Reese’s Reads: June

Hi, and welcome to Reese’s Reads! This is a monthly summary of the books I’ve read, how I’d rate them, and what I had learned from them. I believe that reading is an essential part of anyone’s life, as it helps you to expand your knowledge and look at the world from a different point of view. One of my personal goals is to read more often, so I wanted to share my experience with all of you. I put no limit on the genre or amount of books I read, I simply find something that looks interesting and add it to my bookshelf. Here’s what I read in June:

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert★★★★☆

I have wanted to get my hands on this book for so long – not only for the aesthetically pleasing cover – but because I’m a sucker for self-help books. However, this was not your typical “think positive and attract positive energy” type of motivation; this book explored the reality of living creatively and that it’s not always sunshine and rainbows. We all encounter roadblocks, so we have to have the right mindset to get past them. There doesn’t always have to be an end goal with creativity – whether that be a spot in an art gallery or a Pulitzer prize – it’s all about owning creativity as a part of your life and doing it anyway. I love the way Gilbert writes, very light-hearted, but to-the-point; as if you’re talking with a friend. *I actually ended up reading this book twice this month.

Leave Your Mark by Aliza Licht★★★★★

The moment I’d started to read this book, I couldn’t stop. No, literally. I read it in under 48 hours (in between working 2 different jobs, and late into the hours of the night). Something about this book really connected with me – I guess since I’m just stepping into the business world myself. Leave Your Mark is based around Aliza’s personal story in the fashion world, and how she came to be a popular online presence named @DKNYPRGIRL (for the company DKNY, duh). What I like most about this book is that it provided a ton of practical tips and advice for starting a career in any industry, but especially in social media and marketing. Tips ranged from “how to get experience when you have no experience” to “how to find your personal style”. It covers each step along the path from being the office newbie, all the way to becoming a leader in your field.

Entrepreneurial You by Dorie Clark★★★☆☆

If I’m being completely honest, I think I read this book too quickly and didn’t absorb everything it had to offer. Writing this review, I’m having trouble coming up with content to discuss, so it looks like I’m going to have to re-read it and update you all later!

# GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso★★★☆☆

Sophia Amoruso is badass, I can’t deny it. However, this book didn’t deliver what I guess I expected it to. #GIRLBOSS follows the story of Nasty Gal, a clothing company Sophia Amoruso started from selling thrifted clothes as vintage on eBay. Her work ethic is inspiring, working day to night on finding rare pieces to put online, then photographing, editing, selling, and shipping them all by herself (in the beginning stages). Yet, it comes off a bit braggy, as if she’s the only person who’s ever worked so hard towards becoming so successful. She was a rebel teen, never able to keep a job or go with the “norms”, which I found translated into her writing. The book felt like she cared more about sharing her successes (“yay me!”), rather than the lessons she learned from those experiences to then help others. It’s not a bad read, as her personal story is quite unique and interesting; I guess I was hoping to take away more from it.

The Self Love Experiment by Shannon Kaiser★★★★★

This was another book that I literally could not put down. I bought this book simply because of the title, and was saving it for when I needed a pick-me-up in the self-love department. One mental breakdown later and I whipped this baby out in hopes of feeling better. The first few pages alone were so relatable to my situation, I felt that I could have written them myself. Shannon Kaiser emphasizes that we have to realize struggles are a part of the journey, and are only present to give you something good in the future. By loving yourself in the moment, you stop feeling unsatisfied while waiting to become the perfect image you created in your head. I’ve (obviously) read a lot of self-help books with tons of motivational quotes and messages, but for some reason, Shannon’s words seemed to connect with me on a deeper level. If you’re ever feeling down, you seriously need to get yourself a copy of this gem.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K Rowling★★★★★

I love reading the Harry Potter series casually during the summer – this will be my third time doing so. Otherwise, I don’t think this book even needs a review.

Let me know if you’ve read any of these books and what your opinions of them are. Also, if you have any recommendations, definitely comment them below! Lots of love,