Read to the end to find out how to win one of my favorite books!

Recently, I heard someone use the word “intimate” to describe the experience of reading. Think about it. Usually, when we read a book, we tune out the rest of the world. We put down our phones. We stop our busyness. And in many cases, we go to a quiet place, sit, and give our full attention to the words of someone we’ve never met. For a few hours—or a number of small moments over a few days or weeks—it’s just us and the book.

Now, of course, audio books have made reading so much more accessible to us. Enabling one to read while working out, driving to work, or doing the dishes. Perhaps taking a little away from this “intimate” experience. But still, whether you are reading the words of a book, or listening to them, it can be very powerful. 

Books have the ability to change our minds. They enable us to take on the experiences or perspective of others. They open us up to ideas we never would have explored on our own. And they have the capacity to shape us into being better people. As you many have guessed,

I love reading.

And I believe it plays an important part in our growth and understanding of our world. That is why every December, I share my favorite reads of the year. Some of them were published in 2018, and some of them were not. In many ways they reflect some of the thoughts and spaces I found myself in this year. Though a few brought me to places I didn’t expect to go, all of them are ones I would gladly lend you, if we met for coffee. 

Here is my Favorite Books from 2018. And I’d love for you to comment with the titles of yours!

Girl Wash Your Face

By: Rachel Hollis

This was my favorite read in 2018. So much so, that I read it twice! In it, Rachel shares at least twenty lies she has believed about herself or what is possible, and then goes on to explain how she discovered they’re not true. All of these lies are ones we can relate to, and if you read it, you’re bound to feel inspired, begin to ignore the lies, and get fired up to go after a dream or goal you’ve been putting off. 

I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness

By: Austin Channing Brown

As a white person in America right now, I can’t fathom what it is like to be a person of color. But brave and gracious people, like Austin Channing Brown, offer us a crucial perspective through sharing their stories. In I’m Still Here, Brown gives us an important glimpse of daily life for people of color in our country. Her cringe-worthy experiences both with white supremacists and white people who claim racial equality is both a wake up call and a call to action for change. 

The Power of Habit

By: Charles Duhigg

Though the title may sound rather boring, this book was a fascinating one all on why and how we do what we do. Through telling stories about successful people we’d recognize (i.e. Michael Phelps), or why we all use toothpaste, Duhigg breaks down how habits are formed, and how they can help us. Not only that, he shares how our habits can be changed to help us live fuller lives. It is definitely worth your time!

The Dream of You 

By: Jo Saxton

In this book, Jo asks “Who were you before anybody told you who you were?” In other words, when you strip away everyone else’s opinion, who are you really? Through sharing her story of growing up a part of a Nigerian immigrant family in England, and then navigating what it looks like to become a leader in her sphere, Jo shares poignant stories of how our lives can shape our understanding of our identity. Then she goes on to help us see what it looks like to reclaim and live into who we really are. 

You’ll Be My Blue Sky

By: Marisa De Los Santos

I will end this list with my favorite fiction read from 2018. In You’ll Be My Blue Sky, we meet two women in very different stages of their life—Edith, who’s nearing the end and wants to make every last moment count, and Clare, who is about to get married but her instincts are telling her it would be a very big mistake. Both meet on the morning of Clare’s wedding, and have a conversation that send’s Clare’s life on an unforeseen trajectory. Throughout the book, we learn about these women’s lives, and why they have more in common than we realize. We even get sent on a mysterious quest with one of the characters. For what could be dubbed “chic-lit,” there is more depth and twists in the story than expected, and De Los Santos tells this story beautifully.

What were your favorite reads from 2018?

What is on your “to read” list for 2019?

Want to win one of my favorite books from 2018?  Subscribe to my email list by Wednesday, December 12th, and find out how to enter to win the book of your choice from this post!

Want to know what other books I’ve been reading? Follow me over on my Good Books Pinterest Board.

 

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash