You may or may not know I’m a big reader. Like, a biiiiig reader. And you know what I’ve found from all the books I’ve read? The very, very best books make you feel something. They take you on a thrilling adventure or make you think a little deeper about life or let you fall in love with characters you don’t even know.
I constantly have my nose in a book (or earbuds in my earholes playing stories from Audible instead of the latest T-Swift album… okay, fine, sometimes it’s the latest T-Swift album, too.) I legitimately NEED to read every night before bed. It just winds me down and soothes me unlike anything else, and I can sort of forget about the worries and wildness of the day for a little bit while I escape to someone else’s story. So… you better believe I always have a wide array of books rotating through my nightstand. (Not sure if that’s a humble brag or just dork level 100.)
Anyway, I heard this quote the other day and it REALLY got me thinking about the book-writing and author process:
“Authors pretend their stories were always shiny and perfect and just waiting to be written. The truth is, writing is this: hard and boring and occasionally great, but usually not. Even I have lied about writing.” It came from the funniest of funny girls Amy Poehler in her book, Yes Please.
Truth: I just about cackled my lil’ buns off the first time I heard Amy say that (thanks to audiobooks for existing so that I could hear Amy Poehler read her own book TO me and I could laugh right along with her). The first part of her book is basically a whole lot of book-writing honesty, aaaand we love her for it.
Also, I’m gonna go ahead and say I fully believe her. Writing a (good) book is hard. It’s a work of art, a work of HEART, and often, a work of genius. It’s not easy to care about something and have to edit it and rip it apart and piece it back together over and over and over again.
And that is why I’m here to do a just-so-ya-know book drop, right into your digital lap because—and I am so honored to say this—people that I know and love have done a hard and wonderful thing: they wrote books. And we should all read them and know about them! Because honestly, these books aren’t just good. They’re soul shifting and perspective bringing and magical in alllll the right ways.
The 7 best books on my nightstand lately
Consider this my sweet little informal book club, blog post style. Some are available if you want to start reading them ASAP, some are coming out in the near-ish future. But the best part? All of these incredible authors have also appeared on The Goal Digger Podcast, so if you want to hear their interviews, use the little search box above and enter their names to find their episodes!
Here’s a quick run down so you can go check them out!
01. GET GOOD WITH MONEY BY TIFFANY ALICHE
Tiffany Aliche, The Budgetnista, just dropped her knowledge and wisdom in her book, Get Good with Money! She’s a down-to-earth financial genius, especially when it comes to helping us get smart and less afraid of tackling our biggest money problems. Plus, she’s got the warmest heart and soul!
02. PROFESSIONAL TROUBLEMAKER BY LUVVIE AJAYI JONES
Luvvie’s showing up to be a Professional Troublemaker in her new book! Luvvie is utterly hilarious and such a guiding light in a world of chaos. She’s basically the epitome of gumption, and even two minutes into soaking up her skills of wit, strength, and bravery will already leave you better than you began.
03. IT’S NEVER TOO LATE BY KATHIE LEE GIFFORD
Does Kathie Lee Gifford even need an introduction!? I mean, c’mon! She’s KATHIE LEE! And she knows a thing or three about taking back the pen and rewriting your story at any stage of life in her new book It’s Never Too Late.
04. KINTSUGI WELLNESS BY CANDICE KUMAI
Candice Kumai HAS to be your go-to master of all things food and wellness! She’s a wellspring (no pun intended) of taking care of yourself in a seriously accessible and applicable way. Candice’s new book, Kintsugi Wellness, will guide you through nourishing your WHOLE self!
05. BELIEVE IT BY JAMIE KERN LIMA
Jamie Kern Lima, I am still applauding your greatness, your new book Believe IT, your game-changing products, and your life’s work so far. Um, and FYI… I’m probably gonna just keep applauding you forever! Jamie truly is unstoppable, so read her book and join the applauding for Jamie club (and unlock your own unstoppable self)!
06. THE CHANCE TO FLY BY ALI STROKER
My friend and Tony award-winning actress Ali Stroker just dropped a super heartfelt middle-grade novel called, The Chance to Fly, about a girl who uses a wheelchair for mobility and chooses to defy expectations (and gravity) as she pursues her passions for theater. This is one I can’t wait for Coco to read someday!
07. BUILT TO BELONG BY NATALIE FRANKE
Speaking of cheering each other on—that’s the heartbeat of Natalie Franke’s new book (currently available for pre-order), Built to Belong! In a world of fear-based decisions and bonding over the common enemy, I agree with Natalie… we’re so much better when we choose to rise together.
What’s on your nightstand or next up on your reading list?
That’s some of what my nightstand book stack looks like right now! What’s on yours?! I love hearing about new recommendations to add to my own reading list.
And, I’m excited for you to pick something that speaks to you and dig in. We’re supporting each other’s hard work together and that helps us all go far, right? Women doing amazing, challenging, creative, powerful, seemingly impossible, world-changing, life-touching things… well, that’s a beautiful sight to behold!
A face mask to go with your new book? Oui, oui!
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