I haven’t consistently been a huge reader. I was when I was a child, but throughout high school and college the habit kind of petered out. Mostly due to struggles with sleep related to general stress and anxiety, I started reading a lot again over the past few years and I’m so glad I did! These days with my bedtime reading ritual, I’m getting through at least a book every month. It just so happens, that I often lean toward female authors. Here are some of my favorites I’ve read in the past year.
Where the Crawdads Sing
I’m sure you’ve seen this on many book lists this past year and it’s truly the best book I read all year. I could not stop turning the pages on this one. The story is one that includes romance, mystery, a feminine perspective and one makes you smile, cry and feel everything in between.
Purchase Where the Crawdads Sing
Daisy Jones & The Six
Who doesn’t love sex, drugs & rock’n roll? Although the book is based on a fiction band rising to stardom in the 70s and their captivating lead singer Daisy Jones, it’s written in a documentary / interview style where each characters is looking back at their music career. Prepare to finally be the flower child you have always dreamed of when this one transports you to the 70s.
Purchase Daisy Jones & The Six
Becoming
Ok, I may be a little late to the party on this one, but it’s never too late to read the story and wise words of Michelle Obama. She is truly the epitome of class and getting the inside look at her personal story as well and her and Barack’s story will inspire you in life, love, family, career and more.
Americanah
This book has been sitting on my shelf for a while now, but for some reason I didn’t get around to reading it until recently. The story of what it means to be black in a modern world from a young Nigerian woman’s perspective through the writing of her blog is such a powerful way to understand something that most of us probably don’t. The examination of race and immigration in today’s world make this a must read.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
I mean what doesn’t sound interesting about a woman who was married seven times? This fiction novel chronicles a writer who receives the opportunity of a lifetime when former Old Hollywood actress Evelyn Hugo asks her to write her a tell all on her life before she passes away. Author of Daisy Jones & the Six transports you to another decade yet again!
Purchase The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
The Family Upstairs
If you are into true crime and cult podcasts as much as I am, then you will love this suspenseful read! This story follows a young woman named Libby who is surprised when she inherits a large house in a posh neighborhood in London. She is even more surprised when she begins to unravel all of the secrets of her family that she never knew she had.
The Yellow House
If you are a New Orleans babe, you can’t not read this novel by New Orleans native, Sarah Broom. However, it’s really a fascinating read for anyone. It’s received numerous awards and was on Obama’s list of favorite books he read in 2019. Sarah tells her family’s story of growing up in New Orleans East and the struggles she faces with her relationship to her roots especially after Hurricane Katrina wiped out their childhood home and the inequality they faced following.
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