I’m finally back with an updated Book Review post! Reading is probably my favorite hobby after cooking, and I love sharing what I’ve been discovering with you. As usual if you want to support a small local bookstore near you and purchase one of these books, you can click the link below and the entire list of books mentioned in this post will be available to shop at Bookshop.org.

My shop with Bookshop.org

Otherwise, you can click the title of each book and shop it on Amazon. (Warning, I do receive a small commission if you choose to use my links, but it does not change the price of the books for you, and helps me keep creating more content for you)!

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

I wish I had read this book before I read The Great Alone and The Nightingale both by Kristin Hannah. I think I would have enjoyed it more because it was just not what I was expecting. I love Kristin Hannah because her writing in those two books truly makes you escape to another time and place. Firefly Lane is more a more modern and typical setting than I’m used to for her, so I think that is what threw me. This is the first in a trilogy I believe, but I haven’t decided if I’m going to continue reading. Not because I didn’t like it, but because there is just so much on my To Be Read list that I’d rather read first. As usual with Kristin Hannah, it was still a page turner and consuming story, just not my favorite from her. With that being said, The Nightingale was hands down the best book I read in 2019, so there’s obviously big shoes to fill and this was written before that.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

I think everybody read this book this year…haha. It was super popular! It was definitely a quick thriller read that you can’t put down, perfect for a vacation. I really liked it. I can see what all the hype was about. I did feel like I could predict some moments, but it still kept me entertained.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

Another super popular book that I really enjoyed. If you’ve been following my reading recommendations you know that I love a good WWII era story. This one was very sad but there were moments that were so powerful. I definitely want to read the sequel as well.

The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon

At this point am I a broken record when I talk about how obsessed with Outlander I am? haha This was the 5th book in the series and again, the longest I’ve read so far. I haven’t picked it back up since I started my reading challenge in June, but I’m excited to get back into it. This is my one exception to the rule of reading only BIPOC authors because if I go too long without reading Outlander, you start forgetting the details. So much happens within these books that they aren’t something you can pick up every now and then and still remember it. I still think Outlander and Voyager are my favorite two so far, but The Fiery Cross was still AMAZING!

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

If you haven’t read this one yet and you are white, you need to because BLACK LIVES MATTER. It’s a great book with a lot of easy to understand information that is so important. Ijeoma touches on some really important topics that should be basic knowledge at this point. It was very eye opening to read. Highly recommend.

Verity by Colleen Hoover

This was probably the most recommended book I’ve seen this year. haha EVERYONE is reading Verity. Again, another fast paced thriller (those seem to be the most popular these days). It definitely had an OMG moment at the end that left you hanging and debating what side you believe of the story.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

When it came time to start my BIPOC reading challenge (you can read more about that in this blog post), I wanted to start with a Maya Angelou classic because I couldn’t believe I had made it through my 30 years without reading it! I had always heard some amazing things about this book and now I know why. Maya has such a gift at evoking such emotion with her words and while at times it was so sad to get through, it really makes you appreciate what you have and the blessings life has given you. I try really hard to incorporate more classics into my ‘Want to Read’ list, and I’m happy I read this one.

How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

This is such a phenomenal book. It is written SO well and has so much important information. I love how Ibram starts more general with the topics, and as the book progresses he gets more and more detailed. This is another must read for anyone wanting to do the work and start learning more about systemic racism and white fragility.

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

One of my big goals with my year long reading challenge, was to read Toni Morrison’s classics. I purchased a special set that included her 3 most popular novels and started with the Bluest Eye. I liked it a lot, however it wasn’t my favorite book. I think this was partly because I had recently read I Know why the Caged Bird Sings and that one really struck me. Of course I think the message is very important and I would still recommend checking it out because Toni Morrison is a phenomenal story teller.

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

With my new BIPOC reading challenge, I’ve been getting into more historical books that teach me about various topics. One topic I really wanted to learn about was the prison system,; it’s history and how it’s currently affecting the country now. I cannot recommend this book enough. It is one of my favorite books I’ve read in a long time because I learned so much. Sometimes these very dense books can be hard to get through because there’s so much to digest, so I was surprised how quickly I got through this one. Michelle Alexander does such a great job of teaching you and keeping you engaged and wanting to know more. If you are wanting to support the Black Lives Matter movement more and understand how the prison system is hurting the black community (WHICH YOU SHOULD) this book has to be on your To Be Read list.

