What Should the Characters of "Scandal" Be Reading?

Season five of Scandal starts tonight!

Sure, it can be a completely unbelievable show at times and I'm usually saying, "That did not just happen!" when I watch it.

But, come on, it's also the most awesome completely unbelievable show and it's filled with epic monologues, forbidden love, and pretty people. Feel free to have a dance party!

To celebrate the return of its awesomeness and the awesomeness of books, here are some book recommendations to help Olivia, Mellie, and Fitz deal with what happened in season 4.

Season 4 spoilers ahead!

Olivia
At the end of season 4, Fitz kicked Mellie out of the White House so he could be with Olivia. Fitz and Mellie have two children. Given the way Olivia decorates her apartment and dresses, it seems like she doesn't spend any time with children at all. Learning how to get stains out of a mostly white wardrobe might be a good skill to pick up.

  

Green-up Your Cleanup by Jill Potvin Schoff

And she also might want to drink a little less.

Rewire: Change Your Brain to Break Bad Habits, Overcome Addictions, Conquer Self-Destructive Behavior by Richard O'Conner

Mellie
Mellie is not the type of woman to give up. I doubt she'll roll over and quietly take Fitz's banishment, but she's been through some hard times before.

Just in case she needs a reminder...

You are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero

I'm not really worried about Mellie. She's tough and knows how to deal with disappointment.

Rising Strong by Brene Brown

Fitz

Oh, Fitz. I don't envy his position. (Not the Presidency. Being President of the United States seems far easier than his Olivia-Mellie predicament.)

Yep. Nothing but trouble ahead for the President. Figuring out why he's repeatedly in a bad place might be a good idea, yes?

Blunder: Why Smart People Make Bad Decisions by Zachary Shore

While Fitz does many things that are annoying, kicking Mellie out of the White House for doing something very similar to something he did (killing lots of people mostly by accident) was extremely aggravating. He may want to remember that a person who lives in a glass house should not throw stones.

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations: A Collection of Passages, Phrases, and Proverbs Traced to Their Sources in Ancient and Modern Literature by John Bartlett and Geoffrey O'Brien

Yeah, you do, Fitz. Repeatedly.

The gladiators are back and I couldn't be happier.