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I hope everyone is healthy and happy and enjoying the holiday season. It’s a busy, hectic time of year, but one also full of joy and fun. Let’s all try to relax and enjoy ourselves! It’s also the time of year when things start to wrap up in the book world and end of year posts start popping up everywhere. Last week I skipped My Week in Books in favor of Six 2019 Books That Deserved the Hype, plus Six That Didn’t and then on Thursday I shared Six 2019 Underrated Gems. The next two weeks are full of even more fun end-of-year posts, so stay tuned for:
Debuts ~ My Favorites of 2019 – tomorrow 12/10
Audiobooks ~ My Favorites of 2019 – Thursday 12/12
Novel Visits’ Winter Preview 2020 – Monday 12/16
Best Books of the Year – Thursday 12/19
Hosted by Kathryn at Book Date
Last 2 Week’s Reads
- I kicked off my 2020 reading with Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, a book that weirdly publishes on 12/31/19. It’s a really thought-provoking debut about racism in it’s most subtle forms. I liked it! (review coming in January)
- To wrap up my Nonfiction November reading I listened to a book that so many had recommended, Inheritance by Dani Shapiro. I found it deserving of all the hype. I loved listening to Shapiro herself explain her heartbreak and new normal after discovering that the man she adored was not genetically her father.
- I’d never read Elin Hilderbrand before, so picked up Summer of ’69 from my local library. It was a great book to read over the busy week of Thanksgiving because it was easy to pick up and put down again. I enjoyed it enough to stay engaged, but wasn’t wowed by the book. I generally love family stories, but in a year of great ones, this felt a little pedestrian to me. (Consider that my review!)
- My second 2020 read, We Wish You Luck by Caroline Zancan, is a book I’m still unpacking. In the collective voice, members of a low residency MFA program tell this story of revenge they all witnessed and in many ways feel a part of. (review coming in January)
Currently Reading
- I decided I wanted to do a reread by listening to Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, read by Claire Danes. I have about 3 hours left and have liked hearing the story I first read many years ago. i’ve been surprised how much I remember. I may try listening to The Testaments at some point , but think I’ll need a break from this world first.
- I’m currently reading Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano, the story of a 12-year old boy who is the one “miracle” survivor of a plane crash that killed the rest of his family. It alternates chapters between the flight and after when Edward is living with his aunt and uncle. So far, so good!
Likely to Read Next
- Yes, I’m fully in 2020 reading already. I have a lot of winter ARC’s and know I won’t get much reading done over my Winter Break, so am getting a jump on things. Next, I plan to turn to a debut thriller in The Better Liar by Tanen Jones. This is the story of two sisters and the claiming of a joint inheritance when one sister is dead.
I’m still loving We Wish You Luck…I can’t wait to get to the part that you need to discuss! I’m really blown away by her writing so far…maybe some of the best I’ve read in a long time! And I’m planning to pick up Dear Edward at some point over the next few weeks!
I completely agree about Zancan’s writing in We Wish You Luck. It was a clever story and that’s part of what I want to talk about with you.
I have a copy of Dear Edward that I also have to get started on, but I have so many library books out now!
I’ve had a sort of drought on library books lately which is a big part of the reason I’ve turned to 2020 books.
I don’t get much reading done in December, but I always have an audiobook going. I have Dear Edward, I should take a closer look.
I’m trying to read ahead right now because I know later in the month I’ll get almost none done!
I can’t wait to get my hands on Such a Fun Age! Sounds right in my wheelhouse. I thought Summer of ’69 was just meh, too.
And these end of year wrap ups have been SO fun to write!
I always love doing the end of year posts, but making decisions this year, especially best books of the year, has been tough. Looking forward to your lists.
I’ve started my 2020 ARCs too. Like you I have a bunch of winter releases. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
I NEED to get more reading done, but I’m kind of in a funk! I think I’m going to start Dear Edward today…
The second half of December will be super busy with family, so I’m trying to get a little bit ahead right now. I’m still liking Dear Edward.
Think I will get to the Kiley Reid book. I understand about wanting to leave the dark world of Gilead behind. Luckily the new one, which I just reviewed, is a bit different. It’s fine to put time in between the two books. I read the first one in 2017 and followed this one’s story fine.