Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...These are a few of my favorite books

Happy Holidays! One of my favorite movies is The Sound of Music (hence the reference to it in the title of this post). But today I'm going to share some of my favorite reads from 2016 and some of the books I'm looking forward to curling up with and enjoying as we enter 2017. If you're in search of your next enjoyable read, check out my list and find something that appeals to you. I read across a wide array of genres- everything from romance to business & finance. So...without further ado, here are a few books I discovered and greatly enjoyed in 2016.

FICTION
The Sea of Tranquility
Katja Millay's first book is a marvel! I devoured this book from start to finish. "Two and a half years after an unspeakable tragedy left her a shadow of the girl she once was, Nastya Kashnikov moves to a new town determined to keep her dark past hidden and hold everyone at a distance. But her plans only last so long before she finds herself inexplicably drawn to the one person as isolated as herself: Josh Bennett. " I love finding new authors and I'm looking forward to reading more from Millay in the future.

Sophie & Carter (a novella)
This is a quick and enjoyable read! I hadn't heard of author Chelsea Fine until I stumbled upon her novella. It was exactly what I was looking to read at the time. A fast paced story. The overview on Amazon shares: "A girl. A boy. A porch swing. Sometimes life breaks your heart. And sometimes the boy next door puts it back together."

Summer Sisters
Ah, Judy Blume. I grew up reading every book she wrote. How can you not love Judy Blume? Summer Sisters did not disapoint. It's the story of two young best friends who grow up and reunite as adults...the intricacies of their lives are delicatly weaved together. And the power they have over each other, despite the distance between them, never seems to change. A great read!

And Then There Were None
Can you believe this was my first Agatha Christie novel and I found it thoroughly delightful! The book kept me guessing from the start to finish. I loved it and have continued to read more Agatha Christie books. If you enjoy mysteries, this is a must read!

NON-FICTION
Tiny Beautiful Things
This is one of my favorite books of all time! And I do not say this lightly. I will undoubtably re-read this book again and again (most likely once a year). It is chalk full of loving, honest advice and stories. Loved, loved, loved this book. The book description shares, "Life can be hard: your lover cheats on you; you lose a family member; you can’t pay the bills—and it can be great: you’ve had the hottest sex of your life; you get that plum job; you muster the courage to write your novel. Sugar—the once-anonymous online columnist at The Rumpus, now revealed as Cheryl Strayed, author of the bestselling memoir Wild—is the person thousands turn to for advice."

Still Writing: The Perils and Pleasures of a Creative Life
If you're a creative--- you don't have to be a writer--- but if you enjoy creative endeavors in any capacity, you'll enjoy this read. "... a witty, heartfelt, and practical look at the exhilarating and challenging process of storytelling."

Embrace the Suck
I enjoy fitness and exercise. Last year I started going to a Crossfit box and found it to be a really interesting challenge! So of course, when I love something, I seek out books on the topic too. If you like fitness and exercise or if you've ever wondered what Crossfit is and if it's for you, Embrace the Suck is one man's story and quite an enjoyable read. Check it out!

A few books I have stacked up and ready to read on my Kindle for 2017...

FICTION
Divergent
With more than 36,000 reviews on Amazon, author Veronica Roth has gained my attention. I know I'm behind the times. Everyone seems to already have read Divergent...but I was reluctant as my inital thought was that the series would be too similar to The Hunger Games (which I loved!). But I found myself looking at the cover again recently and decided it is going on my "to-read" list for 2017 and I'm excited to see what everyone's been talking about for awhile now!

If You Only Knew
I've read books I've loved and books I haven't loved so much by author Kristin Higgins. However, when I stumbled upon one of her older books, If You Only Knew, it reached out and grabbed me. As an author myself, I love exploring relationships--- and that's what caught me about this book. It's all about marriages and relationships. I'm excited to dive into this one soon!

Someday, Someday Maybe
Lauren Graham...love her! This looks like a nice, light read. Sometimes after I've read a heavy book I like to jump into one like this. That's why I've added Someday, Someday Maybe to my 2017 "to-read" list. Plus, I enjoy Graham's humor and I'm sure it will be included in her fiction book! The book is about a young girl named Frannie who moved to New York to pursue her goal of becoming an actress and she's given herself just 6 more months to achieve the goal, or give up.

POETRY
Whiskey, Words & a Shovel
I love Pinterest and I keep seeing AMAZING quotes from R.H. Sin (the author of Whiskey, Words & a Shovel). I'm obsessed with quotes and so...this is a must read for me in 2017!

NON-FICTION
A Whole New Mind: Why Right Brainers Will Rule the Future
The book blurb shares, "The future belongs to a different kind of person with a different kind of mind: artists, inventors, storytellers-creative and holistic "right-brain" thinkers whose abilities mark the fault line between who gets ahead and who doesn't." For me, this is a must read. I am a mega right brainer. I'm a creative. I'm an inventor, a storyteller, a writer.... I can't wait to read what the author says about the future and the opportunities that are popping up for right brainers around the globe.

Run Gently Out There: Trials, Trails and Tribulations of Running Ultramarathons
I'm a life-long runner. When I saw this book, I knew it was for me. There are very few books written on trail running and ultramarathons and even with the few that are available, many do not appeal to me for various reasons. But this one does. The book blurb says, "If on leaving a trailhead, you only glance at your watch to have an idea of when you need to be back, parts of this book will be for you." Got me. It's for me.

Rescue Road: One Man, Thirty Thousand Dogs, and a Million Miles on the Last Hope Highway
As the cofounder and Executive Director of a non-profit animal welfare organization, this book is a must read for me! I love animals and love hearing about others who are also working hard to save lives.

BOLD: How to Go Big, Create Wealth, and Impact the World
I love books like this! The title alone got my attention and had me adding it to my "to-read" list for 2017.

And as always...I encouage you to check out my books. You can view my fiction and non-fiction novels here. Grab a cozy spot on the couch, cover up with a soft blanket...wishing you a happy holiday season and many happy reads!

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Stacey Lee Ritz is an Amazon Top-20 bestselling author. Ritz writes both non-fiction and fiction novels. Although her books appear to cover a wide variety of topics at first glance, they all have one thing in common: discovering and living your best life. To be your best and do your best takes courage and dedication and Ritz’s writings reflect this. Her bestselling book, Covered in Pet Fur (Rockville Publishing) has gained attention from RIVA Media and Animal Planet. She is the Executive Director and co-founder of Advocates 4 Animals, Inc. – a 501(c)3 non-profit animal welfare organization that has saved more than 11,000 lives (and counting).

Click here to view Stacey's fiction books.
Click here to view Stacey's non-fiction books.

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