Monthly Wrap Ups – A Spoonful of Honi

Books I Read in June | 2021

Kimberly — Mon, 05 Jul 2021 13:00:53 +0000

Nothing hits quite like summer reading. When I was in school, I remember being given a list of books where I was supposed to choose three-to-five books to read over the summer break, and I always read the whole list — I didn’t want to have picked the wrong books! Let’s get started! one | Legendborn by Tracy Deonn Bree is looking to do anything but think about her mother’s recent death. When she gets accepted to the Early College program at UNC – Chapel Hill with her best friend, Bree thinks all her prayers have been answered. But before Bree can get settled into life as a kind of college student, the rug is ripped out from under her. She is exposed to ancient demons, a secret society hell-bent on protecting the world from the dark, and she meets the potential love of her life — a self-exiled member of this secret society, the Legendborn. This book takes readers on a magical adventure reminiscent of King Arthur while also tackling complex topics like racism and sexism. 10/10 would recommend. 5/5 Stars two | The Dutch House by Ann Patchett — Audiobook The Dutch House is beginning of the end for the Conroy family. When Cyril, the father, buys the house, he thinks all their problems will be solved. They’ve made it! But the mother hates the house, and ends up leaving her children to its darkness. When Cyril marries Andrea and passes away unexpectedly, Danny and Maeve are forced out on their own to pave their own way in life. This story is told over five decades and focuses on the unbreakable bond between brother and sister. Overall, I felt like not much happened. It was an interesting story about the cycles we find ourselves in, but it didn’t leave me wanting anything more from it or thinking too deeply about my own life. 3/5 Stars three | Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo Alina and Mal are on the run from the Darkling when they are unfortunately caught and swept aboard a pirate ship. Much to their dismay, they are going to have to trust the captain of this ship with their lives and hope they make it out alive. This is the second book in the “Shadow and Bone” trilogy, and it very much serves as a bridge between the first and the third. Alina and Mal both go through a lot of character building, new characters are introduced, and there is a lot of training for war. 4/5 Stars four | No Exit by Taylor Adams Darby is driving home because she has to tell her mother she loves her before she goes into surgery. But Snowmageddon has other plans. Darby gets stranded at a poorly stocked truck stop with terrible coffee with four strangers. When Darby tries to find a cell signal to at least call her mother, she spots a pale, tiny hand grasping a bar inside the back of a van, and her entire night changes. It’s no longer a countdown to the snowplows, but a countdown to save an innocent life. Darby must figure out which of these strangers is the kidnapper, who she can trust, and how to save this girl. This is now the most important night of Darby’s life for two reasons. 5/5 Stars Triggers: Animal cruelty, kidnapping, sex trafficking, sexual assault, graphic depiction of torture five | Know My Name by Chanel Miller — Audiobook For many years, Chanel Miller was known as Emily Doe, the victim in the Stanford rape trial. She was found by two Swedish men riding their bikes being assaulted behind a dumpster by Brock Turner. In her debut book, Chanel tells the story from her perspective. She shares about the slow-unfolding of that night’s events, the horror at learning intimate details of the case while on the stand, and the injustice to victims of having to prove guilt even when a perpetrator has been caught in the act. Chanel has a talent for writing, and her bravery is unparalleled. 5/5 Stars six | Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab Boundaries and I had never met before I read this book. Tawwab, a licensed counselor, knows how hard it can be to set boundaries and how destructive it can be to live a life without them. She takes readers on a journey to understand what boundaries are, what happens when you don’t have them, and how you can set them while maintaining your relationships with yourself, family, and friends. 5/5 Stars Happy reading, Kimberly

