Stephany Writes

Categories: Books

What I Read in February (+ Some January Stragglers)

Since my last reading recap (on January 25), I have finished 17 books. (!!) I read 15 books alone in February, which is crazy for such a short month! But I listened to 4 audiobooks last month (including one that was a quick 90 minutes!) and participated in a readathon, so that really helped to boost my numbers. Anyway, here’s everything I’ve read with short snippets.

I Flipping Love You by Helena Hunting (★★★★☆) – This was such a fun rom-com, though the female protagonist could get on my nerves at times. And the dark moment had her jumping to such an insane conclusion that I was very nearly tempted to put down the book. But I’m glad I kept reading because the author brought it all together perfectly. I think Helena Hunting is becoming one of my favorite romance novelists! (Open-door romance)

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler (★★★★★) – There’s a reason why everyone gushes about the book: It’s simply amazing. It’s about a Black woman living in the 1970s (and married to a white man) who starts time-traveling back to the antebellum South of the 1800s. Which, of course, is an incredibly dangerous time to be a Black woman. I was on the edge of my seat each time she time-traveled, wondering what sorts of troubles awaited her. A fantastic novel that has earned its place on my favorites list.

Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis (★★★★★) – I loved this book so much! It’s about a woman who is turning 30 and in love with her best friend. She is devastated, though, when her best friend tells her that he’s getting married and wants her to be his “best man.” Emmie fully tugged at my heartstrings and there were multiple points where I got teary-eyed for the things she’s gone through. It reminded me a bit of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, although Emmie is much more socially aware than Eleanor. A sweet book that I think would appeal to most (female) readers.

A Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare (★★★★☆) – This was a really great historical romance, although there was a wee bit of misogyny in it that didn’t age well (the book was published in 2011 so I’m giving it a pass for that). It takes place on Spindle Cove, a place where the misfits in society come to heal and find community. Susanna is their leader (of sorts) and isn’t pleased when Bram and his very brawny men come to build an army. Of course, you know where this is going. Susanna and Bram fall in love and begin to heal from their own pasts as they do. (Open-door romance)

Running by Natalia Sylvester (★★★★☆) – This one is full-on angsty teenager drama, so steer clear if you don’t like your YA to feel YA. Mariana Ruiz’s father is running for president, which brings a whole new level of scrutiny to Mari and her family. And soon, Mari starts to realize that she doesn’t know if she fully agrees with her father’s politics and his decision to run for president. I thought it was a really interesting look at how these presidential races (and even senatorial and governor campaigns!) can deeply affect and put such a spotlight on families.

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green (★★★★☆) – In this book, we’re drawn into the inner life of Aza who has OCD and is drowning in her obsessive thoughts (such as how having a tiny cut on her hand could get infected and lead to her death). While I don’t have OCD, I do struggle with obsessive thinking from time to time and I thought the portrayal of mental illness was spot-on. The way the author explored how mental illness can affect friendships was also really well done and realistic. This is most definitely a book I would recommend, even to people who don’t love YA. It’s worth it to get a full understanding of how all-consuming mental illness can be.

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert (★★★★★) – I was shocked by how much I loved this book! (I didn’t love “Get a Life, Chloe Brown” by this author.) Dani and her work husband, Zaf, go viral and decide to milk the popularity by pretending to be dating—except, of course, they end up falling in love. I loved how Hibbert explored anxiety and the way it can look so different from person to person. I also found the rapport between Dani and Zaf to be so much fun, and ugh, I just loved this book. It is STEAMY, though, so be prepared. (Open-door romance.)

When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors (★★★★★) – It feels like every time I read a racial justice book, I’m like, “GO READ THIS NOW. IT IS SO IMPORTANT.” And this one is no different. Patrisse Khan-Cullors talks frankly about her life as a Black queer woman, one who has watched her mentally ill brother be incarcerated twice, her father battle drug addiction, and teachers treat her differently as a Black girl. It’s infuriating and heartbreaking and ultimately healing. It’s a must-read.

