June is Bridal Season

June is traditionally thought of as the month of brides and all things bridal. In fact, in the U.S. it is the busiest month for the wedding industry. I thought I would showcase a few books to help you with your bridal needs. One is specifically about weddings; two feature entertaining tips and tricks; and the last one helps you to let go if things in the marriage go south.

Weddiculous: An Unfiltered Guide to Being a Bride by Jamie Lee (with Jacqueline Novak) is a fresh, funny look at all things bridal. The author--a stand-up comedian, TV writer, and actress—talks about her experience planning her own wedding and gives practical and hilarious tips to other brides on how to not run yourself (and others) crazy during this stressful process. Jamie opens each chapter with a snippet of the kind of advice that big bridal business gives to potential brides; she then blows that advice out of the water! This book is worth the read even if you’re not planning a wedding.

Looking for ideas on entertaining in general? Why not check out Modern Hospitality: Simple Recipes with Southern Charm by Whitney Miller or How to Celebrate Everything by Jenny Rosenstrach?

Whitney Miller was the Season 1 winner of MasterChef hosted by Gordon Ramsay. This young woman hales from Poplarville, Mississippi and is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi. Her book contains more than 75 original southern-style recipes, ideas for entertaining, and stories from her own family and traditions.

Jenny Rosenstrach includes more than 100 recipes in her book; each one designed to celebrate those days most special to your family. She includes complete menus for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve as well as ideas for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Super Bowl Sunday. She also includes notes on her own family rituals for holidays and birthdays and why it is important for families to celebrate together.

If your wedding doesn’t pan out into eternal wedded bliss, then, The Optimist’s Guide to Divorce by Suzanne Riss and Jill Sockwell may be worth reading. When their own marriages began falling apart, the authors looked and looked for advice to help them through their tough times. They both realized that they needed the support of other women who understood what they were going through. In this book they bring together that practical advice on everything from deciding to divorce, custody battles, and moving house to making a plan, budgeting for your new life, and jumping back in the dating pool. Most importantly, they teach women that it’s okay to hurt, but there is hope and healing on the horizon.

Advice for Women

Two new books in our self-help/relationship section, the following books will help you realize healthy relationships and deal with life's curve balls--big and small.

The first book is Girlfriend to Girlfriend: Everyday Wisdom and Affirmations from the Sisters Circle by Julia A. Boyd. This book is full of straight-talking sisters with advice to help every women get through the obstacle course that makes up daily life. The Sisters Circle advice comes from the heart and is meant to help you realize that things don't always go as planned, but we can get through those moments with a little encouragement, prayer, and a whole lot of truth. Above all, we must remember to laugh, to love, and to care for ourselves as much as we do for others.

The second book for your enjoyment is Don't Give It Away! by Iyanla Vanzant. This workbook styled tome is designed to help you express your thoughts and feelings about the things that matter to you like your family, your friends, your body, and your love life. While problems at home, work, or school are an everyday occurrence, understanding what to do with how you feel about your problems is the key to growing as an individual. Iyanla designed this book to teach practical coping strategies for women young or old.

Taking the first steps to launching the career of your dreams.

According to Ben Arment, the author of 'Dream Year : Make the Leap from a Job You Hate to a Life You Love", there is no such thing as a 'dream job'.  A job is where you are working for someone else to fulfill their dreams, not your own.

In his coaching classes, he has worked with hundreds of people to help them identify their dream career, plan it out and launch it in one year.

His new book is full of insights and advice, but most captivating part is the stories of the people who have followed his step-by-step program to switch from the jobs that paid the bills to work that they are enthusiastic about and enjoy while still making a living.

The book covers the steps in individual chapters starting with finding and defining your dream career and follows through to growing and sustaining it.  One of his main points - never give up and he gives several examples of those who had to make multiple tries before they reached their own goals, including Abraham Lincoln.

Enter the World of Happy Chaos

Soleil Moon Frye, formerly known as the spunky main character on the 1980's hit television series Punky Brewster is currently a social media maven and "momtrepeneur" with two little girls. She often finds herself living in the chaotic world of rasing kids and trying to figure it all out. Soleil dishes out advice on motherhood in her latest book, Happy Chaos: From Punky to Parenting and My Perfectly Imperfect Adventures In Between. Soleil believes that chaos is not such a bad thing...in fact...she believes that chaos is the sign that a family is operating at its best. Soleil believes that when parents accept that there will be bumps and scrapes, misses and mishaps, then both parents and kids will be happy living their lives. Soleil herself was raised by a free-spirited mother and she tries to raise her kids in the same fashion. Soleil uses lessons she learns in her own upbringing to give the reader a unique view into her own conception of motherhood. This is partly a memoir and partly a how-to guide that is sure to appeal to every modern mom and dad. Follow Soleil Moon Frye on Twitter and Facebook and check out Moonfrye.com for more parenting information. In 2008 Soleil alaunched an eco-friendly clothing line for kids called "The Little Seed," and became an advocate for the Alzheimer's Association. In 2011 she also became Target's "Mommy Ambassador."