I’ve always found books so incredibly helpful when it comes to personal development and learning more about the spiritual world.
In fact, when I first started getting into all of this in 2007, books were my sole source of knowledge. It’s how I learned to develop my intuition, about the archangels, about the fairies, about astrology, about past lives. At that point, social media was really only for personal sharing, YouTube only had keyboard cat videos, influencers weren’t a thing, online courses weren’t really a thing either, and I was a teenager in high school so I wasn’t going to be able to have time for or even know where to find in person classes - so books really, really set me up on my journey and taught me almost everything I know!
I still love reading personal development and spiritual books today. I find either new topics that interests me, or even topics I know about but want a refresher or a different perspective!
One reason I also constantly keep up with my books (specifically my audiobooks) was several years ago, I learned the advice “surround yourself with inspiring, uplifting, encouraging people. You’ll adapt their mindset” and one way to do that is by listening to / watching / reading from people who already are where you want to be; Inspired masters.
So, here’s all the uplifting books I read this past year, 2021 (In no particular order) and my reviews of them! Some I loved and some were not so great, so definitely read my review before diving into it!
Rich As F*ck - Amanda Frances
I started the year reading this book in Kindle format and ended this year re-reading it in audiobook format, and it’s definitely one of the best (if not the best) money mindset book I’ve ever read.
Amanda truly is the money queen, and compared to other authors, she just seems more relatable to the modern woman. I connected more with this money book than any other because she gives it to you straight and focuses so much on the spiritual/energetic approach.
She also came from lower-middle class in Oklahoma and now is a multi-millionaire in California, so that aspect is definitely inspiring and makes everything she’s doing seem possible and achievable. (I’ve read too many books about money where the person already started off rich and that just isn’t inspiring to me and in fact contributes to limiting beliefs that you have to be rich to get rich. But Amanda was a completely normal person who made it big and that is the type of belief I want to get behind).
What I also love in this book is that she tells you what it feels like to be rich in order to help you to shift into the vibration of already having it. Basically so much of this book is about just refusing to accept any other outcome other than the one you want; knowing it’s inevitable, and you acting as if you already have what you want.
It’s super inspiring, I love it, and definitely plan on re-reading it frequently.
Whole Damn Fire - Emily Anne Brant
This one I was so excited about because it was written and self-published by my good friend Emily! She’s so incredible, I’ve worked with her 1:1 and in her group programs; she’s like the Queen of reinvention and just following where your heart feels called.
It may seem like I’m biased to this book because I think the author is amazing, but I promise I’m not, this book is really, really good! Emily, like most of us, learned and dove so deep into Law of Attraction and Manifestation, but then she had a reawakening, after being tired of “manifestation ritual burnout” and discovered the Law of Resonance.
The Law of Resonance, as she explains in this book, is an easier way to get into alignment with your true soul. It’s all about trusting that the Universe knows what’s best for you (a lesson I personally have received sooo many times) and to just be open to trust it.
I definitely recommend this book if you’re looking to reconnect with your truest soul and learn how to just “go with the flow” and open yourself up to letting the Universe work its magic. You don’t have to work so hard; you just have to be!
There’s a lot of really great lessons in here, ones that I’ve been implementing and have seen great results from.
Law of Attraction is still very much real, and it’s important to keep in mind everything you’ve learned from it, but the Law of Resonance helps you be more at peace and accept the gifts the Universe is trying to give you. Less doing and more receiving.
This book is awesome and Emily is awesome!
Definitely go follow her on instagram too! @EmilyAnneBrant
It’s Your Universe - Ashley Eckstein
If you don’t know, Ashley Eckstein is the voice of Ahsoka Tano (Star Wars) and the founder of the clothing brand Her Universe. I LOVE Ashley so much and think she and her story are just so inspiring. This book was so cute, it made me smile the whole time, and left me feeling super inspired and empowered. It is more of a biography, but Ashley also incorporates lots of Disney + Star Wars life lessons. Ashley tells us about her own experiences in reaching her goals, how she always believed, and how she did make her dreams come true. In particular, the story about how she started Her Universe and grew it to the successful business it is today is really, really inspiring.
I also really enjoyed her story about how she met her true love husband - it’s a super no coincidence, fated story.
She’s just a beautiful soul and this book is one of my new favorites.
I also highly recommend following her on instagram, too. (@Ashley Eckstein) She posts a lot about mental health awareness as well as just being a super Disney Parks fan and obviously, Star Wars legend.
Positively Wealthy - Emma Mumford
I enjoyed this book! It’s meant to be read one chapter / one day, so it’s really great if you’re looking for something to keep you on track and keep your mental health up, every single day.
A lot of the practices in here were ones I already knew/do, but it was still great to be reminded of them and have a focus for each day.
I think this would be such a good book for someone just starting out on their journey.
Emma is a lovely soul, too, so again, another instagram follow recommendation : @iamemmamumford
Raise Your Vibration - Kyle Gray
Kyle Gray is a really sweet soul - I really liked listening to this in audiobook because I love his accent! He is most known for his connection with the angels (So if you’re looking to learn any more about the angels, I definitely recommend checking out more of his books). This book in particular is a bit more about manifesting / the Law of Vibration, but still includes lots of angel practices as well. This book is meant to be read like a 1-a-day or to be able to shuffle the book to open to a random page to be guided to your practice of the day.
