I used to be an avid reader, and it’s gotten farther and farther away from me over the years. Reading one book a month was on my personal self-care New Year’s Resolution list, and I have to say I’m pretty proud of myself – I’ve read two books in their entirety since the start of 2018.

I think a great goal is to read 15-20 minutes of something (other than the internet) each day. Some of my recommendations are below.

I do listen to quite a few audiobooks, so check out my Get Listening post for those.

Fiction:

This is what I’ve been focusing on reading so far this year. I love that fiction can take me out of my own life and open my eyes to new experiences and other people’s stories. What do you love about fiction?

I love the two books I’ve read this year. Both of them coincidentally have the theme of motherhood to them. P.S. For emotional reasons, I don’t recommend reading them while you’re pregnant.

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult: This is a very timely book about an African American nurse who has to deliver some white supremacists’ baby. The story that unfolds is an emotional one, to say the least (or maybe I was just super postpartum reading it).

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena: I don’t want to give away too much with this one, but this super quick read is a mystery about parents and their new baby with lots of twists and turns.

The Outlander by Diana Gabaldon: This is a TV series now, but I still remember reading this romantic historical fiction novel and not being able to put it down. Have you read it?

Auto-Biographies:

This probably seems like a weird category to have, but my husband loves auto-biographies so we have a lot of them in my house.

The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer: Now keep in mind, I know Amy from our NYC days, so this was particularly fun to read because I knew her while she was going through a lot of this. Plus, she makes me laugh my ass off.

Slash by Slash: Okay, so I haven’t read this one yet, but my husband claims it’s the best autobiography ever. The only reason I haven’t read it yet is that it’s almost 500 pages. Also, keep in mind Mr. B is obsessed with Guns ‘N Roses (the original band).

Parenting & Pregnancy:

Exercising Through Your Pregnancy by Dr. James F. Clapp IIII M.D.: For anyone that wants to feel good about working out during pregnancy, this is a must-read. The stats and stories are amazing.

The Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp, M.D.: To be honest, I don’t really read a lot of parenting books. I go more by intuition. That said, the techniques we learned in this book (or watch the video) have been used on all of our kids as babies and they work.

Baby-led Weaning by Gill Rapley: Surprisingly, I have NOT read this book, however, I’ve done baby-led weaning with both Liam and Kiera. I’m including it here because it’s been recommended by some friends and fellow experts and so many people have been asking me for a baby-led weaning resource.

Self-Help:

The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman: This is an amazing book that will help you figure out what you and your partner really need from each other. It’s also a great one to apply to your kids. Chapman has a book specifically designed for the kids, but I think you’ll know the love languages of your kids as soon as you read this book.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo: As someone who hates clutter, this is on my nightstand. I haven’t gotten to it yet but I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things. Have you read it?