My Favorite Reads 001

I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned before that I’m a bit of a voracious reader. Books were one of my first passions and to this day I love nothing more than losing myself in a good book. I thought it might be fun to check in time to time with what I’ve been recently reading and loving. I tend toward a mix of business-oriented nonfiction and really good modern literature. The occasional so-called chick lit definitely makes the list, but generally I like things a bit deeper. I’m also not really into mysteries or suspense novels, but it’s possible I just haven’t stumbled upon an author that really sucks me in yet in that department. So with that said, here are four books I’ve recently read and absolutely loved. What have you been reading lately? Any suggestions? I’d love to to check out your recommended reads!

#GIRLBOSS, by Sophia Amoruso
There’s a lot of buzz about this book right now and, lest you should think it’s just fluff, I’m here to assure you that there’s good reason for all the hype. Penned by the founder of Nasty Gal, this book is loaded with incredible insight on creating a business and a brand, working hard and surpassing all your goals and expectations. Sophia shares her personal rise from girl selling vintage clothes on eBay to high-powered CEO of a $100 million fashion empire. The story is inspiring, the advice is no nonsense and I personally highlighted more passages and quotes from this book than I can even tell you. This is a definite must-read for any would-be female entrepreneur.

The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin
I actually just read this book for a second time after first reading it in 2012 and I’m glad I took the time. Author Gretchen Rubin shares her own journey toward a happier life and the steps she experimented with along the way to get there. Detailing the process she underwent, everything from cleaning out her closets to making more time for family and enjoying hobbies, Gretchen pairs anecdotes from her personal life with a ton of research into what makes people happy in a way that shows how we can all achieve greater happiness and contentment in our everyday lives. If you’re feeling frazzled, overwhelmed or just kind of ho-hum lately, this is my pick for you!

Where’d You Go Bernadette, by Maria Semple
This is one of those reads I picked up in an airport bookstore assuming it fell into the aforementioned chick lit category, but which actually ended up being surprisingly more complex than I expected. The story centers on a family that on the surface appears to be a pretty average family, and evolves into a study of human emotion, the complexity of relationships and what motivates each of us to do the things we do. It was definitely one of those books that surprised me by being really good, when ultimately I was expecting a light upbeat read and not much more. Definitely worth the read!

Me Before You, by Jojo Moyes
This book. Guys, I can’t even tell you. I just finished this book over the weekend and blew through it in about two days flat. It gutted me. The story follows a young woman seemingly stuck in an ordinary life and all the ways her world changes when she’s hired as a caretaker for a man who became a quadriplegic following a horrific accident. I went into the first chapters expecting the book to be one thing and by the time I finished the last chapter I was outright sobbing. It has been a long time since a book has gotten to me like this and now I’m really intrigued about the movie, due out next year. Read this book. Trust me. Just be sure to have lots of tissues handy!