Sarah Warsi

Hello lovelies, I hope you are all doing well. It’s been a minute and just like that we are almost in February of 2024.

I’ve been seeing some buzz online about January feeling extra long, but I personally didn’t feel that sentiment. It’s very subjective after all. I think January kind of ran its course at a normal pace.

I will say though that January often feels like the trial period before an actual subscription starts. You’re still adjusting to routine after the holidays, navigating cold and flu season, and depending on where you live, dealing with intense cold snaps and snow, so there were periods where the dreary, gray, overcast days were tough to get through, but alas, you can only get to the light after going through the tunnel, right? 

We are inching over that winter blues hump and already the days are slowly getting a bit longer, and before you know it, we’ll be smelling spring in the air! After all, it’s already been said that we are looking at a relatively ‘mild’ winter and I’m all for it! 

Okay, so I figured I would take the time to share a couple of books I’ve been reading. Now, I have to admit, I have a bad habit of starting books and then taking forever to actually finish them. Anyone with me?

It doesn’t even matter if it’s a physical or digital copy – it all starts out great and then boom! I am stuck on chapter 7 for 6 months. (haha) I attribute this to my occasional short attention span and of course, life in general! 

Anyways, even though these are books I am still reading, I can certainly vouch for them:

The Mountain is You
By: Brianna Wiest

Now, there are a lot of self-help books out there, and this is up there in terms of recommended picks. Brianna Wiest is an author, speaker, and social media influencer who speaks on various subjects surrounding personal care, life, overcoming obstacles, and everything in between. She certainly has a way with words and her posts on Instagram often inspire feelings of confidence and motivation among her followers. 

The Mountain is You, released in 2020, uplifts and empowers readers to look within, assess the difficulties they are facing, and subsequently transform their lives for the better. It delves deep into ways to overcome patterns of fear and self-doubt to achieve true happiness. It’s a must-read for anyone looking for some additional guidance or clarity on how to navigate any hurdles they may be facing.

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Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir
By: Matthew Perry

Matthew Perry delivers a very raw, heartfelt account of his life in this 2022 autobiography. He gets very vulnerable as he goes into detail about his struggles with addiction and maintaining sobriety over the years, and how that struggle filtered into his time on Friends. The book includes a very poignant foreword by his friend and former co-star Lisa Kudrow.  

Matthew tells his story with his own voice and the perfect mixture of wit and truthfulness. He takes us along a journey filled with a challenging childhood, struggles with addiction and health battles to the innate desire for fame and recognition that ultimately catapulted him to superstardom when he landed his iconic role of Chandler Bing on Friends. Matthew also got very candid about his relationships with this fellow Friends co-stars, along with relationships with other people in and outside the industry that he’d met along the way.

His tragic passing last year was felt by many who loved him on a personal and professional level. I had been thinking in the back of my mind around that time, that I still needed to finish the book. Now, as I continue to read it, it hits differently. This memoir is unapologetically honest, funny, and relatable to anyone struggling with sobriety. If you’re a fan of Matthew Perry and want to get a glimpse into his life through a very different lens, this is a book to read.

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On Boards
By: Lisa Dawn Bolton

Okay, so this may not exactly be a book to curl up with at night, but I found it fascinating that an entire book was dedicated to the art of charcuterie boards! Who doesn’t love an amazing-looking board, right?

On Boards explores many different ways you can pretty up a board with savory snacks for any occasion. Not only does it focus on the food itself, but also delves into the various different types of boards to use and utensils that go with making the perfect charcuterie board.  This book also makes for a great gift.

Okay, so that’s it for my current picks. Again, the struggle is real in trying to actually get through these reads, so wish me luck! 🙂 But in the meantime, I highly recommend these picks if you’re looking for something new to explore.

What are you currently reading or have recently read, that you would recommend?
Please share in the comments.