“He really had been through death, but he had returned because he could not bear the solitude.” This novel follows 100 years of a town in solitude, following the family tree of the Buendia family, while dabbling with magical realism. Wow. This book took me AGES to complete, and once I finished it I understood why -- this is not your typical novel storyline that follows a clearcut path from start to finish. Each character lives his or her own life, and then we move on to the next stage of the timeline. Be prepared to let things go as you swim through the next 100 years in this town. Also be prepared to hand-draw a family tree because everyone in this book is named the same name, and it can get VERY confusing!!

“When you can’t see in front of you life is nothing but surprises. Looking back, there were truly so few of them.” Another book that I found only after finishing the movie/tv show. A narrative following a young girl who moves to NYC on her own and "finds herself" while working as a server in one of the top restaurants in the city. I loved the vibe of the tv show and was excited to find out I could perhaps read the story behind the characters in more depth. I loved the little vignettes, but my mind kept going back to the show -- I would honestly recommend the show more than the book! *gasps*

“Don't cling to things because everything is impermanent.” Oh man, this story was filled with life-lessons that I could quote right and left. A nonfiction memoir of Mitch Album going back to connect with his college professor and mentor, that leads to a regular "study session" every Tuesday filled with life lessons on how to live life to its fullest. A sincere and though provoking book that makes you stop and think about your own life.

“Sometimes I freeze in front of the canvas, full of the knowledge that if I keep painting, sooner or later I will fail her” I picked this book up on a whim after seeing only the title on a shelf at an airbnb where I was staying in NYC for one week. I was not prepared for this collection of short stories concerning girls and young women. Each story has a strange (sometimes subtle) darkness to it, and honestly, it made me reflect on myself in ways that I didn't want to. Each story carries some sort of dark, defining moment that the characters encounter in their childhood, and it makes you consider your own dark secrets.