Book Review: September 2023
Two heavy hitters of personal development and two fiction reads. The dense books were a joy to read slowly, with pauses to write about the experience. What books did you enjoy this month?
“The Awakening” by Kate Chopin
4 stars
A classic and a quick read. When / how / why do we settle and when / how / why do we release the expectations to get free. I really thought about places I'm holding onto and how I can let them go. Moving forward and having the courage to know when you make a change and when to stay the course is a theme that is popping up for me a lot. Anyone else?
"You are a Badass at Making Money" by Jen Sincero
5 stars
Have you ever had a book (or movie, song, poem, article, podcast) hit you at the exactly right time? Yuppppp that was me. I actually laughed and cried (as one often does doing personal development work) I really got thinking about some blocks I have about making money. I unpacked family and childhood narratives around money: what it means to have too much, not enough, who controls it, etc. This really hit home when I reflected upon money and how I felt about it when my parents divorced when I was 12 years old. What money means is so deeply personal even though it's a currency we all share. I know I want to make money not to buy shoes or a new car, but to bless the lives of those around me. Money is energy and I want it to flow through me for the highest good.
"The Myth of Normal" by Dr. Gabor Mate
5 stars
I have followed the work of Dr. Mate for a few years and this book exceeded expectations. It's dense with medical information yes, but also with compassion for real life people. We are more than our genes, and our life experiences, especially at a young age dictate our reactions to stimuli. Dr. Mate confirmed many things I have felt in my heart about the nature of trauma, processing and healing at both the micro and macro levels. The connection between emotional stress and physical illness is something that as a Health Coach and reiki practitioner I see all.the.damn.time with clients. There were moments while listening to the audiobook that I had to pause, put my head in my hands and cry. A feeling of, “so that’s why I have been doing that!” washed over me. I felt really seen, that my trauma hasn’t defined me but has been a lense for how I see the world. Understanding that we are working to heal ourselves in service to healing the world. If you're ready for some deep personal work, please read this book. I would love to chat about it with someone!
“After the Flood” by Kassandra Montag
5 stars
A fantastic fiction book and just what I needed after the previous two personal development books. As the title implies, the book is set in a world that is mostly water, after floods crush the planet. I love apocalyptic books (way more than movies) and this novel had me on the edge of my seat. The characters were rich and the imagery was really creative. It reminded me that I don’t want to be around at the end of the world (unless we’re actually already there?!) and also the deep resiliency of the human spirit. A great score from a Free Little Library around the corner from my home.
Monthly book total: 4
Annual book total: 61