My 2020 Reading Challenge Progress + Mini Reviews!
Good morning and happy Wednesday, friends!!
Today I'm going to do something a little different and share my 2020 reading challenge and a review of all the books I have read so far this year :) I want to start doing these posts more often and doing a roundup review of recently read books, but we might as well play catch-up and go all the way back to January!
This year I set a goal for myself to read 1 book per month, so 12 books before the end of the year. I definitely ebb and flow with books... Some months I will read 3 and others I will read 0. But having this goal set for myself has been really helpful for me because I'm a checkbox person, lol. I also started a Goodreads account to keep track of my progress and it's the best tool for deciding the book I want to read next because I have a very long "want to read" list!
Since it's only October, I'm happy to report that I have already read 11 books!! And one of the books I am currently reading should be done with by the end of the week. :)
**I know 12 books is not actually that many books to read in a year! But working full time, giving attention to my dog, keeping my apartment clean, and spending (not very much, but still!) time with friends and family definitely makes it tough to keep reading a priority! I'm sure many people can relate but I wanted to do a little disclaimer. I'm also planning to set a more aggressive reading goal in 2021:)**
List of books + mini-reviews of the books I have read in 2020:
Stay Sexy & Don't Get Murdered by Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff
Of course I have to give this one 5 stars!! If you are a Murderino, you'll love everything about this book just like I did. If you aren't a fan of the My Favorite Murder podcast (umm, you should be), then a lot of this book won't make sense or be relatable for you, but if you're an MFM fan, it's a must-read!
Since I am a sales manager of a major business, I want to start reading more "business-mindset" books and I thought this one would be a good start. The first 1/3 of the book was definitely helpful and relevant for me as a manager of people and a business, but after a while it was very redundant and definitely not geared toward people in middle-management positions. 3.5/5 stars!
This was a quick read but a great one! It has a somewhat slow start and it's definitely a very easy reading level, but it eventually develops a plot you're invested in, especially if you're like me and very interested in social media/influencer lifestyle. It also made me really reflect on my unconscious bias! 4/5 stars.
I really wanted to love this one because I ADORE all of Brene Brown's TED Talks, but it was a flop for me. Her tone comes through strongly in some parts, which I loved, but a lot of it was not very relatable. 2.5/5 stars :(
The Zookeepers Wife by Diane Ackermann
I had this book on my shelf for probably 2 years because I read the first chapter and it was so difficult to get into! I forced myself to read it in quarantine because I told myself I couldn't buy any more books until I finished the ones I had in my house already, lol. If you're interested in Holocaust stories, this would be a great read for you. Overall I'm glad to be done reading it and it had some great points... but a lot of it was very slow. I give it 3/5 stars.
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
This was another one I had to force myself to read after it sat on my shelf for too long! However I was pleasantly surprised by this one :) I'm not usually into fantasy books but this was a good one. It kept me on my toes and left me wanting more. It's fantasy but not TOO crazy over-the-top. I don't really have the desire to read the rest of the series, but I'm glad I read this book. 4/5 stars!
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Another Holocaust-era book (I guess I'm into that!), it had a slow start but it became probably the most touching book I have ever read. I think the only time I ever really cried from a book was in 8th grade reading the ending of My Sister's Keeper, but there was one part of this book where I actually cried! It made me really reflect on what is important to me in my life. 4.5/5 stars :)
Dreaming the Beatles by Rob Sheffield
Everyone who knows me in real life knows that I am probably the biggest millennial Beatles fan there is, lol! So of course I had to order this book as soon as I found out about it. I really, really loved the first half but the second half was very hard for me to push through. The first half was mostly centered around the emotional connection that Rob (and me, and every other Beatles fan!) has to the Beatles and their music, with some background on the band members. The second half got very technical though, and Rob spends a lot of time spewing out band names and lists of songs from other artists that I'm not familiar with. 3.5/5 stars!
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
Since I am usually a non-fiction girl, I had low expectations for this one. Especially being a thriller, I didn't expect to be into it at all! I bought it impulsively at Target because my favorite blogger Caitlin had recommended it... and wow. I LOVED IT! It made me actually want to read MORE thrillers like it. The writing is very basic/low level, but the plot is outstanding. I gave my copy to my grandma to read because I just want to share with the world how amazing it was!! 5/5 stars!
Midnight Sun by Stephanie Meyer
If you were like me and an avid Twilight fan back in 7th grade, you've GOTTA read this one! Twilight was told from Bella's perspective, but Midnight Sun is Twilight from Edward's perspective. I loved every second of it. It made me want to be in love, and at the same time made me feel like I was in junior high again, lol. 5/5 stars. Stephanie, please write New Moon and Eclipse from Edward's POV!
Man's Search for Meaning by Vikor E. Frankl
Another Holocaust read! This one was short and sweet. The first half was great - I mean, horrible details about what being in the camps was actually like, but great information and makes you want to keep reading. I didn't love the second half, though - it was a lot of technical psychology terms (which was fine with me since that's what my degree is in!) but I honestly felt like I was reading an outdated textbook. 3/5 stars!
Stay tuned for more book reviews!!!
**some of these links are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase :)**
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