I've always had such a passion for reading, but as life has gotten busier over the past couple of years I've noticed that I prioritized taking this time for myself to indulge in a good book less and less. This year I've really reignited my love of reading - I have really come to appreciate carving out time each day to make space for myself and indulge in something that brings me as much joy as reading does. By prioritizing more time for books I've also found myself eliminating more negative habits and growing in more ways than I can count.
I love a good balance of fiction to non-fiction (mostly personal growth/ self-help) books - in the past I've had a tendency to start multiple books of different genres at once only to not finish any of them either because of lack of time or just because I bounce around so much that I never get to be gripped by any particular story. This year I've been alternating between fiction and non-fiction which has helped to indulge my love of a good story while also providing me with useful knowledge and tools for growth.
I thought I would share some of my thoughts on the books I have enjoyed this year - while I'm by no means an expert I am a lover of books and have always love hearing what others' opinions on what they're reading and thought that this would be a fun way to share my thoughts and hopefully help you to find some treasured reads along the way.
I absolutely loved this book, it's one that I know I will turn to again and again when I need a little boost. It was the first book that I read this year (I actually purchased it last fall but life happened and it sat on my self for a couple of months before I had a chance to dive into it.). I read this book shortly after my dad passed away and I wholeheartedly believe that reading it when I did made it even more of an incredible tool that helped me to cope, refocus, and grow even in such a hard season of life. The book full of wisdom and goodness from conversations with thought leaders hosted on Oprah's Supersoul Sunday show over the years. She breaks the book into ten sections: Awakening, Intention, Mindfulness, Spiritual GPS, Ego, Forgiveness, Broken Open, Grace and Gratitude, and Love and Connection offering valuable insight into each category and it really invites you to adopt a softer, more grounded perspective even on some really tough topics. At the end of the book, Oprah says, "In order to experience life, you've got to start asking life's big questions" and I think that this book is such a great starting point in asking those questions.
This was my first fiction book of the year and I could. not. put. it. down. I read the entire book in less than 3 days. I really loved her style of writing and found myself really fascinated with the characters and needing to know what happened next. There are so many twists and turns and this book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
HOLY MOLY THIS BOOK. I can tell you right now that I have dog-eared about 70% of this book and know that I will be returning to it over and over again. I learned so much about myself through Glennon's words and her fun and lighthearted writing style made it feel like I was having a conversation with my best friend. The little nuggets of wisdom and shifts in perspective that she brings up are so valuable and have really helped me to see myself, my relationships, and the world around me a little clearer and with fresh eyes. She drops some serious knowledge on a myriad of topics from motherhood, climate change, prioritizing yourself, relationships, racism, family, brokenness, wholeness, and just about everything in between - all shared in bite-sized chapters so you can gobble up all of her knowledge and wisdom, even if you only have a few minutes to set aside to read. I want to give this book to everyone I know - I wholeheartedly believe that there's benefit for every human being in reading it.
I am almost fully prepared to say that this is my favorite book of all time, it has been such a long time since I have been so completely gripped by a story - I just about ate, slept, and breathed this book during the two days it took me to read it (I couldn't put it down!). The story was absolutely fascinating and it's such a beautifully written mystery that almost feels as if its narrated by nature. It was a story that gave me everything I could possibly ask for in a book: hope, determination, romance, strength, a murder mystery and a beautiful portrait of the impact that nature can have on us. I can't recommend this book enough, it was such a breath of fresh air and had me on the edge of my seat until the very last page.
I was both fascinated and terrified reading this memoir - Tara's story is incredible as she's beaten all odds and broken down all barriers in order to give herself an education. As a parent I caught myself nearly in tears a couple of times as she told of her experiences in Buck's Peak - hers is a story of determination, strength, and beating all of the odds stacked up against you. It's inspiring and heartbreaking all at once.
I enjoyed this book and the the introspective look it made me take at my life and how I approach certain situations. The book outlines that our perspective and understanding of the world comes from a combination of unconscious beliefs that we started to pick up as children and have carried throughout our life - most of us aren't even aware of the effect that these unconscious bias and behaviors have on our lives! By letting go of those beliefs and adapting these four agreements you'll come to live a happier and more fulfilling life. This book gave me a lot of nuggets of wisdom + I'm sure I'll return to it when I need a refresh.
This final book was my first ever Book of the Month pick - I joined this service following a ton of recommendations from friends on Instagram and have really loved it as a way to be exposed to new books, and get them sooner (and more affordably!) then if I had purchased them from the store. If this is something that you'd be interested in you can use my referral link to get your first BOTM book for $10 (this is not sponsored - though if any book company wants to send me some free books, let a girl know ;). This is a service that I pay for each month and have enjoyed, and am simply sharing in case it is something you'd be interested in too!)
I really enjoyed this book, the story really peaked my interest and I kept wondering how it was going to end. It presents some really valid thoughts on race, diversity and privilege and how we interact with one another. This was a seemingly light and easy read on the surface with an entertaining story, but still tackled some really tough topics.
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