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Books I Read In May | 2021

Kimberly — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 13:00:35 +0000

Happy June! I read such a wide variety of books in May, and I powered through a few library reads that I really enjoyed. From the number one book on TikTok to a local author’s first published work, I read seven books in May. Let’s get started! one | In Five Years by Rebecca Serle — Audiobook Dani has it all figured out. Down the specific day she will get married, she’s been mapping out her life since the moment it came crashing down. But, on the night of her engagement, everything changes. She’s somehow transported five years into the future, and she’s not with her new fiancé, but a stranger. When she wakes up back in 2015, Dani can’t shake the feeling that something is horribly wrong. This was overall, a really cute story with the well-known troupe of possibly falling for your best friend’s guy, but I can’t shake the feeling that some details just weren’t as fleshed out as they should have been. Reader’s barely learn about Dani’s brother’s accident, and she keeps forgetting details in the beginning of the book that felt like it would lead to something bigger. Maybe it was just a red herring, but I’m a little turned off by the forgotten details. 4/5 Stars two | Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler A new automatic recommendation from me, Crucial Conversations should be on everyone’s TBR list. This book is full of helpful information on how to lead conversations in all areas of your life — from the boardroom to the kitchen table. This book serves as a reminder, or an informer, on how to hold the toughest conversations we may face in life. With helpful examples and applicable skills, this book will revolutionize how your approach any conversation after you read it. 5/5 Stars three | Lunch with Lucy by Sherry Stewart Deutschmann Sherry Stewart Deutschmann is a local entrepreneur in Nashville, and her book did not disappoint. From the format with quotes and “takeout boxes” of vital information to the stories she shared, everything about this book spoke to me. If you’re looking to learn about the empathetic business model, there is no better book than Lunch with Lucy. 5/5 Stars four | From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout Poppy is destined to save her kingdom when her Ascension comes, but before then, she’s determined to live, even if it’s just a little bit. When Hawke, a mysterious Royal Guard, comes in her life, everything changes for Poppy. No longer does she pace the castle quietly and sneak off to defend her land, now she basically has a shadow who only wants to keep her safe, but at what cost? It’s hard to describe this book without ruining some of the twists and exciting moments, but trust me, it’s worth every bit of hype it’s received online. 5/5 Stars five | Untamed by Glennon Doyle I feel like I say this about every memoir I read, but boy, did this one hit me where it hurts. Glennon and I have a lot in common, more than I’d like to admit when it comes to our need to control, but I truly loved this book. It’s odd because most people wouldn’t think that they could relate to a famous writer who left her husband to marry a famous soccer player, but Untamed is further proof that underneath the shine, people are just people. We all have our quirks and flaws that unite us as human. I was skeptical when I first started this book, but Doyle’s writing builds and grows with the reader and hopefully, if you’re anything like me, you’ll be taking photos of passages in the book and sending them to your boyfriend because you relate to them so much. 5/5 Stars six | Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow — Audiobook I’ve been itching to read Alexander Hamilton since my obsession with the musical set in, and when I found it in audio form through my library, I knew I had to give it a listen. I had no idea it was going to be 35 hours. This was a daunting listen — I typically only listen to 30-45 minutes of a book a day, so I knew this was going to take me awhile. But between library hold wait times and being a “slow” listener, I finally did it! Chernow goes into incredible detail, and I learned more than I thought possible after giving this a listen. Admittedly, I missed a lot of details just due to the nature of my brain, but it was a valuable book to listen to. I think I’ll still be buying myself a copy and reading it little by little when I can to get the full experience. The perfect book to learn more about Hamilton as well as the other historical men from that time. 4/5 Stars seven | The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett Mallard is a quirky town. Despite being a Black town, the residents value the lightest skin possible, and when Stella Vignes discovers she can pass as a white woman, she grabs at the opportunity. Unlike Stella, Desiree, the other half of the Vignes twins, marries the darkest man she can find and has his baby. When the twins run away from Mallard, the town thinks they’ll never see them again, but when Desiree returns with her Black child, everything begins to unfold in remarkable ways. Bennett has a way with crafting stories, and The Vanishing Half is no different. A heartbreaking story about family, destiny, and race that is sure to leave you thinking. Happy reading, Kimberly

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Books I Read in April | 2021

