Okay, currently I am in my reading era. I’ve always been a reader, like I prefer reading than watching TV, and that’s how I’ve always been even as a kid. I want to talk about BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS AND BOOKS THAT HAVE TRULY CHANGED MY LIFE. For that fact, I think it will change yours. I’m confident in this despite the genre because I think I reached into a little bit of everything with my top 4 list. I literally could not think of a 5th because I believe these are the only books you need in life. Also I use the app Fable to track my reading goals! Fable is kind of the new updated version of Goodreads. You can set reading goals, track reading status and even join book clubs. Alright let’s get into the list.
- The Help
Synopsis: The Help by Kathryn Stockett is a 2009 historical fiction novel set in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi, focusing on the lives of Black domestic workers and their white employers during the
Civil Rights era. It follows three women—Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeter—who collaborate on a secret book exposing the racism and hardships faced by the maids.
Now the book dives into many racial issues and goes into the perspectives of the maids and their bosses (women of the house). Now there is a lot of controversy on it, just because a lot of people do think it is promoting oppression of black people and emphasizing the white savior complex. Definition of white savior for those who don’t know: a critical term for a trope where white individuals are depicted as rescuers, teachers, or heroes who uplift BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) from oppression. And of course, I can see this, but I also think it is more than that.
Skeeter is often referred to as a white savior, in some lights I think she can be seen as that, but I also like to think the point is missed when we highlight and emphasize Skeeter in this light. Her purpose in the book is to write a column about “The Help”, the maids living in Missiisspii and their perspectives on what is going on in their lives and living in the deep south. This column turns into a book and reveals all the turmoil these women go through. Aibileen and Minny are the main characters in the book and we learn more about their stories. I don’t want to spoil too much, but what I love about the book is that we learn about their personal lives aside from just being a maid. Their stories are truly touching and most importantly, I think this book will make you view life differently. I know for myself, this book inspired me to:
- Keep writing thought provoking pieces
- Understand my struggle as a black woman doesn’t define me
Books like this are important and I honestly believe they should be in school systems. This is usually my first go to recommendation simply because it’s the book that inspired me. And if reading it wasn’t enough, they made a movie of it too. Along with this being in my second favorite movie, The Greatest Showman is first. I think growing up, especially in predominantly white spaces, not a lot of black culture was exposed to me until later on in my life. I can say compared to a lot of my other schools, high school was probaby the most diverse. Houston is a very diverse place in itself, so I was able to understand and develop a lot of my culture. I had a teacher in high school named Mrs. Lauver. I still keep in touch with her to this day and mainly because she has and will forever be an impact in my life. She has this book shelf and any book on there you can borrow to read. Well let’s say I borrowed and never gave back. With her permission of course, but I truly fell in love with this book and the movie does a great depeticon of it. I mean c’mon, VIOLA DAVIS AND OCTAVIA SPENCER. Some of the best black actresses of my time.
2. A Little Life
Synopsis: Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life follows four friends—Jude, Willem, JB, and Malcolm—in New York City over 
several decades, focusing on the traumatic past of Jude St. Francis. It is a profound, deeply emotional exploration of friendship, trauma, and enduring abuse, showcasing how childhood sexual abuse shapes Jude’s adult life despite his professional success.
It would be a CRIME if I didn’t recommned this book. To be said, it is one of the saddest books probably to grace this earth, but one of the most important ones I have read. It shifts your perspective to truly appreciate life a little bit more. You read these tragic stories of each character and how they battle just waking up each day. But then you see the beauty in struggle sometimes and how it unites people. I think what I like most about this book is the characterization. I think the author does a great job of highlighting and painting a picture of what each charter deals with. It all was very vivid for me when I was reading. It’s almost a 800 page poetic novel. I highly recommend not to read this though if you are sad lol and for the slow readers out there, it took me like 3 months to finish. It is one of the more heavier books BUT important.
3.One of Us Is Lying
Synopsis: One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus is a young adult thriller where five students enter detention, but only four leave alive. Simon Kelleher, creator of a gossip
app, dies from a planned allergic reaction. The “Bayview Four”—Bronwyn (the brain), Cooper (the jock), Addy (the princess), and Nate (the criminal)—become suspects, uniting to solve the murder.
Alrighty, for all my myserty gurus, this is for you. I read this in college and it is technically featured in the YA section. HOWEVER, this book is for all ages, meaning you will enjoy this book at the ripe age of 40. The author does a really good job of pulling you in with plot twists and turns in the whole book. I think this is one of the first books I couldn’t put down, and finished promptly. I loved the characters, but the whole plot itself is amazing. AND THE ENDING OH MY GOSH! DID NOT EXPECT. It’s also a series and the rest of them are really great as well.
4.All the Bright Places
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven is a poignant Young Adult novel about Theodore Finch and Violet Markey, two teenagers who meet on their school’s bell tower ledge while contemplating 
suicide. They save each other, embarking on a journey of love and healing that explores mental health, grief, and finding joy in small moments.
Tragic, yet beautiful. Another sad book, but not as sad as Little Life (trust), but despite that this book is absolutely perfect. I first read it in school which led me to do a project and deep analysis on it. There are a lot of good topics for teens that were so reatble to me in high school. One thing I hate is a false or dramticize depiction of teens, but this is not that. Violet is the most like me. I found myself in her a lot. She overthinks, suffers from anxiety, and other charactertisitcs in the novel. I just admire the author’s ability to do characters so well!
So read all of these and you’ll be cured haha. No for real, these books inspire me to keep reading and writing, so hopefully one day I can be on your MUST READ LIST! Let me know if you want to see a post on books I DNF! I have a couple sadly…
Bro #2.