Reading List

Since reading 600+ pages of Regulation CPA exam material is rather mind numbing, I recently used some graduation money to purchase some home books. By recently, I mean yesterday and by some, I mean $20! I got inspired by John and Sherry's wishlist at YHL and moved on from there. Many of the books were around $20 such as Thom Filicia Style: Inspired Ideas for Creating Rooms You'll Love for $23.10 but I was able to shop in one Half.com store to take advantage of reduced shipping and pay $2-5 for each of the books and spend less than one book on Amazon. I haven't received them yet (more waiting for 2-9 days for media mail!!) but based on past experience, if they are a little "pre-loved," I feel less bad the first time I spill tea on them.

I purchased the following books:

Home Rules by Barri Leiner, Nate Berkus : Transform the Place You Live into a Place You'll Love
Cost: $3.24 from Half.com
Source: YHL Wishlist
Confession: I have no idea who Nate Berkus is. I can glean that he is into home decor. He has interviewed YHL and Bower Power. He has some sort of show? I'm not really sure. It was a cheap paperback so I grabbed it.

Thom Filicia Style: Inspired Ideas for Creating Rooms You'll Love
Cost: $4.74 from Half.com
Source: YHL Wishlist
I tried to find more up-to-date home books since styles change so fast. I didn't want to spend the money to purchase them at full price since I may or may not like the styles inside. The one was the "pricey" one because it bore the brunt of the shipping charges. Half.com allows you to stack shipping for $2-3 more per book. I remember this guy from HGTV random things and Queer Eye. Aw, I miss that show!

If I Had a Hammer by Andrea Ridout: More Than 100 Easy Fixes and Weekend Projects
Cost: $2.64 from Half.com
Source: Me!
This book was never and had some good reviews for being a home renovation book for women without talking down to them. I hate books that talk to me like I am a child or just into shopping. I have more interests like shopping for shoes and shopping for skirts, etc. ;) I am pretty bad with hammers, nails, power tools, so I think I can use this to relearn.

Design Idea Book by Karen Templer
Source: YHL Wishlist
Cost: $2.64 from Half.com
This one seemed pretty. There are a very other books like it and I just need help when it comes to sticking things together and picking out colors. I am really just hoping for all of these books to be picture books after all my tax reading.

Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book
Cost: $2.64 from Half.com
Source: Mom
This book has been on my wishlist for a while and it's one of the few that I have actually seen. My mom has this cookbook (from 1989) and it has the best recipes for things like banana bread, oven baked pancakes, etc. I find that online recipes can be a little trendy or incorrect, and I don't like the new cookbook style with 50-60 recipes. This book has an endless amount of recipes for simple things like meatballs and that banana bread. I can usually figure out how to make them but I like to have a recipe to go along with it. It is very compact and doesn't take up a lot of counter space. It doesn't have pictures but I also know what a meatball should look like and there is no guilt if mine turns out a little more lopsided than the stylized food in a book.

All About Us by Philipp Keel
Cost: $3.24 from Half.com
Source: Urban Outfitters
Finally, I got a little treat for myself. I'm really excited for this book. I ordered a "Very Good" copy so I hope it comes unmarked. I saw it a few years back at UO and I really wanted it but again, $15 is kind of pricey for a college student. I'm hoping to use this as another break from studying and general hectic summer renovation life. After 5 years together, I can just quiz Rob on my answers. ;) What's my favorite ice cream flavor?

The total damage from all of these books was $19.14. I saved $3.96 from just the Thom Filicia book. I'm super excited to put that towards some new paint brushes once we get our house! Happy reading!

Credit to all pictures to their respective books and Half.com.