Books That Inspire: Bedside Reading’s Holiday Picks for Reflection and Renewal

As the year winds down, it's the perfect moment to reflect, reset, and treat yourself! We've rounded up some inspiring reads to help you step boldly into the new year—and they make fantastic gifts, too. Kick off your journey to abundance with The Sacred Plate by Sarah Vie, setting the tone for a fulfilling year ahead. And for your kids it's never too early to think about teaching your children about finance with A Dollar is Magic. One of our favorite morning rituals? Flipping through Morning Fuel like an oracle deck, letting each page offer a dose of wisdom to start the day. She Thinks Big and Happy Rebel are the ultimate power pair if big dreams are calling you. Ready for fiction? Dive into This Time Could Be Different for a dose of soul-searching narrative. Thriller fan? Brace yourself for All the Dark Voices. And if AI is your thing, Genesis: Artificial Intelligence, Hope, and the Human Spirit is the latest must-read on our list for a futuristic fix. Dive in and let the inspiration flow! 

Happy Holidays! - Jane Ubell-Meyer

Here’s what they’re reading at Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows, Santa Monica, CA…

As it absorbs data, gains agency, and intermediates between humans and reality, AI (Artificial Intelligence) will help us to address enormous crises, from climate change to geopolitical conflicts to income inequality. It might well solve some of the greatest mysteries of our universe and elevate the human spirit to unimaginable heights. But it will also pose challenges on a scale and of an intensity that we have never seen—usurping our power of independent judgment and action, testing our relationship with the divine, and perhaps even spurring a new phase in human evolution.

The last book of elder statesman Henry Kissinger, written with technologists Craig Mundie and Eric Schmidt, Genesis charts a course between blind faith and unjustified fear as it outlines an effective strategy for navigating the age of AI.

Here’s what they’re reading at Conrad Nashville, TN…

From bestselling author and motivational speaker Sarah Vie comes a brand-new title! In this book, you will find a rich tapestry of not only food recipes, but also mindset and life recipes. A holistic experience that goes beyond the realm of cooking and delves into the depths of personal transformation. Originally conceived as a cookbook, it has evolved into something much more profound. While there are indeed recipes included, the true objective of this book is to help you connect with the abundant energy of food. Eating an abundant plate goes beyond mindlessly consuming food while multitasking on a conference call or in the car before picking up your children. It is not about meticulously counting every calorie or denying yourself the pleasure of dessert. Embracing abundance means cultivating a different relationship with food. It means allowing food to become a part of you, relishing every mouthful. Food is not merely sustenance; it is an entire experience. Who are you in the act of eating? Are you fully present in your body before savoring that first delightful bite? Are you taking a moment to appreciate the vibrant colors, varied textures, and nourishing properties of the food you consume? True abundance is found when we become aware and fully engaged in the quality of our eating experiences. In Sacred Plate: Recipes for Abundant Living, you will discover the ingredients of self-love, gratitude, and mindfulness, along with techniques to nurture and cultivate these qualities within yourself. Through the power of storytelling, Sarah Vie inspires and empowers you to embark on your own transformative journey. Whether you are seeking to overcome limiting beliefs, improve your relationship with food, or simply cultivate a more fulfilling and abundant life, the insights shared within these pages will guide you towards a path of growth and self-discovery. So, immerse yourself in these pages, savor the nourishing recipes, and allow the life stories to ignite a spark of possibility within you. Embark on a journey from scarcity to magnificent abundance, and create a life that is truly fulfilling and abundant in every sense.

Here’s what they’re reading at Here’s what they’re reading at The Benjamin Royal Sonesta, NY, NY…

You’re stuck... and you're frustrated

You want growth, but the next step isn’t clear. Your inner voice nudges you to do more, but you aren't sure what or how. Or maybe your priorities constantly fight for your attention, and you always feel behind.

The Thing you want most is movement—toward more time, money, energy, brain power, or simply the enjoyment that’s supposed to come from having your own business. You’ve tried everything, but nothing seems to work.

Andrea Liebross has discovered that the secret to getting unstuck is what you think, not what you do.

It’s time to stop playing small and start Thinking Big.

In this book, Andrea helps you:

• Get to the heart of your “stuck stress” and move forward with ease.

• Create a plan, a new mindset, and improved systems that support all your priorities.

• Embrace the challenges that come from your success.

If you’re ready to take charge of the mess and move forward in your entrepreneurial adventure, this book is for you.

Here’s what they’re reading at Kimpton The Rowan Palm Springs, CA…

If there’s one thing Rebecca Galli knows, it’s the importance of staying fueled—daily. She’s had a lot to power through: Her seventeen-year-old brother’s death. Two children with special needs that include autism and epilepsy. Divorce. And her own paralysis. Galli has lived a life filled with unexpected loss—and learning.