The Lying Game by Ruth Ware (★★★★☆) – I really enjoyed this thriller! It doesn’t have a great rating on Goodreads (3.5), but it somehow really worked for me. It brings together four women who met at a boarding school when they were teens and formed a very tight bond. They’re now in their 30s and live separate lives: one is married with children, another just had a baby, the third is working at a casino, and the fourth is living in the same town the rest of them left after a terrible thing happened at their boarding school. I thought the characters were fairly likable and the plot compelling. Am I going to remember anything about what happened in this book in a couple month’s time? No, I will not. But it’s an easyish read and I liked it.

Marriage on Madison Avenue by Lauren Layne (★★★★☆) – Oh, how I love a best friends-to-lovers romance. It’s probably my favorite romance trope, and this one was excellent. I just adored Audrey and Clarke’s dynamic and their real (platonic at first) love for one another. They were just so good for each other! I also really enjoyed getting a glimpse into Audrey’s life as an Instagram influencer. There is truly so much that goes on for someone who has made that their career (and I did not envy her in the least for her job). Such a great romance overall, although I kinda wanted a bit more from the ending. (Closed-door romance.)

The Roommate by Rosie Danan (★★★★☆) – This book is so steamy! Whew. It’s not for the faint of heart because it made me blush, and that’s fairly hard to do, ha. It follows Clara who has moved across the country for a boy, and when things don’t work out with him, she finds herself rooming with Josh who is an adult film star. Zoinks! The novel delves into his life in the adult film industry (as well as the lives of other entertainers) from a sex-positive lens, which I really loved but I can see how it could make other people uncomfortable. I really enjoyed the novel, though, and the way Clara and Josh fell in love with each other. (Very open-door romance. Like, the openest door you’ve ever seen. In fact, there is no door. It’s just a wide-open space. WIIIIIDE OPEN.)

Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke (★★★★☆) – Ooh, this novel was really stressful! It’s about a Black Texas Ranger who visits a small town to solve the murders of a young white woman and a young Black man and encounters a whole bunch of racism along the way. I found myself on the edge of my seat throughout the novel as new twists and turns were revealed and Darren, the main character, continued to get himself into tricky situations. I just wanted him to be okay! The sign of a really good book, indeed.

Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon (★★★★★) – I’ve been meaning to read this book for a really long time, and I finally downloaded the audiobook to read when I somehow got totally caught up on my podcast feed. I loved reading more about Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s life, especially her time in law school and her marriage to Martin Ginsburg. It was also really interesting to learn more about the goings-on between the different Supreme Court justices. Very interesting and worth a read. What an inspiring life.

The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez (★★★★★) – I loved this romance! I wasn’t expecting to like it, as I didn’t love this author’s previous novel (The Friend Zone) but this one felt completely different in a very good way. While you can read this book as a standalone, I don’t want to get into specifics of the plot because it could be a bit spoiler-y for The Friend Zone. Suffice it to say, the hero is a successful musician and the meet-cute is the hero’s dog jumping into the heroine’s car. And the chemistry between the two main characters is explosive. (Open-door romance.)

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (★★★★★) – A quick audiobook (90 minutes!) that I finished in an afternoon while puttering around my apartment. This is a novel in verse, and I highly recommend it on audio as the author reads it himself and he brings such life to his words. Most of the novel takes place while the main character, a 15-year-old Black boy whose brother has just been killed, is in an elevator to avenge his brother’s death. It’s truly imaginative and incisive. Highly recommend!

A Good Marriage by Kimberly McCreight (★★★★★) – CALLING ALL THRILLER FANS. Read this book now! It is probably one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a really long time. It kept me on the edge of my seat and the ending was truly surprising (but not in a weird out-of-left-field way). When the wife of a prominent businessman is found dead in her home, he’s obviously the prime suspect. So he calls his law school friend, Lizzie, to be his defense attorney. It’s a fantastic portrait of the complexities of marriage, the effect of childhood trauma, and toxic masculinity. I loved it!

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord (★★★★☆) – “Teens messaging on an app and not knowing who the other person is and falling in love while also falling in love IRL” is my new kryptonite. (See also: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Tell Me Three Things.) I loved this sweet YA romance about two high school seniors who have somehow become the social media managers for their parents’ restaurants, and end up in a Twitter war. It could get angsty at times, but mostly, it was just a breath of fresh air and so damn sweet.

