10 Books Every Shelf Should Have

With all of that new time you have on your hands, here is a list of 10 books to kill some time and learn a little something along the way. We have included books that help with cooking (because maybe your favorite take-out place is still closed due to the pandemic).

We also included some inspiring reads from Michelle Obama and mental health novels to get your life in order. You may stumble upon a book that you never knew you needed.

1. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering The Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat

Like many other books that will be included on this list, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is a New York Times Bestseller. It is a winner of the 2018 James Beard Award for Best General Cookbook. For those of you who don’t know, a James Beard Award is one of the most prestigious accolade in the culinary world.

This book helps to bridge the gap between professional and home cooks. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat helps readers master those four main elements, which ultimately determines the texture your food will take on. Once all of these different areas are learned, you can create deliciously lifechanging meals in the comfort of your own home.

2. Becoming by Michelle Obama

With over 49,000 reviews and a 5-star rating on Amazon, and a #1 New York Times Bestseller, this book will not disappoint. It’s written by Michelle Obama for crying out loud. The Netflix Original Documentary based on the book is Emmy nominated. If these facts don’t convince you to read Becoming, we don’t know what will.

In this memoir, Michelle Obama fills the pages with deep reflection and thrilling storytelling. She brings the readers into her life and shows us what it was like for her growing up on the South Side of Chicago. Read about all of this and more in one of the best books of the decade. Trust us, you will close the book and be incredibly inspired. Everyone should take notes from Michelle Obama.

3.The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life By Mark Manson

This book is a best seller for a reason. Mason breaks it to you bluntly, you just shouldn’t cause about what other people think, it’s that simple. If you’re ready to start living your life to the fullest and unapologetically, this book is perfect to help start you on the right path.

With over 6 million copies sold, 20,000 reviews on amazon and over a 4.5 star rating, this book is sure to satisfy your binge-reading needs. Plus, it looks pretty badass on your shelf. As stated on Amazon, “in this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the crap to show us how to stop trying to be “positive” all the time so that we can truly become better, happier people.”

4. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

This is the only childrens book on the list, but it’s a story that even adults should read. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse is all about accepting others and loving each other unconditionally. It tells the story of an unlikely friendship and the strength that comes from building others up and supporting one another.

Many say that the book itself is a work of art. Flip through the pages and gaze at all of the beautiful and thought provoking drawings that Charlie Mackesy provides. It is a #1 New York Times Bestseller, Wall Street Journal Bestseller, and USA Today Bestseller for a reason. You will want to keep this on your bookshelf and pass it along for generation after generation. Mackesy’s story is one that everyone should hear, no matter what your age.

5. Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World by William H. McRaven

You’ve probably heard the saying before that “if you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.” This all comes from this #1 New York Times bestseller. Make Your Bed provides an incredibly powerful lesson that should be read by everyone.

McRaven wrote this book based on inspiration from his own life and experiene in the military along with all of the hardships and difficult decisions that made him into the man he is today. He discusses how to lead life with determination, compassion, honor, and courage.

You will walk away from this book feeling inspired and wanting to become a better, more optimistic person. McRaven’s humility will encourage and push readers to do and strive for more, even in the worst times. In times like these, Make Your Bed is a book full of lessons that we so badly need right now.

6. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor and Park is another #1 New York Times bestselling novel. Written from the persepectives of two different people, Eleanor and Park, readers get to experience a beautiful story about two very different people opening themselves up to love. Both of them are misfits but come from drastically different home lives. Eleanot doesn’t come from the most loving home, and Park has overly loving and invested parents. You’ll want to be reading about the school year of 1986 for years to come. We are still waiting for an Eleanor and Park sequel. We can only dream.

7. Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur

Another #1 New York Times bestseller, Milk and Honey is a book of poetry that will help you get through some of your darkest and most stressful moments in life. Kaur provides poems inspired by experiences in her own life about violence, feminity, love, loss, heartbreak, and growth.

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When you are feeling like you cannot put your emotions into words, pick up a Rupi Kaur book and allow her words make sense of it all. It really is crazy that even though we are all experience different things in life, we still feel the same emotions and have the same insecurities. Kaur makes readers feel less alone in the world.

8. The Umbrella Academy by Gerard Way

This is one of the more lighthearted reads on the list. Written by Gerard Way, a member of the band My Chemical Romance, The Umbrella Academy will take you through a whirlwind of emotions. Although The Umbrella Academy is a comic, and not your regular novel, we added it to the list because of the way it makes us feel. It shows the beauty of being a misfit and how essential it is to band together, support one another, and pick people up when they’re down.

The comics follow a group of siblings who all have special powers, but are all struggling with their own demons. After being born under mysterious circumstances, they are adopted by a very wealthy man. Since they were young, they were trained to fight crime and are known as “The Umbrella Academy.” The comics are so good, they were adapted into a Netflix series.

9. Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography by Rob Lowe

Robe Lowe knocks it out of the park with his autobiography. Lowe tells stories of his unusually extraordinary life that will keep you on your toes from beginning to end. After movie from Ohio to Malibu and growing up in California, Lowe has fascinating stories from a young age. He takes us through his school years, entering the spotlight and everything that came after.

We get to hear witty and hilarious tales about his time as one of Hollywood’s biggest stars and everything has learned since. His personal accounts on sobriety and cleaning up his act will inspire readers to do better and be better.

10. Girl, Wash Your Face Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be by Rachel Hollis

A #1 New York Times bestselling novel, Rachel Hollis’s book will stick with you for a long time after reading. You know that feeling when you aren’t sure you’re where you’re meant to be in life and everyone else is a head of you? Or maybe they have it all figured out and you think you’re doing it wrong. Well Hollis is there to reassure us that no one has it figured out.

If they say the do, it’s a lie. Throughout the book, Hollis takes us through 20 lies and misconceptions that hold us back more often than we’d like to admit. Each page will have you on your way to living the most happy, productive and fulfilling life possible.

Comment some of your favorite reads below! We can’t wait to hear what you have to say.