Two of the Best Books I Read in 2019

Two of the best books I read in 2019 were...




...Where the Crawdads Sing, and this book.

Both are highly recommended and different!

Where the Crawdads Sing has all the elements of a great story. There's murder, mystery, intrigue, a twist at the end, and of course, love. It is written beautifully and tells the heartbreaking story of a young woman left to basically fend for herself at a young age.  Known as the "Marsh Girl," Kya Clark grows up isolated in the marshes of the North Carolina coast.  She is misunderstood by many, yet her natural beauty captures the attention of two local men.  One genuinely cares for her, while the other has ulterior motives. I found myself reflecting on this book look after I'd read the last page. This will be one I recommend, again and again.

The Code of the Extraordinary Mind made me re-asses how I view norms and the world around me. This book made me realize people have been programmed to act and believe certain things (called brules or bullsh*t rules). Author Vishen Lakhiani details 10 laws of an extraordinary life and challenges you to make your own rules and live a better life with meaning and happiness. Old beliefs like, you have to go to college and you have to work  hard, etc. etc. are replaced with new insights that make you intentional about creating the life you have dreamt of but never believed you could achieve. I have already bragged about this book to my friends, and it's made its way on my list of books to give as gifts. It's that good!

I'm currently reading this page turner and can't wait to see the movie (it was released in 2014) when I'm finished.

And here's how I feel about re-reading books.