Last year, I read 17 books. I fell seven short of my goal, but even still, I read probably a dozen more books than I had in the previous five years, combined! 2020 (quarantine) reignited my love of reading and for the first time in years, it’s become something I prioritize. I’m off to a good start for 2021, crushing five books in five weeks. I doubt this pace will continue because let’s face it, what else does one do during ‘Dry January’?
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett // It took me about 70 pages to get into this book but then I was hooked. Can we talk about how good this book was?!? Seriously though, I wish I had a book club to chat with. It has everything I love – a storyline that spans generations, family ties, tragedy, and romance. I found the characters to be complex and realistic and I just loved that the four main characters are women – twin sisters and their daughters. I heard HBO picked this book up for a mini-series. That can’t come soon enough!
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann // A true story that you can’t believe is true. In the 1920s, the richest people in the world were members of the Osage Indian Nation. After being driven off their land not once but twice, they settled in northern Oklahoma where oil was discovered beneath their land. Soon, entire families were being killed off one by one in truly jaw-dropping ways. The research, detail, and first-hand accounts that David Grann complied are astounding. I had to look back to make sure this book was nonfiction because it read like a true-crime novel. My dad, mom, husband, and I all read this book within a month of each other and would frequently trade ‘can you believe…’ snippets from the story. The fact that this history isn’t taught in schools is crazy, and it happened less than one hundred years ago. Do yourself an educational favor and read this book.
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins // A hooked from the first sentence, couldn’t put it down, thought about it long after it was over kind of read. I really loved this book. It made me feel something. I loved that the main character was a migrant woman and mother. I found all the characters, even the ones you hate, to be compelling and well developed. When it was published, and after Oprah chose it for her book club, a backlash erupted. The author is white, and the book received a lot of criticism for misrepresentation and appropriation – both points I find valid. Cummins did make some mistakes – in the Author’s Note, she mentioned fearing for her husband who was in the U.S. illegally but failed to mention he is from Ireland. Not exactly subject to the same fears as those who come to our Southern border. I also watched a two-part Oprah series on Apple TV+ around the lack of representation from the Latinx community in publishing. On the flip side, there were a lot of immigrants in the audience who loved and related to the book. All this to say, I understand both the criticism and praise of American Dirt. I’m really glad I read it because I absolutely loved it. Most importantly, I think this book probably opened many people’s eyes to migrant struggles and the immigration crisis at our southern border. And that is perhaps the best thing to come out of a piece of fiction, enlightening readers who perhaps are oblivious or ignorant to the real issues and will hopefully start a discussion.
The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes // I’m here for any dual-time frame love story. Set in German-occupied France in 1916 and then early 2000s London, this book is by no means a literary masterpiece but I love a good piece of fluffy fiction. This book also had a good ending which is more of a rarity in this genre. I didn’t think it was as good as Me Before You but found it to be way better than The Last Letter from Your Lover. If you like love stories and vivid descriptions of the french countryside, I give this a solid 4 out of 5 stars.
The Last Flight by Julie Clark // An addictive page-turner. “Two women. Two Flights. One last chance to disappear.” The description needn’t say more, but this one also came recommended by my bookworm friend, Natasha. If you like anything in the thriller/suspense/murder mystery category, this should be next on your list!
I highly recommend all five, but if you need more book ideas, here’s what I read in 2020.
