I hate to admit this, but I had an embarrassingly long stretch in which I did not complete a book from start to finish. This time period started after college and lasted until a couple of years ago. I chalk it up to entering the real world post-college, the meteoric rise of social media infiltrating our lives, and the general busyness of daily life. Or maybe I was just lazy.

Whatever the case, that all changed in the past couple of years. I downloaded the Libby app through my library, and suddenly an entire catalogue of books was at my fingertips. The desire to read was made even more convenient last year when I got a new iPad that I use as my e-reader. As a night owl who struggles with insomnia, anytime I would try to get back on the reading wagon, I’d be lucky to squeeze in a page or two before it was lights out. And I don’t mean lights out as in me falling asleep (I wish). I mean lights out, as in my husband’s annoying ability to fall into a deep sleep within thirty seconds of lying down. I love that for him, and am not jealous at all that I’m still wide awake hours after he’s out cold.

Joe’s gift of slumber was not great for this girl, who was merely trying to read a couple of pages to feel like she was making up for lost time. Reading before bed was the only time I felt calm enough to open a book, but you can’t read a physical book with no light. I toyed with the idea of scouring Amazon for a weird headlamp or some sort of light clamp for my book, but the thought alone felt like too much fuss.

Once I got my iPad, all these issues resolved themselves! Joe could still fall asleep instantly (really, SO happy for him!), and I could still let my eye bags develop, but now while digitally reading a book. Everyone wins.

It sounds obvious, but taking advantage of all the technology we have today has made reading much easier for me. I feel increasingly frustrated by our tech-heavy world every day, but literature is one area where I think it’s been a massive gift. Once I felt like I had a good grasp on the ebook situation, I started dabbling in another medium: audiobooks.

Audiobooks have changed the reading (or listening?) game for me. I’ve been on a tear lately with my audiobooks. My headphones are usually reserved for podcasts that recap Bravo shows, and while I still love those podcasts, listening to audiobooks makes me feel much more accomplished.

Accidentally on Purpose by Kristen Kish

I’ve been a fan of Kristen Kish since her days as a Top Chef contestant. I tuned into other TV projects she did over the years, and was thrilled when she was named the new host of Top Chef. Kristen has always seemed so effortlessly cool to me, and it’s refreshing to see her thrive in a typically male-dominated space.

Kristen herself narrates the audiobook, and you could feel every emotion as she narrated the pages. It journeys through her life growing up as a Korean adoptee in Michigan, to working in various kitchens, and how she landed on Top Chef. I related to her struggles with anxiety, and this book made me like her even more than I already did!

Side note: If you don’t watch Top Chef, I suggest you change that! It’s the best cooking competition show out there, as evidenced by its multiple Emmy Awards and numerous nominations. Kristen has been a wonderful host, and she brings a sensitivity that I love since she herself was a contestant.

Fall and Rise: The Story of 9/11 by Mitchell Zuckoff

This book was the most detailed account on 9/11 I had ever read. The author was a reporter at the Boston Globe at the time, and reported on the attacks. This book follows his years of interviews and reporting to give a gripping account of the people who experienced 9/11 firsthand.

I was eleven years old when 9/11 happened, so I was old enough to feel the lasting impact that day holds. I’ve consumed lots of media over my lifetime about 9/11, but this book was profoundly detailed and put everything in one place. If you’re looking to learn stories about the victims, survivors, first responders, and even the terrorists, this book does just that. It weaves all the stories together in a way that blew my mind, while giving a minute-by-minute account of what unfolded that day.

I couldn’t put this book down and stayed up some nights until 3 a.m. reading, and sometimes sobbing. I often found myself putting the book down to look up images of the people mentioned in the book. Your heart breaks for those whose lives were forever changed by this horrible attack.

The stories recounted in Fall and Rise were so powerful. While heartwrenching and difficult, this is one of the best books I’ve ever read.

Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson

I had already heard about this book, but once I realized it’s set in my neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights, I started reading immediately! Brooklyn Heights has a pocket called the “fruit streets”, consisting of Cranberry Street, Orange Street, and, you guessed it: Pineapple Street.

This book was a fun, witty read about a wealthy Brooklyn Heights family and the drama of differing social classes, family secrets, and money. I loved all the references to spots in the neighborhood that I frequent, especially Fascati for a good pizza slice!

Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten

What an enjoyable read! I really enjoy a memoir, and Ina’s was so nice to read that it was hard to put down. I love learning how people get their start and the path of building something monumental. The story of her buying her business in the Hamptons and wanting a fresh start is so inspiring.

As a food lover, I wanted to live in her world. Everything from the early beginnings of her store Barefoot Contessa to the experience of creating a TV show just made me want to eat. The book also chronicles Ina’s longtime love affair with her doting husband Jeffrey. A really happy, uplifting read that made me want to host a fun dinner party!