Books I've Read & Listened to in 2020 So Far

Top: Thrifted | Jeans: Walmart (old) | Earrings: H&M (old)

Anyone who knows me knows I love to read! Maybe it's the Introvert in me or the fact that you can get lost in a book and transported to another place, but books hold magic for me. I probably own over 250 books and I am continuously add more to my collection. 

Every year I set a reading GOAL on Goodreads. Since 2018 I have set a goal of reading 30 books, but have yet to achieve that goal until this year....this year I REACHED MY READING GOAL and READ/LISTENED 30 BOOKS by August! 

I thought it would be fun to share all the books I have read and listened to (so far) this year. 

My book selections this year have been extremely diverse! I made it a goal this year to read/listen to more diverse books, be it choosing an author whose background differs from mine, a unique plot, a book that focuses on important issues, etc...

Books in Blue are books I listened to on Chirp (chirp is a discounted audio book source/app! I buy audio books from Chirp when they are on sale for under $5...they run sales every week)

CLICK (book) to see it on Amazon in case you want to add it to your list or library (a lot of the titles are on sale right now for really great prices)! 

Read my FULL REVIEWS on Goodreads

For Everyone by Jason Reynolds - (book) This is actually a spoken word/speech. I had heard about Jason Reynolds from English teachers at our school and this short work of his sounded inspiring. Definitely enjoyed reading it. 

All The Bright Place by Jennifer Niven - (book) (chirp) I absolutely adored this book! I listened to it on Chirp and was totally captivated by the story. This book is now also a movie on Netflix (still need to watch it). This book isn't an all together happy book, it deals with depression an suicide and has a really sad ending. However, there is still a lot of Hope & "Brightness" in this book!

Holding Up The Universe by Jennifer Niven - (book) (chirp) I own this book but I actually listened to it on Chirp. I loved Jennifer's other book, but sadly I didn't really love this one. I didn't connect to the story or the characters, but I still think it is a story that many people would relate to and be encouraged by. 

AHA: The God Moment That Changes Everything by Kyle Idleman - (book) I always have some type of Faith based book that I integrate into my quiet time in the mornings and this was one of the books at the beginning of the year. Kyle Idleman is a fantastic author and I really loved the focus of this book on experiencing "AHA" moments where the real reality of God and his love changes your life! 

All-American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney - (book) (chirp) This book was definitely a title I would never have reached for before 2020, but I have to say I really did enjoy it! This was one of my first audio books of 2020 and I was completely captivated by the story and the characters. I learned a lot about the Muslim faith through listening to this book. 

The Want-Ad Killer by Ann Rule - (book) (chirp) Yes, I am that weird person who likes to read/listen to books about serial killers. It's strange to say that you enjoyed a book about a serial killer, but this book was really so good! 

Alex and Eliza (#1) by Melissa de la Cruz - (book) (chirp) If you are a fan of Hamilton you will LOVE this book! I actually listened to this book before watching Hamilton or listening to the soundtrack, which I think made me be interested in the history of Alexander Hamilton. Melissa did a great job writing about a historical figure in a captivating way that appeals to young adults. 

The Flight Girls by Noelle Salazar - (book) (chirp) Loved this audio book! I have always been intrigued by WWII history, especially learning about the women who were a part of the war effort. This book followed multiple characters as they were a part of the Women's Airforce Service. If you like WWII books you will love this. 

The Year of Saying Yes by Hannah Doyle - (book) (chirp) This was a fun audio book to listen to. I finished this in two days. Definitely not a book I would have probably read, but it was like picking a movie because you know it will be entertaining, lighthearted and fun. I loved that it was British (which means it did have some British "language") because it also brought a charm charm to the story. 

Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy: The Story of Little Women and Why It Still Matters by Anne Boyd Rioux - (book) (chirp) Probably one of my FAVORITE books of 2020! This isn't a work of fiction, or even really a personal biography....it was like a biography of a book (if that's even possible). I am a HUGE fan of Little Women (it's the only book and movie that will literally make me emotional every time) and I love Louisa May Alcott. If you love Alcott's works you absolutely have to read this book (I listened to it) because you will 1) learn things about Alcott you never knew before 2) learn why Little Women is one of the most important classical works of literature 3) fall in love with the story even more! Very educational and enlightening and makes you think about soooo many things and see Little Women in a completely different way (I have chills just typing this). 

