Favourite reads so far — 2022!

“When anger trawls the internet, Looking for a hook; It’s time to disconnect, And go and read a book.” — Matt Haig

2022 has been a disaster so far! The world is definitely going insane but I keep myself sane with the comfort of good books. Here are some of my favorite books I have read so far this year and what I liked about them.

1. The Comfort Book by Matt Haig

Nothing is stronger than a small hope that doesn’t give up.

Reading this book is like drinking a hot cup of coffee on a rainy day, comfort!

Matt Haig, like many of us struggles with anxiety and depression. This book is a collection of notes and stories that helped him remind himself of positivity and hope in his darkest days. The book reminds you that growth happens during our worst times. It is a reminder of hope.

2. Notes on a Nervous Planet by Matt Haig

“Never be cool. Never try to be cool. Never worry what the cool people think. Head for the warm people. Life is warmth. You’ll be cool when you’re dead.”

Another Matt Haig book? Hell yeah. This is the third Matt Haig book I read after The Comfort Book and The Midnight Library. I feel I read this book at the right time in my life. Lately, I have been focusing on getting lesser screen time, limiting what I consume on social media and not letting media consume me. This book talks about doing that! How do you stay authentic and true to yourself when the world around you seems to be having a collective breakdown? Everyone is consumed with technology that it almost seems abnormal to not use social media or to even disconnect.

While Matt Haig is not asking for us to become oblivious to the news and the difficulties we face as a society, he is advocating for a screening system for the information we consume. Perhaps a restriction on the amount of time we spend on social networking sites, as well as some prudence when exploring the internet, is required. We want more. More social media engagement, more news updates, more and more for everything. Maybe we should only looking for more mental peace.

3. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

I love Taylor Jenkins Reid’s way of writing stories in almost a documentary like format. This book to say the least, is absolutely riveting!

Evelyn Hugo, a secretive and aging Hollywood movie legend, is finally ready to reveal the truth about her glitzy and scandalous past. No one is more surprised than Monique Grant, an obscure magazine reporter, when she gets selected for the position. Why is it that she was chosen? Why does Evelyn Hugo want to do this now?

As the title suggests, Evelyn Hugo was married seven times and the story involves Evelyn talking about all of her marriages. Without giving away any spoilers, I think this book even though fiction highlights some real issues women face in society specially in the creative industry. How actresses are frowned upon on something as natural as “aging”, or how the same actions done by men and women are looked at differently in society and how women are conditioned to hate their bodies.

I was hooked throughout this book and loved every minute of it! After all, I just had to know, after seven marriages… who was the love of Evelyn Hugo’s life?

4. The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown

Twinkle lights are the perfect metaphor for joy. Joy is not a constant. It comes to us in moments — often ordinary moments.

I decided to reread The Gifts of Imperfection recently, because a part of me needed to. Brene Brown is a shame and vulnerabilty researcher and in this book she talks about letting go of the need to be perfect and living more wholeheartedly. The book is divided into 10 “guideposts” that can help us let go of unhealthy traits and embrace new, healthier ones.

This book helps you understand that you can let go of all the random thoughts of how you think you should behave and just be you. Allow yourself to be vulnerable. Allow yourself to be authentic. To let go of who we are suppose to be, and just be. Know who and what your accountable for. Know who is worth being part of your story.

I recommend this book to those who are looking for a way to embrace where they are.

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