You Want To Read More, But Don't Have The Time Or Know Where To Start...

Online, so many people tell me that they want to read more, but dont have the time or know what book to invest their money and noses in. The truth is, you have to prioritize things you love- even if that means reading for only 5 mins in the morning or pulling out a book on a treadmill at the gym. For the start of the new month, I want ed to share with you 3 of my favorite books that have been lodged into my purse/backpack/reusable tote bag recently, as well as share a little story of my childhood that came up during an adventure to New Jersey:


It's too easy for me to get lost in a bookstore. 📖 When I was young, my mom tried to promote education by making reading a game; she would award my brother and I "dots" and "stickers" as points for reading certain chapters and finishing books. These dots could then be redeemed for candies, bookmarks, stickers etc. When there was a prize to be won, my competitiveness would kick in. 🙈 I blew through almost a book a day and I swear to god keeping up with those those sticker sheets must have made her near broke!!! 😂 

Getting lost in a book; Watchung Booksellers Bookstore, New Jersey.

Books have a way of sucking me in- I get lost in them like a whirlpool. Sometimes they are an escape from reality. At other times, they are an enhancement of it. 🙌🏽 When I was growing up, I was obsessed with the Magic Treehouse books- stories of two kids who would climb into a treehouse in the Forrest, and teleport off to relive momentous events in history (The pyramids of Egypt, the buried Teracotta Army of China, the escape of Volcanic ash in Pompeii), as well as the twisted Cirque Du Freak series, that follows the life of a boy who went to an illegal freak show and ended up being sucked into a life crazier than the circus. 🕸 To this day, reading is still one of my favorite pastimes. My personal favorite genres are poetry, self help, memoir, and the fictional books about dragons and magic tree houses I haven't been able to shake since I was a kid. Since a new month is here I wanted to share with you my top 3 picks from the past few weeks, that you might consider picking up for this month:

Mary Karr's 'Lit' 

1. Memoir: Lit by Mary Karr was one that sought on my bookshelf for about five years, but I only opened recently. This is a twisting, graphic and depictive first hand look into alcoholism- from growing up with a family that bread chaos and insecurity among love, to its translation into substance abuse as an adult. From addiction to sobriety, loosing a mother and becoming one, as well as redefining God- Mary's story lifts you off the page and into her life in a viscerally honest and telling collection of words. 

Udaari, A Collection Of Poems By Vinati

1. Poetry: Udaari by Vinati. I have been a sucker for Rupi Kaur's poetry since milk and honey, and all though I loved the sun and her flowers, I kept craving more. Udarri by Vinati scratch that itch completely – her poems are similar due to the style of writing and length, however I found that they have more uplifting, positive tones; some pieces are simple yet profound, and others are pure emotion woven into metaphors that dance with double meanings. 

Light Is The New Black, By Rebecca Campbell

1. Self Help: Light is the New Black by Rebecca Campbell. This is the book I never thought I would pick up, and the only reason I gave it a shot was because the first 50 pages were free on Google. (I'm cheap and proud of it.) well, thank you Google, because I ended up buying and consuming LITNB with ease. The idea of having to hit rock bottom in order to realize what is truly important for you, is one that I can personally resonate with, and Rebecca's low of losing a relationship, career and best friend resonated with me in an interesting way. This book is a bit more esoteric – it talks about spirituality and growth in a non-religious way and has a self-help workbook structure. This book tells it straight to your face, forces you to come to terms with your own habits that have been holding you back, and asks you to dig deep within the corners of your mind heart and soul, to scrape out the emotional gunk and childhood grease that you haven't wanted to touch for years. Who knew that your life could end up so clean and sparkly – and with a dash of glitter, if that ends up being your aesthetic. 

AAAaaaaand for kicks and giggles, here's a funny acne joke!

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