The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
This book pulled me in and wouldn’t let me go! I am still thinking about these characters and how they will be affecting me for years to come. -Endya

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
This was one of the best books I’ve read this year, both in terms of content and execution. Machado tells the auto-biographical story of an abusive same-sex relationship, and each chapter tells the story in a different genre. Seeing how the genres lined up with the events of the story was breathtaking. -Endya

Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur
This Bridget Jones’s Diary-esque LGBTQ+ romance follows an astrologer and actuary who pretend to be in love . . . until they’re no longer pretending. It’s equal parts hilarious and romantic. I could not praise it enough. -Blair

Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man by Mary L. Trump
This book was eye-opening, to say the least. -Endya

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
 -Blair

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
SO SPOOKY! Check out my full review in an earlier blog post.
​-Endya 

Late to the Party by Kelly Quindlen
This book made me hurt for teenage years I never had. This is an LGBTQ+ coming of age teenage love story about discovering yourself and loving the people around you. -Blair

Luster by Raven Leilani
This book was addicting. Check out my full review in an earlier blog post. -Endya

The Rural Diaries: Love, Livestock, and Big Life Lessons Down on Mischief Farm
by Hilarie Burton Morgan
Hello One Tree Hill fans! Hillarie Burton, known for her character, Peyton Sawyer, gave up the big city for a rural farm with her husband and son. She goes into detail about her deep love for her family and the community they created when she escaped a toxic work environment on a well known teenage drama. -Blair

What Comes After by Blair Leigh
Ok, I know this was written by my business partner and close friend, but I can’t help that this was one of my favorites to be published this year! This book has such warm and cozy Gilmore Girls vibes, and I can’t help but want to snuggle up with it on a cold night. -Endya

Come as You Are: The Surprising New Science that Will Transform Your Sex Life by Emily Nagoski
This book is required reading for anyone who has a vagina or is interested in vaginas. Nagoski busts every sex myth that Cosmo Magazine taught us in high school. (PS a revised edition is set for publishing in March 2021!) -Blair & Endya

Queen Move by Kennedy Ryan
This second chance romance between childhood sweethearts follow Kimba, a successful career woman, and Ezra, the man she lost when family secrets boiled over and ruined lifelong friendships. It’s steamy, achingly sweet, and a can’t-sleep-until-I-finish-page-turner. - Blair

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
Faith and science are two huge eements in this beautiful novel by one of my favorite writers. As neuroscientist, Gifty, tried to find the scientific basis for her brother’s drug addiction and her mother’s severe depression, she finds herself struggling with the evangelical faith she was raised on. This book felt personal to me and it stayed on my mind long after I finished it. -Blair

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green
This is the sequel to Green’s debut, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, and it did not disappoint. I loved the first book, but this one brought everything together in such a satisfying ending. Green’s thoughts on modern technology and social media have created a fun and insightful young adult sci-fi journey that I think readers of any age could enjoy. (PS The Audiobook has a full cast!) -Endya

The Roommate by Rosie Danan
Uptight Clara moves across the country to live with her childhood crush and start a new life. But her childhood crush ditches her last minutes and leaves her with a new roommate—Josh, an adult performer. As they both try to reinvent themselves, they can’t stop their growing attraction. This book was impossible to put down. Sexy, smart, and respectful. -Blair

 I Am Human: A Book of Empathy by Susan Verde
I don’t usually read many children’s books, but this one absolutely blew me away. With so many books teaching children how to be nicer or smarter or cleaner or more creative, this book’s message is that it is ok to be just you. It is ok to mess up; it is ok to be afraid; it is ok. We are all humans just trying our best. I found it so refreshing, and will be buying it for kids for years to come! -Endya

Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
Wow. This book is a detailed study of a midcentury American family of 12 kids. One by one, half of the children become diagnosed with schizophrenia. This book is nonfiction but the storytelling and character development reads so much like fiction. -Blair

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert
Dani and Zaf go viral when he “saves” her from a fire drill. To direct more media to Zaf’s charity, they keep up the façade that they are madly in love for the public. Of course, it’s a romance, so they also end up madly in love for real. I am so in love with this love story, and I’m not sure any other book will ever live up to this one. Both of these characters are flawed yet absolutely perfect for each other, and I would marry either of them in an instant. -Endya

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
This was such an important read for white allies and, honestly, for everyone. This book is not to be read quickly. Read slowly and reflect and contemplate on the actions you’ve taken to combat racism. -Blair

Today’s blog is dedicated to the multitalented and multitasking Endya Hash. When Endya heard that a couple of her friends were opening an independent bookstore in downtown Lafayette, her immediate response was simply “I’m in!”
 