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead - (book) I started reading this in February for "Black History Month" because I felt that I needed to start educating myself about aspects of history that I wasn't familiar with and also learn about that through the lives of characters who walked through life experiencing things I have never experienced. The writing style of this book was very interesting (see my Goodreads review), but I did enjoy the story and it also had a unique twist at the end. 

Once Gone (Riley Paige Myster #1) by Blake Pierce - (book) (chirp) Another serial killer book, but this one was a fiction based thriller and it was soooo good! If you like Criminal Minds you will love this book and the ending is such a cliff hanger (I need to go listen to book #2). 

Love At First Like by Hannah Orenstein - (book) This was definitely one of my least favorite books of 2020. Pretty sure this was the lowest rating I have ever given a book on Goodreads, but I just didn't love it. If you want an easy and fun vacation read this book is great, but plausibly the plot is weak and the characters were very one dimensional. 

The Cases That Haunt Us by John E. Douglas - (book) (chirp) Ugh....another serial killer book, but this one was sooooo good!! I watched the TV show "Mind Hunters" last year and was totally captivated by the history of profiling and how it is used in criminal cases, especially those in regards to serial killers. This book was so interesting because it was written by John Douglas, who was one of the FBI agents who created the profiling division. The book walks you through crazy cases that were never fully solved, but Douglas uses modern profiling techniques, and it is just really interesting! 

The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe - (book) I picked up this book at Barnes and Nobles in December because I had seen a lot about it and it looked super intriguing. Again, I am a huge fan of any book set during WWII and this book recounts the horrors of living in a concentration camp, but also focuses on the power of hope and learning in the midst of dark times. I really did enjoy this book, but at times the writing seemed a bit random and it went back and forth between so many characters it was easy to get confused...it was translated into English which is probably why the writing at times seemed odd. However, it was still a really great book. 

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord - (book) This was definitely an anticipated book of the year and it did not disappoint! This was the first book by Emma Lord and I can already tell she has a bright future as an author. There were so many things to love about this book, from the food, to the New York setting, to the almost "gossip girl" feel (at times), to the many layers of storytelling, tweets, and texts, it was just such a good YA! The best way to describe it, is that it is a modern retelling of "You've Got Mail" (see my Goodreads review)

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds - (book) This was my second book by Jason Reynolds and it was such a unique work. Long Way Down is written in verse and tells the story of one elevator ride...it's such a unique plot and the way it is written in verse really brings the story to life in a different way. The ending is super interesting and makes you have so many questions. 

Normal People by Sally Rooney - (book) I went back and forth on whether I should include this book in the list because in full honesty and transparency I wouldn't recommend it to a lot of people because of its slightly mature content (in certain scenes)...so I'm not telling you to go read it because I know many people won't like certain scenes in the book. All that aside though, it was a fantastic story & written in a very unique way. I really enjoyed the way Rooney wrote her characters to be very authentic, because they had a lot of issues, which I think made them so relatable. (This book was also made into a HULU series, but I will say the series is way more mature than the book.)

The Lieutenant's Nurse by Sara Ackerman - (book) (chirp) This was another audio book I listened to. I probably wouldn't have read the book, but I did enjoy the audio book. It follows a nurse who travels to Hawaii, hoping to start a new life and carrying a secret. It has the perfect amount of romance, but what I really enjoyed was learning about events that lead up to the bombing of Pearl Harbor....there were a lot of details I never knew before and that was super interesting. 

Always Never Yours by Emily Wibberley - (book) (chirp) Super fun and enjoyable audio book....again, probably wouldn't have read the book, but I really liked the audio book. If you like high school theater and Romeo and Juliet this is the book for you. 

