I am finally to the point that this blog is one year old and I have a second annual post! It’s a big deal for me since I can get bored rather easily. I actually read 31.5 books this year, which is less than the 52 book goal I had loosely hung on to. I am choosing to look at this in a “glass half full” sort of way rather than a “glass half empty” sort of way. In the end, I am glad I am reading something other than emails.
I wish I had more hours in the day, or maybe a sister wife who could take care of what I don’t want to do so I can read. I am kidding. But I always feel slightly guilty when my kids are awake and my head is in a book or if Shawn is doing chores and I am sitting and reading. A large amount of my page-turning happens in my bed, with Shawn snoring peacefully beside me, the pages illuminated by a paltry LED book light that I always forget to charge. Thus, only 31.5 books.
(The half a book read comes from a book that I only got halfway through by the time the ball dropped in 2019.)
Here is a quick list of those who didn’t make the top 10:
- The Couple Next Door -Shari Lapena
- Everybody, Always- Bob Goff *
- Circle Maker- Mark Batterson
- The Coddling of the American Mind- Greg Lukianoff
- The Rules Do Not Apply- Ariel Levy
- The Light We Lost- Jan Santopolo
- The Good Wife- Stewart O’Nan
- One of Us is Lying-Karen McManus *
- The Nature Fix-Florence Williams
- A Place For Us- Fatima Farheen Mirza
- The Last Romantics- Tara Conklin *
- Big, Little Lies- Liane Moriarty *
- What Alice Forgot- Liane Moriarty
- The Husband’s Secret- Liane Moriarty
- Ask Again, Yes- Mary Beth Keane
- The Sun is Also a Star- Nicola Yoon *
- The Hate You Give-Angie Thomas
- Family Man- Elinor Lipman
- They May Not Mean to But They Do-Catherine Schine
- Can’t Hurt Me- David Goggins
- Fin and Lady- Catherine Schine
- *= books that almost made the list.
So what did I read in 2020 that I absolutely loved?
10. Where’d You Go, Bernadette?- Maria Semple
This one was light-hearted and funny. It would be a great read on a little getaway. Bernadette Fox lives with her family in a crumbling mansion atop a hill in Seattle, a city which she despises. Once a successful architect, she chose seclusion after disaster struck with one of her masterpieces. Bernadette has to find her way back to center. This one is a great story about the bond between a daughter and mother and what happens when things go askew.
9. Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman
I had a hard time putting it down because I was so intrigued by the main character. Eleanor is a social outcast. She is plain. She abides by the strictest code. Her only friend seems to be her Mother, who is verbally abusive. Elinor has to learn to color outside the lines and begin living for herself. This is mostly lighthearted but there are some unseen punches in the end that I was not ready for. I was shook.
8. The Lilac Girls – Martha Hall Kelly
This book was excellent but difficult to read. It is based on the true story of the Rabbits, Polish women prisoners of war who were sent to the Nazi camp Ravensbruck and then treated to gruesome experimental surgeries. The storyline was great but it is sad. That is a warning, but don’t let it sway you. It is hard to hear about the atrocities that prisoners were subjected to, but it is important. I like to learn and the history parts of this helped it make the list. If you don’t like books about the horrors of the Holocaust this is not the one for you.
7. There, There-Tommy Orange
This one was recommended to me by an article. I wanted to read it because I know so little about Native American culture. This book is written from the Native American viewpoint and is about people in pain living in Oakland. The focus is on twelve strangers, whos lives will connect in a major, catastrophic way. This is the first book for this author. I thoroughly enjoyed how he wove the viewpoints together.
6. Just Mercy- Bryan Stevenson
I went to a movie with my Mom and there was a preview for a movie with the same name. I mentioned that I would like to see it and of course my well-read Mother leaned over and said: “But first, I’ll let you borrow the book.” I didn’t even know it was a book! Mr. Stevenson, a young African American lawyer chronicles his work in Alabama to get justice for the poor, the wrongly condemned, and the women and children who have been trapped in an unfair and unjust legal system. Mr. Stevenson started the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery and his most famous case, the freeing of Walter McMillian, is a story told here that I won’t soon forget.
5. The Huntress – Kate Quinn
I was not expecting to like this one but I loved it. This historical novel was a pleasure to read because it was a great storyline along with historical events. Three different storylines ar all connected to an especially evil Nazi murderess. Nina joins the legendary Night Witches, an all-female crew of pilots performing night raids to bomb the unsuspecting Germans under the cover of night. Jordan is a curious teenager in Boston and thinks something is amiss about her father’s new bride. Ian, an investigator, is tracking down Nazis who should be punished for their heinous crimes and the Huntress keeps slipping through his fingers. Suspenseful and hard to put down.
4. My Lovely Wife – Samantha Downing
My mother would be ashamed. I only read four mysteries this year (the others didn’t make the cut). I come from a long line of readers who love suspense and mystery, but I am not drawn to it as much. However, I really enjoyed this one. It was full of suspense and had me on the edge of my seat. I had no idea what was coming for me. A different kind of mystery where you are not sure if you can trust the narrator.
3. When Crickets Cry – Charles Martin
Another favorite of the year for me. This is set in the south and has much of the same imagery similar to “Where the Crawdads Sing.” If you loved that, then you should try this one. I cried quite a bit but I like experiencing emotion when reading. It is cathartic for me. The character development was so well done I wanted to invite them over for tea.
Drumroll……….. the number 1 book is…….. actually two books. TWO favorite books of 2019. It is a tie. If you don’t like that, get your own blog. I just couldn’t pick. Both books were captivating with the most beautiful depictions that made me feel like I was actually seeing it with my own eyes. Vastly different stories but both kept me turning the pages until well after my bedtime, had me itching to get home to be able to read them again, and stayed with me long after I read the last page. That is the essence of a good book, so they both win.
1. All the Light We Can Not See- Anthony Doerr
Marie lives in London and loses her sight by the time she is 6. Her father makes her a tiny model town so that she can memorize her town and get around. During the German occupation, they flee to the coastal town of St. Malo. Werner is an orphan who is skilled with radios and transmitters. He is recruited by the Germans to track down resistors who are illegally transmitting messages over the radio. Werner and Marie’s lives intertwine through the radio and again I loved the fictional story intertwined with historical events. It was captivating for me.
1. Where the Crawdads Sing -Delia Owens
You all know about this one. It has been at the top of the NY Times Best Sellers list for a long time. They are making a movie adaptation. Delia is a first-time author and she knocked it out of the park. I keep waiting for a news release saying she is working on something else. This one is a beautiful and poetic tale of a girl who lives in a North Carolina marsh. Her father is a drunk who is often physically abusive. At 6, her Ma left, followed by her siblings who were taking care of her. She is frequently alone in the marsh and must survive. A tale of loneliness, wanting to belong, and bias toward those who do not belong.
What excellent book did you read this year that I missed?