If you’re like me, when you think about summer, you think about reading. There’s just something extra special about sitting on the porch with a lemonade and a book or perhaps taking a book to the beach, enjoying the sound of the waves and the sand between your toes.
Ahhh… I may just take a drive to the beach this afternoon…
If you’re looking to add a book or two to your summer reading list, here are a few I think you may like. Send me your suggestions as well. I’d love to hear from you.
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
Wild is one of my all-time favorite books. It’s been out since 2012, so there’s a good chance you’ve already read it but if not, make me proud, put it on your reading list and send me a note when you finish it so we can chat. Wild is a coming-of-age memoir that is gritty and human, written in a transporting prose. The book follows the author’s three-month solo hike from California to Washington on the Pacific Crest Trail after her marriage falls apart and she loses her mother.
What I like best about the book: Cheryl makes what some may call taboo choices. She’s candid about them. She owns them. She works to heal herself. And through the hurt and the healing, she made a beautiful life and beautiful art.
The Universe is Talking to You: Tap into Signs and Synchronicity to Reveal Magical Moments Every Day by Tammy Mastroberte
I hear this a lot from clients, “How do I tap into my spiritual side? I want to get messages from The Universe, from my loved one in spirit but I don’t know how.” This book is one of the many resources I recommend when helping my clients tap into their intuitive side. The Universe is Talking to You is an easy read filled with insight, direction and lots of tangible exercises to deepen your relationship with the universe. You’ll walk away with a clearer sense of how to recognize the synchronicities guiding you, and how to reach a higher vibe so it’s easier to connect with spirit.
What I like best about the book: It’s a great pick-up-put-down-pick-up kind of book. If you only have ten minutes, that’s okay. You’ll glean enough in that time to shift your perspective and try out some new things.
Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love by Dani Shapiro
Many of us are born into families feeling out of place. There could be a variety of reasons for this: we feel we are different than other family members or we sense we don’t fully understand and know everything about our family (welcome to my childhood). Inheritance explores the author’s journey of finding out her beloved deceased father was not in fact her biological father. She discovers this after receiving the DNA results from a test she was given as a gift.
What I like best about the book: We get an intimate look at Shapiro’s family secrets. All families have secrets, mine included, but we often feel alone because we don’t share them (hence the word ‘secret’). Shapiro makes readers feel understood and gets us thinking differently about identity, forgiveness, family, and advanced technology and science. I also think Shapiro is a beautiful writer. Devotion is another good book of hers if you fall in love with her writing the way I have.
Ready Player One and Two: A Novel by Ernest Cline
The world Ernest Cline has created in Ready Player One and Two is just flat out cool. These books are my favorite when it comes to science fiction, probably because of how real they feel. If you’re looking for an escape from everyday life, this is it. These books have it all: fantasy, love, and a plethora of 80’s references. The book takes place in 2045. A few teenagers set out to find an Easter egg of sorts in a virtual reality game.
What I like best about the book: Wil Wheaton narrates this book on Audible. He’s the perfect guy for the job; his voice matches the narrative and personality of the protagonist perfectly.
Happy reading!
Oh and before you go out and buy these books on Amazon (no judgment though; I’ve been a Prime member for years), consider supporting your local library or local bookstore. If you want the convenience of online shopping while supporting local bookstores, bookshop.org is a site you’ll want to check out. Shipping may take a few extra pennies out of your pocket and a couple extra days, but a portion of your purchase supports a mom-and-pop store. Worth it!
Join me in spreading my messages of breaking judgement habits and strengthening intuition even further: forward this newsletter to a few family members and friends. The greater the shares, the greater the impact – They can subscribe here.
Sincerely,
Danielle
PS – Here’s an affirmation to help allow yourself the time to read, “I deserve rest, renewal and rejuvenation.”
PPS – Still struggling with finding time to read? If so, this writing activity may help. Grab your journal. What’s your favorite book? Why is it your fav? How did it make you feel the first time you read it? What has it taught you? How are you different because of that book? Once you remember all the positives that come with reading a good book, remind yourself you’re worth that feeling again.
