Hey all! We did it! We made it through 2020. About six months ago, I posted about my reads for the first half of the year. Now I’m back with the update for my next six months of reading – the books I read this late summer, fall, and early winter! And since I was trying my hardest to demolish my NetGalley ARCs (I sort of did??), let me tell you… There were a LOT of reads.
So much has happened since I published my last bi-annual update in July. Then, I was living in PA with my parents and working two jobs. Now, I’m back in NYC and work at my regular job every other day, I WFH the other days. I do still get to see my parents, as I regularly test for COVID, and I would go crazy if it was just me, myself, and I.
Anyway, onto reading!
I set a goal of 156 books this year. That’s a lot for me, but I include picture books, as reading them is a big part of my job. I kicked butt on my goal. By the end of June, I read 80/156 books. By the end of the year, I had read 99 more books, for a total of 179 books! Go me!!
Here’s a recap of the standout books I read from July 1 through December 31.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you click on and/or purchase from some links, I make a portion of the sale. This helps keep Bitch Bookshelf running.
My First Read (of July)
Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I loved this dark, dystopian, subversive, and feminist spin on Cinderella. While I found it to be predictable, I think that’s because it was such an allegory for the way things have been for so long. An excellent read, and it fits nicely with the national summer reading theme! Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for giving me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
My Favorite Romance Read (…aside from my #1, most recent read, & my comfort read!)
A Rogue of One’s Own by Evie Dunmore
A Rogue of One’s Own by Evie Dunmore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
My most anticipated read of 2020, this was everything I wanted and more. Lucie and Tristan are both exceptional characters who undergo major development. This is a bit of a slow burn with some explosive erotic romance in the second half of the book. I loved the cameos from historical figures and LGBTQ+ representation. 💜 I normally write my full blog post right away, but I need some time to absorb how lovely this one was.
EDIT: I do want to share that I’ve seen some criticisms since finishing this novel, noting that a villain in this is a gay character who was spurned by another character romantically, and how this trope is problematic. I definitely can see that, though it didn’t occur to me during reading. I’m still on the fence about how I feel regarding this, as a lot of the arguments on Twitter I’ve seen surrounding this basically have argued the bisexual character isn’t “bi enough” anyway which is just fucking gross. 😕 I think this was more of a jealousy trope, in this situation, than homophobia. I also want to note this is not the main villain. But if this is content that would upset you, you may want to skip this book.
My Favorite Book Club Pick
Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged Glory by Raphael Bob-Waksberg
Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged Glory by Raphael Bob-Waksberg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I actually haven’t watched much of Bojack but I devoured this one. I genuinely liked all of the stories, and most of them made me laugh. One made me cry quite a few times. I genuinely enjoyed and related to this one.
My Favorite Children’s Read
I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James
I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What an amazing book – an empowering book, especially for Black boys. I love the illustrations and the powerful, poetic text.
My Quarantine Comfort Read
Unsolicited Duke Pic by Nico Rosso
Unsolicited Duke Pic by Nico Rosso
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was exactly the light-hearted novella I needed tonight. I bought this one for 99¢ on Kindle because I love Eva Leigh (a pen name of this author’s wife) and her Union of the Rakes series, and this one promised a backstory for one of the characters. (Though you definitely don’t need to read the series to appreciate this book at all.) Also, the title is hilarious. This went beyond my expectations of something quick and fun for a sexy, compelling read with two characters who communicate their feelings and desires while navigating a classist society and their power dynamics within it. I also loved the diverse cast and wanted to read even more about them!
My Favorite Audiobook (…aside from my favorite memoir!)
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a really interesting listen (as I enjoyed the audiobook version). I learned a lot about sleep, why it’s important, and how to achieve better sleep. (Am I going to cut out the caffeine and booze though? Probably not.) The narrator did an excellent job. I did tune out at times but this is a lengthy one so that’s understandable. I also had some qualms with the discussion of the future of sleep technology. Just casually mentioning how it can be monetized was a little too capitalist for me, and the notion of it impacting insurance rates as a good thing for all involved is downright terrifying IMO. Like cool, another way insurance companies can nickel and dime people. Big oof there. 😬 But it was still a really educational listen and I’ve been bringing it up in conversation a ton.
My Favorite Memoir
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What an amazing book. Chanel’s voice will stick with me for a long time. I highly recommend this book to anyone, especially fellow victims of sexual assault. Empowering and real. I listened to the audiobook on 1.3x.
My Favorite Indie Read
The Paris Affair by Susanne Dunlap
The Paris Affair by Susanne Dunlap
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I LOVED this book despite never having read the first two in the series – and now I want to. But even more than that, I want a Book 4! The characters, both real historical figures and fictional, were wonderful, and I was a SUCKER for the romantic tension. Theresa is such a fun narrator and I want to revisit this series ASAP. Look out for my full review at https://bitchbookshelf.com on October 11! My thanks to the author, publisher, and Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for giving me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
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My Favorite Reread
Snowballs by Lois Ehlert
Snowballs by Lois Ehlert
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Ehlert’s photographic collages are amazing as always, and this book has a ton of rich information on how snow forms, how animals prepare for snow, and different cultures’ winter clothing.
My Most Recent Read (as of December 31)
The Duke Undone by Joanna Lowell
The Duke Undone by Joanna Lowell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wrote a blog post about my top ten books I read this year and published it today, and this one should have made the list. I need to sleep on it before going into my full, gushing review, which will be on https://bitchbookshelf.com. My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for giving me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
My Absolute Favorite Read
Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade
Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What an excellent romance. I laughed, I cried, I fanned myself, I highlighted every hilarious reference to the awful final season of GoT. One of the best romances I have read this year and I am excited for more from the author!
Overall, I had a great reading year in 2020. While the first half was good, the second half was great! Use the links above to add these books to your Amazon wish list or cart or Goodreads! I highly recommend them all.
