Hey y’all!
I’m back with a list of my favorite books! I love to read. Its really calming to me and it helps to take me away in some odd weird way shape or form. Anyway, here is a list of some of my favorite things to read. I recently did a reading challenge on Goodreads (a social media site for readers). This is my second time doing the challenge and the first time didn’t go so well. I believe I said I wanted to read 15 books last year and I fell short of that goal. This year I wanted to read 13 books and I completed that goal! Anyway, get on the app. Join the site. Read some great books! Hopefully this list can give you something to start from!
Girl On Fire by Cara Alwill Leyba
I’m such a fan of hers. I’ve been following her since her first two books came out and I’ve been buying her books and listening to her podcast ever since. Lately like in the past few months, I’ve been feeling quite down and super hard on myself. These months have actually proved to be emotionally and mentally draining for me. I picked up this book (actually picked up my kindle to be exact) and finished reading it in a week. I couldn’t put it down. It was just what I needed to force me to get real with myself. I highly recommend people to buy this book. I’m considering buying a hard copy and giving it as a gift to a friend. You need this book. Get it here.
With the Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo
Loved it for my students. It’s an easy read. I want to read her other book “The Poet”. This book is pretty good and it addresses issues like identity, teen parenting and figuring out what to do with one’s life. This book is written by an Afro-Latina and you can see some hints of that in this book. It’s important that my students see themselves in a character and the fact that the writer is an Afro-Latina, it really helps them to feel that they’re not alone. The book follows Emoni, a teen mother who dreams of going to culinary arts school but she’s a single parent and don’t really have the money to pay for school. She has to rely on her talent for cooking up delicious meals and her belief in herself to see her dreams come to fruition. It’s a quick read and is a great book to have in the classroom. Find it here.
30 As F**k: 30 Things I Learned During My Quarter-Life Crisis by Sarah Ordo
It was so cute. I feel like I read it at the right time in my life. I follow her everywhere on social media. Her books and podcast have changed my life and the way I view things and myself. I actually got to interview her for this book in one of my blog posts (you can find it here ). Sarah has written eight books and a lot of them deal with sobriety and so this isn’t really one of them (although she does touches on that subject throughout the book). In the book, she urges the reader to stop looking at aging like its the plague. It details what she’s learned so far and how it can help us. I feel like every woman can relate to this book in some way or another. This book is great for the millennial girl figuring her life out. Buy it here.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
My favorite book of the series! This one is just so good. It’s the fifth book of the Harry Potter series. I saw the movie before I read the book but omg as always the book was way better than the movie. It’s where he encounters Delores Umbridge (you know. The woman I named my anxiety after). In the book Harry is constantly attacked in various ways and works hard to prove his innocence. The ministry placed a woman, who hates children and have no business in education due to her being highly unqualified (sounds familiar Betsy DeVoes?) who tries to sabotage Hogwarts. Harry has to fight both the ministry and Voldermort to protect his school, his headmaster, his friends and well his life. Everyone has their favorite Potter book and this one…this one is mine. I love it. Find it here!
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
This is a quick read. The formatting of it is like poems. It was a quick read but omg it’s good. I can’t wait for my students to read this! I literally was like wondering what Will was going to do next! This book shows that guns are not the answer. The book starts off with 15 year old Will losing his brother to gun violence and how it affected him afterwards. Should he get revenge or not? This book takes you through the different feelings and emotions he felt as he journeyed on his way down his building in the elevator during which he is encountered with many ghosts from his past. Needless to say, I highly recommend this book. Buy it here.
You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
I guess I read this at the right time in m life because it definately game me the push I needed. While I don’t agree 100% with what she was saying about a couple of things (I’m more on the religious side so I attribute a lot of things to God), it’s still some solid advice. It like gave you no b.s. advice and kind of like a how to get out of your own way type of book. It reminds you that the universe is working with you and not against you. Again, I like to rely on God for a lot of things so this wasn’t my jam. I give all credit to him, not the universe. Anyway, its still a great book. It gives you a kick in the ass when you need it and serves to remind you that you are that bitch. My roomie even got me the little push button and mini book for Christmas one year which I thought was pretty awesome! Anyway I love this book. Find it here.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
This book made me think. I come from a very comfortable background. My neighborhood was mixed and well…my opinions of others living in not so great neighborhoods isn’t the best. This book is needed not only in the classroom but also in every household. It made me look at my own prejudice about people living in the hood. It’s such an important book because it talks about death and grieving as well as race relations. In the book, Starr Carter lives in the hood but goes to a preppy private school. She has to be two different people, the Starr at school who’s more proper and preppy but then the other side of her is the one that lives in a bad neighborhood and who lives and sees the hardships at first glance. She has to reconcile both of her worlds to truly be the person she is inside. This book is very heavy with the race content but EVERYONE of ALL AGES should read it. Find it here.
Real Money Answers for Every Woman: How to Win the Money Game With or Without A Man by Patrice C. Washington
Omg this has been an answer to my prayers. I’m working on building my credit and even though I don’t have kids and not in a relationship, I’m going to take the tips in this book with me when that time comes. I read her first one, for college students, and it made a lot of sense. Patrice Washington is a money maven. She was once in debt, owing over $100,000. She shares her past spending mistakes with the readers and gives us ways to comeback from it. She’s now a millionaire (talk about inspirational). This book is for EVERY woman who wants to make financially correct choices. The woman who wants to get her money situation right. She offers tricks and tips to navigating the financial world. Financial literacy is so important. I highly recommend this one! Snag this one here.
Go See the Principal:True Tales from the School Trenches by Gerry Brooks
I enjoyed it, however, I’m not sure why some didn’t. He wrote the book for anyone who works for the school system. I found it very funny and informative. I’m in my first year teaching and I found the takeaways (advice) quite helpful; especially the part in the back of the book for teachers. If you don’t know who Gerry Brooks is, he’s a principal in Kentucky. He makes funny but true little clips about the school system on Facebook and Instagram. He uses his social media platform to inform the public about issues teachers and students (as well as administrators) face in the public school system. When I first learned that he was writing a book, I knew I had to read it. It’s a quick little guide into the public education system and how to navigate it. I loved it! Buy it here.
Me Before You by JoJo Royes
This one surprised me. I saw the preview for the movie and I was hooked. For some odd reason I had to see it. When I found out it was a book, I had to get it so I ordered the book first and read it before watching the movie. Its a love story and super girly to me. I never read romance books. I love to read YA (young adult) fiction so this was out of my element. It follows Will and Louisa. Will, a rich guy who can have anything he wants in life, is paralyzed and is in the care of Louisa, a quirky girl who’s clumsy and lost in the world. Their love story is quite unique because of the obvious circumstances but also they come from completely different walks of life. I seriously love this book and can’t wait to read the last book in the series. Grab it here.
Sorry if my descriptions were super vague. I didn’t want to say too much without giving the book way. There’s something that should interest various people on this list. If you are obsessed with self-help or is a Potterhead or love romance or wanna get your money right or want something that guides you in the education world, check out anyone of these books.
XOXO,
LolaDasher
Nessa D 