Kimberly — Mon, 03 May 2021 13:00:34 +0000

Happy May! April wasn’t my best month for reading — between traveling and taking on some new responsibilities, some reading tip was chewed up by other activities, but I’m still proud of everything I read. From an antiracist book to an advanced reader copy of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s latest work, I read a lot of wide-ranging works this month. Let’s get started! one | Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi — Audiobook This abridged version of Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi edited and presented by Jason Reynolds is approachable, informative, and impactful. I’ve read many an antiracist book in the last year, and this selection presented new information in a clear, concise way that left me thinking about my own prejudices and racism. No rating two | Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid — ARC, E-Book The Riva family is famous. Not only are a few of them pro-surfers and models, but they throw the wildest beach party every summer that anyone who is anyone always makes sure to attend. This year, things are different. This year, by 8 a.m., everything is up in flames. Reid tells the timeless story of what it means to be family — chosen and otherwise. She alternates between two timelines, the 80s with the current Riva family and telling the Riva family backstory, which, of course, is full of heartbreak. This story is full of twists that yank at your heart, and it is un-putdown-able. 5/5 Stars three | The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert Alice and her mother Ella have always been followed by bad luck. Everywhere they went, something always went wrong. They blame their grandmother and mother, Althea Proserpine, the famous author of the dark fairy tales set in the Hinterwood. One day, when Alice finally thinks the bad luck has stopped, her mother is taken from her, and she must trust the one person she knows who has any knowledge of her grandmother and her fictitious world that may be plaguing Alice. A fun story with a few twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. 3/5 Stars four | Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo Ravka has been torn in half by the Shadow Fold, and now, it’s up to an unassuming girl, Alina Starkov, to save the nation. When Alina finds out she has hidden abilities that may be able to save her nation, she is whisked away to become a member of the royal court. While there, she is trained to be a Grisha, a member of the magical elite, and she is accepted by one of the most powerful people in the court, the Darkling. But of course, everything is not as it seems, and when Alina is warned against trusting the one she loves, she must run for her life. This is a fun, exciting young adult novel that has just enough magic and romance to keep you interested and entertained. I’m excited to read the rest of the series. 5/5 Stars five | Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick Rick Deckard has a license to kill — kill androids that is. It’s 2021 (or 2048 depending on the version of the book you read), and San Fransisco lies under a radioactive cloud of dust. The world experienced World War III making it uninhabitable, and while most people have escaped to live on Mars with androids serving them, some have stayed on Earth. Rick makes a living by hunting androids that have escaped enslavement on Mars for a better life on Earth. He is tasked with killing six androids in one day, which is unheard of, and he’s about to experience a life-changing mission. Like most of Dick’s work, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? leaves readers guessing far past the last page. Happy reading, Kimberly