Born and raised in South Louisiana, Endya attended Louisiana State University where she obtained Bachelor’s degrees in Art History and Religious Studies, as well as minors in Italian and Philosophy. Immediately following undergraduate school, Endya took her love of philosophy to LSU Law School. In her first year, she was awarded LSU’s Esprit de Femme Student Leadership Award for her work enhancing LSU’s Title IX program to provide survivors of sexual assault a more empowering and trauma-informed response to reports.
 
Endya wears many hats at Beausoleil Books: she’s a co-owner, one of our principal book curators, and the store’s Community Coordinator. Endya believes that placing the right book in a customer’s hands can change their lives and she is dedicated to making that happen. In her words, “Beausoleil Books genuinely cares about our shared community history, how that history affects the community today, and how we can be at the forefront of our community’s future.”
 
Along with her passion for the Beausoleil Books vision, Endya brings experience creating programming to encourage community involvement alongside retail and service experience. She believes a bookstore is the perfect community gathering place and has been incredibly gratified by the feedback and excitement we have received from the Lafayette community. Endya is most excited about hosting events and notes that “there is such a rich and thriving community of authors, filmmakers, crafters, readers, and activists in Lafayette. I look forward to facilitating a greater connection between these folks and their community.”
 
Despite her numerous tasks at Beausoleil Books and her career as a full-time attorney, Endya still devotes time to her hobbies. She has been quilting and crocheting since childhood and has recently picked up knitting and embroidery work and even plans to host a morning craft club at the Whisper Room (details on that to follow). Of course, as one of our book curators, there is no denying her other hobby: reading. Endya is currently reading Anxious People by Fredrik Backman and is looking forward to Beausoleil Book’s first Book du Mois book club event discussing V.E. Schwab’s The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

Le blog de ce jour est consacré à Endya Hash qui possède d’innombrables talents et de compétences. Quand Endya a appris qu’un couple de ses amis allait ouvrir une librairie indépendante dans le centre de Lafayette, sa première réaction a été de répondre « Présente ».
Endya est née et a grandi dans le sud de la Louisiane, elle y a aussi suivi ses études universitaires à L’Université de Louisiane State où elle a obtenu une licence en Histoire de l’art et une autre en sciences religieuses, avec en options mineures l’Italien et la philosophie. Aussitôt ses études de premier cycle terminées, Endya a continué sa passion de la philosophie à la faculté de droit de LSU. Au cours de sa première année elle a reçu le prix de leadership étudiant pour ses travaux promouvant le programme LSU Titre IX permettant de fournir aux victimes d’agressions sexuelles les outils pour se reconstruire, dépasser leurs traumatismes et reprendre le contrôle de leur existence.
 
Endya porte plusieurs casquettes à la librairie Beausoleil : Elle est copropriétaire, compte parmi les conservateurs, et est coordinateur communautaire. Endya est persuadée que le bon livre mis dans la main d’un client peut transformer la vie de celui-ci et elle est bien décidée à en faire sa mission. Selon elle « Beausoleil Books est profondément attachée à l’histoire de notre communauté, comment cette histoire impacte notre communauté aujourd’hui, et comment elle façonnera notre communauté de demain. »
 
En plus de sa passion pour la vision de Beausoleil Books, Endya offre son expérience pour mettre en place des programmes visant l’engagement de la communauté, et son expérience dans la vente. Elle est convaincue qu’une librairie est le lieu idéal pour des activités communautaires et a été très touchée par les messages de soutiens et d’encouragements qu’elle a reçus de la communauté de Lafayette.
 
En plus de ses rôles importants qu’elle occupe à Beausoleil Books et de sa carrière à plein temps comme avocate, Endya consacre également beaucoup de temps à d’autres passe-temps. Dès son plus jeune âge elle fait de la courtepointe, du crochet et elle s’est mise récemment au tricot et à la broderie. Elle a même l’intention d’ouvrir un club d’artisanat le matin dans le « Whisper Room » (le bar à vin trouvé dans la librairie), plus d’informations à ce sujet vous seront communiquées bientôt. Sans surprise, en tant que l’une des conservateurs, un de ses passe-temps favoris est la lecture. Toujours à l’affut des dernières nouveautés, elle traque constamment les récentes parutions. Elle lit actuellement Anxious People de Fredrik Backman. Endya attend aussi avec impatience l’évènement concernant l’ouverture du club de lecture du mois qui sera consacré à commenter le livre de V.E. Schwab intitule The invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

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