Book Recommendations

📚 A Few Must-Read Favorites

🟡 How We Flourish, Volume 1 — Emiliya Zhivotovskaya & Andrea Seydel (Editors)
A practitioner-authored collection grounded in positive psychology, offering real-world tools and perspectives on human flourishing, resilience, and well-being. (Coming March 20, 2026 — World Happiness Day. Pre-order now from our home page.)

🟡 How We Flourish, Volume 2 — Emiliya Zhivotovskaya, & Andrea Seydel (Editors)
Builds on Volume 1 with deeper insight into evidence-based practices that support growth, connection, and thriving—especially during times of transition and adversity. (Coming March 20, 2026 — World Happiness Day. Pre-order now from our home page.)

🟡 The Power of Play — Elaine O’Brien & Andrea Seydel
A reminder that play isn’t frivolous—it’s protective. This book helped me articulate why joy is a legitimate healing practice.

🟡 All the Light We Cannot See — Anthony Doerr
A beautifully written novel about humanity, resilience, and connection in the midst of war.

🟡 I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings — Maya Angelou (Autobiography)
A powerful, lyrical memoir about voice, survival, and reclaiming one’s story.

🟡 The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue — V.E. Schwab (Fiction)
A lyrical, haunting story about time, identity, and what it means to be truly seen. This book lingers—especially for anyone reflecting on legacy, love, and the quiet courage of enduring.

🟡 The Kitchen House — Kathleen Grissom (Historical Fiction)
A moving exploration of belonging, identity, and the complexity of chosen family.

🟡 Phaedo — Plato (Philosophical Drama)
A timeless reflection on life, death, and the soul—challenging and contemplative.

🟡 The Women — Kristin Hannah (Historical Fiction)
A deeply human story honoring women’s courage, sacrifice, and untold histories.

🟡 The Paper Palace — Miranda Cowley Heller (Literary Fiction)
A quiet, emotionally layered novel about memory, choice, and the weight of secrets.

🟡 The Nightingale — Kristin Hannah (Historical Fiction)
A haunting, unforgettable story of resistance, love, and survival during WWII.

🟡 Winter Garden — Kristin Hannah (Historical / Literary Fiction)
A haunting, emotionally rich novel centered on a distant mother shaped by her past in Soviet Russia. A story of silence, survival, and the long shadows history casts across generations.

🟡 Chasing Dreams — Kobi Yamada (Inspirational)
A gentle nudge toward courage, creativity, and trusting what calls you forward.

🟡 Cemetery Boys — Aiden Thomas (Fiction / YA)
A tender, magical story about identity, belonging, grief, and love—layered with cultural richness and heart.

🟡 The Jane Austen Collection — Jane Austen (Classic Literature)
Timeless novels exploring love, social norms, wit, and women’s inner lives—still resonant centuries later.

🟡 Greenlights — Matthew McConaughey (Memoir / Personal Growth)
Reflective, quirky, and unexpectedly wise—part life story, part philosophy of persistence and perspective.

🟡 Slaughterhouse-Five — Kurt Vonnegut (Classic Fiction)
A darkly humorous, deeply human meditation on war, time, trauma, and the absurdity of being alive.

🟡 1984 — George Orwell (Classic Dystopian Fiction)
A stark, unsettling exploration of power, truth, surveillance, and resistance. Still deeply relevant—and sobering—in how it asks us to think about freedom, language, and independent thought.

🟡 Man’s Search for Meaning — Viktor E. Frankl (Existential Psychology / Memoir)
A profound reflection on suffering, choice, and the human capacity to find meaning even in the most unimaginable circumstances. A timeless reminder that purpose can be a source of survival—and transformation.

🌱 Personal Growth, Leadership & Flourishing

🟡 The Body Keeps the Score — Bessel van der Kolk (Trauma & Healing)
Read with care. This book explores trauma in depth and may be activating for some readers. Many find it validating and transformative, especially when read slowly and with support.

🟡 Hands of Light — Barbara Ann Brennan (Spirituality & Energy Healing)
A foundational exploration of the human energy field, blending spiritual insight with compassionate understanding of healing, intuition, and the body–mind connection.

🟡 The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership — John C. Maxwell
Classic leadership principles grounded in integrity and influence.

🟡 The 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication — John C. Maxwell
Practical insights on how connection shapes leadership and relationships.

🟡 Write a Must-Read — A.J. Harper (Personal Success)
A clear, empowering guide for anyone who wants their writing to truly matter.

🟡 The Artist’s Way — Julia Cameron (Personal Growth)
A beloved classic for reclaiming creativity and quieting the inner critic.

🟡 Little Failures — Alisha M. Wielfaert (Resilience)
An honest, tender reflection on learning, growth, and being human.

🟡 The Happiness Advantage — Shawn Achor (Positive Psychology)
Research-backed insights on how joy fuels success—not the other way around.

🟡 Becoming Coachable — Scott Osman, Jacquelyn Lane & Marshall Goldsmith
A thoughtful look at feedback, growth, and staying open to learning.

🟡 The Art of Possibility — Rosamund Stone Zander & Benjamin Zander
A joyful, perspective-shifting book about expanding what we believe is possible.

🟡 Rising Strong — Brené Brown
A powerful invitation to rise with courage after we fall.

🟡 Ikigai — Héctor García & Francesc Miralles
Explores purpose, longevity, and the beauty of a life well lived.

🟡 The Earned Life — Marshall Goldsmith & Mark Reiter
A wise guide to fulfillment beyond achievement.

🟡 The Four Agreements — Don Miguel Ruiz (Spirituality / Personal Growth)
Simple, enduring principles for living with clarity and compassion.

🟡 Think Again — Adam Grant (Positive Psychology)
Encourages curiosity, flexibility, and the courage to rethink what we “know.”

🧭 Leadership

🟡 Good Leaders Ask Great Questions — John C. Maxwell
A reminder that leadership begins with listening.

🟡 High Road Leadership — John C. Maxwell (Leadership)
A values-driven approach to leadership that emphasizes integrity, respect, and taking the high road—especially when it would be easier not to.

🟡 Trust and Inspire — Stephen M.R. Covey
A modern leadership approach grounded in trust and empowerment.

🔍 Mystery & Imagination

🟡 Divas ’Til Death — Mary Curran (A Callie Kinsey Mystery)
A fun, fast-paced mystery with heart and humor.

🟡 Fourth Wing — Rebecca Yarros (Fantasy Fiction)
An immersive, high-stakes fantasy with grit, dragons, and depth.

🟡 Iron Flame — Rebecca Yarros (Fantasy Fiction)
The gripping continuation of Fourth Wing, full of tension and transformation.

🏰 History & Big Thinking

🟡 The Story of Medieval England — Jennifer Paxton (The Great Courses)
A fascinating deep dive into the foundations of medieval Europe.