Favorite Health Supplements

The new year always has me motivated to clean up all areas of my home and life, including my health. I have compiled a list of my favorite health supplements that I use daily in case you are looking for some healthy inspiration too!

Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides | Premier Protein Cafe Latte | Vitamin D

Silver Fern Ultimate Probiotic | Olly Women's Multi

Nature's Bounty Hair, Skin, & Nails | Olly Kids' Multi + Probiotic

Best Books of 2020

 I read a total of 50 books in 2020! Must have been all that quarantine time. :) You can see the list of all of the books I read over on Goodreads, but I chose four as my absolute favorite of the year. Two are fiction and two are non-fiction and if you haven't read them, add them to your 2021 reading list. You will not be disappointed!

Buy them here: (each purchase generates a small commission for From Here to Zehr)

Open Book by Jessica Simpson

In Five Years by Rebecca Searle

28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand

Untamed by Glennon Doyle

June Book Review

In Five Years

by: Rebecca Serle

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thirty More Chic Days: Creating an inspired mindset for a magical life

by: Fiona Ferris

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Inside Out

by: Demi Moore

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Girls of Summer: A Novel

by: Nancy Thayer

⭐⭐⭐

30 Chic Days at Home: Self-care tips for when you have to stay at home, or any other time when life is challenging

by: Fiona Ferris

⭐⭐⭐⭐

May Book Review and a Beach Read Giveaway!

Seven books this month!! You are going to love this month's review because it includes the perfect beach read to kick off your summer and I'm gifting my copy to one lucky blog reader!

The Game of Life and How to Play It

by: Florence Scovel Shinn

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nerd alert: I love these older books about manifesting your best life. I flew through this in one day. This one includes a lot of Bible references and how you can harness the power of thought to improve your life. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoy these!

You Are Not Alone

by: Greer Hendricks

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was ready to read a mystery/suspense novel this month and this one was a good choice! The main character, Shay, finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time and everything unfolds from there. While farfetched at times, this book kept my attention and kept me guessing. There are some heavy topics in this book, so reader beware if you have experienced any trauma.

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird: A Novel

by: Josie Silver

⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you have been reading my book reviews for any length of time, you know I am a sucker for any book that goes back and forth between two life scenarios for one character. The main character's fiance' is killed in the beginning of the book and it splits off between life without him and life with him after that. Add this one to your reading list now!

I've Got My Eyes On You

by: Mary Higgins Clark

⭐⭐⭐

I have long been a fan of Mary Higgins Clark, but I am skeptical if she is even writing her own books now. While a good story, I had this book figured out before I was even at the halfway mark. If you enjoy mysteries, it is good, but definitely not traditional Mary Higgins Clark.

Have You Seen Me?

by: Kate White

⭐⭐⭐

Kate White is another mystery author that I absolutely love. This book was okay, but not her best work. If I had not read all of her other books, I would have loved this; does that make sense? I listened to this one on audible, and since I am new to audiobooks, maybe that had something to do with it. Good mystery, but skip it if you have read Kate White's previous work.

Big Summer

by: Jennifer Weiner

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I loved this book! The main character is a plus sized Instagram influencer who gets caught up in a mystery while in a summer wedding. This book has mystery, romance and laughter. This is a great summer read!

Feels Like Falling

by: Kristy Woodson Harvey

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was my final book of the month and I could not love it more!! I am a huge fan of Kristy Woodson Harvey and I absolutely adored this book. The main characters could not be more different or more relatable; I instantly felt connected to both of them. The beach, romance, friendship...what's not to love about this book?

One of the best parts about reading is sharing books I love with others. That is why I am gifting my copy of Feels Like Falling to one lucky blog reader! Simply head over to my Instagram to enter!

April Book Review and a Giveaway!

It was an excellent month of reading, friends! I am so excited to tell you about the books I read in April that I have decided to gift one of them to a lucky reader. Read on for details!

Find Your Path: Honor Your Body, Fuel Your Soul, and Get Strong with the Fit52 Life

by: Carrie Underwood

4 out of 5 ⭐

Isn't Carrie Underwood just the sweetest?! Her book was the perfect read to kick off quarantine. It is all about diet and exercise and how to incorporate both into your life in a healthy way. Each chapter is named for one of her songs, so that was a fun addition. This is the perfect book to motivate you to get moving or make one of the healthy (easy!) recipes she includes. I especially liked the way she encourages readers to think about a healthy lifestyle as a long-term investment in staying strong for their families. I am gifting one blog reader a copy of this book because we could all use a little happy encouragement in our lives right now. To enter to win, follow me on Instagram and like the April book review post! I will choose a winner by random drawing on Friday, May 1st.

On The Bright Side: Stories about Friendship, Love, and Being True to Yourself

by: Melanie Shankle

5 out of 5 ⭐

Melanie Shankle cracks me up. She is a Christian author, but does not take herself very seriously or make you feel like she has everything figured out. I told Dan that I love reading her books because she is a Christian who is up for drinking a well-made margarita. I'm not sure what that means or what that says about me, but it fits! I listened to this book on audio and I am so glad I did. Melanie reads it herself and her voice telling the stories of days past and inserting sarcasm only added to my reading experience. This book could also not be more timely, as she encourages you to find the bright side of trying situations through telling personal stories. It is fun, and so worth the read!

American Royals

by: Katharine McGee

4 out of 5 ⭐

I finished this book before I realized that it is a young adult novel. I really enjoyed it! I could honestly see this book being made into a tv series. The premise is that George Washington became the king of America instead of president and these are his modern day ancestors. Of course, there is a lot of drama and it mimics The Crown a bit but in a very PG way. I will definitely read the sequel when it comes out. YA or not, if you like royalty, you will enjoy this book.

