What to Read Next Based on Your Zodiac Sign
By Emily Black, Senior Contributing Writer
Not sure what to read next? Let’s look to the stars. Here’s the next best book to read based on your sun sign.
Aries, (March 21- April 19), Fire Sign
The Elephant in the Brain: Hidden Motives in Everyday Life
Aries are known for their bold and ambitious nature. They fully immerse themselves into every experience and face any challenge head-on. One huge obstacle we face as humans is understanding our own minds and motives and acting from a place of awareness. This book will challenge you to dive deep and take a closer look at your psyche. I know you’re up for it, Aries.
More about the book: “Human beings are primates, and primates are political animals. Our brains, therefore, are designed not just to hunt and gather, but also to help us get ahead socially, often via deception and self-deception. But while we may be self-interested schemers, we benefit by pretending otherwise. The less we know about our own ugly motives, the better-and thus we don't like to talk or even think about the extent of our selfishness. This is "the elephant in the brain."
Taurus, (April 20- May 20), Earth Sign
The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living
People under the sign of Taurus are known to be grounded, loyal, and sometimes hedonistic. They love stimulating and experiencing the fullness of all 5 senses. This is exactly what the practice of Hygge (pronounced hoo-ga) strives to do.
More about the book: “Hygge is the sensation you get when you’re cuddled up on a sofa, in cozy socks under a soft throw, during a storm. It’s that feeling when you’re sharing comfort food and easy conversation with loved ones at a candlelit table. It is the warmth of morning light shining just right on a crisp blue-sky day. The Little Book of Hygge introduces you to this cornerstone of Danish life and offers advice and ideas on incorporating it into your own life. Get comfy. Take a break. Be here now. Turn off the phones. Turn down the lights. Bring out the candles. Build relationships. Spend time with your tribe. Give yourself a break from the demands of healthy living. Cake is most definitely Hygge.”
Gemini, (May 21- June 20), Air Sign
Playful Intelligence: The Power of Living Lightly in a Serious World
Geminis are known to be extremely intelligent. They are curious creatives with a playful side. The Gemini seeks out new adventures constantly, searching for stimulation and excitement. They often juggle a variety of passions and hobbies. This book will be a good reminder for anyone who feels their work/play life needs a tune-up.
More about the book: “DeBenedet’s work comes at a time when stress, uncertainty, and intensity levels are high. Playful Intelligence shows adults that there is a way to live lighter―and smarter―as we navigate the seriousness of adulthood. It’s not about taking life less seriously; it’s about taking ourselves less seriously. The book’s core chapters are devoted to exploring the effects and benefits of five playful qualities: imagination, sociability, humor, spontaneity, and wonder. By examining playfulness as a sum of its parts, readers will gain a working awareness of its power and be able to apply playful principles to their own lives, bringing the magic of childhood back into their day-to-day existence.”
Cancer, (June 21- July 22), Water Sign
Opening to Your Intuition and Psychic Sensitivity: Developing Your Sixth Sense - Book One (Volume 1)
Cancers are very sensitive and intuitive beings. This is what makes them so protective and caring. They understand the human experience and emotions better than most. This book will encourage spiritual growth and teach highly sensitive people how to utilize their superpowers.
More about the book: “ This is a "How To" book; open yourself up to receive the higher energies and develop your inner wisdom and Spirituality. Beginning with White Light, The Chakras, The Aura, Energy, and Natural Healing, ESP, Telepathy, Past Life Regression, and, best of all, the Seance. There is information, meditation, and exercises to help and guide you through these experiences. What to do and what to look out for, the basics of opening up and working with your 6th Sense!”
Leo (July 23- August 22), Fire Sign
Brave, Not Perfect: How Celebrating Imperfection Helps You Live Your Best, Most Joyful Life
Leo the lion. You are brave, dynamic, warm, and passionate. You are also known to be hard on yourselves due to your extremely ambitious and competitive nature. This book is a great reminder for ANYONE that is feeling the pressure to be perfect.
More about the book: “By choosing bravery over perfection, we can find the power to claim our voice, to leave behind what makes us unhappy, and to go for the things we genuinely, passionately want. Perfection may set us on a path that feels safe, but bravery leads us to the one we’re authentically meant to follow. In Brave, Not Perfect, Saujani shares powerful insights and practices to help us let go of our need for perfection and make bravery a lifelong habit. By being brave, not perfect, we can all become the authors of our best and most joyful life.”
