This year, I challenged myself to read 50 books (that's about four per month). This summer, I have been well on my way to reaching my goal, so here are four of my favorite reads from this year!

1. "All The President’s Men", Carl Bernstein & Bob Woodward

I know, I’m late to the party with this book. And while I knew a lot about the Watergate scandal before I read this book, reading about it from the perspective of the reporters that played such a pivotal role in exposing the facts to the public was an interesting take on history. Bernstein and Woodward have gotten a lot of deserved credit for the work they did and this book exposes the specific challenges of investigative journalism in the pre-digital world.

2. "Grit", Angela Duckworth

My dad saw Angela Duckworth speak about her book, Grit, on a morning show, and immediately sent my brother and I a copy. Receiving a self-help book from your father might not seem like the most motivating gift, but I read it anyway. Honestly, Grit is one of the most insightful books I have read in recent history. Angela Duckworth expounds on the research she has done to see how and why people succeed— how “grit” effects the lives of students and employees. This book inspired me to take a closer look at how much grit I already had and provided a toolbox of skills to increase grit and have the best shot at succeeding at everything you do.

3. "Sex Object", Jessica Valenti

Jessica Valenti is a powerful woman. In her memoir, Sex Object, she is brilliantly honest about her life and experiences a women in the United States. At some points, this book is straight up difficult to read because of the horrifying way people have treated Jessica, but that uncomfortable feeling is only motivation to change something about the world. It might be cliché, but I think the best books make you want to change the world.

4. "Love May Fail", Matthew Quick

If you liked Silver Linings Playbook, Love May Fail is right up your alley. I ADORED Silver Linings Playbook and was hooked on Love May Fail from the first chapter (I read this 400 page book in 2 days, if that says anything). These characters are real, pained, and honest. I knew I was sold on this book when I started feeling very real animosity toward some of the characters. Matthew Quick writes fiction so captivating that it makes real life seem disappointing.