I hope that you all enjoyed your Memorial Day weekend, whether you took a trip somewhere fun or had a nice weekend at home. I was really looking forward to a nice, relaxing weekend. I’ve realized that as much as I need alone time and time to rest and recharge (both because I’m more of an introvert and because SMA makes me tired, physically), I also am someone who likes to be involved and do things. This means that the number of days I have to really relax is limited.

So when I realized that Memorial Day was coming up, and I’d have an extra day off work, I made an effort to keep my calendar (relatively) empty. While this doesn’t mean I did nothing (these posts have to get written sometime!), it does mean I made an effort to leave time to do things that I wanted to do, not things that I had to do. And for me, this meant leaving time to read. So, I thought I’d share with you what I’ve been reading lately!

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
I mentioned earlier this year that I read and loved Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, and knew that I had to read her first novel, too. I love how she develops characters, and delves into families, and how family members interact with each other. My favorite part of her writing, though, is the emotion in the writing – I really sympathize/empathize with all of the characters.

Circe by Madeline Miller
I’ve always been interested in Greek mythology ever since I played the Wishbone Odyssey computer game when I was a kid. Circe is a character in the Odyssey, but certainly not the main character – in this novel, she takes center stage, and you hear about the story from her point of view. Even if you’re not into mythology, you’ll still love this book.

The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer
After I had bought this one, I saw it pop up as a pick in Reese Witherspoon’s book club, so I knew it was a good choice! I am someone who feels really strongly about the importance of female friendships, so I really loved this take on mentorship and friendship. It also touches on ambition and making a difference, which I’ve been thinking a lot about lately, so I really enjoyed this one.

In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About It by Lauren Graham
This book (and the next one) is a slightly longer version of a speech that Lauren gave – the graduation speech at her old high school. It’s a quick read, but a fun one, and talks about looking for success and finding it where you might not expect to. If you’re looking for a gift for a recent high school or college graduate, this would be a perfect pick.

We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
My aunt bought me this a few years ago, and I’ve been wanting to read it ever since and finally did. It’s adapted from a TEDx talk on the same subject. Chimamanda talks about her life, and her upbringing, and how everyone, men and women, should be a feminist. She mentioned about changing laws and policy is helpful, but more than that, it’s society and culture that needs to change. That’s something I agree with wholeheartedly – not just for feminism, but for accessibility, as well. It’s another quick read, but it will make you think!

I’m always looking for more book recommendations – let me know if you have any!