What was the best book you read in February?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (1.25.21)

Happy Monday, friends! My bookish moment of the week was spending 30ish minutes on Saturday morning sitting on my patio, sipping an iced coffee and reading the first 50 pages of Kindred. I really want to make time every weekend (and possibly some weeknight evenings) to sit on my patio and read. I didn’t take my phone with me (which means y’all missed out on some truly adorable photos of Eloise, as she was on the patio with me the whole time!) so I could have some distraction-free reading time. In a way, it reminded me of those early mornings on a cruise ship when I would sit on the balcony with my book and read. It was truly delightful!

This week, I finished four books: a short audiobook, a book I’ve been reading for a few weeks, and two wonderful novels:

Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed (★★★★★)

Amal is a young Pakistani girl who loves her family and reading. More than anything, she wants to get an education and become a teacher. But that future is taken away from her when she becomes an indentured servant for a powerful, corrupt family. It’s a middle-grade novel so the novel is not quite as heavy as the premise may seem, but it still deals with a lot of difficult topics. I found the story fascinating and heartbreaking, and I just fell completely in love with Amal. I wasn’t sure if the story would resolve in a satisfying way, but I was really happy with the ending. It’s a quick read, but an impactful one.

Fallen Star by Susannah Nix (★★★★☆)

I really enjoyed this contemporary romance novel about a movie star and script supervisor falling in love on a movie set. Scott is trying to get his career on track after rehab while Grace is just trying to get through this movie while praying that Scott doesn’t make it a total disaster. When they find out they are living next to each other during this shoot, they find it harder and harder to deny their attraction to one another. This book included a lot of scenes on the movie set, which were all super interesting (especially the time they had to film a sex scene, as I had just finished Bridgerton and it made me wonder how awkward some of those scenes must have been to film!) I also learned a lot about the work of a script supervisor, which is the director’s right-hand person and who has to make sure everything looks the same during each take for continuity. For example, if an actress uses her right hand to take a sip of water, she always needs to use her right hand for any extra takes in that scene. It was a cute story overall, and the dark moment felt really honest (and super heartbreaking!)

We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy by Ta-Nehisi Coates (★★★★☆)

This is a collection of essays that Coates published in The Atlantic during the Obama presidency. Before each essay, Coates talks about where he was and what he was doing before and while writing the essay. The collection includes “The Case for Reparations” and “My President Was Black,” two essays I had heard about but have never read in their entirety. It’s the kind of book you want to take slowly as Coates packs his essays with statistics, real-life stories, and cultural commentary. (I started with reading one essay a day but even that felt like too quick a pace, so I shifted to 25 pages per day.) I bought my copy of this book sometime in 2017 or 2018 and I couldn’t bring myself to read it during the Trump presidency. I’m glad I read it when I did because I don’t know if I could have stomached Coates’ epilogue about the Trump presidency and what it says about Americans and our future while Trump was still in the White House. I have hope for the first time in four years, and it was the perfect time to read this collection of essays.

Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh (★★★★★)

I first heard about this novel on the Currently Reading podcast and the premise enticed me: The serial killer is not on trial. He’s on the jury. I’m always looking for a good, fast-paced thriller, and this one did not disappoint at all! It’s the fourth book in the Eddie Flynn series, but this is the first one I’ve read and it doesn’t seem like the books need to be read in order. I loved the character of Eddie Flynn, who is con artist-turned-defense attorney, and a real ballbuster in court. (The courtroom scenes were exceptional!) The book switches viewpoints between Eddie and Kane, the serial killer. It was really fascinating (and disturbing!) to be in Kane’s head. I was super curious how the author was going to resolve the story, as it seemed like Kane was always three steps ahead of Eddie. And the last 50 pages were filled with so many perfect twists and turns that I couldn’t help giving this book 5 stars and my stamp of approval. (I want to note that there are some really graphic scenes in the novel; I’m a sensitive reader so I skimmed right over them whenever they happened.)

What I’m Reading This Week

  • I Flipping Love You by Helena Hunting (e-book) – My romance for the week! I recently realized that I have a whole backlist of Helena Hunting romances to get through and I haven’t read one of her books since May! I’m glad I remedied that because this contemporary romance is giving me all of the happy feels.
  • Kindred by Octavia E. Butler (print) – So many people rave about this book that I finally added it to my “immediate TBR list” (i.e., the books I prioritize over other books I want to read). I’m halfway through and loving it.

