last year I set the goal for myself to read more than I did the year before. and I did! congrats to me! would you like to know how many? twenty-six. this may not be a lot for some, and it may be an insane number for others. all I know its it felt good to me. its a small yet not small achievement.
my goal for 2021 is to read ten more books than I did in 2020. It feels very in reach, very doable, a good goal. another goal, a little more difficult to achieve will be to write a review of each of them. here's to trying!
Here is the list of books I read start to finish and a quick yay or nay recommendation.
ghost wall
Sara moss
I'd give this book a 50/50 read. its a definite mood, oppressive but freeing.
read if you like: coming of age, anthropology, bad folks getting their comeuppance, feeling hot and humid, strange nostalgia, new beginnings
talking to strangers
Malcom gladwell
100% recommend. I read this with a group of friends and it sparked long conversation.
read if you like: learning about human nature, other Malcom Gladwell books, social psychology
the obelisk gate and the stone sky
n.k. jemisin
these are book two and three in the fifth season trilogy. I read the first in 2019. I say read.
read if you like: fantasy, strong female characters, inclusivity, people with powers, the idea of being made of smooth, cool stone, long journeys
an american marriage
tayari jones
another book club book, and its a good thing because I would not have picked it on my own. about a young black couple that marries, innocent husband gets sent to jail and the couple drifts apart over years.
read if you like: books where people find themselves or maybe not, reconciliations, great character development, commentary on being black in america
Kafka on the shore
haruki murakami
its dense, but totally worth it. its one of those books with metaphorical or allegorical layers and you won't pick up on all of them.
read if you like: magical realism, self exploration, sinister characters, the idea of talking to cats, riddles
the witches are coming
lindy west
a good social commentary from a millennial woman writer, not absolutely necessary
read if you like: Lindy west (shrill), thinking "yeah, what's up with that", getting fired up
the beautiful bureaucrat
Helen phillips
50/50, its a fast read and won't hurt you any
read if you like: mazes, feeling lost, knowing things aren't as they seem, to figure things out, feel paranoid
haunting of tram car 015
p. djeli clark
read this in book club, everyone else liked it, I didn't really care for it
read if you like: short stories, fast pace, fantasy, resistance
untamed
glennon doyle
this book gets me
read if you like: to feel empowered, personal development, self forgiveness, things that make you feel good
the water dancer
ta-nehisi coates
beautiful
read if you like: magical realism, poignant stories, harriet tubman, underground railroad stories from the POV of enslaved people
three women
lisa taddeo
I recommend, an intimate look into three women's sex lives, but more.
the underground railroad
coleson whitehead
I recommend, harrowing and beautiful
witches
sam allen-george
per my previous review, its thought provoking, but misses the mark slightly. read it or no.
black leopard red wolf
marlon james
um. the world is beautifully built, as are many of the characters but despite the protagonist's departure from classic masculinity, it felt it still fell into the trap of classic masculinity. maybe I missed the message.
like a mother
angela garbles
one woman's look into pregnancy in the US. read it, this book stuck with me more than any other book on this list. recommend it to everyone you know.
hood feminism
mikki kendall
enlightening and something that should be obvious. this one also stuck with me. I recommend to everyone.
death in her hands
ottessa moshfegh
this book was like watching a Robert Eggers film. you don't quite feel right. so, it was successful. read if you're comfortable with feeling uncomfortable, like your sanity is unraveling.
the bluest eye
toni morrison
ugh. beautifully written and heartbreaking, a classic I should not need to tell you anything about.
writers & lovers
Lilly king
I liked this book and read it in a weekend, I took issue with the happy wrap up ending, but that may be a me issue - life doesn't always tie in a bow.
topics of conversation
miranda popkey
it was okay IMO, missing something I think.
the low low woods
carmen maria machado
I don't often read graphic novels, but I love cmm. It was fun, not fun and topical.
we ride upon sticks
quan berry
I recommend despite the epilogue ending. read my full review.
the guest list
Lucy foley
a fun, fast mystery read. great summer reading.
the hearts invisible furies
John boyne
good, a little long, a little obvious but heart wrenching in a good way.
the invisible life of addie larue
v.e. schwab
honestly, eh. I read it pretty fast, so it has that going for it. I think I was just disappointed that it devolved into a romance when it could have been about so much more.
world of wonders
Aimee nezhukumatathil
this one missed the mark for me although it did have its moments.
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