::a:2015:wishlist::

The best combo EVER. Bath tub and books?! COME ON!!! *dream*room*

My first wishlist of 2015! 

It's been a while since I got my desperately grasping hands on some new books - or looked on the Amazon site for that matter. The last couple of months have been undoubtedly chaotic. Between Christmas, losing work, starting a new job, trying to get school under control and preparing to study for my driver's test...you would think I'd have absolutely no time to read. But I do. Because I just I love it and cant imagine life without reading or books. It's actually one of the things that calms me at the end of a hectic day, my form of stress relief. 

Or it's the perfect way to spend a Sunday; on the couch, under toasty wool blankets, reading an engrossing book with some delicious tea, or a latte, a treat and the pups and Travis there. Bliss!

Before I go on with my book wish list I wanted to share that Trav and I are currently looking into renting a bigger 'home'. I say home in quotations because we live in an apartment right now. It's a gorgeous apartment but it would be great to have a home to rent with a backyard and garage or a townhome would work as well. We did fall in love with one back in January - but they were all sold out. :( We are still being very picky with what we are going to view these days and of course the price has to be good as well.

I also am coveting a new couch...this will require time to save up money to get, but I am just not feeling the leather couch and would love a nice big comfy material one. Saw a bunch on sale at the Brick - this will be added to my 'vision board' of the perfect living room. Where you live should be incredibly comfortable, serene and feel like HOME. 

Not to mention some good bookshelves are on that home wishlist as well. The ones we currently own are not that great {a tad cheap from Ikea} and the shelves themselves are slowly beginning to bend. 

I would ideally love one that had doors on them, so you couldn't necessarily see all the books, should you have company over and whatnot. 

All these plans. 

Anyways! Back to the point of this post! BOOKS!

As you know I share some of the latest and well-received books out or ones that I just seen through a magazine or online or through a friend and would love to read. 

These prices are from Amazon.Ca - you could get these books anywhere but I feel like Amazon has the best prices. 

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins - $22.46 CAD

I seen a review of this book on The Social back in January. I hear that they are going to be making this into a movie. Would love to read it and then share with you guys who I think would be the perfect actor or actress to fill the role. 

It's a great new book that is a suspenseful thriller. 

"Three women, three men, connected through marriage or infidelity. Each is to blame for something. But only one is a killer in this nail-biting, stealthy psychological thriller about human frailty and obsession. 

     Just what goes on in the houses you pass by every day? 

     Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and evening, rattling over the same junctions, flashing past the same townhouses.The train stops at the same signal every day, and she sees the same couple, breakfasting on their roof terrace. Jason and Jess, as she calls them, seem so happy. Then one day Rachel sees someone new in their garden. Soon after, Rachel sees the woman she calls Jess on the news. Jess has disappeared. 

     Through the ensuing police investigation, Rachel is drawn deeper into the lives of the couple she learns are really Megan and Scott Hipwell. As she befriends Scott, Rachel pieces together what really happened the day Megan disappeared. But when Megan's body is found, Rachel finds herself the chief suspect in the case. Plunged into a world of betrayals, secrets and deceptions, Rachel must confront the facts about her own past and her own failed marriage. 

     A sinister and twisting story that will keep you guessing at every turn, The Girl on the Train is a high-speed chase for the truth."

Serena: A Novel by Ron Rash - $13.36 CAD

This book, has indeed been made into a movie starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper. I read some reviews which left me really wanting to know more about the story! How can people purely hate such characters?? The story must be really well written! And I do love reading books as well before seeing the movie. 

"A beautiful new re-design of a beloved, bestselling novel in time for its major motion picture release, a film which will reunite Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence and Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper.

The year is 1929, and newlyweds George and Serena Pemberton arrive from Boston in the North Carolina mountains to create a timber empire. Although George has already lived in the camp long enough to father an illegitimate child, Serena is new to the mountains - but she soon shows herself the equal of any worker, overseeing crews, hunting rattlesnakes, even saving her husband's life in the wilderness. Together, this Lord and Lady of the woodlands ruthlessly kill or vanquish all who fall out of favor. Yet when Serena learns that she will never bear a child, she sets out to kill the son George had without her. Mother and child begin a struggle for their lives, and when Serena suspects George is protecting his illegitimate family, the Pemberton's intense, passionate marriage starts to unravel as the story moves toward its shocking reckoning. Praised as "a gorgeous, brutal writer" by Richard Price, Rash unfolds the story of the Pembertons "with bone-chilling aplomb, linguistic grace and the piercing fatalism of an Appalachian ballad" (Janet Maslin, The New York Times)."