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (1.18.21)

Happy Monday, friends, and happy return to my weekly “What I’m Reading” posts. I have seriously missed talking about my current reads, so I’m glad to be back in the saddle. This post encompasses everything I’ve read since the start of the year (I’ve finished 5 books so far!) I’ve had middling success with my reading so far. Let’s review!

He’s So Fine by Jill Shalvis (★★★★☆)

This sweet romance novel was the best way to kick off my 2021 reading year! After Olivia mistakenly assumes Cole is drowning and jumps into the water after him, he ends up being the one who rescues her. And while neither of them believes they’re ready for a relationship—nor that they deserve love—they can’t help but be drawn to one another. It’s an open-door romance that had a whole lot of heart. I felt for both Olivia and Cole and could understand why they kept such secrets from each other. And it all came together so beautifully.

We Keep the Dead Close: A Murder at Harvard and Half a Century of Silence by Becky Cooper (★★★☆☆)

Becky Cooper spent a decade trying to solve the 1960s murder of a Harvard student and relays her journey to discovering the truth in this book. It’s a pretty long book (500 pages with tiny font!) and the book really goes off in a million directions, and I think it suffered a bit because of it. This wasn’t a book about solving a murder, but about sexism and misogyny at Harvard, about corruption in higher education, about Becky’s own experience working on this story. There was a lack of focus and I think a tighter edit could have made this book much more engaging. That’s not to say the book wasn’t well-written. It was! Becky has a very captivating voice and I was compelled to keep reading (mostly because I needed to know who the murderer was), but when I finished it, I was just so relieved to be done and that’s not how I want to feel about finishing books.

How to Catch a Queen by Alyssa Cole (★★★☆☆)

Shanti becomes the Queen of Njaza, an African nation, after wedding Sanyu, the King, in an arranged ceremony. It’s been her dream to be a queen her entire life, as she believes it’s the best way for her to affect change for her country, but she quickly discovers all is not what it seems in Njaza. Sanyu doesn’t speak to her, his advisor seems to be calling the shots and shutting down every pathway to improvement, and the only friends she’s made are part of a resistance group against the king (who doesn’t know who she is). What I loved most about this book was the world-building of this entirely different country, its policies, and its people. But the book didn’t totally land for me. It was hard to believe in the romance and I was pretty annoyed by the ending. I’m hoping this was just an aberration for Cole, as she’s usually someone I can count on for great romances!

The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny (★★★★☆)

Another Gamache book, another excellent mystery. The previous book ended in heartbreak and while there were elements of grief in this one, it wasn’t a huge focus. Instead, because Three Pines is the unluckiest small town ever, they are dealing with another murder to solve. I loved how all of these pieces came together and I was still somehow surprised by the “whodunnit.” And man, I just love that Three Pines community. What I wouldn’t give to spend time with them!

American Royals by Katharine McGee (★★★☆☆)

I read this book for January’s Unread Shelf Project category, which is “a book with high expectations.” This one definitely fits the bill as it has gotten rave reviews from many people, but it just didn’t live up to my expectations. In this novel, McGee reimagines a world where George Washington became king rather than president. And thus, a new royal family was born. Beatrice is next in line to the throne and will be the first queen to rule, and she’s trying to live up to the high expectations placed on her… and find a husband to rule alongside her. Meanwhile, her younger siblings—twins named Jefferson and Samantha—are trying to find where they fit in this royal family. It’s a bit of a soapy drama but I just never felt a strong connection with any of the characters nor did I fully believe in the romance between some of the characters. Everyone was just… one-dimensional and rather uninspiring to read about. I’ve put off reading this book because everyone has said that it ends on a MAJOR CLIFFHANGER and you’ll want to read the next book immediately, but eh… I don’t know if I feel the same way. I have the next book on my shelves so I’ll probably pick it up soon, but I’m not sure I’d feel compelled to read it if not.