The Dollhouse

by: Fiona Davis

 4 out of 5 ⭐

This book sat on my Kindle for awhile, but thanks to Corona, I finally got around to reading it. I loved that it took place in NYC and switched between the 1950's and present day. It takes place at the Barbizon Hotel where the main characters live in different decades. There is murder, mystery, romance and drama throughout. I really enjoyed this book, but it was a slow burn for me. It was not a book I couldn't put down, but I enjoyed it still. Does that make sense? I will be reading another by this author next month to see if I want to find more!

Untamed

by: Glennon Doyle

5 out of 5 ⭐

Wow. Glennon Doyle writes with intense vulnerability. And while her story is her own and her issues, experiences, and beliefs may not be mine, I learn something about myself every time I read her books. I deeply respect people who vulnerably share their experience of life. Told in a collection of short essays, this book includes sentences and paragraphs that I would re-read or read aloud to Dan because of their sheer beauty. I think I enjoy this type of book because it reminds me of talking to people during a counseling session where they are honest, raw, and not afraid of judgement.

I hope I've inspired you to pick up one of these reads. Remember, you can click the title of the book to be taken to Amazon if you would like to purchase and I receive a {very small} referral bonus if you do that at no additional cost to you. Libraries are also doing a great job during the Corona Pandemic of allowing you to check out extra digital materials on your favorite devices. In fact, that is how I listened to On the Bright Side! However you get your books, I hope you enjoy my suggestions.

Happy reading and quarantining!

xo,
Deanna

Books, Beans and Quarantines! January-March 2020

Hello everybody! It has been a bit since I have blogged but I suddenly find myself with a little extra time. I know this has been a challenging time, but I am going to try to do my part to bring a little sunshine into your days through my little corner of the internet. What better way to start that than to tell you what I have been reading so far in 2020! 

{I will link the titles and pictures of the books so that it will take you directly to Amazon if you wish to read what the book is about or purchase. Full disclosure, I make a few cents if you do that!} I have marked my star review below the author's name. I will keep my comments out the review this time due to the sheer number of books included. To save you a bit of time...

Best Book: Open Book by Jessica Simpson

Worst Book: Next Level Basic by Stassi Schroeder

But first...

I bought another coffee maker.

I still love this guy...

Ninja 

But I added this one to the family and he is a keeper as well!

Nespresso

Why are my coffee makers boys? Because everything except me and the dog are boys around here.

BOOKS

Regretting You 

by: Colleen Hoover

4 out of 5 stars

The Joy of Missing Out: Live More by Doing Less

by: Tonya Dalton

4 out of 5 stars

The Wives

by: Tarryn Fisher

3 out of 5 stars

The Things We Cannot Say

by: Kelly Timmer

4 out of 5 stars

Next Level Basic: The Definitive Basic Bitch Handbook

by: Stassi Schroeder

2 out of 5 stars

Such a Fun Age

by: Kiley Reid

4 out of 5 stars

Open Book

by: Jessica Simpson

5 out of 5 stars

Hold On, But Don't Hold Still

by: Kristina Kuzmic

3 out of 5 stars

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler

by: Kelly Harms

3 out of 5 stars

The Other Mrs.

by: Mary Kubica

3 out of 5 stars

Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts

by: Jennie Allen

4 out of 5 stars

The Jetsetters

by: Amanda Eyre Ward

3 out of 5 stars

Amazon Favorites 2019

Happy New Year! 2019 was a banner year for fabulous finds on Amazon. As we begin the new year, I thought it would be fun to share my favorite purchases that showed up on my doorstep with the click of a button. Don't you just love living in the future?!

(image via @poutnpowder on Pinterest)

*This post contains affiliate links, meaning I earn a few pennies if you click the link and place any orders. Thank you!*

Hangers

You know your an official adult when one of your very favorite Christmas gifts was hangers! I first spotted these in an episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians in a scene shot in Khloe's closet (or is it a kloset?) :) I quickly Googled "open backed hangers" and added them to my Christmas list. They are perfect for hanging pants and maximize space well. These make my organizer heart so happy!

Sheets

These are the best sheets ever for the price! They are super soft and we love them. I am replacing all of the sheets in our house with these. They also come in a variety of colors, but I am partial to the white.

Comforter

We topped our new sheets with this amazing comforter. It is lightweight, soft and pretty alone or topped with a duvet. 

Detergent

Now that we have these amazing new sheets and comforter, do yourself a favor and wash them in this laundry detergent. It is expensive, but a little goes a long way. The smell is amazing and makes our whole room smell good.

Massager

This neck and back massager was the Christmas gift that has been used the most at our house. You place it around your shoulders and it massages and delivers heat. Your arms slip through the bottom of the device so you can control the pressure of the massage. Game. Changer.

Hair Dryer

This hot air brush/hair dryer was another one of my favorite Christmas gifts this year! It makes your hair incredibly soft and allows you to get a blowout at home. I am a huge fan!

Lip Mask

This lip mask has been a life saver this winter! I put it on every night before bed. It has a great texture and works like a charm.

OPI Infinite Shine Nail Polish

In my never-ending quest to get a regular manicure that lasts a week, this nail polish kit finally delivers! Funny Bunny is one of my go-to colors and this at-home manicure is the closest thing to a gel manicure that I have found. 

Let me know if you love these as much as I do. Happy New Year and happy shopping!