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Books I Read in March 2021

Kimberly — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 13:00:17 +0000

Happy April! March was an interesting month for me — it’s when life felt like it was finally returning to normal. We’ve had some beautiful weather in Nashville, my boyfriend and I have had some more weekend activities pop up, and we are both scheduled to get our vaccines next week. Things are looking up! Despite everything going on in life, I managed to finish seven books in the month of March – I’m now up to 20 books read in 2021, which is a huge accomplishment for me. Let’s get started! one | How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X Kendi — E-Book Kendi’s book on antiracism differs from almost any other book on the market by focusing on his own growth from racist to antiracist. He challenges readers with stories from his past and history to rethink how they can shape an antiracist world around them. This antiracist book goes deeper into history and challenging the norms than any other book I’ve read. It’s definitely worth the read, but if this is your first antiracist read, you may want enter the world on a lower level. No rating two | A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab Kell, Lila, and Rhy are joined by new and old friends as they protect Red London from a vicious magical God. Osaron has infiltrated the land from White London, and he’s determined to be the true king. He infects the people through their minds, and Kell, Lila, and Rhy have to find a way to defeat him while dealing with their own personal troubles. The trio are joined by friends and enemies alike that help them on their mission to defeat the ancient enemy. This book perfectly wrapped up the Shades of Magic series, and I’d love to recommend it to any fantasy lover. 5/5 Stars three | Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes Shonda’s life is changed with just six muttered words one Thanksgiving morning; “You never say yes to anything.” Not anymore. Now, now she says “yes” to everything. From appearances on TV shows to speeches at award ceremonies, Shonda’s life blossoms when she starts saying “yes” to the opportunities in front of her. This Year of Yes transforms Shonda’s life in more ways that one, and it’s bound to inspire anyone that reads it. 5/5 Stars four | How Much of These Hills is Gold by C. Pam Zhang Lucy and Sam only have each other now. After their father, Ba, passes away, they must trek across the western dessert that promised gold to bury him. Told across three timelines, How Much of These Hills is Gold is a gripping story about Asian America immigrants during the gold rush, family, and adventure. Sure to break your heart in unexpected ways, this book is one of a kind. 5/5 Stars five | Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman — Audiobook Eleanor is completely content with her life as it is. She likes her routine, she likes her alone time, and she definitely likes her vodka. One day, everything changes for Eleanor and friendship is thrust upon her whether she likes it or not. When she saves the life of a man on the street with her coworker, Raymond, Eleanor’s routine is completely disrupted and life changes as she knows it. She can no longer hide from her secrets or her problems. People care about her now, and she’s going to have to fight to care about herself. I didn’t fall in love with this story like I expected. It was a little bit heartbreaking but also a little bit predictable. It was a delight to listen to and definitely kept me entertained, just nothing groundbreaking. 3/5 Stars six | The Mothers by Brit Bennett Nadia, Aubrey, and Luke are inextricable linked throughout their young adulthood. Nadia and Luke have a history. They dated one summer between high school and college, and nothing was ever the same. As Nadia, Aubrey, and Luke grow up, their paths become even more intertwined. A story about being a mother and not being a mother, The Mothers tackles the complicated decisions that shape our lives and how our choices follow us no matter where we go. 5/5 Stars seven | Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift — Audiobook Lemuel Gulliver can’t say no to an adventure. Each adventure he goes on is wilder than the next. He encounters tiny people, giants, a land of academics with his favorite historical figures, and an island inhabited by horses that rule and are served by humans. It’s a tale of adventures with meanings deeper than surface level. 5/5 Stars Happy reading, Kimberly

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Books I Read in February

Kimberly — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 14:00:54 +0000

February was a quieter month when it came to reading. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t get into my audiobook or e-book choices, and I felt like I was a in a little bit of a reading slump. I’ve picked up some good books for March, and I hope to get back into the groove of things, but for now, let’s get started with what book I read in February! one | The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides Alicia Berenson killed her husband, and now, she’s refusing to speak. Theo is obsessed with Alicia’s story, so obsessed that he gets a job at the hospital she’s being treated at. Theo is determined to get Alicia to talk, but is he ready to deal with the consequences? Ultimately, this was a relatively boring thrilled until the last thirty pages or so. If you’ve got a quiet weekend and you love thrillers, it’s worth a read, but if you’re new to the genre, I would skip it for something a little more gripping. two | Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert Gilbert has a unique approach to creativity and inspiration that I think most people can benefit from reading. Rather than viewing creativity as this painful, elusive entity, Gilbert thinks of it as a gift that flits in and out of your life only if you let it. To fully embrace a creative life, Gilbert argues you must have the courage to pursue it, the wistfulness to let it enchant you, the willingness to give yourself to permission to follow it, the persistence to keep at it, the trust that it will always come back, and the belief that creativity is divine. three | The Sign of Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes is at it again. Mary Morsten has employed him to help her figure out why she is receiving gifts once a year in the same form. This leads the dynamic duo of Holmes and Watson on a path to discovering a lost treasure, a dead man, and apprehending two criminals. It was an exciting story, but I ultimately like the first one best. four | Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates – Audiobook In a letter to his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates answers the unanswerable questions about what it’s like to be a Black person in America. He talks about the struggles when a member of the community is lost to unnecessary violence. He talks about the sense of family when you learn about shared experiences. He talk about the beauty of experiencing a new culture through fresh eyes. It’s a beautiful book the illuminates the past, confronts the present, and hopes for a better future. Happy reading, Kimberly