What I’m Reading This Week

  • We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy by Ta-Nehisi Coates (print) – This book collects a set of eight articles Coates wrote for The Atlantic during the time of Obama’s presidency. I read about 25 pages a day because the articles can be very dense and are packed with really insightful thoughts that I don’t want to speed through. I’ll likely finish it sometime this week.
  • Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed (audiobook) – This is a short audiobook (4.5 hours) and a middle-grade story about a Pakistani girl who is sent to be an indentured servant for a powerful, corrupt family. I have a little over an hour left and it’s been a hard, eye-opening read.
  • Fallen Star by Susannah Nix (e-book) – Finally, something light! 🙂 I’m loving this contemporary romance about a movie star and script supervisor falling in love.
  • Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh (print) – Meredith of the Currently Reading podcast raved about this book and the tagline on the front cover immediately piqued my interest: “The serial killer isn’t on trial. He’s on the jury.” It’s a little more graphic than I like, but I’m just skimming over any violent scenes.

What are you reading?

Categories: Best Of, Books

Best of 2020 | Reading Stats

I’m continuing my “Best of 2020” posts with my favorite one to compile: my reading stats for 2020! As a reminder, I keep track of my reading using a spreadsheet. I fill in the book title, author, publication year, reading dates, rating, where I got the book from, etc. because I love keeping track of my stats and sharing them on the blog! Let’s take a look at what 2020 looked like in my reading life:

Nitty-Gritty Details

  • Number of books read: 153 (+23 from 2019)
  • Number of pages read: 51,219 (+5,871 from 2019)
  • Money spent on books I read this year: $472.41 (+39.25). This amounts to $3.09 per book.
  • Percentage of books by and about BIPOC and the LGBTQIA+ community: 45, or 29% (+11% from 2019)
  • Number of books abandoned: 11 (+1 from 2019)

Format Breakdown

E-book reading was up and audiobooks were down—seems par for the course for 2020! Print was down by 5% from 2019, e-books were up by 9% (!), and audiobooks were down by 7%.

Genre Breakdown

 

No surprise here! Romance was my most-read genre for another year in a row, although my romance reading was down by 2% from 2019. I read the exact same number of contemporary fiction and nonfiction books in 2020—crazy! My fiction reading was down by 12% from 2019 while nonfiction was up by 7%. I read more historical fiction (+3%), mystery/thrillers (+4%), and YA (+.9%) this year.

Source Breakdown

As always, the library leads the way in where most of my books came from in 2020—61%, which is identical to last year! This year, I read slightly more books from Libby (ebooks, +4%) and slightly less from the library (print books, -4%). I’m going to go out on a limb and say that discrepancy is due to the library being closed/at limited capacity for most of the year. As far as non-library reading goes, Amazon comes in first (-2% from 2019), followed by bookstores (no change from 2019) and Book of the Month (+1% from 2019). Rounding out the list are books that were gifted to me, books won in giveaways, and the Serial Reader app.

Month Breakdown

Pretty steady across the board! I never read less than 11 books in a month and my biggest month of reading was in June when I read 15 (!) books.

Ratings Breakdown

I rated 62% of my books 4 or 5 stars, which is down slightly from 2019 by 4%. My 3-star ratings stayed about the same, my 2-star ratings rose by 4% (maybe I was more comfortable rating something 2 stars this year?), and my 1-star ratings stayed about the same.

Days to Read

This was just something fun I like to track—how long it takes me to finish books! Since I’m often reading multiple books at once, it wasn’t too surprising that most books take me 3-8 days to finish. It’s rare for me to finish a book within 1-2 days, but it happens!

New Releases vs Backlist

For the first time, I started tracking how many new releases I read vs backlist titles, and this seems pretty typical for me! I do not shy away from backlist (a lot of the romances I read are backlist) and it shows in this chart.

Publishing Years

I read a ton of books published in 2019 and 2020—comprised almost half my reading! I guess I’m a sucker for the new titles everyone is talking about, heh.

Odds and Ends

  • Oldest book (by pub date): Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (1877)
  • Newest book (by pub date): Murder on Cold Street by Sherry Thomas (October 6, 2020)
  • Author I read the most: Tessa Dare (6 books)
  • Book I spent the most money on: How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi ($24.30)
  • Time spent listening to audiobooks: 72 hours, 58 minutes (but since I listen at 1.5x or 1.75x speed, my actual listening time is much less than that!)
  • Longest book: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (864 pages)
  • Shortest book: Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers by Anne Lamott (102 pages)
  • Book that took me the longest to read: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (162 days)
Categories: Best Of, Books

