It has been a minute since I’ve shared what I’ve been reading lately! I made it a goal at the beginning of the year to read 100 books. I’m a tad bit behind, but it’s been great to have time while social distancing to catch up on some reading. Like I said in Monday’s post, my goal is to read more books by black authors as well as books that include strong black characters. Some of the powerful books I’ve read in this roundup include: Such a Fun Age, The Nickel Boys, Talking to Strangers, and The Wedding Date.
I’ve also made it a goal to support black-owned businesses, and have been buying books from black-owned bookstores via Bookshop, which is a website that supports small bookstores! If you’re looking for bookstores, here’s a great list to start. I also have linked each title to Elizabeth’s Bookshop on Bookshop founded by Elizabeth Cargle who is an activist and author.
Overall, for the past few months, there have been some hit and miss titles, but I’ve loved diving into some great books while being at home. I do have to admit that my 100 book goal has been motivating, especially being able to keep track of it on Goodreads! Have you read anything you’ve loved lately?
This book was available on the Libby app when I looked up the author, Karen Kingsbury, who was my favorite author all through high school. Shades of Blue tells the story about a young couple who had to make some difficult choices in regards to an unexpected pregnancy a decade ago. Now forced to see that decision for what it was, the couple must come face to face after years apart to face the situation head-on. This book was interesting to read, however it does hinge on being a bit political, more than I was hoping.
2 // Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don’t Know
This book is powerful. So powerful that I couldn’t sleep I was so unsettled by it. It talks about how interactions with others don’t always show just what is going on in high profile violent cases. I think this topic is important, it’s a really well-researched book, and definitely elicits shock, which it’s supposed to do. Quite honestly, I couldn’t stomach the content right after learning we’d have to be quarantined at home. It’s a great topic to be aware of and also includes some tough conversations about how race effects our perceptions of people.
I loved this book! It tells about the MOH and Best Man of a couple who suddenly find themselves taking the place of the Bride and Groom on their Honeymoon. The couple hate one another, but will the sun and sultry vibes of the un-honeymoon have them swaying their ways? I would highly recommend this if you’re looking for an easy beach read! (Or stay at home on your patio read…)
I used to read this book yearly in high school and loved it. It’s a sweet period-drama about a young nursemaid banished from home and forced to take on a role beneath her station. It’s a sweet story about loyalty, love, faith, and family.
Normally, I wait until Summer to read this one, but I needed a good comfort read, and you can never go wrong with Jane Austen! I absolutely love Pride and Prejudice. The book will never be old to me. I just love savoring every scene with Mr. Darcy with the brilliancy of Jane Austen’s wit peeking through each chapter. If you haven’t read it, it is a must-read.
This book ended up being a whole lot different than I was expecting! It is about a newly married lawyer who lives in London with her husband, who she is quick to realize she hardly knows. Circumstances bring her and her husband in contact with the young neighbor girl, who is also being raised in a tough environment. As the years go by, the years spent as neighbors will lay the foundation for their futures, and the twisted fates all three will go through.
This book is excellent to read! It tells the story of the female pilots commissioned to transport planes across the United States during WWII. While the story is based on truth, the plot and characters will keep your attention as you discover another aspect of American life that was so vastly affected by the trenches of war.
Eleanor & Park is about two high schoolers who find friendship and love at the back of the school bus over a mutual love of music. Their opposite backgrounds and beliefs help to build their relationship and eventually find love.
Evvie is recently widowed and navigating the newfound life of starting over. When an injured Baseball player comes to live in the apartment at the back of Evvie’s house, she finds that she has a great deal in common with this fallen player and maybe a friendship with him is the perfect kind of way to start over.
10 // The Girl He Used to Know
Annika likes things in her life just the way they are. She lives life in a very straight forward way. While life hasn’t exactly been easy when it comes to dating, there’s always been the shadow of the man who truly took her breath away 10 years ago. When chance allows them to come back together, will they be able to be together again? Or have the years created too big of a divide between the two?
11 // 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny: Life Lessons from Teaching
This heartwarming book is written by a third grade teacher who writes about the constant ups and downs as well as hysterical moments that characterize the life of a teacher. I found myself roaring with laughter at this very relatable book.
Based in the segregated South, Elwood Curtis attends Nickel Academy, a sadistic reform school for boys that condones beating and punishment. This powerful story was incredibly moving and just won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize! The story is profound and the ending was extremely moving. I would highly recommend reading this one.
