Welcome to my current favorite books page. I am a book nerd who for many years before a severe health crisis that impacted by ability to read in 2024, read between 40-50 books a year. Book clubs, talking about books and sharing and giving book recommendations are some of my most joyful activities. In the years since the pandemic, I was most influenced by authors both dead and alive such as bell hooks, Sophie Strand, John Chitty, Sarah Wilson, Beth Pickens, Julia Cameron, Katherine May, Jenara Nerenberg, Gabor Mate, Lindsey Gibsons, Jamie Lee Finch, Majo Molfino and Cody-Cook Parrott in terms of non fiction and I have been deeply attached to anything Taylor Jenkins Reid, Emily Henry, Helen Hoang write in terms of contemporary romance - my favorite fiction genre.
I also really enjoy reading queer romance fiction to nurture those little and more grown parts of me that never got much representation growing up - I am obsessed with Haley Jakobson and Casey Mcquiston, I admittedly additionally love what I affectionally call weird girl fiction (think Melissa Broder type books) and stories about complicated families or making your own family. I will also read pretty much any memoir by a neurodivergent woman I can find. If you like any of these themes, you’ll most likely really like my book recommendations. Feel free to recommend me a stellar book too now that you know what I am into.
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After my health crisis (post 2024), I read less, because I can’t go as fast as I used to, but I still really LOVE reading. I will add recommendations here when I read a book that completely changes me.
My favorite classic literature book is Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte - He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same. If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger.
This is how I experience Love.
My favorite poets have always been lesbians or weird unconventional women with mental and/or physical illnesses; Emily Dickinson, Mary Oliver, Audre Lorde, Virginia Woolf to name a few.
And I found nothing more fascinating than George Orwell’s books 1984 and Animal Farm growing up. So you should find those early book tastes reflected in these more modern choices below. I hope you enjoy these reads as much as I did.
*Unless indicated, the books listed below aren’t in order of preference, but more so generally, they are all my current favorites of a specific category. I also read a lot on my kindle, so some books aren’t physically present in the photos.
Love,
Emily
My favorite autistic (or more broadly neurodivergent) non fiction books:
Different, not less by Chloe Hayden
Unmasking autism by Devon Price
Avoiding anxiety in autistic adults - Dr. Luke Beardon (and other books by Dr.Beardon)
Women and girls with autism spectrum disorder by Sarah Hendrickx
Making sense by Rachel S Schneider
But you don’t look autistic at all by Bianca Toeps
Drama Queen by Sara Gibbs (not pictured because I read in on my kindle in one night since it was so good)
Odd girl out by Laura James
I overcame my autism and all I got was this lousy anxiety disorder by Sarah Kurchak
What I mean when I say I am autistic by Annie Kotowicz
The electricity of every living thing + wintering by Katherine May
Divergent mind by Jenera Nerenberg
Favorite fiction written by autistic authors:
Helen Hoeng books - The heart principle (my favorite); The bride test, The kiss quotient.
Mary K Choi books - Emergency contact; Permanent record, Yolk.
(Will be adding to my list here as it is a priority of mine to read more fiction written by autistic writers.)
*All the little bird-hearts by Viktoria Llyod-Barlow is also excellent and by an autistic author, see favorite literature section below.
My favorite books on art, creativity and work:
This one wild and precious life by Sarah Wilson
Work won’t love you back by Sarah Jaffe
Emotional currency by Kate Levinson
Make your art no matter what by Beth Pickens
Your art will save your life by Beth Pickens
How to not always be working by Cody Cook Parrott
Getting to center by Cody Cook Parrott
The artist’s way by Julia Cameron
The right to write by Julia Cameron
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
My favorite literature books:
What a happy family by Saumya Dave
The very secret society of irregular witches by Sangu Mandanna
City of girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
When we lost our heads by Heather O'Neill
All the little bird-hearts by Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow
All fiction by Melissa Broader
The rosie project by Graeme Simsion
The perks of being a wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
This is how it always is by Laurie Frankle
The time’s traveler’s wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The help by Kathryn Stockett
The nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney
Queer fiction:
Written in the stars by Alexandria Bellefleur
How to make a wish by Ashley Herring Blake (other queer books by Blake too)
I kissed shara wheeler by Casey Mcquiston
One last stop by Casey Mcquiston
Old enough by Haley Jakobson (ultimate fav)
Memoirs:
We have always been here by Samra Habib
Cracked open never broken by Iman Gatti
Ten steps to nanette by Hannah Gadsby
The hungover games by Sophie Heawood
Heretic by Jeanna Kadlec
There I am by Ruthie Lindsey
I might regret this by Abbi Jacobson
Everything I know about love by Dolly Alderton
You are your own by Jamie Lee Finch
Would you rather by Katie Heany
Not pictured: I am yours by Reema Zaman
Self-help favorites that have changed my life:
No bad parts by Richard Schwartz
The body is not an apology Sonya Renee Taylor
Adult children of emotionally immature parents + recovering from emotionally immature parents by Lindsay Gibson
Why won’t you apologize by Harriett Lerner
All Gabor Mate books in order of my favorites: When the body says no, The myth of normal, In the realm of hungry ghosts, scattered minds
Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel S.F. Heller
Energy healing for trauma stress and chronic illness by Cyndi Dale
Not pictured: The art of giving and receiving by Betty Martin
Feminism books I adore and re-read often:
the ALL ABOUT LOVE series by bell hooks (all about love, communion and salvation)
The flowering wand and the Madonna Secret by Sophie Strand
If women rose rooted by Shannon Blackie
Come as you are by Emily Nagoski
Burn out by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski (Amelia is autistic)
Break the good girl myth by Majo Molfino
Patriarchy stress disorder by Valerie Rein
My top three favorite trauma literature books:
Healing developmental trauma by Laurence Heller and Aline Lapierre
In an unspoken voice by Peter Levine
Trauma through a child’s eyes by Peter Levine
Not pictured: John Chitty’s the dancing with yin and yang.
Favorite current day fiction author:
My favorite contemporary fiction author is Taylor Jenkin Reid, and my order of favs goes like this:
Malibu rising
The 7 husbands of Evelyn Hugo
After I do
Carrie Soto is back
Maybe in another life
One true loves
Daisy jones and the six (I loved the tv version of daisy jones and the six so much!)
Emily Henry books are currently my favorite rom com ones.
In order of my favs:
Book Lovers
People we meet on vacation
Beach read
Happy place
Other favorite cozy rom com books:
Birds of California by Katie Cotugno
Holiday romance by Catherine Walsh
Snowed in by Catherine Walsh
Second first impressions by Sally thorne
Every summer after Carley Fortune
The summer job by Lizzy Dent
The ex talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Lunar love by Lauren Kung Jessen
Star-Crossed by Minnie Darke
Current spirituality favorites:
The classic rider-waite tarot
The light seer tarot by Chris-Anne
The self-care cards by Cheryl Richardson
Your wise animal body oracle by Devany Amber Wolfe
The wild offerings oracle by Tosha Silver
Heavenly bodies astrology by Lily Ashwell
Magical messages from the fairies by Doreen Virtue (this one has been among my favorites for literally over 10 years now - it has a piece of my heart. Fae vibes forever <3)
Mother mary oracle by Alana Fairchild
Journey of love by Alana Fairchild
Wetiko series books by Paul Levy
It is done by Richard Dotts
The star-borne by Solara
Seventy-eight degrees of wisdom by Rachel Pollack
Tarot for change by Jessica Dore
Astrology for the soul by Jan Spiller