Empress reads

She reads books as one would breathe air, to fill up and live.

- Annie Dillard

A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads only lives one

- George R.R. Martin

Dorothy koomson

Judging by my bookcase - I think it is fair to say that I am a Dorothy Koomson fan. I’ve been a lover of reading ever since I can remember, but found university sucked the joy out of reading for me. It really be like that sometimes huh boo?! But during my second year I believe, my flatmate at the time recommended this author to me and the first book I indulged in was Goodnight Beautiful. It was a gripping book - extremely hard to put down, I just had to get my hands on my own copy of her work! Now this author has a way of captivating your attention to the very last page and leave you wanting to know what happens next? Does it all work out for these people?

An added bonus was that Dorothy is a black female author from the UK - this was a rare find for me back then. My collection as progressively grown to include the following (I’ll put links to Amazon/Waterstones for each of them)

• The Friend

• When I Was Invisible

• Goodnight Beautiful

• The Rose Petal Beach

• My Best Friend’s Girl

• The Woman He Loved Before

• The Chocolate Run

• The Ice-Cream Girls

• The Flavours of Love

• The Brighton Mermaid

• The Cupid Effect

• That Girl from Nowhere

• Marshmallows for Breakfast

• The Beach Wedding - a short read

• Tell Me Your Secret

charlotte gambill

I’d admit on this one - you know the truth shall set you free and all that jazz - I haven’t read all the books and devotionals I have bought by Charlotte - YET. I will make it my aim to though.

Charlotte is the lead of the Women’s Conference Cherish. Mighty Father - what a powerful and awesome event this was - so much so we’ve already ordered our tickets for this year.

She has several books and the ones that I have purchased - so far (I’ll be needing a new bookcase soon, come through Nerdy Nae)

• Breathe - Daily Devotional (Think I’ll start off the new year with this)

• Turnaround God - THIS BOOK IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. It not only challenged me to push further in my faith, and to look at my life right now but also was a great encouragement that situations I find myself in - be that I put myself there or it’s life that I serve a turnaround God.

• Be That Girl

• We Are One

• Outrageous Women

Michelle Obama

THE FLOTUS!!!! Okay her previous status really hasn’t had a direct effect on my life like it would with those in the States, however her utter brilliant, class and most importantly brains is something to aspire to. I really am looking forward to reading her book. [Adds another book to the collection of must reads]

Okay so end of April 2020 after around 1 year of on and off reading, I finally finished this book. For me personally I enjoyed going on the journey with Michelle from a young girl growing up in Chicago to the First Lady of the United States. She keeps it real, her hesitations of Barack going into the brutal world of politics and being in the spotlight along with her children, her feelings of not feeling enough from childhood through to working on the campaign - there are times I truly felt I could relate with her. Without giving away too much - this book is definitely one for inspiring you. However there are so many words *insert crying emoji* and I had to take several breaks from reading this.

I salute her for bringing us into her world and sharing with us intimate moments from feelings of am I enough, starting a family to being the first Black family in the White House, that weren’t serving.

Angie thomas

I sometimes suffer from the FOMO - so when I saw everyone on my twitter feed and Instagram story rolls going on about this film. Now judging from history so far - whenever there is a film that is based on a book - the book is always better"!

I decided to read this book whilst I went away on holiday to Morocco in March 2019. Angie literally grips you in, with this page turner. Literally you get so submerged into the life of Starr and all those around her, that you feel the thrill of the riots getting your own heart pumping - to the journey from her neighbourhood to her uncle’s house; to the disparities between the school where she attends and the local one of the neighbouring children.

Absolutely recommend this book!