Every year I vow to make this easier. Every year, I fully intend to write full out reviews for each one of the books I consume in a year. And every year I fail. This year, however, can you even blame me? Looking back on 2020, and all it has given us, I’m pleasantly surprised I was even able to read more than five books! So yeah, cut me some slack.
That said, I somehow managed to read 12 books, and below you’ll find brief reviews and recommendations. I hope you’ll share some of yours with me.
The Last Time I Lied (4 stars)
I love Riley Sager! This is one of his “older” works so, in my opinion, it’s not as masterful as Lock Every Door (or the recent Home Before Dark), but it’s still gripping and suspenseful. It may very well just be the fact that I started with his latest (and best, in my opinion) and it’s hard going backwards. Recommend.
The Flight Attendant (4 stars)
This book made me look for an anise candle so well did the author describe the scent of the opening scenes. An unreliable narrator/protagonist is one of my favorite things ever. Recommend.
Red, While & Royal Blue (3.5 stars)
An entertaining, light read. The whole Royal thing is fun but it makes you want to roll your eyes too often given how many stereotypes are invoked on a page by page basis (same for the White House characters too). The novel also felt exceedingly long. On the other hand, I read this in the early days of the pandemic so I was grateful for any kind of distraction. Kinda recommend (so long as your expectations are calibrated accordingly).
The Holdout (5 stars)
This is one of my TOP 2 PICKS this year. Many painful questions raised, all without compromising the suspense of it all. Highly recommend.
You Are Not Alone (5 stars)
Greek Henricks and Sarah Pekkanen are back! I loved their first joint creation but their sophomore puppy left me a little disappointed. This one, however, brought me all the way back. Recommend.
Three Wishes (5 stars)
Ah, Liane Moriarty, my love! This is an old novel of hers, but I had not read it before this year. Liane never disappoints so, if I’m ever in doubt as to what I should read next, first I make sure there’s nothing new (or old) in Liane’s bibliography. Recommend (always).
The Guest List (5 stars)
What a captivating thriller. I love the setting (an isolated island in Ireland) and the way it serves as an additional character. It is uber multi POV so beware—if this isn’t your thing, you’ve been warned. I think it works beautifully in this genre. Recommend.
Home Before Dark (5 stars)
Riley Sager!!! His “ghost stories” are the best ghost stories. Recommend.
Anxious People (5 stars)
This title tops my TOP 2 PICKS list. This too is a multiple POV work and boy, is it clever and poignant and moving. What beautiful writing! I shall (literally shall—have the duty to!) read more by this genius author. Highly recommend.
My Friend Anna (4 stars)
This is one of the two non-fiction books I read this year. I can’t believe this real-life story missed me in real life. I came across this title in an Amazon store and the title itself sounded intriguing. It is fascinating to read the account of the poor woman swindled out of tens of thousands of dollars. The psychology of it! Recommend as a study in human psyche and the tales we tell ourselves.
How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t with Your Kids (5 stars)
This is that other non-fiction title I read this year. I needed this, specifically this year and how much stress it dumped all over all of us. This isn’t a parenting book (those, I loathe!) but rather a reminder to put your own oxygen mask on first, literally. It’s really been helping me take a step back and take stock of what I am feeling and what is making me feel and act a certain way. And who can’t benefit from that. Highly recommend.
The Sundown Motel (3.5 stars)
I’ve been meaning to read this book since it came out. I’m sorry to say this but it let me down a bit, specifically the supernatural aspect of it. The suspense storyline is strong enough without the gratuitous ghosts. Kinda recommend.
It’s disappointing that the last book I read this year was not my favorite, but I have high hopes for the novel I am reading now—Leave the World Behind. I’m about half way in and the writing is so sharp, it leaves me breathless at times. I’m not sure I’ll finish it in time for it to count as a 2020 read but at least it’ll mean that 2021 will have a 5-star book kicking off its list.
Any fun reads to report?
Happy New Year! May 2021 be kind to us all.