I read 31 books in 2019... again. I also read 31 books in 2018, so I think I'll have to make my goal *32* books in 2020. Here's to more book clubs books, more book club friends, and more book clubs that don't even talk about the books! What should I read next?
Favorite Book: Recursion by Blake Crouch
Genre: Sci-Fi
Synopsis: A NYC cop investigates a death related to the mysterious False Memory Syndrome, which brings him to a woman who has dedicated her life to creating technology to preserve memory. But what if that technology got into the wrong hands?
Thoughts: From the first page I was hooked. Barry and Helena are characters that I rooted for from the beginning and never once wavered how I felt about them. I admit there were times I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to keep up with Crouch, but fear not, Crouch’s storytelling ability stands for itself.
Best Brain Exercise: The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis: What would you do if you discovered a book where you were the main character? What would you do if you found a painted door that leads to an underground library? Follow Zachary Ezra Rawlins as he falls in and out of stories that change the course of his life.
Thoughts: Reading The Starless Sea was ripping open a sparkly new release 500-piece jigsaw puzzle. (This may or may not be a metaphor). It doesn’t have a picture on the cover of the box. You study each individual piece carefully before placing it. You get about 400 pieces in, and feel an amazing sense of accomplishment at your ability to seemingly figure it out, only to realize at the end that you’re missing two critical pieces, which the manufacturer purposely left out. You’re left with a beautiful 498-piece puzzle put together but still secretly bothered by the two holes in your picture which could be any number of possibilities, leaving you scratching your head.
Most Charming: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
Genre: Romance, Humor
Synopsis: Don Tillman, professor of genetics, embarks upon The Wife Project - an evidence-based, statistical approach to finding "the one." Enter Rosie: a non-match for Don's quest but a project nonetheless.
Thoughts: 5 stars just for the narrator. Don Tillman is quirky and says what all of us are thinking. He made a book with a so-so plot interesting and engrossing.
Fastest Page Turner: The Whisper Man by Alex North
Genre: Thriller
Synopsis: A recently widowed father and son move to a new town, just as a young boy vanishes after hearing whispers at his window. The catch: the Infamous Whisper Man was caught 20 years ago. Is there an accomplice?
Thoughts: I read thrillers because I'm in the mood for something page-turning, creepy, and fast-paced, and The Whisper Man excelled in these categories. I really liked that the creepy things that happened in this book were *actually* creepy, and not just part of the over-used unreliable narrator trope.
Glad I Stuck With It: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doeer
Genre: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
Synopsis: World War II from the perspective of a blind French girl who flees her home in Paris and a German orphan boy who's skills are particularly helpful to the Germans.
Thoughts: During the first half of the book, I felt very distracted and wasn’t in a hurry to keep reading - it was a bit long at first. However, once it picked up, I'm glad I stuck with it. It was a perfect blend of hauntingly believable historical fiction and beautifully written thought-provoking literary fiction.
Best Beach Read: One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Genre: Chick-Lit
Synopsis: Emma and Jesse: high school sweethearts turned wedded bliss. One year into marriage, Jesse's helicopter goes down, gone forever. Years later, Emma moves home and finds love again with Sam. But then Jesse is found alive. Who is her one true love? Dun, dun, dun...
Thoughts: One True Loves is a quick, memorable, and surprisingly deep and thought-provoking love story. Both love stories were compelling, but I felt myself rooting for and ultimately agreeing with how the author wrapped up the story! This was my first TJR book, and I look forward to reading more of her books!
Most Eye-Opening: Bad Blood by John Carreyrou
Genre: Non-Fiction, Journalism
Synopsis: Theranos: the Silicon Valley startup focused on at-home blood tests. Elizabeth Holmes: Theranos CEO, dubbed the female Steve Jobs, worth $4.7 billion. Breaking News: Theranos is a scam and Elizabeth Holmes a fraud.
Thoughts: Carreyrou reports Theranos’ story from beginning to end in a riveting yet easy-to-understand way. It was neat reading about the Theranos scam from the journalist who first broke the story, and I can’t wait to watch the documentaries and movies that follow.
Best Discussion: Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield
Genre: Historical Fiction, Magical Realism
Synopsis: A dark midwinter’s night in an ancient inn on the River Thames. A man brings a drowned corpse of a little girl. Later, the dead girl stirs, returning to life. Is it a miracle? Who does she belong to?
Thoughts: It is a bit long winded, and nothing much unexpected happens, but I quite enjoyed that the book was a story in a story that the author ultimately leaves open-ended for the reader to decide if they want a whimsical or realistic explanation.
Because Everyone Else Did: From the Corner of the Oval by Beck Dorey-Stein
Genre: Memoir
Synopsis: A memoir from a young White House staffer, one of Barack Obama's stenographers. Her stories and journey to finding her place in the White House and in the world.
Thoughts: I liked it for all the small moments that wide-eyed Beck experiences in the White House and on Air Force One. I also learned there is a Mexican popsicle shop near my apartment called Pleasant Pops that I need to try. Beware: a messy love life and drama ensues. If you're looking for a more insightful memoir from the White House, I suggest Becoming by Michelle Obama.
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