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Books I Read in January

Kimberly — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 14:00:24 +0000

Happy February! I kicked off January with a reading rush. I read nine books in the first 31 days of 2021, and I am so proud of myself. From a mediocre murder mystery to a few rom-com love stories, let’s get started! one | Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb The King-in-Waiting of the Six Duchies has fathered a bastard child, and that child has come to town after having nowhere left to turn. Fitz, as the child is named, grows up in the stables learning from various helping hands including not on the stablemaster but the King himself. While his father is absent having abandoned his city out of shame, Fitz is surrounded by people who want him on their side and people set to kill him. In order to remain alive, Fitz must be useful to the crown. That’s when he becomes an assassin. 3.5/5 Stars two | The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle Sabrina made a list years ago; the list everyone makes at one time or another — who would she want to have dinner with, dead or alive, if she had the chance? Little did she know, all five of her choices will be joining her for a very special 30th birthday dinner. Sabrina is joined by her estranged father, her best friend, an old college professor, her ex-boyfriend, and Audrey Hepburn for the dinner of a lifetime. Sabrina thinks this might be her only chance to fix her past, but maybe it’s something more. The book alternates between the dinner and her tumultuous relationship with her ex, Tobias. I fell in love with the characters, and while it was primarily about her love story, the dinner also resolved a lot of other, potential unknown, problems. Very quick but impactful read. 4/5 Stars three | Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis In this book about Christianity, Lewis delves into the basis of the religion, the various beliefs people hold, and what he believes it takes to be a Christian. Personally, this was a helpful read for me as I delve deeper into my religious beliefs. No star rating four | Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz Alan Conway has written his last piece of Atticus Pünd. The final book is finished, and it’s in Susan Ryeland, his editor’s, hands. When she finishes the book, she realizes the final pages are missing. When she reaches out to Alan to ask about the last chapter, she finds him dead. Alan was recently diagnosed with a deadly illness, and he’s decided to take his own life. Or did he? Susan is convinced something is afoot, and everything matches up perfectly with his last novel down to the murder scene. Susan embarks on a dangerous journey to find out who killed Alan Conway. Unfortunately, it sounds a whole lot more interesting than it actually is. The entirety of Alan’s book is in “Magpie Murders,” so it just feels like you’re reading the book twice. It’s a tad redundant without a whole lot of pay off (I figured out the killer relatively early on). Pick this book up at your own risk. 1.5/5 Stars five | Red Notice by Bill Browder — Audiobook Bill wants to make a name for himself, and the only way he sees how to do it is to start investing in Russia. He’s mostly unafraid of the crime in the country, thinking he’s immune to it because he’s a foreigner, but one day, everything changes. What seemed to be a slam-dunk business opportunity turns into the fight of his life. This true, harrowing tale is sure to interest anyone who picks it up and leave them with more knowledge about investments, politics, and corruption. 4/5 Stars six | A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes embarks on his first (documented) adventure with his new roommate, Dr. John Watson. Holmes works as a consulting detective to Scotland Yard, and this new case is puzzling to say the least. A man has been found dead in a room with the word “RACHE” scratched into the wood above his head. It’s no problem for the infamous Sherlock Holmes though! 4/5 Stars seven | Watchmen by Alan Moore The Watchmen have all but retired, but when one of their own is murdered, they must come out of hiding one last time. This twisty-political satire is sure to entertain and leave readers on the edge of their seats. This comic is much more than meets the eye. It delves into the complicated nature of human behavior, and reminds readers that there really is no pure good or evil. 4.5/5 Stars eight | It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover Lilly didn’t have an easy childhood. From saving homeless boys from themselves to protecting her mother from her abusive father, she didn’t really get to be a kid. But, she moves to Boston once she graduates from college, and life couldn’t be better. She opens her own flower shop, falls in love with a neurosurgeon, and makes an amazing new best friend. Everything seems perfect, but one day, just 15 seconds, changes everything. When the boy from her past comes back into her life, Lilly doesn’t know what she should do. A beautiful story about love, loss, and second chances, Colleen Hoover is sure to drag you between the covers and leave you wanting more. 5/5 Stars nine | Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet are from feuding houses, but love will bring them together. When Juliet’s father betrothes her another man, Juliet must devise a way to get out of the marriage. I read this play in high school, and my angsty teenage butt hated it, obviously. But reading it as an adult, I actually really appreciated the writing and even had a few laughs. 4.5/5 Stars Happy reading, Kimberly

