whatmarissareads

“Sometimes you do whatever it takes, but sometimes, you realize you already have what it takes. You don't need to give pieces of yourself away to accomplish what you were always meant to do.”
― Rebecca Rathe, Off Balance

“For so long, I dated someone who tried to control me. Who hurt me. Who gaslit me into believing that if I disagreed with him—or anyone, for that matter—I was a bitch. And I let him because I wanted to be loved so badly. And now I have these two men who just—” I try to find the words as emotion gets the best of me. “They just want me to be happy. They listen when I talk. Check in with me constantly to make sure I’m okay with whatever we’re doing. They find joy in my pleasure, whether they’re involved or not.”
― Brittanee Nicole, Trouble

“My life was narrated for me by others. Their voices were forceful, emphatic, absolute. It had never occurred to me that my voice might be as strong as theirs.”
― Tara Westover, Educated

“A minute later, his limbs twitch, and his hand over mine falls slightly away. His head sinks into the pillow and his shoulders relax. And I’m holding him. I’m holding Ezra Masters. My stepbrother. The most infuriating guy I’ve ever met. The smirkiest and the cockiest and by far the most confusing. The most gorgeous… and I think maybe the most broken. I’ve got him, safe with me. And I don’t ever want to let him go.”
― Ella James, Wrath