Virgo, (August 23- September 22), Earth Sign
The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload
Virgos are practical, sensible, loyal, and meticulous. They enjoy good health, nature, and organization. They are often very logical and analytical which can lead to overthinking, and sometimes, anxiety.
More about the book: “With lively, entertaining chapters on everything from the kitchen junk drawer to health care to executive office workflow, Levitin reveals how new research into the cognitive neuroscience of attention and memory can be applied to the challenges of our daily lives. This Is Your Brain on Music showed how to better play and appreciate music through an understanding of how the brain works. The Organized Mind shows how to navigate the churning flood of information in the twenty-first century with the same neuroscientific perspective.”
Scorpio, (October 23- November 21), Water Sign
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
People who fall under the sign of the Scorpio can be expected to be deep, emotional, and intense. Although they are one of the deepest-feeling signs, they often mask it with humor or a stoic exterior. Unless they are extremely comfortable with you, don’t expect a Scorpio to open up. This book offers a light and funny approach to the challenges of the human psyche.
More about the book: “With startling wisdom and humor, Gottlieb invites us into her world as both clinician and patient, examining the truths and fictions we tell ourselves and others as we teeter on the tightrope between love and desire, meaning and mortality, guilt and redemption, terror and courage, hope and change.”
"Rarely have I read a book that challenged me to see myself in an entirely new light, and was at the same time laugh-out-loud funny and utterly absorbing."--Katie Couric
Saggitarius, (November 22- December 21), Fire Sign
Chasing the Bright Side: Embrace Optimism, Activate Your Purpose and Write Your Own Story
Saggitarius is the sign of optimism, fun, and spontaneity. They enjoy looking on the bright side of things. They love fun so much that they sometimes have trouble grounding themselves and getting to work.
More about the book: “Jess Ekstrom shares her own inspirational story of how optimism helped her overcome multiple challenges, and the dynamic ways her mindset propelled her as a young entrepreneur, international speaker, and philanthropist. Do you have dreams for yourself and the world that are tucked away in your box of somedays? What would happen if today were the day you opened the box? And what if that box was the key to a better tomorrow? Jess’s journey will inspire you to embrace the power of optimism in your own life, and help you reimagine your purpose so you create good in the world while fulfilling your dreams - right where you are.”
Capricorn, (December 22- January 19), Earth Sign
The Soul of Money: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Life
Capricorns are pragmatic, ambitious, and money-motivated. They are often very serious and straight-forward, with a stoic demeanor. Are you emotionally attached to money? Does it hinder you? Learn to look through a new lens and bring a new perspective into play.
More about the book: “This liberating book shows us that examining our attitudes toward money-earning it, spending it, and giving it away—offers surprising insight into our lives. Through personal stories and practical advice, Lynne Twist asks us to discover our relationship with money, understand how we use it, and by assessing our core human values, align our relationship with it to our desired goals. In doing so, we can transform our lives.”
Aquarius (January 20- February 18), Air Sign
How to Be an Explorer of the World: Portable Life Museum
Aquarius is the free-spirited, rebel of the zodiac. They are often eccentric and have unusual hobbies. Unlike the rest of the books on this list, this is more of a guided journal. Keri Smith (who also created “Wreck This Journal”) encourages readers to interact with the book.
More about the book: “Artists and scientists analyze the world around them in surprisingly similar ways, by observing, collecting, documenting, analyzing, and comparing. In this captivating guided journal, readers are encouraged to explore their world as both artists and scientists. Document and observe the world around you as if you’ve never seen it before. Take notes. Collect things you find on your travels. Document findings. Notice patterns. Copy. Trace. Focus on one thing at a time. Record what you are drawn to.”
Pisces, (February 19- March 20), Water Sign
Daydreaming: Unlock the Creative Power of Your Mind
Pisces are the dreamers. They are highly intuitive and sensitive. They are compassionate, sensitive, but also vague and escapists. They don’t enjoy remaining grounded in reality.
More about the book: “Daydreaming is commonly believed to be wasting time, and it's often associated with inattention. This helps correct those negative misconceptions. Much of the non-sleep state isn't fully conscious. Much of the mind is reviewing old beliefs, images, emotions, skills, experiences, and conversations. Daydreams serve the same purpose as sleep dreams. They maintain the metal architecture and preserve energy. They embody beliefs, morals, and experiences. They're part of how the mind works through issues not consciously understood.”