Book Connoisseur

Earlier this summer, I shared the following post on my Instagram page about being raised in a home where reading was not only encouraged, but required and how grateful I am for it.

My mama raised some readers, y'all. If I went home to Louisiana right now, there would still be 2 book CLOSETS overflowing with children's books and chapter books. The Babysitter's Club, The Boxcar Children, The Hardy Boys, an entire Dr. Seuss Collection, Little Golden Books, children’s encyclopedias...you name it!
 •
 As kids, if we didn't come home on the last day of school with a summer reading list, you best believe mama created her own, packed us up in her minivan, and set us loose in the Iberia Parish Public Library on Main Street in New Iberia, Louisiana to gather our literary treasures. We loved every second of it- imagining ourselves going on adventures while growing our vocabularies, stimulating our minds, and challenging our mindsets. Exposing us to the beautiful truth that a big, diverse world existed outside of our small town and someday we would have the honor of experiencing it for ourselves.
 •
 I'll always be a reader, and I'm raising Bean to be one too. Our weekly trip to the library is the highlight of our week. Sure, we could listen to audio books or pull them up on a device. But there's just something about holding the paper in your hand, underlining the powerful phrases, and highlighting the words you never want to forget, that makes reading so powerful.

Well y'all, my social media tribe FLIPPED over this post! Everyone chimed in, sharing their childhood favorites as well as their current literary obsessions. From NYT bestsellers to Oprah and Reese's book club picks to the newest releases... we were all giddy with excitement and nostalgic for days when life was simple, bills were non-existent #blessit, and lazy summers were spent in a cozy window seat or next to the pool reading for hours.

After publishing that post, I received several requests to share a more comprehensive list of literary treasures that set my soul on fire. I thought it might be a difficult task to tackle, but after searching my Amazon cart and wish lists, my holds account at the local library, my notes section of my phone, the "ALL THE BOOKS" section of my trusty notebook that I carry around with me everywhere, those crumpled Target receipts at the bottom of my purse, and all those fluorescent- colored post-its that I'd stashed (read: lost) in "safe places" so I'd know exactly where to find them when I win the lottery and can spend an obnoxious amount of money on books, it was actually quite easy to throw this little list together.

So, check it out and let me know what you think! If you have any "must reads" that aren't on my lists, please, PLEASE share them in the comments section below. Sharing is caring, friends!

Love Y'all,

Faith

(Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this post may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I personally use and love, or think my readers will find useful.)

Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert

The Wisdom of Sundays, Oprah Winfrey

Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens

Year of Yes, Shonda Rhimes

Destiny: Step into Your Purpose, T.D. Jakes

He Speaks in the Silence, Dianne Comer

The Best Yes, Lysa Terkeurst

Girl, Wash Your Face, Rachel Hollis

Grace, Not Perfection, Emily Ley

A Simplified Life, Emily Ley

Only Love Today, Rachel Macy Stafford

Don't Settle for Safe, Sarah Jakes Roberts

More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are (No Matter What They Say), Elaine Welteroth

Higher is Waiting, Tyler Perry

Love Warrior, Glennon Doyle

Rising Strong, Brene' Brown

Until Today, Iyanla Vanzant

Trust: Mastering the Four Essential Trusts, Iyanla Vanzant

It's Not Supposed to be This Way, Lysa Terkeurst

Anxious for Nothing, Max Lucado

In the Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day, Mark Batterson

You Are a Bad*ss, Jen Sincero

The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, Issa Rae

The Cure for the "Perfect" Life, Kathy Lipp and Cheri Gregory

Essentialism, Greg McKeown

Breaking Busy, Alli Worthington

Mini Habits, Stephen Guise

10 Minute Mindfulness, S.J. Scott and Barrie Davenport

The Untethered Soul, Michael A. Singer

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, Bryan Stevenson

The Seat of the Soul, Gary Zukav

Peace From Broken Pieces: How to Get Through What You're Going Through, Iyanla Vanzant

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed , Lori Gottlieb

The Beautiful No: And Other Tales of Trial, Transcendence, and Transformation, Sheri Salata

Crushing: God Turns Pressure into Power, T. D. Jakes

Room, Emma Donoghue

An American Marriage, Tayari Jones

Educated: A Memoir, Tara Westover

Where’d You Go, Bernadette: A Novel, Maria Semple

Stay With Me: A Novel, Ayobami Adebayo

The Husband’s Secret, Liane Moriarty

God Will Use This for Good: Surviving the Mess of Life, Max Lucado

Believe Bigger: Discover the Path to Your Life Purpose, Marshawn Evans Daniels

The Gifts of Imperfection, Brene' Brown

The Art of Gathering, Priya Parker

The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron

City of Girls, Elizabeth Gilbert

Abundance Now: Amplify Your Life & Achieve Prosperity Today, Lisa Nichols

Girl, Stop Apologizing, Rachel Hollis

Big Little Lies, Liane Moriarty

A Walk Across the Sun, Corban Addison

The Home Edit, Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Marie Kondo

The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this post may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I personally use and love, or think my readers will find useful.