I'd Rather Be Reading

This week, Rachel would rather be reading about how to take her life to the next level and usher in her own version of The Big Life. The Big Life: Embrace the Mess, Work Your Side Hustle, Find a Monumental Relationship, and Become the Badass Babe You Were Meant to Be by Ann Shoket Visit Ann's website to find out about the community she is building!

This week, Rachel would rather be reading about how ubiquitous social media has become -- and how being seen isn't necessarily being known. There is so much good in this discussion! Who Are You Following? Pursuing Jesus in a Social Media Obsessed World by Sadie Robertson Huff

This week, Rachel would rather be reading about personal finance, investing, and growing her money, honey. Miss Independent: A Simple 12-Step Plan to Start Investing and Grow Your Own Wealth by Nicole Lapin

This week Rachel would rather be reading about the American criminal justice system by someone who knows it well. American Injustice: Inside Stories from the Underbelly of the Criminal Justice System by David S. Rudolf

This week Rachel would rather be reading about how to eat healthier! Thankfully Michele Promaulayko, former editor-in-chief of both Cosmopolitan and Women's Health, is here to help. Sugar Free 3: The Simple 3-Week Plan for More Energy, Better Sleep, and Surprisingly Easy Weight Loss by Michele Promaulayko

This week Rachel would rather be reading one of the greatest fiction works of all time ahead of its film adaptation's release on Friday! Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

This week Rachel would rather be reading Atoosa Rubenstein's thoughts on life and love from her Substack newsletter, Atoosa Unedited. Atoosa Unedited by Atoosa Rubenstein

This week Rachel would rather be reading about how to apologize more effectively. The 5 Apology Languages: The Secret to Healthy Relationships by Dr. Gary Chapman and Dr. Jennifer Thomas

This week Rachel would rather be reading lessons on life and leadership from THE QUEEN -- Coach Monica Aldama of Netflix's Cheer! Full Out: Lessons in Life and Leadership from America's Favorite Coach by Monica Aldama After you grab a copy of her book, set your Netflix queue for season two of Cheer, dropping January 12!

This week Rachel would rather be reading about how to avoid toxic positivity. Toxic Positivity: Keeping It Real in a World Obsessed With Being Happy by Whitney Goodman Stay tuned at the end of the episode for four motivational titles to jumpstart this year.

If you guessed that all four have their own book club, you're exactly right. Here in this special mini-episode between seasons three and four, Rachel discusses four celebrity book clubs: Oprah's Book Club Reese's Book Club Read with Jenna The Duchess of Cornwall's Reading Room Book clubs -- whether locally or internationally, like these four -- are a fantastic way to build community around our fav...

This week Rachel would rather be reading about life's lessons -- including "the beautiful no" -- from the inspiring Sheri Salata. The Beautiful No: And Other Tales of Trial, Transcendence, and Transformation by Sheri Salata Join Sheri (and Rachel!) for “Write Your New Story 2022” from January 3-7. Visit www.sherisalata.com/challenge for more information.

The end of 2021 is near, so Rachel sits down with dear friend Carla Jean Whitley to discuss the best books they read all year -- and what they're most looking forward to reading in 2022.

This week Rachel is making a conscious choice to live life to the fullest and never settle thanks to the wise words of Bonnie Fuller, current editor-in-chief of Hollywood Life and former EIC at titles like Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, YM, and Us Weekly. (Yes, if you can't tell, Rachel's heroes are magazine editors-in-chief.) Remember, friends -- this isn't a dress rehearsal -- we're living...

This week Rachel would rather be reading about -- and taking in stunning photos of -- some of Hollywood's most influential Black actresses.  Supreme Actresses: Iconic Black Women Who Revolutionized Hollywood by Marcellas Reynolds

This week, Rachel would rather be reading about getting organized so she can live the life she was meant to live and make space for what matters most. Life in Jeneral: A Joyful Guide to Organizing Your Home and Creating the Space for What Matters Most by Jen Robin

The Sex and the City reboot, And Just Like That..., hits HBO in less than two weeks, so Rachel would rather be reading Sex and the City and Us, the first book chosen for her new Throwback series! This 2018 book takes a behind the curtain look at the greatest television show of all time -- in Rachel's opinion, anyway. Sex and the City and Us: How Four Single Women Changed the Way We Think, Live, an...

This week Rachel would rather be reading about a little sister's lifelong love and devotion to her big sister, the legendary actress Natalie Wood -- who died 40 years ago this week. Little Sister: My Investigation Into the Mysterious Death of Natalie Wood by Lana Wood

This week Rachel would rather be reading about COLLEGE BASKETBALL, baby! (Said in her best Dick Vitale voice.) The Big East: Inside the Most Entertaining and Influential Conference in College Basketball History by Dana O'Neil

This week, Rachel would rather be reading about the childhoods of Vice President Kamala Harris and her best friend, Stacey Johnson-Batiste! Friends from the Beginning: The Berkeley Village That Raised Kamala and Me by Stacey Johnson-Batiste

This week, Rachel would rather be reading about science -- specifically the COVID-19 vaccine and the race between Pfizer and Moderna to get shots in arms. The First Shots: The Epic Rivalries and Heroic Science Behind the Race to the Coronavirus Vaccine by Brendan Borrell

To kickstart season three, Rachel would rather be reading about Alabama football. It is football season, after all! We Want Bama: A Season of Hope and the Making of Nick Saban's Ultimate Team by Joseph Goodman

This week Rachel would rather be reading about the American South. Graceland, At Last by Margaret Renkl This episode concludes season two. We'll see you very soon with more episodes!

This week Rachel would rather be reading about Calabasas and its most famous residents -- the Kardashians. If You Lived Here You'd Be Famous By Now: True Stories from Calabasas by Via Bleidner Also check out Set the Night on Fire: Living, Dying, and Playing Guitar with The Doors by Robby Krieger

This week, Rachel would rather be reading fiction for a change! The Fianceé by Kate White Also make sure to check out The Wish by Nicholas Sparks The Stranger in the Lifeboat by Mitch Albom