It was a COLD week filled with Valentine’s Day desserts and random acts of kindness. I’ve got two beautiful books to share, a new word I’ve never heard of and my next passion project…it’s a good one!

What I'm Reading:

I read two books this week that had me turning the pages as fast as I could because they were just that good. One is adult fiction (get ready to blush!) and one is for young adults. Both captured my reading heart from the very first page. I also read The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier from my Books & Chocolate Bibliotherapy Book List. You can find my full review there!

30 Things I Love About Myself by Radhika Sanghani

This book gave me all the feels: I laughed, I laughed louder, I cried, I sympathized, I got angry and yes, I even blushed. A lot. The story begins with Nina celebrating her 30th birthday in a jail cell, determined to build her life from the bottom up with the advice from a self-help book she was given while being held overnight. What comes next is a roller coaster of emotions as Nina vows to find 30 things she loves about herself before her next birthday. And while she experiences some pretty deep learning experiences, Sanghani keeps it light and laughable, a lesson readers can bring to their own lives, too. This book has changed the way I view myself, the ways I react to those around me and the possibilities that I’ve never reached for in the past. I’ve already started my own list and have cracked open a newfound sense of adventure for daily living thanks to Nina. She’ll sit on my shoulder for a long while…and I’ll still be blushing. 

Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson

Watson never fails to invite me into the pages of her book to experience AND to learn. Her beautiful prose and artful use of chapters pieces the story together as the main character, Jade, pieces herself together through language, art and love. As she moves through her days as a Black teenager, we learn what deconstructs her identity and ability to fully love herself. But we also learn of the family and bonds of love that piece her back together and remind her she has the power to make change if she only uses her voice. This book was beautiful, stirring and inspirational and I’ve been obsessed with the power and true meaning of collage art ever since, something I failed to appreciate before. 

What I'm Writing:

You know I love a good one-word theme and even though my word of the month is self-love, I found a new word I’ve never heard of: sonder. It’s not in Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, but it’s in the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows.

The idea of sonder is quite fascinating. It’s the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own — populated with their own ambitions, friends, routines, worries and inherited craziness — an epic story that continues invisibly around you like an anthill sprawling deep underground, with elaborate passageways to thousands of other lives that you’ll never know existed, in which you might appear only once, as an extra sipping coffee in the background, as a blur of traffic passing on the highway, as a lighted window at dusk.

I mean, think about that. How many times do we appear in the lives of others, only to never see them again? How many people have we encountered as ‘extras’ in our own lives? It boggles my mind and I spent some time thinking of all these connections in my notebook. You never know….sonder just might be a future one word theme of the month for me!

What I'm Learning:

I was listening to Anne Kroeker’s podcast episode on why someone might want or need a writing coach and was struck by her definition of what a writing coach actually is: a writing coach provides you with input and support designed to close the gap between where you are as a writer and where you want to be.

And it got me thinking more about my new Get Lit(erate) community and what my overall purpose is there: to help others build a life they love one book and one notebook at a time. In other words, I want to help others close the gap between where they are and where they want to be through reading, writing and learning. 

You know I love a rabbit hole, so I spent time researching what I think I need to dive into next: the role of bibliotherapy. Bibliotherapy is the act of using books and literature to improve our lives through the lessons learned in the pages of a book (and a notebook, too!).

So now, I’m digging deep into the practice and where it might take me. I’ve explored its role in psychology, its place in social work and even found a school touting bibliotherapy programs. I’m intrigued and might have just found my next passion project. 

What’s been your passion project lately?

What I'm Loving:

Gretchen Rubin talked about the Calendar of Catalysts on her recent podcast episode. I LOVE THIS. I’m all about fresh starts and starting over. Often. And this calendar is giving me dozens of reasons to do just that. What’s your favorite day to make a fresh start?

I’ve been obsessed with collage art ever since I finished Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson. I never quite understood the power and message it could offer. Take a look at some of these beautiful examples!

Do you appreciate trigger warnings before cracking open a book or pressing play on a movie? If so, then take a look at this site: Does the Dog Die? They offer crowdsourced emotional spoilers for movies, tv, books and more!

I want to be a book fairy. I’ve already bought my stickers, so I’m officially on my way to becoming one. Do you want to be one, too?

There you have it! I hope this inspires you to make space for more reading and writing in your own life. What are the highlights from your literate life this week?