Deliciously Ella: 100+ Easy, Healthy, and Delicious Plant-Based, Gluten-Free Recipes by Ella Woodward

$17.32

I peruse a site almost daily called The Chalkboard Mag - which is geared towards what many call 'wellness warriors'. It's all about health and wellness...obviously my forte. 

Ella Woodward was featured in an article recently on the site along with her cookbook. I did peruse it and just love the beautiful photo's and all the delicious recipes. I haven't shared with you that I gained a bit of weight over the last two months and am getting back on track with eating super healthy again. This is a new book that would be great in the cookbook collection.

"From the founder of the wildly popular food blog Deliciously Ella, 120 plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free recipes with gorgeous, full-color photographs that capture the amazing things we can do with natural ingredients.

In 2011, nineteen-year-old Ella Woodward was diagnosed with a rare illness that left her bed-ridden, in chronic pain, and plagued by heart palpitations and headaches. When conventional medicine failed her, Ella decided to change her diet. She gave up meat, gluten, dairy, sugar, and anything processedóand the effects were immediate: her symptoms disappeared, her energy returned, and she was able to go off all her medication. A self-confessed sweet tooth, Ella taught herself how to make delicious, plant-based meals that delight the palette and improve overall well-being.

Deliciously Ella is an essential, how-to guide to clean, plant-based eating, taking you through the best ingredients and methods for preparing easy, exciting meals. This is not a dietóitís about creating a new mindset that embraces fantastic food. From sweet potato brownies to silky chocolate mousse and roasted butternut squash risotto and homemade fries and ketchup, Ella shares 100 brand-new recipes and twenty classics in her signature, elegant style. Packed with vivid photos and simple, foolproof instructions, Deliciously Ella provides a foundation for a pure, unprocessed, unrefined diet, so you can look and feel better while enjoying great food."

The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick's Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Remption by Jim Gorant

$13.36

This book was recommended to me after searching for Oogy's story (next book). I had heard about Vick (the d*&k!) and what he did to these poor defenseless animals and wanted to hear more about the story of the furbabies that were rescued and rehabilitated. So here it is! I think it would be a great, educational and inspirational read. 

"The bestselling story of survival and our powerful bond with man's best friend, in the aftermath of the nation's most notorious animal cruelty case. Featuring a new Afterword with updates on the Vick dogs.

Animal lovers and sports fans were shocked when the story broke about NFL player Michael Vick's brutal dog-fighting operation. But what became of the fifty-one dogs who survived? As acclaimed writer Jim Gorant reveals, their story is the truly newsworthy aspect of this case. The Lost Dogs traces the effort to bring Vick to justice and turns the spotlight on these infamous pit bulls, which were saved from euthanasia by an outpouring of public appeals coupled with a court order that Vick pay nearly a million dollars in "restitution" to the dogs.

As an ASPCA-led team evaluated each one, they found a few hardened fighters, but most were lovable, friendly creatures desperate for compassion. In The Lost Dogs, we meet these amazing animals, many of whom now live in loving homes and work in therapy programs. The Lost Dogs exposes the terrible practice of dog fighting and shows us that even after being subjected to heartbreaking abuse, above all, a dog still wants to be man's best friend."

Oogy: The Dog Only A Family Could Love by Larry Levin $11.19

Saw Oogy's video the other day - and was really inspired by his little fighter spirit. Unfortunately Oogy passed away recently due to old age. :( But I think that this book would be incredibly inspiring to anyone that feels like they aren't able to find the light at the end of the tunnel. This baby did - after going through a horrific ordeal. I just feel like it's an incredibly inspiring story in itself from just seeing Oogy's three minute video - one of God's creatures, that was put to the test, that clung to hope and made it out on the other side. If Oogy can do it, why can't you? This is definitely at the top of my wish list...and books in general to read asap.

"Now in paperback, the New York Times-bestselling story of a puppy brought back from the brink of death, and the family he adopted.

In 2002, Larry Levin and his twin sons, Dan and Noah, took their terminally ill cat to the Ardmore Animal Hospital outside Philadelphia to have the beloved pet put to sleep. What would begin as a terrible day suddenly got brighter as the ugliest dog they had ever seen--one who was missing an ear and had half his face covered in scar tissue--ran up to them and captured their hearts. The dog had been used as bait for fighting dogs when he was just a few months old. He had been thrown in a cage and left to die until the police rescued him and the staff at Ardmore Animal Hospital saved his life. The Levins, whose sons are themselves adopted, were unable to resist Oogy's charms.

