Whether you meet regularly with a group of book lovers, or the name of your book club is Me and My Dog Reading on the Couch, there’s this feeling of connection (or is it the surge of progesterone?) when we share an experience of being serenely transported to a new world by a book. Or what about one that we got lost in but halfway through we’re desperately looking for that bread crumb trail to get back home? It’s like the book lover’s version of gossip. So join our clique and let us dish on some of our fall favorites.
Mystery
Verity by Colleen Hoover
Lowen Ashleigh’s life is falling apart so when best-selling author Verity Crawford is injured and can no longer write, her husband asks Lowen to ghost-write the end of Verity’s popular book series. It was an offer she couldn’t refuse. The moment she arrives at the Crawford home to study Verity’s writing, strange things begin to happen. Are her eyes playing tricks on her? Why is Verity standing at the top of the stairs when she’s supposed to be bedridden? While feelings begin to grow between Lowen and Verity’s husband, Lowen begins to unearth what really happened the day Verity was injured and all of the sordid details surrounding this mysterious family.
TLDR: OMG! This suspenseful read will keep you guessing until the very end.
Memoir
The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl
Music lover or not, you will be entertained and surprised as you’re taken on a journey of the life and career of Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl. From his humble beginnings in Springfield, Virginia to drumming with Tom Petty and befriending Kurt Cobain, the dedication he had to his music at such a young age and the sacrifices he made along the way were awe-inspiring and quite shocking at times. It’s a witty, honest, and sometimes emotional compilation of a life well lived. He’s personable, funny, and keeps it classy throughout. And yes, Dave Grohl does drive a minivan. All the stars!
TDLR: If you are not already a fan, you definitely will be on Team Grohl after reading this book.
Inspire
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
Get your dog ear fingers and highlighters ready for this raw and thought-provoking read. Through her honest revelations, Doyle suggests trusting yourself just a little bit more, challenging norms, and unlearning what society has been trying to teach you about gender roles since you were young. It's a little bit love story and a whole lot of powerful. Cheetahs unite! If the message of this book is truly heard, it can be transformative.
TDLR: Tackling this one with an open heart and mind is its own kind of therapy.
Wellness
Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life From Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed
Remember Cheryl Strayed, the one who bravely hiked 1,000 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail alone and was portrayed by Reese Witherspoon in the movie, Wild? Well, she also happens to be the guiding voice behind the advice column, Dear Sugar. Everything from the death of loved ones, to all sorts of relationship dynamics and exposed deep dark secrets, you name it, it’s covered in this addictive collection of essays. Along the way you just might recognize your own voice saying, "Dear Sugar..."
TDLR: You will laugh, learn and cry through this, then obsess over when Strayed’s next book is coming out.
Cooking
From Crook to Cook: Platinum Recipes from Tha Boss Dogg's Kitchen by Snoop Dogg
Add this to the list of people you never thought would write a cookbook. In From Crook to Cook: Platinum Recipes from Tha Boss Dogg’s Kitchen, Snoop D.O.-Double G was inspired by the lack of good food on the road throughout his 30+ year career. With recipes like Bow Wow Brownies and Go Shorty, It’s Your Birthday, you will be thoroughly entertained while you cook these comfort foods. Just try to resist pulling out your very first CD player, circa 1992, while you fry, stir, and fold to “Drop it Like it’s Hot.” As Snoop would say, “don’t cheat yourself, treat yourself” and add this cookbook to your shelf.
TDLR: This cookbook has personality fo’ shizzle.
