Great Reading: Explore our list of Recommended Reads.

I am an avid reader. I consider books to be essential for the soul; and literacy to be a gateway to unlocking the power of one's imagination and consciouness. I also find it highly necessary to have a book accompany me during my adventures—they help me to slow down, decompress, and to be present in the moment. No matter the genre, I love the way the pages feel in my hand, the unique texture of the paper with all of its historical complexities, and the breeze it creates as I turn each page.

I can also appreciate a cozy bookstore, and I often traverse the roadways of my city in search of the hidden gems that house the printed works of some of the greats: Dickens, Hemingway, Toni Morrison, Faulkner, Edgar Allan Poe, Twain...the list goes on.

Below are 10 Books I currently recommend (am reading or have read), with a few bookstores that certainly deserve recognition:

1. The Paris Wife - Paula Mclain

2. The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

3. Eleven Minutes - Paulo Coelho

4. The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky

5. Killers of the Flower Moon - David Grann

6. The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz

7. Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan

8. How We Heal - Alexandra Elle

9. The Case for Christ - Lee Strobel

10. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse - Charlie Mackesy

• BLACKLIT Bookstore - Farmers Branch, TX

• Poets Oak Cliff Bookshop - Bishop Arts District, Dallas, TX

• Read Between the Lines - Legacy West, Plano, TX

Friends, what are you currently reading? Please share in the comments.