My Most Recent Reads // On My Mind Monday

Happy Monday World! I hope you all had a lovely weekend and are ready to start the week.
It is week 3, entry 3 of On My Mind Monday and I am sharing my most recent reads. Weather in Wisconsin has been pretty chilly so I have been enjoying spending time with books, blankets, and more often than not, a cat on my lap.
I read the majority of my books on my iPad through the Kindle App, and I am also a subscriber to Audible. I highly recommend Audible for anyone who works from home because it is an amazing way to pass the time and stay occupied while working. I listen to Audible while editing or driving to and from my sessions. However, I listen to various playlists I’ve created on Spotify while I am editing, writing, painting or designing because sometimes it is hard to focus on the book when I am working on jobs that require more attention.
Here are my thoughts about the recent books I have completed, the ones I am currently enjoying, and what I will be tackling next. Let’s get on with it, shall we? I have included images of the book covers with clickable affiliate links to purchase these books via amazon. I also included a clickable banner for audible if you would like to listen to the books instead.
Recent Reads:

• THE SUBTLE ART OF NOT GIVING A F*CK – MARK MANSON –  I loved this book but I may be biased because Manson could write about making a grilled cheese or watching paint dry and I would still adore it. If you’re familiar with Manson’s work and love it, this is a great book to add to your library. This book changed my daily thought process. Anxiety inducing scenarios, awkward occurrences, uncomfortable/uneasy conversations that used to be very difficult for me to process, follow through with or dust off I am now able to calmly assess and write off as trivial and not worth the emotional drainage.
• #GIRLBOSS – SOPHIA AMORUSO – I am an avid listener of the #Girlboss Podcast. I felt guilty for being such a huge Sophia fan never having read her book, but I took care of that in a matter of a few hours. This book is interesting, amusing, and a very easy read. Sophia is just a cyclone of personality, and her book was the perfect embodiment of her.
• GETTING TO YES – ROGER FISHER & WILLIAM URY –  This book was recommended to me by Audible. I read summaries online, and decided that it could be a good read and perhaps help me during consultations with clients. The book is about negotiation and taught me about preparation. It also reinforced my philosophy of getting to know my clients on a personal level, finding shared interests, and having a level of respect for each other. It is really beneficial to know with whom you are doing business especially because emotion plays such a huge role in my work.
• YOU ARE A BADASS : HOW TO STOP DOUBTING YOUR GREATNESS AND START LIVING AN AWESOME LIFE – JEN SINCERO – I enjoyed this book so much that I purchased the daily calendar for my office desk. Each day has a snippet directly from the book so I am constantly refreshing myself with the positive pushes this book lent me when I first started reading it. Much of what Jen talks about is not rocket science, but the way she so bluntly presents the material is impressive and really sticks with me.

CurRENtly enjoying: 

• BIG MAGIC: CREATIVE LIVING BEYOND FEAR – ELIZABETH GILBERT – I found this book via an instagram post by Jasmine Star, and so far so good. I have never read any books by Elizabeth, but I really like that the audible version is being narrated by her. I think the delivery of a book can have an impact on how much I like or dislike it. I am about halfway through the book, but it is taking me a while to get through it. I have been listening to it in little blurbs each day because I haven’t been “glued” to it like I was to Manson’s and Amoruso’s books. So far the book has been focused on sharing stories from her own life and using those life lessons to challenge the reader to take control of our aspirations and not let fear get in the way. I am hoping the rest of the book will draw me in a little more, but if not that is OK.
• WHEN BREATH BECOMES AIR – ABRAHAM VERGES – Audible recommended this book to me so I went for it. I just started this book on Monday on my drive home from Hillsdale, WI after a styled shoot and I am on chapter 5 of 60. I am realllllly excited to see where this book will go. This book has definitely pulled on my heart strings triggering tears and deep gasps. I have been listening to this book whenever I get in the car and everything I have heard has stuck with me for days. I highly recommend this book and I will definitely write a recap about it upon completion.

Up Next:

• THE PRINCESS DIARIST – CARRIE FISHER – I honestly cannot wait to begin this book and I want to give this book 5 stars simply knowing that Carrie wrote it! I think if Star Wars was/is a part of your growth to adulthood, this book is great. I just cannot help but appreciate her more. RIP Carrie!
• EVERYTHING WE KEEP – KERRY LONSDALE – This book was recommended to me by Amazon on the Kindle App, so I figured I would give it a go. I downloaded it, but I have not done much more than that.

What books have you read lately??  Share your recent favorites with me, let’s build our libraries together! Have a great week!!

Affiliate links below for books are below each category. Studio 29 is a proud affiliate of Amazon. 
PS: Here is a self-portrait of Kenzo, Caleb and I hanging out on our bed we snapped yesterday morning when I was working on a homework assignment for an online class I am currently enrolled in. I love taking photography classes because that means more photo taking, meeting other creatives, and getting a solid unbiased critique on my work.