Best of 2020 | My Favorite Reads

Happy Wednesday, friends! My next two “Best of 2020” posts are some of my favorites to compile because I’m talking all about reading! I finished 2020 with a staggering 153 books read, a number I didn’t even think was possible. (I remember following a Bookstagrammer who was trying to hit 150 books a few years ago and thought she was CRAZY.) This year, instead of listing out my top 10 books of the year, I thought I would do things a little differently. On the year-end podcast episode for Sarah’s Bookshelves Live, Sarah and a guest discussed some of their favorite reads by listing out their overall favorites, their favorites by category, and some fun superlatives. I couldn’t help but play along myself! I hope you have as much fun reading this as I did compiling all of my favorites. 🙂

OVERALL FAVORITES

Favorite Overall Book

The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall

It was difficult to name my favorite book of the year because I read so many great books, but I kept coming back to The Dearly Beloved. It was a book that took me by surprise at how much I loved it. I went through a major book slump after I finished it because it was a book that perfectly met my reading needs at a time when I needed the escape (I read it early on in the pandemic). I loved the exploration of faith, and how differently each character came to think about religion. I loved the time period of the novel—the 50s through the 80s—and the writing. I will read everything Cara Wall writes!

Favorite Fiction

Inside the O’Briens by Lisa Genova

This book wrecked me. It’s about Joe, a father of four who is diagnosed with Huntington’s disease. All of his children have a 50/50 chance of having the disease themselves and they have to decide whether or not to get tested. The book mainly follows the youngest child, Katie, as she tries to deal with this new reality and considers the benefits and drawbacks of getting tested for Huntington’s. And it follows Joe as his symptoms get worse and worse and how that affects his marriage, his children, and the way he sees himself.

Favorite Nonfiction

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

I loved the way this book broke down common racial issues, such as micro-aggressions, the “N” word, affirmative action, and the model minority myth. Oluo has a frank, accessible writing style, and this is a book I would confidently place in the hands of anyone. I think we could all learn a lot from her.

Favorite Romance

Headliners by Lucy Parker

Lucy Parker is an auto-buy romance author for me. Her books are perfect in every way, and this book was no different. It had witty dialogue, a super sexy buildup to the relationship, and a fun mystery thrown into the mix. I also loved that there was no dark moment—every time the characters were close to a miscommunication, they simply talked to each other and cleared everything up. I really liked that!

FAVORITES BY CATEGORY

Favorite Literary Fiction

The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai

This was one of the first books I finished in 2020, and it was excellent. It provides a clear look into the AIDS crisis of the 1980s and the way its effects reverberated throughout family lines in the years since. A difficult read, but an important one.

Runner-up: Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson

Favorite Contemporary Fiction

Beyond the Point by Claire Gibson

I loved this book so very much! It follows three women who meet at West Point and how their lives diverged afterward. There’s a twist near the end that shattered me (it’s alluded to in the first chapter, so I don’t think this is spoiler-y), and I can’t stop thinking about this book and the way it made me feel, even nearly a year later!

Runner-up: Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah

Favorite Historical Fiction

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Just like everyone else in the world, I loved this novel and went through a huge reading slump after finishing it. Nothing else could compare to it! It was such a fun look at Old Hollywood and I loved the twist at the end.

Runner-up: Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

Favorite Contemporary Romance

Applied Electromagnetism by Susannah Nix

Susannah Nix is a hit-or-miss author for me (I read two other books of hers in 2020 and gave them 3 stars), but this one was SUCH a hit! It’s an enemies-to-lovers romance that has witty banter, great chemistry, and beautiful vulnerability. I loved this one!

Runner-up: Love on Lexington Avenue by Lauren Layne

Favorite Historical Romance

Brazen and the Beast by Sarah MacLean

Sarah MacLean is always someone I can count on for a well-written, feminist historical romance. While they may not be totally realistic about time and place, they are still super fun to read. And the scenes between the two main characters in this novel just delighted me to no end.

Runner-up: The Governess Game by Tessa Dare

Favorite YA

Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

Perhaps this is recency bias, as this was the last book I finished in 2020 and it gave me all of the happy, mushy feels, but this was such an excellent YA novel. It deals with hard themes—grief, death of loved ones, overdose—but at the heart of the novel is a sweet love story between two teenagers. I read this in less than 24 hours and adored every page!