`The entire book is filled with exercises and practices you can do daily (they sections are actually divided up by chakras!). This book has lots of great insights, angelic connection advice of course, and just easy ways to bring good vibes into your life.
Think Like a Monk - Jay Shetty
This book is long but I enjoyed it a lot! Jay shares a lot of really great insights from his time as a monk. He brings a new perspective to mindset and manifestation and our purpose here on earth. I definitely learned some new things and it gave me a lot of things to think about. Again, this is another great book to listen to because he’s got a great accent and speaking voice.
If you’re looking to be inspired in overall life and to learn more about the world, life lessons, and how you can become a better version of you - this one would be great! Highly recommend, definitely one of my favorite books of the year.
Happy Money - Ken Honda
I liked this money book! (I know it seems like every book so far I’ve liked, but I think it’s because I put the ones I liked better first! Haha!)
It was a pretty quick read, and really interesting about your energetic connection with money (such as how you treat it or earn it determines if your money is happy or not). The entire book itself is mainly about the energy and vibration of money, which is very helpful. Overall, this book has good vibes and gives you a lot to think about with your own money and finances. I definitely plan on reading this one again.
Rich Dad Poor Dad - Robert T. Kiyosaki
This book was just okay. I think in the beginning I was more interested in it, and there are a lot of great insights he drops throughout it. It definitely gets you thinking and can definitely shift your perspective on how to view money. However, I personally found myself being more bored when he was talking about the technical side of money (Not just the energy) - I know you need a balance of both for sure and it’s good to learn, but it’s not as fun and interesting to me as the energy of money. Overall, I probably would not read this one again, however it does have good insights throughout it.
You are a Badass at Making Money - Jen Sincero (I re-read this every year!)
This one I re-read every year, it’s definitely one of the best money mindset books (it used to be my favorite, but I think Amanda Frances’ book surpassed it!). Jen is really funny and relatable. She, too, spent 40 years of her life being broke and then finally got her stuff together, did the inner work, and dedicated herself to change, which shows you it’s super possible for you, too! She’s inspiring and also hilarious. She makes this book fun and light-hearted but also teaches you soooo much. Highly, highly recommend - it’s great!
The Science of Getting Rich - Wallace D. Wattles
Okay, this one, I did not like. Everyone recommended it - Jen Sincero, in her You are a Badass at Making Money, even recommended it and said it changed her life.
To me though, this one is just too outdated. It’s a quick read but it’s just SO old. To be honest, this is the same exact reason why I don’t like the Napoleon Hill books everyone gushes over. They’re just too outdated and unrelatable and I get nothing out of it.
Sure, he may have some great points here and there - but his overall big advice is to invest in something that is about to take off - like airplanes. He legit advises to buy an airplane because air travel is going to be the next big thing.
If it was 1910 this would be great advice. But in 2022 this book does not cut it. It’s too old. I’d pass.
Make it Happen - Jordanna Levin
I loved this book too! It really is a manifest your life book, but it’s also super encouraging, and reminds you of your greatness. Jordanna includes examples from her own life and shows you what’s possible for you. Overall, if you’re looking for an easy to understand, manifest your life as a woman, book it’d great! She goes into each subject individually - career, money, romance, so it’s all covered. She encourages you not to settle, so I highly recommend as well!
Good Vibes, Good Life - Vex King
I liked this book, too! I think the author, Vex, was very relatable in that he’d share experiences about being angry and hurt and wanting to act upon those feelings, but instead choosing the better path. He really shows he is human and experiences all the emotions and honors all the emotions. He talks a lot about how your mindset and your vibes absolutely can change your life. I recommend this one as well!
Fairycraft - Morgan Daimler
So, I thought I was getting a book about fairies, but this is more about fairy witchcraft which is apparently very, very different. The portrayal of fairies in this book was completely different than the fairies I had previously learned about. In previous books I guess they were light magic fairies, because in this book they showed a darker side of fairies that actually really bummed me out and made me kind of sad and unsettled. It like popped my fairy bubble, I did not like learning about this side of the fairies.
I did stick with this book through the end, and there were some interesting facts here and there, but overall it seemed a bit too dark for my liking, so I do not recommend. However, anyone who is into witchcraft however, would probably like this a lot more.
Akashic Records - Mari Silva
For those who don’t know, the Akashic Records are like a deep library on the other side that hold all the information that the world has ever known, about every event and every person. I’ve personally known about them for over a decade now, but never did any real research. This book is a quick read, explaining about your akashic records and how to access them. So, if you’re looking to learn more it’s a good place. However, on audiobook the narrator’s voice is a bit robotic so it was tough for me, but it may be a better read to physically read the book yourself. Overall this book was just okay, there are probably better ones out there!
The Gene Keys - Richard Rudd
Full disclosure, I started this book but did not finish it because it was super intimidating! On audiobook, its 33 hours long. Yes for real. However! I do fully intend to read it one day because it’s really, really interesting. You do have to closely pay attention to it, it’s not something you can listen to while doing other activities, because it moves fast, explains a lot, and is very dense information.
It’s about the spiritual aspect of your DNA and what has been passed on. I’ve never read about this anywhere before so it is super fascinating. It came highly recommended from my super spiritual amazing friend Lisa (@thelisadooley), who I trust a lot, and she loved it. I definitely intend to fully commit and read it one day because it really is super interesting!
So that’s all the books I read in 2021! I hope this gave you a clear idea and gave you some book recommendations for your 2022!! Happy Reading ! <3