Heartwarming and redemptive, OOGY is the story of the people who were determined to rescue this dog against all odds, and of the family who took him home, named him "Oogy" (an affectionate derivative of ugly), and made him one of their own."

My Booky Wook: A Memoir of Sex, Drugs and Stand-Up by Russel Brand - $13.36

LOVE Russel Brand! I have one of his other books Revolution, and it's such a fun read. I would love to get to know the actual Russel Brand a bit more through this book. I think it would be just as entertaining as his political one.

"Russell Brand learned early on to make a joke of fear and failure. From a troubled childhood in industrial Essex, England, to his descent into addictions to alcohol, drugs, and sex in the seamy underbelly of London, Brand has seen his share of both and miraculously lived to tell the tale. In My Booky Wook he leads readers on a rollicking journey through his disastrous school career, his infamous antics on MTV, and his multifarious sexual adventures. But this irreverent memoir is a story not simply of struggle but also of redemption, a testament to the difficulty of discovering what you want from life and the remarkable power of a bloody-minded determination to get it.My Booky Wookis a giddy trip through the brilliant mind of one of Britain's most valuable exports."

Eat Taste Heal: An Ayurvedic Cookbook for Modern Living by Dr. Thomas Yarema MD, Daniel Rhoda and Chef Johnny Brannigan

23.52

I am really interested in Ayurveda lately and recently got a book about home remedies. Ayurveda is one of my subjects in school as it takes on an incredibly holistic approach. This book is all about healing through food. After all, food is medicine. So think I would learn a slew of additional information regarding healing through food.

"Eat.Taste.Heal is a groundbreaking work within the field of holistic health and nutrition, written by a medical doctor, a patient, and an acclaimed chef. A complete guidebook and cookbook in one, Eat.Taste.Heal demystifies the ancient healing science of Ayurveda, humankind's most ancient system of healthy living. The aim of the book is simple: to create harmony within through using common foods and healthy lifestyle practices as medicine. The collection contains over 150 cross-cultural recipes and received a Maverick Award for excellence in photography. The authors are a unique trio: physician, patient, and chef. Dr. Thomas Yarema M.D., director of the Kauai Center for Holistic Medicine and Research, created for his patients an understandable dietary program rooted in common sense. Daniel Rhoda, a patient who found healing through Ayurveda, demystifies the ancient science that helped restore his health. Chef Johnny Brannigan, an internationally trained Ayurvedic chef, has created more than 150 recipes to empower individual healing through the exploration of taste."

Oh oh...and I must add one more...last minute as I was typing this all out and perusing Instagram and saw that one of my fave InstaDogs - Tuna - is on his very own book tour! I would love to read this little guys book. Much like Oogy's. <3 font="" nbsp="">

Tuna Melts My Heart: The Underdog with the Overbite by Courtney Dasher - 12.24 CAD

The heartwarming true story of “the most inspiring dog on the Internet.”—BuzzFeed 

From Southern California castaway to Hollywood heartbreaker, Tuna the Chiweenie has won the adoration of millions. Now the charming and unconventional pooch has his own book, filled with more than a hundred all-new photographs and witty commentary to give fans an intimate and hilarious look at the Internet’s most prized pup.

 

Tuna’s cartoonish looks—with an exaggerated overbite, a recessed jawline, and a wrinkly neck—are truly one of a kind. And yet his quirky appearance is no match for his unique perspective on life, overcoming his proclivity for staying in bed all day to keep his eye on the (bacon-flavored) prize.

 

Teaming up with his owner, Courtney Dasher, Tuna shares a behind-the-scenes look at his daily exploits, which include sleeping, sunbathing, wearing bow ties, playing with toys, and melting hearts.

 

Packed with witty and endearing images of this ridiculously adorable pup, Tuna Melts My Heart is sure to delight the underdogs in us all!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Usually every year during tax time, I get a bit of a 'good' return...this year, not so much...bleh. If I did..you know what I would be purchasing in a heartbeat. These are all fantastic books...well, I think so anyways - especially the puppy ones! 

Overtime I will for sure get these books and review them. I have a few reviews on the go right now. Just haven't had time to post since life is so chaotic! 

On another note. My BFF got me a little gift for over the weekend to go and get my hair did at a salon and spa! I am sooooo excited!!!!

I will make sure to take pics and share! :D 

Anyways....have you read any of the books on this wish list?? If so, tell me about them in the comments below! If not, are there any that you find interesting? Or are there specific books that you yourself have in mind to read in the near future?? :) 

-S.*