He Said, She Said by Kwame Alexander

I was not expecting this to be a young adult book, which was probably my fault. It was one that I just picked up in one of my book buying sprees. It was a great quick read after such a heavy topic in The New Jim Crow so I’m happy I read it when I did. Kwame Alexander does a great job of writing a modern story line on teens standing up for what they believe in and creating a protest. I think this would be really great for a high schooler to read and discover a perspective other than their own experience.

From Scratch by Tembi Locke

I bought this one in an out of town trip to a small bookstore (one of my favorite things to do). It was sad, but honestly with everything going on in 2020 I feel like this was perfect timing to read. Tembi Locke is an amazing writer. In this book she tells you the story of meeting her Italian husband, his death due to cancer, and the grief that follows. She does a great job of bouncing through different time periods within their relationship which I always love, when it’s done well. She shares her experience of being a black woman marrying an Italian man, which was very important for me to hear; not because I’m black, but because my own Italian family has it’s issues. Reading her experience with the problems of his family not accepting her and the history of Italian families doing things a certain way because that’s the tradition, really hit home for me when reflecting on some of my own family members. The other part that I really loved about this book is how well she describes her grief when her husband dies. I was sobbing when I was reading it because Tembi really puts into words what I would imagine many can’t. While I haven’t experienced this grief that she has, I felt like I was right there with her in it. I wouldn’t recommend this one to someone who has recently been through significant grieving, but maybe down the road this could be healing for them.

The Truths We Hold: An American Journey by Kamala Harris

I wanted to learn more about Kamala Harris, so I read this one pretty quickly. I liked the format of how the book was written. Sometimes autobiographies can be slow, when you’re working through the beginning parts (i.e. I know Becoming is sometimes a challenge for some to get through in the beginning). However, I found this one particularly easy to get through because the timeline of her stories wasn’t necessarily always sequential. At times it did feel fluffy and obvious that it was written before she wanted to run for president, but I think this just comes with the territory of being a politician. I do feel like I got to know her better and I’m happy she is Biden’s VP running mate for this election!

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson

Add this to your list now. I haven’t watched the movie yet (I am a very strict book before movie gal) but I’m super excited for it because this book is amazing. I will say, I’m happy I read The New Jim Crow before I read this one, because I understood the prison system on a deeper level which helped me connect to this book even more. All I can say is the the world needs more people like Bryan Stevenson. It is the perfect mix of storytelling that actually teaches you important lessons.

Beloved by Toni Morrison

I knew this one was going to be a heavy hitter and it did not disappoint. Toni Morrison is such an exceptional writer. Her ability to tell a story and make you feel it, is amazing. This one was really sad, but also really beautiful and important. It was eye opening and there were many times I had to pause and read specific sentences over and over to feel the impact of the words. While Song of Solomon is still on my list (the third book in that trio I purchased), I highly recommend this one to start if you haven’t read any Toni Morrison.

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

It took me a second to get into the style of writing for this book, but boy! I see why everyone is obsessing over Elizabeth Acevedo. She can pack a punch with such few words and this story was so powerful. This book is another must read to learn about a perspective different than your own. I cannot wait to buy these books for my future teenage children and I will be buying them for my personal library.

With the Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo

This was another stellar hit from Acevedo. While this was another Young Adult story, it still had such a powerful message and I think it’s really important that these perspectives are being shared with our young adults today. I loved that this story involved cooking and again Acevedo is really great at creating a powerful story in a short word count. I can’t wait to read more from her.

Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson

I was really excited for this one to arrive from my online library account (I use Libby) because I had heard such great things about it! However, I didn’t realize how short it was. It’s a multigenerational family story, that is told from multiple perspectives. In the beginning I felt like I wasn’t sure where the story was going and how anything meaningful that didn’t feel rushed could happen, but then the story flipped and you hear a perspective that changes everything. It all then makes sense and looking back I’m glad that it wasn’t any longer. It was insightful and leaves you realizing how without multiple people’s perspectives, it’s impossible to know the entire truth of a situation. We do not know the battles others could be fighting, and it’s important to remember this.

There you have it! 18 of my latest reads. Have you read any of the books I mentioned? What did you think of them? Tell me below in a comment and as always, leave me all of your book recommendations!

PREVIOUS Books I’ve Read Posts:

Happy reading,

Andrea

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