Runner-up: The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

Favorite Mystery/Thriller

Jane Doe by Victoria Helen Stone

We read this thriller for book club (one of the few book club meetings we had all year!), and it was excellent. I loved being in the mind of a female sociopath and the way Jane exacted her revenge. So, so good!

Runner-up: Murder on Cold Street by Sherry Thomas

Favorite Memoir/Essay Collection

The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row by Anthony Ray Hinton

What a brilliant memoir of something that never should have happened. It’s heartbreaking to recognize how unjust our justice system is for people of color. Anthony Ray Hinton’s story is no different, documenting the 30 years he spent in prison and his exoneration thanks to the work of Bryan Stevenson.

Runner-up: We’re Going to Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union

Favorite Graphic Novel

Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob

Whether or not you consider yourself a graphic novel person (I certainly do not!), this one is a must-read. Mira discusses her life growing up as a child of immigrants, the tough conversations about race she has with her young son, and the difficulty of dealing with her in-laws who voted for Trump in 2016.

Runner-up: March: Book 1 by John Lewis

SUPERLATIVES

The Most Disappointing DNF

Anxious People by Fredrick Backman. I had such high hopes for this book and even selected it as a Book of the Month pick. I abandoned it around page 100 because I was so annoyed by the characters.

The Most Disappointing Book I Read

Pride by Ibi Zoboi. I wanted to like this modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice, featuring Black characters and taking on the issue of gentrification in a Brooklyn neighborhood, so much! But it just did not work for me at all, and I found Zuri (aka, the Elizabeth Bennett of the novel) to be wildly unlikable.

The Book I Was Most Surprised to Love

Deacon King Kong by James McBride. I figured this was the kind of literary fiction that wouldn’t hold my attention, but I couldn’t have been more wrong! I loved this book so much, and still think of those characters today.

The Book I Thought I Would Love More Than I Did

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb. This book has gotten so much buzz and rave reviews, but it just didn’t impact me the way it did for so many others. I found it hard to really learn anything from the client examples since she (understandably!) had to change many details of the stories to protect client confidentiality. Maybe it would have worked better as a novel? But perhaps not, since I am definitely in the minority in my opinion!

Most Deserving of the Hype

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. I am a Brit Bennett superfan, after reading and loving both of her books. I was worried about a sophomore slump with this book, but Bennett delivers an incredible story about race, culture, family, and acceptance. It’s a must-read, in my opinion.

Least Deserving of the Hype

The Guest List by Lucy Foley. Ughhhh, this book. It was such a good example of when thrillers go wrong. I had high hopes for it, as several people highly recommended it to me, but it just did not work for me at all. The characters were so unlikable, the plot was over-the-top, and the reveal at the end was incredibly unrealistic. I basically hate reading this book and will side-eye anyone who recommends it.

The Book I Loved That Other People Hated

The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren. This book has a 3.51 average on Goodreads, which is a very low rating for that site. I gave it 4 stars and enjoyed it! I think most people wanted more character development and/or didn’t love the HGTV angle, but it all really worked for me. (Also, I didn’t see the HGTV couple in this novel as Chip and Joanna Gaines, but rather as Rachel and Dave Hollis.) Anyway, I can understand why it’s not a favorite for most Christina Lauren fans, but it’s one I remember fondly.

The Book I Hated That Other People Loved

Get a Life, Chloe Brown! by Talia Hibbert. This book got so much love around Bookstagram, and while I did love the body diversity and exploration of chronic illness, I found the actual writing to be disjointed and, well, a bit boring. This is just a good example that what’s great for one reader does not always work for another!

The Underrated Gem of the Year

You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington by Alexis Coe – In selecting a book for this category, I looked for a book published this year with under 10,000 ratings on Goodreads. This one has just under 6,400 ratings and that was surprising to me! I felt like I was seeing this book everywhere, but perhaps it was just in my little corner of the Interwebs. I loved this biography—it was filled with infographics and charts and gave an in-depth look into George Washington’s life in under 300 pages. (Much more manageable than Chernow’s 900+ page Washington biography.) It was super accessible and I learned so much!

What was the best book you read in 2020? And let’s get snarky—what book was least deserving of the hype, in your opinion?