mark Oristano

First line: Well, I watched football for a living. I had a thirty-year [...]

Initial thoughts: When I was a little girl, I played peewee football. As I grew up, my love of football didn’t wane; instead it grew to near fanatical proportions. But, that was a while ago.

After a few anonymous meetings with other addicts, I swore off the stuff…until I was presented with an opportunity to read A Sportscaster’s Guide to Watching Football.

I was just too curious to pass it up because I wanted to see what I was missing through my fanatical eyes and I’ve always been curious about the intricacies of the game.

Book description:

Want to know what everyone is cheering about? Learn to enjoy and understand the game with the football fanatic in your life. This book is the ultimate football guide for the novice fan. You will get answers to such complex questions as: What is that yellow line on the field and why does it keep moving? What down is it and why do I care? What is a ‘T formation’? Laced with hilarious and insightful anecdotes from Mark Oristano’s thirty-year career as a pro football sportscaster, A Sportscaster’s Guide to Watching Football will turn you into a football-watching pro, or at least, let you fake it. Time Out: I was in the locker room before a game, and I saw an Oilers linebacker furiously drawing on his shoes with a permanent marker. This player, like many, had his ankle tape applied over the outside of his shoes instead of inside, which obviously covered the shoe logo. And he was drawing the logo of his shoe contract on the tape. "Wouldn’t it be easier," I asked him, "to get taped inside and not have to do the artwork?" "Yeah, it would," he replied, "but then I’d actually have to wear their damn shoes, and I hate ‘em. So I wear the brand I like and do it this way instead."

Book Details: 160 pages; Synergy Books; Pub. August 1, 2009

Recent Arrivals chronicles the books that have made their way onto the Today, I Read… bookshelf. Here’s the latest arrival: The Art of Meaningful Living by Christopher F. Brown and John Palmer

First line: The Art of Meaningful Living is about [...]

(Ultimate teaser, isn’t it? I should probably mention that the text layout is narrow columns, hence the seemingly clipped first line.)

Initial thoughts: After flipping through this book, I can’t wait for an opportunity to sit down and properly read it.

And although I’m not a huge fan of abstract art, from my brief perusal, I did enjoy most of the paintings provided. There was something about the color selections that caught my eye.

Book description:

"Meaningful living is choosing your passions over your fears. It is accepting what you cannot control and focusing on what is in your power." Too often our meaningful lives and the things we are passionate about are buried under disappointments and lost dreams. Christopher F. Brown, LCSW, MBA, offers a powerful book combining psychological concepts with beautiful, provocative artwork done by John Palmer to help us move beyond the pain in our present lives to something more valuable and joyful. Divided into four stages, Brown has put together this thought-provoking guide to transform a life filled with dissatisfaction to a life filled with true meaning. Open to any page and begin your own journey toward a meaningful life.

Book Details: 128 pages; Synergy Books; Pub. September 1, 2009

I smell a fallen angel craze on the horizon. (It was inevitable once the teen vampire angst-ridden romance market became saturated.) And so far, it smells good.

Recent Arrivals chronicles the books that have made their way onto the Today, I Read… bookshelf. Here’s the latest arrival: Fallen by Lauren Kate

First line: Around midnight, her eyes at last took shape. The look [...]

Initial thoughts: I saw the cover for Fallen on another blog a few days ago, so I was super surprised and excited when a UPS man showed up on my doorstep with an ARC (the cover of the ARC is not half so lovely as the cover in this post, but I’m concerned more with what’s inside).

After finishing Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, I’m anxious to see what else is being done with the fallen angel theme. Plus the description sounds positively addictive.

Book description:

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story.

*******From the Back of the Book******

What if the person you were meant to be with could never be yours?

Daniel’s gaze caught hers, and her breath caught in her throat. She recognized him from somewhere. But she would have remembered meeting someone like him. She would have remembered feeling as absolutely shaken up as she did right now.

They were still locking eyes when Daniel flashed her a smile. A jet of warmth shot through her…but then he raised his hand in the air. And flipped her off. Luce gasped and dropped her eyes. Her momentary delirium vanished. What was that guy’s problem?

Just before she ducked into her first class, she dared to glance back. His face was blank, but there was no mistaking it–he was watching her go.

Book Details: 464 pages; Delacorte Press; Pub. December 8, 2009

Learn more:

• Official website
• Online excerpt (not easy on the eyes)
• Reviews
  • So Many Books, So Little Time
  • Once Upon a Book (mild spoilers)

Recent Arrivals chronicles the books that have made their way onto the Today, I Read… bookshelf. Here’s the latest arrival: The Natural Beauty Book by Anne Akers Johnson

First line: It will come as no surprise to you that natural body care starts on the inside.

Initial thoughts: Because every girl needs a little pampering every now and again, I squealed a little when I checked the mail and saw it.

It’s by no means a long or tedious book (I giggled a few times while skimming the recipes), it’s beautifully designed, and most of the "concoctions" look simple to prepare.

Plus, I love the included spa goodies and can’t wait to give those a try.

I took a couple pictures because, how cool is it that the book matches my bed cover? (Random. Yes, I know.)

Book description:

If you feel good, you look good. It’s a fact.

• Make your own tangerine bath fizz.
• Give yourself a natural manicure and pedicure.
• Trade spa facials with a friend.
• Mix up a rich banana conditioner for your hair.

More than 60 simple recipes tell you how to do all these things (and more) using natural, easy-to-find ingredients from your kitchen cupboard. We even include a complete personal spa kit.

As you read through the book, you’ll find out just how to use each item in the kit. This is everything you get:

• facial loofah
• headband
• nail brush
• nail file
• nail buffer
• pumice stone
• bath infusion bag
• lavender essential oil
• tangerine essential oil

Book Details: 68 pages; Klutz; Pub. September 1, 2009