We all had big plans for 2020. We were going to travel, get in shape, read that book that’s been sitting on our shelf for years. Instead, a lot of us are eating to cope with our emotions, staring out our windows longingly at the outside world, and just praying for 2020 to come to a close. While we may not be able to do a lot of the things we planned on, especially travel, we can still make the best of 2020. Personally, I’ve never worked out more in my life or read as many books. If you’re yearning for a trip around the world, might I recommend these…
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle: A Book Review
Warning: There may be spoilers in this review. Evelyn Hardcastle is going to die. She is going to die again and again until Aiden Bishop can figure out who her killer is. Only when he figures out who is behind her untimely death will he be freed from the loop of reliving the day of The Masquerade Ball hosted at Blackheath. Aiden wakes up every day in a different person’s body. Each person is supposed to bring him more clues to piece together who is behind Evelyn’s death. But, Aiden is sidetracked when the only person he can remember before his time at Blackheath is Anna. Who is Anna, and…
Top 5 Books of 2020 Thus Far
I’ve read a total of 44 books so far this year. That is an insane amount of books for me, so at least COVID was good for something, right? While I’ve read a lot of books, I haven’t read a lot of 5 star reads this year — I’ve mostly been looking for an escape, which isn’t a bad thing, but it hasn’t brought me many jaw-dropping books, unfortunately. I thought I’d round up the top five books I’ve read this year, in hopes that I add some more amazing reads to the list before the end of the year. 1// The Arc of a Sythe Series by Neil Schusterman…
Tell Me Lies: A Review
WARNING: There may be spoilers in this review. We all have that one person we know doesn’t treat us right, but we can’t help being in love with them. For Lucy, that person is Stephen. Stephen is mediocre at best, but Lucy can’t help going back to him time and time again. Tell Me Lies starts out in present-day New York with Lucy working a so-so job heading off to her best friend’s wedding. Lucy is a jumble of nerves because she knows her ex-boyfriend, Stephen, is going to be there. The rest of the book is mainly told in flashbacks to the pair’s college days reliving their tumultuous relationship. This book…
Books I Read in July
Another month full of lots of reading! I don’t know if it’s my competitive nature (with myself) or the increased downtime due to COVID-19, but I am still so excited about all the books I am getting through. I’ve read some that have been on my list for ages, some recommended by friends, and some brand new finds. Let’s get into what I read during the month of July. 1// Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders — Audiobook I’m upset that I didn’t like this book as much as I wanted to. I listened to the audiobook since the full cast was raved about, but I never really connected with…
The Girl He Used to Know: A Book Review
Imagine grocery shopping after work; looking for the perfect microwaveable meal so you get enough nutrition but don’t have to work too hard. Now picture running into your ex. Not just any ex, but the ex you haven’t seen since you tragically broke up ten years ago after a traumatic life event left you both feeling lost and confused. The ex you always wanted to rekindle things with but never knew how. That’s what happens to Annika in The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves. Annika and Jonathan meet at chess club during their senior year of college. Annika doesn’t make friends easily and is surprised when, after being…
Books I Read in June
I read a wide range of books in June. From some antiracist education to some light, teen romance, I kind of read it all. They weren’t all five star reads this month, but it was still a good selection of books. Let’s get started! 1// Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins In Perkins’s final installment of her young adult series, she follows Isla (Eye-la) Martin and Josh Wasserstein as they fall madly in love in a short amount of time. Isla’s had her eye on Josh since their freshman year, so when she runs into him at a cafe in New York, it’s Kismet – literally, that’s…
Books to Read During Pride Month
Happy Pride Month! If you don’t know, Pride Month is celebrated every year in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan which served as the tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the US. I’ve compiled a list of books I have either read or heard were great books that feature LGBTQ characters or were written by people who identify as such. Let’s get started! 1// Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz Aristotle and Dante don’t fit in. Aristotle is angry at the world, and Dante is a know-it-all. But when the two meet at the pool one summer, an…
Books to Read by Black Authors
Our work is not done. I was really mad last week. I hope you were, too. I was mad about the injustices in this country. I was mad about people not understanding the power in their words and actions. And I was mad that I had previously been a part of the problem. I am listening, learning, and growing just like a lot of people in this country, and I am committed to staying mad until things change. I compiled a list of reading recommendations based on books I’ve read and books I’ve heard are amazing and want to read. I’ve also separated it by non-fiction and fiction because it’s…
Books I Read in May 2020
Back at it with a total of NINE books read this month. Who even am I? I have never read this much in my entire life. I truly chalk it up to adding audiobooks into my routine. I got through three audiobooks in May, four e-books, and two physical books. I read a range of YA books, fiction, and non-fiction over the last 31 days. Let’s get started! 1// Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (E-Book) Anna and the French Kiss is problematic to say the least. But, it’s a fun read when you’re stuck inside on a rainy day. Anna is shipped off to school in Paris (the reason is…