Eligible: A Modern Retelling of Pride & Prejudice by Curtis Sittenfeld - (book) Anyone who knows me knows I am a HUGE Jane Austen fan and that I adore Pride and Prejudice. I picked up this book at a thrift store and was intrigued by the fact that it was a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Overall I did enjoy it, but there were also a number of things that bothered me in the book. If you enjoy retelling of classic work you might enjoy this, but it is definitely not in the YA genre. 

Dear Martin by Nic Stone - (book) (chirp) Listened to this book on Chirp and it was so good! It tells the story of Justyce, a boy trying to reach his goals of joining an Ivy League school, but having an unfortunate run in with the law and struggles to understand where he fits into the world as a young black man. He relies on the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. for guidance and writes MLK Jr. letters in a journal. This book touches on a lit of great topics and discussions about race and is super relevant for our current times. 

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson - (book) (chirp) Absolutely fantastic book! I listened to this on Chirp and then also watched the movie (which is also good). Just Mercy is written by Bryan Stevenson, a lawyer and social justice advocate who tells about his work about working for the wrongfully imprisoned. This book shines a light on issues within the justice system when it comes to race and mental illness. 

March: Book One by John Lewis (US Representative) - (book) This book (the whole trilogy) is written by John Lewis who was one of the key figures in the civil rights movement. The March trilogy is a graphic novel series that tells about his life work in the civil rights movement. The story is compelling, captivating, and educational and the fact that it is a graphic novel bring the story to life even more! Book 1 focuses on how John Lewis first met Martin Luther King Jr. and tells about the "March on Selma". 

The Betrothed by Kiera Cass - (book) I adored Kiera Cass's "Selection" series, so I was really looking forward to her new 2020 release of "The Betrothed" (I actually pre-oredered this book). Sadly, I didn't enjoy it near as much as her other books. The story fell a bit flat for me and I will admit the beginning of the story started off slow. The ending was definitely a shock and did make me like it a bit more, but it just wasn't as strong of a story. However, if you like books with settings of castles and knights, forbidden romance, and lots of drama you would enjoy this book. 

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch - (book) This was the perfect summer read! Especially considering I that it is set in Florence Italy and I was supposed to travel to Florence this summer. This book really captured the essence of Italian adventure and you feel like you are walking through the streets exploring with the characters. I loved the plot and the themes of discovering the true meaning of family, dealing with grief, etc. Highly encourage this book, I really loved it! 

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis - (book) The last time I read Mere Christianity was in High School and I don't think I really appreciated it then. I am a huge fan of C.S Lewis's writing, his style, and his way of talking about life and faith in intellectual ways, but yet in ways that make since. I really enjoyed re-reading this book and definitely got more out of it the second time. 

The Magicians Nephew by C.S. Lewis - (book) I decided to start listening back through the Chronicles of Narnia because they are brilliant books and it has been to many years since I read/listened to them. I totally forgot about all the symbolism of The Magicians Nephew and really enjoyed listening to it again. 

Jo & Laurie by Margaret Stohl & Melissa De La Cruz - (book) This was probably my second FAVORITE book of the year (so far) and keeps in theme with my love of Little Women. This book was co-written, and Melissa De La Cruz actually wrote the Alex and Eliza books also. I absolutely adored this book! Jo & Laurie is a romantic retelling of Little Women where Jo and Laurie actually end up together.....Now, I was never one of those people who was mad that they didn't get together in the original work, I respected Alcott's reasoning, but I have to say that after reading this book I might have changed my mind :) This book was expertly written in a style so reminiscent of Alcott's that I felt as if Alcott actually wrote it. I loved how it stayed true to the original story, but also changed it to have a different ending. If the fact that I cried at the end of this book says anything about how AMAZING it was, then that is proof enough you should read it! 

March: Book Two by  John Lewis (US Representative) - (book) This was the Second book in the March Trilogy by John Lewis and I really enjoyed this second one because it talked about so many aspects of the Civil Rights movement I never knew about before, like all the peaceful protests and sit ins to change segregation laws across the country. Highly recommend. 

With the way life is right now, there is a lot of extra time at home, which means there is extra time for reading. I hope that by sharing the books I have read this year you might have discovered some new titles that interest you. 

HAPPY READING!!

Have you read any of these books?

What was your favorite book so far this year?

- Madison