31 May My Lazy Sunday Reading List

It’s a lazy Sunday and a holiday weekend, which means I have some extra time on my hands to read. Woot! Woot! And with me being the bibliophile I am, I have absolutely no shortage of options to choose from. I’ve also recently rededicated myself to reading more (and scrolling less), and as a result I’ve been stocking up on books in almost every genre and grabbing as many spare moments as possible to dive into them.

Right now I’m reading “The Underground Railroad” by Colson Whitehead. I saw this book a million times at my local Barnes & Noble, but for whatever reason (likely “slavery and black oppression” fatigue) I overlooked it. It wasn’t until the limited series, based on the novel, premiered on Netflix a couple of weeks ago that I decided to pick up the book.

I watched the first episode and was taken in and honestly, also aback by the realness of the brutality of the scenes. Something else that caught my eye was the synopsis of the series, which noted the twist in this book and miniseries was that the railroad wasn’t a complex series of  hidden routes and safe houses like it was in real life, but an actual physical railroad.

Like most book lovers, I’m absolutely of the mindset that the book is ALWAYS better than the movie, so I put watching the rest of the series on hold until I finished reading the book. Fast forward to this week, and I’m steadily making my way through, but I’m already looking forward to what should be next. On my list I have the following lineup (click book images for full descriptions and to purchase):

“Shadow and Bone” by Leigh Bardugo is another book I’d seen a million times, but hadn’t picked up until I watched the first episode on Netflix. And again, I enjoyed what I saw, but opted to wait until I read the book(s) (it’s a series). I must say I am fascinated and ecstatic by how much Young Adult (YA) fiction has exploded since I was a kid. I love a good fantasy novel, so I’m looking forward to this one and I’m so glad young kids have sooo many options now.

Another book I recently picked up is “What Happened to You” by Bruce D. Perry, M.D, Ph.D. and Oprah Winfrey.  In addition to reading, I’ve also prioritized my mental health this year, and have been actively seeking solutions and tools to help me navigate the stresses and strains that are naturally a part of all of our lives. So, when I saw Oprah’s posts on Instagram where she discussed some traumatic experiences from her childhood and noted they were part of a new book she was releasing, I was intrigued and grabbed the book. I can’t wait to get into this one because it resonates with me and I’m sure so many of us. We all have been through some things that changed us and or the way we look at the world and interact in it, even when we don’t realize it.

Along the same lines, “Get Out of Your Head” by Jennie Allen is another book that spoke directly to me from the title to the summary. As a self-professed over overthinker, perfectionist (at times), and Christian, this book looks promising in terms of helping me fight the toxic thoughts that often come creeping in at the most inopportune times.

“Witches Steeped in Gold” by Ciannon Smart along with “These Violent Delights” by Chloe Gong were both splurge purchases I made at the same time I bought “Shadow and Bone.” I must admit that store placement and the jacket artwork on both are what initially drew me in. The jackets are both strikingly pretty to me and definitely made me want  to know more about what was inside.

“Witches Stepped in Gold” just had Jamaica written all over it, based on the green and gold motif (and wouldn’t you know it, the author is actually of Jamaican heritage :)) and “These Violent Deaths” obviously oozes Chinese vibes. But what was less obvious and unbeknownst to me until I read the summaries for both is that they are both YA novels. Again, YA novelists for the win!

As the title pretty much describes, “Witches in Gold” is about two young witches who were once sworn enemies,  but enter into an alliance to take down a common enemy. “These Violent Deaths” has a similar plot in that again, two formal rivals in opposing gangs form an alliance to tackle a threat that endangers not only their lives, but the entire city of Shanghai.

Lastly, I picked up “Believe It” by Jamie Kern Lima just this week. I’m a sucker for an autobiography or a true-story of any kind, and this one looks interesting. I also like the fact that it’s also a self-help book. In it she walks you through believing in yourself and making your dreams come true and who doesn’t want help with that?

Have you read any of these books? Do they sound interesting? Which one should I read next? Let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear from you!

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