Infused with wisdom from Galli’s deep-thinking pastor father, her ever-optimistic, hostess-with-the-mostest mother, and other memorable family members and friends, Morning Fuel offers stories designed to inspire, encourage, or make you think. Sprinkled throughout are quotes from some of the greatest thinkers of our time—words that have bolstered Galli’s resolve to power through her darkest valleys. Each entry ends with questions that invite personal application and provoke further pondering.

How you start your morning sets the tone for your whole day. Let the wisdom of Morning Fuel help you make that tone a positive one.

Here’s what they’re reading at The Mayflower Hotel, Autograph Collection, Washington, D.C…

Unlock the world of ingenuity and raise money-savvy kids with Helen Braswell Kakouris, CPA, an award-winning financial industry expert, entrepreneur, and proud mom of three children. Follow along as characters embark on a magical journey filled with valuable lessons about money, choices, and the power of dreaming big. Experience a world of possibilities as children take a dollar through a journey of saving, spending, giving, investing, and creating. Through this journey, children realize the power of their choices.

In A Dollar is Magic, Helen Braswell Kakouris takes complex financial topics and simplifies them for young readers through story-based learning. The captivating and vibrant illustrations by Victor Tavares bring excitement to financial topics and ignite imaginations.

Discover the enchanting tale that is inspiring the next generation to believe in possibilities and achieve their greatest dreams.

Here’s what they’re reading at Acqualina Resort & Residences, Sunny Isle Beach, FL…

The Happy Rebel by Tara Nolan is a fantastic and innovative book on truly and enthusiastically experiencing life. The book emphasizes on embracing your inner "rebel" by letting go of society expectations and finding what really makes you happy. Nolan crafts a story that is both understandable and inspirational by combining personal experiences with pragmatic guidance. The Happy Rebel is a fun, life-changing book that gives a fresh look at the process of growing as a person. Being successful or reaching your goals isn't the most important thing. What's more important is finding happiness in your true self.

Here’s what they’re reading at Le Meridien, Fort Worth, TX…

A compulsive overachiever, Madeline lives by the credo that easy is synonymous with mediocre—which is why, at forty-nine, she’s a senior vice president at a prominent bank, frantically adheres to a five-step nightly face cream regimen, and panics anytime she’s a foot away from her phone. Madeline works alongside her best friend, Emma—a master juggler of her own career, marriage, and motherhood to a fourteen-year-old daughter who speaks only in baffling acronyms. The path ahead for both women is brimming with opportunity. There’s only one problem: Madeline is miserable.

Seeking purpose in her life while trying to unravel the source of habits she wants to change, Madeline reluctantly agrees to try yoga, meditation, and other wacky suggestions her new-agey therapist tosses her way. She feels as if she’s risking everything—but in doing so, she just might unlock a world more fulfilling than she ever could have imagined.

Here’s what they’re reading at The Plymouth, Miami Beach, FL…

Amazon & Barnes & Noble Bestseller! A justice-driven, modern-day nomad searching for purpose awakens and is on the verge of being assassinated by life forms from the unseen world. The malevolent one, whose lies and dark voices promote gain and greed, is leading the human species to destruction. Someone must stop the apocalypse.​ Five Stars! Amazon Bestseller! “Great read and timely alternative look at our world”

Here’s What They’re Reading at Serendipity Labs Stamford, CT…

At age 17, I awoke in wreckage on the side of the road to the overwhelming reality that a car accident had stolen away both my first love and my identity. This book is the story of a forty-year journey of a broken girl searching for a new identity – first in music, then in ministry, then through a career in law and business – before finally arriving at the realization that my identity does not revolve around what I do, whom I admire, or whom the rest of the world thinks I should be. Identity is so much more than all of those things.

In writing Up from the Water, I came to understand that most of us tend to live our lives on the surface level, especially in a modern, Western culture that is dominated by social media. While we project a public façade of having it all together, most of us privately sojourn through life feeling hopelessly lost. Through weathering life’s storms, we’ve been dismasted, our sails have been shredded, our rudders have been broken, we’re taking on water, and we find ourselves adrift, tossed about at the mercy of wherever the currents and prevailing winds take us. It is only when we are willing and brave enough to cut the tether to our broken boats, jump overboard, and dive fully beneath the surface, leaving behind all of the lies that we’ve been told and the lies that we’ve told ourselves about ourselves, that we can emerge above the water and rise into the identity of who each of us is uniquely called to be.

This is the story of one woman’s journey. This is the story of my journey into and up from the water.