This book was truly enjoyable to read! It was also a jolt to read about the daily treatment and underhand comments white people often make to black people. With all the events going on in the world, I would highly recommend reading this one.
14 // Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library
This one is a late read as a teacher. It tells the story about several children who win an essay contest to spend the weekend in Mr. Lemoncello’s Library which is riddled with puzzles and secrets. The kids have to solve each riddle in order to make it out before the end of the weekend. This one is a great read for kids (and adults!)
As a fan of Julian Fellowes’s work (Downton Abbey!), I was excited to read this one about the classic Belgravia. On the eve of a significant battle in the 19th century, aristocrats gather in Belgravia to party before heading off to battle the next morning. By the next day, many of the party guests would be dead. This book spans the following decades and the two families whose lives are intertwined all because of the events which occurred at the party. This book is slow, to begin with, but picks up as it goes along!
This book was truly memorable and I found myself constantly asking, “Is this real?!” Daisy Jones is the latest band member of The Six. In the age of Rock and Roll, this pivotal band is being interviewed for the Rolling Stones and finding out just how life rolls with life on the road. Told from the perspective of each band member, it encapsulates the thoughts and feelings of each band member as they head out on tour and sit in the studio recording. Truly well-written and entertaining to read!
A young woman finds herself on the eve of her engagement waking up to a vivid scene of what her life will look like in five years and it is nothing like the life she currently lives. Haunted by that dream, she finds herself taking into account exactly what she is doing at the time and questioning every step of her “five year plan”. This book was unexpected and well written. I appreciated the character arcs and the way the author almost seemed to speak to the readers as if to say, “what do you have planned in five years?”
18 // All the Ways We Said Goodbye
This story takes place across WWII and centers around the Ritz Paris where secrets, lies, and identities are traded. It’s an interesting look at how stories were intertwined throughout the war and just how far people are willing to look for answers.
This tops my list of all-time favorite books! Calla Fletcher finds herself suddenly thrust into the Alaskan wilderness when she finds out that her estranged father is dying of cancer. The Alaskan Bush is a far cry from her glitzy life in Toronto and the contrast of it has her slowly changing her ways. In Alaska, Calla finds herself immersed in her father’s life and the business he has run for years: piloting cargo and people in and out of some of the most remote places in the state. She finds herself falling for the vast expanse and the people that live there. But will she stay? (I’ll be writing more about this series soon on the blog!)
This YA-Lit book focuses on two best friends who have been separated due to familial differences. When the opportunity comes to take a backpacking trip into Yosemite National Park, will they be able to overcome their differences?
Jasmine Guillory does it again! A young woman finds herself trapped in the elevator with a handsome man and suddenly is his date to his best friend’s wedding. In a twist of an unconventional first date, the two may find they have more in common then they had expected.
A young woman has just met her dream man. After a rough divorce, her life has just started to uptick when he walks into her life. That is, until he completely vanishes. While all her friends say she has been ghosted, she has a feeling that there’s actually something else going on.
In the sequel to The Simple Wild, Calla and Jonah have to learn how to adapt in their new world in Alaska. I won’t reveal too much else if you haven’t read the first book, but I cannot recommend these two books enough!
This Baxter Family novel from Karen Kingsbury tells about Noah and Emily Carter who have lived their lives on social media for years. It’s been years of documentation and suddenly nothing seems quite right. Can they overcome their differences and focus on what really matters?
Julie Andrews recounts her life in show business and time raising her family. I absolutely loved listening to her recount her life’s experiences so far! While she was detailing the filming of Mary Poppins and Sound of Music, I found myself smiling constantly while listening to the off-stage stories of those productions! If you’re a fan of Julie Andrews, you will absolutely love her book. Opt for the audiobook-you won’t regret it!
If you’ve seen the movie based off of this book, you’ll love this book! It tells about Liam Paige, the famous country singer, and the life and love he left behind. In a twist of fate, Liam returns home after years of absence, only to realize he has a son. Once this discovery happens, Liam has to determine what really is important in life; fame or family?
Elizabeth Bard sits down to write about her life and love in Paris. Intertwined between her stories about beginning a life as an outsider in Paris, she talks about her love for her husband and her love for French Cooking. She has scattered recipes throughout the book which perfectly accommodate the experiences she reflects on.
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