Hello, my bookworm friends! I have been meaning to write this post since the beginning of January. So there is no time like the present right? I had an amazing reading year last year, I read far and wide for myself and had so much fun doing it.
So I thought I would share 10 of my favorite reading experiences from 2016:
— The Memory Painter by Gwendolyn Womack – I first heard about this book on the Book Riot channel. Something about the description caught my attention and I am so glad it did. This debut novel kept me captivated from the first to the last page.
— Life from Scratch: A Memoir of Food, Family, and Forgiveness by Sasha Martin – This was a review book. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed reading her story as she cooked her way “around the globe”.
— Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder by Arianna Huffington – I remember seeing Ms. Huffington talk with Oprah on one of her shows and found her quite inspiring. This book was such a fantastic read that motivated me to take better care of myself. I think I used up an entire post-it flags in this book highlighting key points.
— Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel – It had been so long since I read any science fiction and this one came across my radar and reminded me why I love that genre. Such a unique story that kept me so captivated. The second book was released recently and I intend on reading it. I also believe a movie is slated to be made from this book.
— Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson – Oh this is my book. I first saw Mr. Stevenson speaking with Oprah on an episode of her Super Soul Sunday and just knew I had to read his book. I found the audiobook on my Overdrive app and downloaded it once it became available. Oh my, what an eye-opener this book was and I still can’t stop thinking about it. I feel this book is so important that I am going to buy the book to have as a reference.
— The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead – This book had a bunch of hype prior to its release because Oprah endorsed it and put it on her reading list. I was resistant because you know me, I don’t like all the hype. I caved and bought the book. However, I ended up reading it and then switching to the audiobook because one of my favorite voice talents narrated it.
— Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears by Pem Chodron – I own a few of Ms. Chodron’s books but this one was new to me. I checked it out on Overdrive and found it to be very helpful and refer to some quotes from it quite often.
— The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks about Race Edited by Jesmyn Ward – Wowser!! A friend of mine recommended this book and I was blown away by it. It’s a fabulous and relevant book about race that I think everyone should read. I read it on Overdrive and will be ordering it in book form so I can refer to it often. It’s really an important book.
— Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue – An immigrant story that is quite relevant in this current state of affairs. It was a new release and I dived right in. If you get a chance to listen to the audiobook, take it. The voice talent rocks.
— Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly – I’m pretty sure most people have heard of the movie based on the book. I included this book because it is a vital part of history that was only recently uncovered. Filled with a lot of facts it can read slowly at times but worth the journey.
Well that’s some of the great reads of last year. I have already read some pretty amazing books this year. So I will definitely have to do a wrap up at the end of this year too.
Happy reading!
Belinda
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