Happy Sunday my friends!  The crock pot is going, the house is cozy, and the leaves are slowly changing colors outside my window. These September days are perfect for cuddling up with a good book and a warm beverage! (for me only during nap time and Julia’s bedtime lol)  Today I thought I would share with you some books that I’m currently loving 🙂

1.) Inward by Yung Pueblo

I first came across some of Yung Pueblo’s work on Instagram and Pinterest. This book is a collection of short poems and prose that are incredibly thought provoking. The author is fantastically talented and has a unique way of being able to say such deep and “a-ha!”-provoking sentiments in so few lines. The book is split into 5 different chapters or sections (distance, union, interlude, self love, understanding) however it is not the kind of book you have to read in order since it is a collection of short works. I had heard so many different people praise this book, and although much of his work is available online I wanted to get a physical copy and support the author. When I got to my car I flipped open to a random page and it was the piece I’ve shared below. It hit me like a ton of bricks because it felt so relatable to where I am at and have been in life for a while now. Overall his work is incredible; inspiring, deep, and soo thought provoking.
I highly recommend “Inward”!

“her rebirth was stunning
she lifted herself up
from the depths of despair,
grasped her dreams,
embedded them in her heart,
and walked forward into
a future that only her will
and vision could control”

2. Blue Collars by Catherine McLaughlin

As someone who is a local history buff, this book appealed to me because although it is fiction, it is also inspired by the author’s own experiences growing up in New Bedford in the 1950s and 1960s. I have never read a novel that has taken place in New Bedford (ok I may have been forced to read Moby Dick at some point of my schooling years but I’m not exactly a fan) and I really enjoyed being able to recognize some of the streets, business’, and local things that the main character talked about.
However more importantly, Blue Collars is solid, emotional, relatable, heartbreaking story-telling. It is simply the kind of page turner that made me genuinely sad when it was over. It dives into difficult topics such as the main character’s heart breaking experience of sexual abuse and how it impacted her. It tells the struggles of the working class, the closeness of families during those times, race issues, and growing up in America as the recent descendant of immigrants (something many people in the United States, myself included, can still relate to today.)
Over all this book was one of my favorite novels that I’ve read in recent years. I’m not a huge fan of fiction so for me to fall in love with a fiction piece, it’s got to be good. Although this book originally appealed to me because of the local ties, I think it is a fantastic book that anyone could fall in love with.

“Surrounded by the love of a caring, extended family, Finn’s life seems from the outside to be carefree and idyllic. But a terrible secret haunts her childhood. This is the story of a young girl’s endurance in the face of betrayal and her brave efforts to overcome the shocks that rock her world. Finn’s efforts to present a normal face breaks the reader’s heart. Her story infuriates – even as her determination to stay strong and survive will inspire every reader. From Finn’s tumultuous childhood to her coming of age, we deeply experience her family’s life of love, abuse, and heartache amidst a backdrop of historical events such as textile strikes and economic and political upheaval that shaped America and this industrial city.”

3. Becoming by Michelle Obama

I first heard about Becoming when I was listening to Michelle’s episode of Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations podcast, and as Oprah read a few excerpts of the book I thought to myself, I’ve GOT to get this book – and about a month later on Christmas it fell into my lap (thanks Kevin! ♥).
Michelle has lived an amazing life  – from a very humble upbringing, to fascinating achievements of her own before she ever became “Mrs Obama”. She is truly such a persevering, inspiring and genuine human being. One of my favorite parts of this book was the part where Michelle was describing her upbringing, and the impact that her own mother had on her life. Even though this is Michelle’s memoir, the story of her mother inspired me so much about the kind of mother I want to be. The stories of her childhood are so detailed and vibrant, you can imagine it without effort. Her story telling across the board in this book is excellent and so detailed. Although Michelle has accomplished so much and has literally been as far as the White House, she is still somehow incredibly relatable. Reading this book, in her words, felt like reading the words of a friend, a mom, someone who at her core, isn’t so different from me or you.
If you’re on the fence about checking out this memoir consider listening to Michelle’s Super Soul episode on Spotify! I guarantee you will end the podcast wanting to read this book! Here is a little excerpt from Becoming:

“My considerable blessings in life were now causing a kind of psychic whiplash. I’d been raised to be confident and see no limits, to believe I could go after and get absolutely anything I wanted. And I wanted everything. I wanted to live with the hat-tossing, independent-career-woman zest of Mary Tyler Moore, and at the same time I gravitated toward the stabilizing, self-sacrificing, seemingly bland normalcy of being a wife and mother. I wanted to have a work life and a home life, but with some promise that one would never fully squelch the other. I hoped to be exactly like my own mother and at the same time nothing like her at all. It was an odd and confounding thing to ponder. Could I have everything? Would I have everything? I had no idea.”

4. The Path Made Clear: Discovering Your Life’s Direction and Purpose by Oprah Winfrey

It may be obvious by now but in case you’ve never noticed, I am a huge fan of Oprah Winfrey. What can I say? The woman is gifted with a fabulous way of words, interviewing style, she has got the BEST book list picks, and she in her own right has lived a very interesting and persevering life.
I  remember being in elementary school and being excited to walk home and watch The Oprah Winfrey Show! She has always been a part of my life, and currently, I am a dedicated fan of her Super Soul Conversations! I listen to both the podcast and when her episodes go live on Facebook. The Path Made Clear is a collection of some of the greatest lessons some of her Super Soul guests have learned in life. It is a great book to pick up and read when you are soul searching, wanting to feel inspired, in the midst of struggle, etc. This book includes deep personal stories and lessons from  so many wonderful people including, Iyanla Vanzant, Dr. Shefali Tsabary, India.Arie, Deepak Chopra and Eckhart Tolle all such highly respected inspirational speakers, healers, musicians, authors, and gurus — just to name a few. In between excerpts with with guests are Oprah’s own stories. This book has made its home on my bedside table (where I do most of my reading) and it is one of my favorites to flip through before going to bed, or when I am looking to feel more positive and inspired in life.

“Whatever your calling, it’s already rooted within you, and those roots can be trampled or tugged at but never removed. They grow stronger only when tended, nurtured—and, most important, shared with others.”

5. The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo

 As I mentioned earlier in this post, I’m not much of a fiction reader. So when I was assigned to read The Alchemist for my summer school reading my senior year of high school, I wasn’t exactly excited about it. I’ll admit, I judged it by its cover, its title, everything. I though it would be boring so I procrastinated reading it until the day before school started. However, I was not expecting to be so pleasantly surprised. The Alchemist wound up winning the title of my favorite novel, EVER. It tells the story of a young man who is torn between the expectations of his family and the life they have prepared for him and expect him to live, and the deep pull of his heart towards something completely different. I have read this book countless times over the past eight years and each time it is a pleasure. It inspires readers to follow your heart, pay attention to the signs life gives you, listen to your intuition, manifest your dreams and never forget where you came from. Paulo Coelho somehow wrote this book in 2 weeks (he also has a great podcast episode on Super Soul worth checking out called What If The Universe Conspired In Your Favor? ) and it became a modern classic. I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages! But especially to people who are looking for inspiration on guidance and following your heart and intuition. This book is amazing for that.

“Nothing stays the same, this can be a gift or a curse. Every day is a new day to make a  positive change. Your future has nothing to do with what is past. Your future depends only on what we do right now and every moment going forward.”

If you made it to the end of this post – thank you! I hope you decide to pick up one of these books at your library or book store. They have all touched my heart in different, but lasting ways.
I am always looking for more books to read, so please share your recommendations with me below!

Happy Reading 🙂