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Books I Read in 2020

Kimberly — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 14:00:56 +0000

2020 was both my best and worst year yet for reading! I read more books than I ever have before, but most books were of a lesser quality in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong, I still read some awe-inspiring books, but I was mainly reading for escape, so while a lot of stories were entertaining, they didn’t have that 5-star pow I usually expect. I made a heavily curated 2021 TBR list (look out for that next week), so I’m hoping to read some more amazing books next year. In 2020, I read… Seventy books 28.5% audiobooks 35.7% e-books 35.7% physical books 30% non-fiction 70% fiction Five anti-racist education books 35.7% books written by or featuring BIPOC 25.7% books written by or featuring LGBTQ Star-Ratings One 1-star read Four 2-star reads Eighteen 3-star reads Twenty-five 4-star reads Seventeen 5-star reads Five no-star ratings (antiracist education) Books I Read in 2020 one | Becoming by Michelle Obama two | Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas Books I Read in January 2020 (Wrap Up Unavailable) three | Scythe by Neil Schusterman Books I Read in February 2020 (Wrap Up Unavailable) four | Thunderhead by Neil Schusterman five | Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis six | Stay Sexy, and Don’t Get Murdered by Georgia Hardstark and Karen Killgariff seven | This is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp Books I Read in March 2020 (Wrap Up Unavailable) eight | Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis— Audiobook nine | The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas ten | Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas eleven | Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan — Audiobook twelve | The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger — E-Book thirteen | It by Stephen King fourteen | China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan — Audiobook fifteen | We Were Liars by E. Lockhart— E-Book sixteen | The Dreamers by Karen Walker Thompson Books I Read in April 2020 seventeen | Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins — E-Book eighteen | Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins — E-Book nineteen | The First Time: Finding Myself and Looking for Love on Reality TV by Colton Underwood — Audiobook twenty | Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan — Audiobook twenty-one | The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren — E-Book twenty-two | Open Book by Jessica Simpson — Audiobook twenty-three | Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas twenty-four | The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves — E-Book twenty-five | Never Split the Difference: Negotiating Like Your Life Depends on It by Chris Voss with Tahl Raz Books I Read in May 2020 twenty-six | Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins — E-Book twenty-seven | The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah — Audiobook twenty-eight | The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton twenty-nine | The Third Wife by Lisa Jewell — Audiobook thirty | The Hidden Power of F*cking Up by The Try Guys — Audiobook thirty-one | White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo — E-Book thirty-two | The Toll by Neal Shusterman — E-Book Books I Read in June 2020 thirty-three | Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders — Audiobook thirty-four | The No Asshole Rule by Robert Sutton thirty-five | The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas — E-Book thirty-six | One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus — E-Book thirty-seven | How to Love a Jamaican by Alexia Arthurs — Audiobook thirty-eight | Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering — E-Book thirty-nine | My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite forty | The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes — E-Book forty-one | I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown — E-Book forty-two | Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson — E-Book Books I Read in July 2020 forty-three | Dare to Lead by Brené Brown — Audiobook forty-four | The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead forty-five | The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson — E-Book forty-six | One of Us is Next by Karen McManus — E-Book forty-seven | Daring Greatly by Brené Brown — Audiobook Books I Read in August 2020 forty-eight | Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb — E-Book forty-nine | Me and White Supremacy by Layla S. Saad — E-Book fifty | Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë — Audiobook fifty-one | The Hand on the Wall by Maureen Johnson — E-Book fifty-two | Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas fifty-three | Beach Read by Emily Henry fifty-four | Revenge Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger — E-Book fifty-five | All the President’s Men by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward — Audiobook fifty-six | Unmarketing by Scott Stratten and Alison Kramer Books I Read in September 2020 fifty-seven | Patsy by Nicole Dennis-Benn fifty-eight | Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell — Audiobook fifty-nine | The Favorite Sister by Jessica Knoll sixty | Red, White and Royal Blueby Casey McQuiston — E-Book Books I Read in October 2020 sixty-one | When They Call You a Terrorist by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and Asha Bandele — Audiobook sixty-two | The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray sixty-three | Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton sixty-four | Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson — Audiobook sixty-five | City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert — E-Book Books I Read in November 2020 sixty-six | The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware — E-Book sixty-seven | Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel — E-Book sixty-eight | Eat a Peach by David Chang — Audiobook sixty-nine | The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab seventy | One Day in December by Josie Silver — E-Book seventy-0ne | Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell Books I Read in December 2020 Happy reading, Kimberly

