Wowzers.
So, I didn’t post anything I’ve read for the second half of 2020. I WAS DOING SO GOOD.
Dang. Anyway, lots of things had been happening…some good, some bad. And I took a little unplanned hiatus from reading.
First, during the pandemic I’ve gotten into reselling clothes on Mercari and Poshmark. It’s a nice little side hustle that allows me to thrift shop frequently and make a little extra money. However, it does take up a lot of my down time that might previously have been filled with reading.
The other thing that happened is my cat was diagnosed with feline lymphoma in early September and was with us for just a month and a half until we had to put him down. It was an absolutely crushing experience…losing a pet is just the worst and there is no way around it. So we have been dealing with that over the past several months as well. Plus the pandemic. Plus the holidays.
I did not end up hitting my goal of 50 books last year. Had I kept my momentum through the year I could have done it but as you’ll see, I was really only reading a couple books a month, and sometimes even just one a month, for the last months of the year. I rounded out 2020 with 38 books read, which I’m still super proud of! It’s really never about the quantity for me so much as setting a goal that encourages me to prioritize reading consistently.
So here I am, February 4, 2021, trying to reflect back on my reads for the second half of last year. Some of them come back to me quickly as things I want to review and others, not so much. So overall, these reviews will probably be a little shorter than normal. I did set a goal to get back into writing reviews in real time this year!
Without further adieu…here’s what I read in the second half of 2020!
August
Libra: The Art of Living Well and Finding Happiness According to Your Star Sign by Sally Kirkman
Fun, light, and quick to read. I am always eager to try to learn more about myself, especially as it relates to my star signs and I found a lot of it relatable.
Overall Score: B
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
I enjoyed this one! Though I’m not always quick to pick up a romance, this one was easy to get into a great escape novel and beach read.
Overall Score: B
The Art of Showing Up by Rachel Wilkerson Miller
Reading Rachel Wilkerson Miller was like talking with a good friend. The book offers the kind of actionable self help that we actually need right now and was full of lots of practical advice. What I liked most was that it was full of small, concrete ideas that probably on the surface seem pretty obvious, but I think are perhaps just good reminders that allowed me to reflect on some of the ways I go about my life and how to better align my actions with my values. I wouldn’t say there was anything earth-shattering about this read, but I did enjoy it!
Overall Score: B+
September
Luster by Raven Leilani
Luster received many rave reviews, so I was eager to jump into this one and see what I thought. Unfortunately, for me, the book fell a bit flat.
First off, I found the writing to be overall exceptional. Otherwise, though, I didn’t really connect with any of the characters, who I felt were all very stereotypical and just not good people. I liked how Edie was portrayed in all her messiness and imperfection, but can’t say much else positive about this one.
Overall Score: C
October
The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi
Whew, this one was heartbreaking and engaging and is another example of a book that I think has a little something for everyone: mystery, (forbidden) romance, family drama, friendship, and more. This story alternates between the compelling first-person POVs of Vivek and his cousin Osita with third-person omniscient narrator chapters weaving between them and ultimately ends with a twist. Highly recommend this one!
Overall Score: A+
One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London
Another really fun and enjoyable read! Picked this up because, as fan of the (semi-problematic) Bachelor franchise myself, I was eager to see how much the book mirrored the show. The answer is quite a bit! A reviewer of this book on Goodreads aptly said “All in all, a very solid and feel-good story that would be perfect for dating reality show fans,” and that pretty much sums up why I liked it!
Overall Score: B+
November
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin Diangelo
I feel like I am (still) synthesizing all of my thoughts on this one, and it has been several months so I don’t want to get it wrong but I’ll offer a few thoughts. This book is not very long, and I still found it somewhat repetitive in its main points. I would recommend it as a starting point for white folks to begin (or hopefully continue) grappling with how we approach conversations about racism and the systemic and psychological barriers that exist to us being able to have meaningful conversations around these subject. The concept of breaking away from the “good/bad” binary in regards to racism resonated with me in terms of the best way to approach people who act in a racist way without them shutting down. I also don’t know exactly how I feel about the author.Glad I read this and got her message, but looking forward to reading some other books on the topic as well.
Overall Score: B+
Circe by Madeline Miler
Once again, this one was very highly reviewed and (I think?) Goodreads book of the year. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about a fantasy read, as those usually aren’t my jam. But I have always been interested in Greek mythology and wanted to explore it more, so I thought this might be a fun avenue to indulge that. The story was engaging, and I enjoyed that this story centered on a lesser Greek Goddess, but it was pretty confusing at times with all of the different characters it threw in.
Overall Score: B
December
Home Body by Rupi Kaur
Have to start by saying, I absolutely adore Rupi Kaur. I was so obsessed with her first two books, Milk & Honey and The Sun & Her Flowers, but I just didn’t love this one as much as those two. That said, the poems are just a lot different than those in the first two and the thing with poetry (particularly Rupi’s) is that it wasn’t written for me, so it honestly doesn’t matter so much that it didn’t resonate with me. I still have a profound appreciation of her as an author and a deep respect for what this book represented for her and I will undoubtedly continue reading everything she publishes.
Overall Score: B
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
This one was recommended to me by a close friend whose taste in both literature and music is very similar to mine, so I was excited to check it out, despite not hearing about the book or the author prior. This book is a coming of age, romance novel that also has its fair share of tragedy. It was moving and I felt connected with the characters.
Overall Score: A
The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai
Absolutely could not have ended the year on a stronger note, book-wise. I LOVED this book. Perhaps my top book of the year. This is a generational, historical fiction novel which is pretty much a recipe for an A+ in my book. It takes place in Vietnam and chronicles the lives of three generations of one family, as they navigate so many tragedies and challenges, but the strength of the family pulls them through. The characters were superb and the prose was excellent. This was the type of book that I was honestly wanted to go on forever because of how immersed I was in it. Absolutely love and recommend!
Overall Score: A+