The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

The Boy, a shepherd, learns to speak the language of the world, to listen to his heart and in doing so meets a king, a caravan leader, an alchemist, talks to the desert, the wind, the sun and to the soul of god. In doing so he learns that he travelled the world to discover that his treasure lay beneath his feet all along, but without following the omens to fulfil his destiny he would never have found it, his heart would never have been heard, and he would never have found Fatima, his love, a desert woman whose scent he catches of the distant winds, and whom looks to the desert each day for his return.

Eleven Minutes - Paulo Coelho

Maria is a prostitute. Maria is a woman. Maria is a human. Maria is living. 

This is a story about (believe it or not) love.

Maria flees home to look for adventure and the elusive and much yearned for success. It seems she is driven at first to appear successful to impress the folk back home.

The independence she gains in Switzerland makes her grow up and in the midst of a soulless life of three men a night, she meets her love.

Pain, freedom, love, necessity, ambition and sacrifice are all explored... Yet essentially it is about love. 

The caged bird is my favourite part. Freedom is the key - never try to change your love. He is who he is and that's why she loves him. 

Let him fly and watch him flourish and come back ❤❤❤ love this bit!!