Let’s welcome the month of June with feel-good books only.
The end of May and the start of June signal the coming spring season. Spring symbolizes hope, new beginnings, energy and happiness. Although the world is currently battling the great pandemic, we must never lose hope. Now, more than ever, we must renew our strength and look forward to better days. Here are five books to lift our spirits this coming June.
The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald
A truly delightful and compelling read, Katarina Bivald’s debut novel is first on our list. It follows the story of Sara a girl from Sweden who travels to Broken Wheel, Iowa just to meet her fellow book-lover pen pal Amy. However, she arrives to find Amy’s funeral guest just leaving. The residents of Broken Wheel welcome their new foreign visitor. Broken Wheel is a quiet little town with not much to do. Everything changes when Sarah decides to open a bookstore in Main Street (Amy left behind many books in her house). The bookstore sparks life to the town and along the way Sara discovers that there is more to Broken Wheel than meets the eye. The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend is a reminder of the beauty of life and the stories that connect our lives.
Come Climb Toward God: Are you hungry for God? By Marianna Albritton
Published in 2013, Come Climb Toward God: Are You Hungry For God? is a spiritual book by Marianna Albritton that encourages readers to forge a deeper relationship with God. For Albritton, knowing Jesus Christ is the only way to satisfy the deep hunger within our soul. Come Climb with God emphasizes the need to know Jesus Christ not only as a prominent figure in our history also as someone who can inspire us, heal our soul and well-being. Come climb Toward God for people who are hungry for God’s love and grace. Reading Marianna Albritton’s Come Climb Toward God is a great way to start a more positive outlook than renew our faith and seek God’s wisdom and His guidance. Come Climb Toward God is written by someone who searched and found God.
Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom (2003)
Almost 20 years since it was first published, Mitch Albom’s best-seller continues to attract more readers. The Five People You Meet in Heaven follows the story of Eddie, a war veteran who feels that he has lost his purpose. He spends his lonely days fixing rides at a seaside amusement park. He regrets many things and thinks that he is living a meaningless life.
On his 83rd birthday, Eddie dies in an accident while trying to save a young girl from a falling cart. When he wakes up, he finds himself in the afterlife. He learns that heaven is not what he imagined it would be, but instead a place where your past life is explained to you by five people who have impacted your life forever. One by one these five people talk to Eddie and creates a wonderful story of kindness, hope, and redemption. The Five People You Meet in Heaven is truly a feel-good book that will change your perspective of things, forever. If you adore Albom’s Tuesdays With Morrie, then you will certainly fall in love with this one.
Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears by Pema Chödrön
These are certainly troubled times and all the more that we should welcome the new month with renewed vigor and positivity. Pema Chödrön’s Taking the Leap teaches readers how to break from negativity and destructive behaviors. Sharing the Buddhist concept of shenpa, Chödrön imparts to readers see how certain habits attract anger, blame, self-hatred, and addiction in our lives. Once we get to know these patterns, we can begin to avoid them and embark on more positive and healthy routines. According to the book, ‘the key is learning to face the inevitable difficulties and insecurities of our daily lives.’ Taking the Leap encourages us to embrace a new way of living and transform ourselves into better individuals. Taking A Leap is not only inspiring, but it is also full of wisdom and kindness.
The Dalai Lama’s Cat by David Michie (2012)
The Dalai Lama’s Cat is a funny novel but full of wisdom, wit, and of course, interesting people. It follows the journey of a small kitten that was rescued from the slums of New Delhi. In one moment, her life is changed as she suddenly finds herself in a beautiful sanctuary with majestic views of the snow-capped Himalayas. In her new shelter, the cat encounters Hollywood stars, Buddhist leaders, prominent people from the academe, rich philanthropists, and many other people who come visiting the great Buddhist spiritual leader. Each of these visits offers an insight to finding contentment, happiness, and meaning in life. The Dalai Lama’s Cat invites readers to discover that instead of trying to change this world, we should all change we look at and experience the world. Our positive outlook is the key to contentment. The Dalai Lama’s Cat, just like the Himalayas, is truly a majestic and enchanting read.