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Books I Read in December

Kimberly — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 14:00:56 +0000

Happy last book wrap up of 2020! I can’t believe we made it y’all. As of this post, I read SEVENTY books in 2020! That’s an insane amount of reading, and I definitely have Libby to thank for that. I’ll be posting a full list of ALL the books I read in 2020 in the new year with a full breakdown including what format I read the most of, BIPOC, and more. But for now, here’s what I read in December. Let’s get started! one | The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware — E-Book Not all is as it seems at Heatherbrae House, and Rowan has stepped right in the middle of it. When a mysterious ad for a live-in nanny comes her way, Rowan can’t turn down the opportunity. But when she meets the girls she’ll be taking care of and discovers the high-tech functionality of the house, something feels a little off. Writing to a lawyer from prison, Rowan is desperate to prove that she didn’t kill anyone – it was all a misunderstanding. This book will have you on the edge of your seat wondering if ghosts and ghoulies are real or if it’s just your imagination. 5/5 Stars two | Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel — E-Book The world is over as we know it. The Georgia Flu has ravaged the entire world, and everyone who survives must figure out a way to continue living in this new, post-apocalyptic world. A group of performers decides to band together to form a traveling symphony that performs Shakespeare’s plays for anyone that will watch. Flipping between present-day and the days before the Georgia Flu attacked, Emily St. John Mandel crafts a perfectly interwoven story that expertly shows how everyone is interconnected and your decisions today can impact someone else’s tomorrow. 5/5 Stars three | Eat a Peach by David Chang — Audiobook David Chang is a Michelin star restaurant owner with 15 locations across the globe. He has his own Netflix show, podcast, and over 1 million followers. But he wasn’t always this successful. He wasn’t always this confident in his abilities. In his memoir, Chang takes readers from his early childhood where he never felt like he was enough to his early years in opening his restaurant to failed exploits and raving successes. 3/5 Stars four | The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab Addie LaRue made a deal with the devil 300 years ago, and no one has been able to remember her since. She has survived wars, the invention of planes, famines, and so much more without anyone remembering her name. Until she runs into a boy in a bookshop one day and everything changes. He remembers her. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is beautiful and, of course, heartbreaking. It reminds readers to live every day as if it were their last and to never be afraid to stand in the storm. 5/5 Stars five | One Day in December by Josie Silver — E-Book Laurie spots him from the bus window. He’s waiting outside, and she wills him to come on board, but the universe has other plans. She spends a whole year looking for him, only to find him at her very home, as her roommate and best friend’s boyfriend. What ensues is nearly ten years of near misses and a topsy-turvy love triangle you can’t help but root for. 4/5 Stars Happy reading, Kimberly

