In one of my first posts of 2017 I shared a few of my goals for the year with each of you.  One of my personal goals/resolutions is to read at least 1 book a month for the year.  Sitting here now it seems a bit ambitious, how will I find the time?  And then I remind myself of all those times I stayed awake late, feverishly trying to finish my Nancy Drew book (as a kid) or the most recent Danielle Steele novel (as a teenager…don’t judge) or that biography that had me yearning for more.  Thinking back to the late nights in bed reading until I couldn’t stay away any longer has me so excited to jump back into the pages of something amazing.  So, without further adieu, a few of my book picks to kick off the year!

Power Your Happy by Lisa Sugar – I received Lisa Sugar’s book, a combination autobiography and how to for success, in one of my Must Have Boxes last year.  I read a few pages and then BAM!  the Holiday season set in and my time went buh-bye!    In all seriousness, I am excited to continue reading and learn more from a badass #GirlBoss like Lisa.

“Avoid a case of the Mondays and the need for cheers on FriYAY by learning how to love EVERY SINGLE DAY! POPSUGAR founder and President Lisa Sugar’s new book, Power Your Happy, helps you navigate your overwhelming, confusing days to end up in a place where you can combine your passions and talents for success.”

 

Game of Crowns by Christopher Andersen – I love anything and everything having to do with the British Royal Family (that includes you, Prince Harry!) so when I heard about his book I knew it had to make it onto my list of must reads.

“A moving and compulsively readable look into the lives, loves, relationships, and rivalries among the three women at the heart of the British royal family today: Queen Elizabeth II, Camilla Parker-Bowles, and Kate Middleton—from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Good Son, These Few Precious Days, and The Day Diana Died.One has been famous longer than anyone on the planet—a dutiful daughter, a frustrated mother, a doting grandmother, a steel-willed taskmaster, a wily stateswoman, an enduring symbol of an institution that has lasted a thousand years, and a global icon who has not only been an eyewitness to history but a part of it. One is the great-granddaughter of a King’s mistress and one of the most famous “other women” of the modern age—a woman who somehow survived a firestorm of scorn to ultimately marry the love of her life, and in the process replace her arch rival, one of the most beloved figures of the twentieth century. One is a beautiful commoner, the university-educated daughter of a flight attendant-turned-millionaire entrepreneur, a fashion scion the equal of her adored mother-in-law, and the first woman since King George V’s wife, Queen Mary, to lay claim to being the daughter-in-law of one future king, the wife another, and the mother of yet another.”

Killing Reagan by Bill O’Reilly – Confession: I am addicted to biography’s and books based on history…I am a nerd like that.  In all seriousness, I actually thought about a career in politics while I was in college and to this day I am fascinated by much of the history of the 20th century.  I read “Killing Kennedy” in about 3 days and have gone back to re-read it a handful of times simply because of all the questions O’Reilly puts into your head.

“Just two months into his presidency, Ronald Reagan lay near death after a gunman’s bullet came within inches of his heart. His recovery was nothing short of remarkable — or so it seemed. But Reagan was grievously injured, forcing him to encounter a challenge that few men ever face. Could he silently overcome his traumatic experience while at the same time carrying out the duties of the most powerful man in the world?”

First Women by Kate Andersen Brower – Again, history buff here, hi.  I am fascinated by Jackie, Nancy, Barbara, Michelle and yes, even Melania.  This one is a no brainer for me.

“From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the groundbreaking backstairs look at the White House, The Residence, comes an intimate, news-making look at the true modern power brokers at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue: the First Ladies, from Jackie Kennedy to Michelle Obama and Melania Trump.

One of the most underestimated—and challenging—positions in the world, the First Lady of the United States must be many things: an inspiring leader with a forward-thinking agenda of her own; a savvy politician, skilled at navigating the treacherous rapids of Washington; a wife and mother operating under constant scrutiny; and an able CEO responsible for the smooth operation of countless services and special events at the White House. Now, as she did in her smash #1 bestseller The Residence, former White House correspondent Kate Andersen Brower draws on a wide array of untapped, candid sources—from residence staff and social secretaries to friends and political advisers—to tell the stories of the ten remarkable women who have defined that role since 1960.”

Happy Reading!

XO, Niki