After moving to The United States with her husband, Anna develops a severe eating disorder that requires in-patient treatment as she works to increase her caloric intake to over 3000 calories a day. This novel follows her journey through rehab and to restore herself and her marriage to the glory she once knew.

Growing up in small town of Denmark, South Carolina in the home of an activist father and educator mother, Bakari Sellers saw the world differently than those around him. He used that view of the world and his time at Morehouse to propel him into leadership at the local and state level. Bakari was only 22 years old when he was elected to the South Carolina state legislature, making him the youngest African American elected official in the nation. This memoir is an interesting look at the path that led him to there.

Written in response to the shooting at Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, SC, Grace Will Lead Us Home is the story of twelve families who must find peace and forgiveness when there is very little reason to. The views and actions of a white supremacist introduced the families to a tragedy, but strife in their own state and church continued it. This story that blends the problems of systemic racism, unchecked hate groups, rhetoric espousing legislatures, and religious hierarchies is unique to South Carolina, but the forgiveness and grace that these families give can be applied to any situation.

Laurel’s daughter has been missing for ten years, and she is finally finding closure in the entire ordeal. Divorced and more emotionally stable, she’s ready to move forward with her life. She does that with a man named Floyd and his daughter, Poppy. There’s just one thing—Poppy is almost the reincarnation of Ellie.

This is a double entry, because to really finish the story, you need both books. Bryan Stevenson founded the Equal Justice Initiative which is dedicated to defending poor people and those wrongly convicted. He writes this story about Walter McMillian, who was sentenced to death for a murder he didn’t commit. He also talks about Anthony Ray Hinton, another man he helped free from a death row. . In The Sun Does Shine, Anthony Ray Hinton tells his story of living for over three decades in jail for a crime he didn’t commit, and how he worked to find peace with his situation, and eventually, to find his freedom.

Just try keeping up with Katniss Everdeen as she masters Panem’s Hunger Games series and tries to defeat President Snow and the Capitol. The first three books are quick reads, and an excellent choice if looking for your next series to dive into. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a little more slow moving, but the backstory it provides makes you want to read the first three in the series all over again.

The beach is a great place for merging things together, and set on the shores of the south, this book works to blend ecology and fiction. A professional and renowned wildlife scientist, Delia Owens is known in ecology circles for her non-fiction work on wildlife and ecology. With Where the Crawdads Sing, she masterfully blends her knowledge of nature into a beautiful coming of age with strong, irresistible romantic elements.

In a rush to escape Acapulco with their lives, Lydia and her son Luca flee the Mexican drug cartels who killed all of their family. Emotionally, it’s a tough read that may not be for everyone. However, those who do read it will be captivated and invested—you will find that you simply must know what happens next, even if it’s a scary and turbulent experience.

For those who don’t have time to re-read the entire novel, try this graphic novel out for a change. I admit that I was skeptical at first, but it is a decent adaptation and tries hard to stay true to the original work. What I love most is that this version opens the book to younger readers who may not have the opportunity to read, or be taught, the full novel.

A collection of essays that explores the ways God speaks to us through other, usually unconventional, people. In this, Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber examines the encounters she has had with other people which have led her to more fully understanding the gospel of grace, love, and mercy. If you are a fan of Anne Lammott, Donald Miller, or Father Greg Boyle, you’ll enjoy this.

A nurse is told not to touch a baby because the parents don’t want a black nurse touching their white child. But then, that same baby goes into cardiac distress and the nurse they didn’t want is the only one around. Small Great Things explores why holding onto one way of life is so dangerous to those around us, and how we can grow to become more than that.

If you have watched the Netflix series of The Handmaid’s Tale but never read the book, go read this version! It’s a fascinating, quick read and has beautiful illustrations. I had trouble reading the original The Handmaid’s Tale because I couldn’t visualize the society or setting. This graphic novel version was the perfect fit for me, and it actually brought me back to the original novel.

Plot twist: The author, John Howard Griffin, isn’t black. He changes his outward appearance through tanning lamps and medication in order to blend into the black community. Taking place in the deep south in 1959, you’d be surprised at what’s changed today—and what hasn’t.

An entire book devoted to the analysis of how we react to one of the most human of actions—talking to strangers. A plethora of real-life scenarios ask us to rethink the way the incident was portrayed or how we ourselves might react. Controversies such as Brock Turner, Amanda Knox, Larry Nassar, Bernie Madoff, and Sandra Bland are all covered, as well as some old conundrums, such as how Hitler won over so many people or how top CIA officials were duped into hiring a Cuban spy. The audiobook version includes actual interview footage and makes the book a great listen.