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Books I Read in November

Kimberly — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 14:00:37 +0000

I can’t believe we are in the last month of 2020. November was an overall good month, though it was pretty busy. Things are starting to wind down with the close of the year and the holidays coming up, so I’m hoping to end this year strong with some great books. Let’s get into the books I read in November! one | When They Call You a Terrorist by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and Asha Bandele — Audiobook Patrisse’s memoir chronicling the events in her life that led to the creation of Black Lives Matter is moving and enlightening in so many different ways. From her experiences with her brother who suffered from mental illness and her queer relationship with an immigrant, everything means something in this amazing book. No Rating two | The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray Lillian, Viola, and Althea have only ever had themselves. Their mom died at an early age, their father was always on the road, and their brother wasn’t much to write home about. When Althea and her husband, Procter, are sent to jail for a “victimless crime,” Lillian and Viola must band together to help save the only family they have left, Althea’s twin daughters. This is a gripping story about the importance of family, battling inner demons, and forgiveness. 4/5 Stars three | Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton Dr. Hammond — certified dinosaur “freak”— has created an island where dinosaurs actually exist. With the help of expert scientists, mathematicians, data analysts, paleontologists, and more, Hammond’s dream has become a reality, and he’s ready to show it to the world. Before he can do that, he’s going to show it to the group of people that helped make it possible. Ian Malcolm, Alan Grant, and Ellie Sattler are all brought to the island, in addition to Hammond’s two grandchildren, to experience the magic of Jurassic Park. But is everything as safe as he claims it to be? What ensues is a daring adventure of what happens when dinosaurs take over. 5/5 Stars four | Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson — Audiobook Bryan Stevenson chronicles his years as a young lawyer working to get children and innocent victims off of death row in his moving book, “Just Mercy.” He tells impactful stories of the corruption in the justice system, the clients he has helped find a better life, and what we can do to help fix the system. 5/5 Stars five | City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert — E-Book Vivian has failed out of college, and what else are her parents to do other than send her to New York City to live with her Aunt Peg at the Lily Playhouse. In her months at the Playhouse, Vivian gets up to nothing but bad news, and when she finds herself in the middle of a scandal, everything turns upside down. Overall, this was a delightful story about a young girl’s life — it’s an amazing depiction of a strong, independent woman — but I’d be lying if I didn’t say the ending was a bit lackluster to me. 3/5 Stars Happy reading, Kimberly

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Books I Read in October

Kimberly — Mon, 02 Nov 2020 14:00:38 +0000

Another month of 2020 has come and gone! Goodbye October, hello November! I didn’t read anywhere near everything I wanted to read in October, but I’m trying to be okay with that. I participated in a TBR challenge, and didn’t succeed at all! I started all of the books, but only finished one. Oh well! There’s always next month. Let’s get into what I read in October! one | Patsy by Nicole Dennis-Benn Patsy knows her future is in America. Her best friend Cicely moved there years ago, and she can’t help but think better things are waiting for her across the ocean in New York. The only thing is, she has to leave her daughter, Tru, behind with her father in Jamaica. When Patsy lands in New York, nothing is the way she thought it would be — Cicely is married to a horrible man, finding a job without papers is nearly impossible, and she can’t even muster up the courage to call her daughter. Told in alternating perspectives from Patsy and Tru, this book is one immigrant’s story about figuring out what the American dream means for her. 4/5 Stars two | Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell — Audiobook Learn about what really makes tech-geniuses, Olympic athletes, and 5-star authors stand out from the crowd with Gladwell’s highly-acclaimed book Outliers. Sometimes it’s not really about the greatness thrust upon you but the month you were born and the opportunities you were presented as a kid. I found this book highly interesting, and I’m glad I finally got around to “reading” it. 5/5 Stars three | The Favorite Sister by Jessica Knoll Brett, Lauren, Jen, and Stephanie are the returning queens of Goal Diggers, a hit reality TV show meant to empower female entrepreneurs making it on their own in New York City. Everyone has a secret to hide, and when Brett’s sister, Kelly, joins the crew, everything seems to go downhill. Switching between filming days and an interview taking place post-Brett’s murder, everything is not as it seems. There were so many twists at the end of this page-turner, I didn’t know where to aim my head. 3/5 Stars four | Red, White and Royal Blueby Casey McQuiston — E-Book Alex is the First Son of the United States — his mom is the President — and Henry is the Prince of England. They are sworn enemies, until one day, they have to pretend to be best friends to save face after toppling a wedding cake at the royal wedding. What originally starts as a forced friendship, blossoms into a full-on love affair. This was a wonderful young adult romance that helped highlight other types of love stories for teens to look up to. While I had some issues with the plot line (Don’t talk about your illicit affair in your work emails EVER!), I enjoyed it overall. 4/5 Stars Happy reading, Kimberly

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