The 56 books I read in 2021

2021 was a slow reading year. At some point mid year, I just stopped reading. I was really anxious about getting paid to write about books and that anxiety came through in just…not reading at all. Anyway, here’s what I managed to read this year. Some of them are too short to really be “books” but for the purposes of Goodreads where I track my reading, they are.

I tend not to rate a book unless it’s a 4 or 5-star rating. Not rating books at all is probably worse than rating it a 3 star but this is just what I do. I tend not to finish books that I feel like are less than 3- star because life is short and there are so many book choices and reading is (mostly) a personal pursuit, so why not enjoy it?

I discovered Talia Hibbert either in 2020 or 2019 but in 2021, I read a lot of her back catalogue. She writes mostly interracial romance with sex scenes that are at the edge of commercially published books.

Milk Fed was unlike anything I’ve read before. It’s fundamentally about mistaking obsession and infatuation for love even though the blurb won’t say that.

I found open water so lyrical and beautiful but when we read it in a book club, most people didn’t like it. It’s a book that’s written very inwards, with a lot of thoughts and feelings of the protagonist more than outward with plenty of action and dialogue. I’d say, like I advise for all books you want to read, download a sample- amazon and iTunes (where I buy 90 percent of my books) let you download samples of most (or all) books. The sample length differs but there’s generally enough to get a feel of the book. If you prefer physical books or don’t shop on those stores, you can still download samples there and decide what to buy. Very rarely do I buy books without first reading a sample unless I already trust (or want to support) the author.

I finally read Atomic Habits and can I say something that will no doubt lead to judgment? He sounded a lot like me. In fact, I believe that one of the reasons I read it was because someone messaged me to tell me that, but a lot of the habit formation tools and principles are ones I’ve talked about a lot- but he had the number one bestselling book on amazon (across all categories) in 2021- so it’s safe to say, me and him are not the same.

Finlay Donovan is killing it was such a fun read- completely different to what I would normally read but the writing was fast and compelling and the plot was oh so ridiculous- but in a good way. Basically, a babe is talking to her agent about a book idea and someone thinks she’s a hitman and pays her to kill someone.

The Split was kind of different to what I expected- it was kind of accidentally finding yourself in the process of trying to win back the person who dumped you.

I really loved so many of the books in this but she drives me crazy was a five star read for me because it really did a good job at exploring so many hard feelings, such as how difficult it can be to let go of an old relationship even if you’ve moved on from it.

Seven Days in June is a plot that I enjoyed because it’s something I’ve been into all year- ex romantic partners finding their way back to each other after they’ve had time to grow apart.

Made in Korea is a cute YA love story about two teens competing in Korean skincare businesses at school.

Just last night is about what happens when you’ve loved your best friend for years and are finally ready to confront that

Excuse me while I ugly cry is about a babe who is blackmailed to face her fears by facing the fears on her list of worst fears

Where the rhythm takes you is set in Tobago where Reyna chose to stay when her boyfriend moved to the US. Now he’s back as a famous international superstar and they have to confront the things they never faced up to.

The mismatch was great because while the premise was a popular one-two people in love who can’t seem to make a relationship work- the way it delved into it was unique. It also explored how our parents, childhoods and demons affect how we come to love and relationships as adults.

I’ve read all of Chibundu’s work but Sankofa is definitely my favourite of hers. It’s about a biracial woman that seeks to find and know her dad- An African dictator after finding her mum’s old journal.

I haven’t watched Manifest (well, I’ve watched one episode) but I imagine that the plot of your life has been delayed is very much like Manifest. Manifest, I believe, has a plane landing and 5 years have passed- in this book, 25 years have passed so that makes the plot kind of different.

In 2022, I have no reading goals whatsoever. For the first time ever, I also don’t have an extensive TBR list. I find that I’m always excited to read what’s new and I still have a lot of books that were new when I got them but are now “old” that I want to catch up on. I also find that I’m a bit tired of trope romance (my definition for romance that follows the standard format - people meet, people fall in love, people have a minor obstacle which they overcome to be happy together forever. While I’ve enjoyed many a trope romance in my life, I just enjoy more stories that take those stories and go a little bit deeper. What happens if you’re in love and your demons stop you from being able to have a healthy relationship? what if you’re in love but it’s with someone you shouldn’t be in love? what if yoi’re in love but it’s too scary? What happens if you’re in love but you’re bad at communication? or you have an opportunity you can’t refuse? Love isn’t some magical elixir that replaces every other thing in life and while I understand the comfort in those stories- a lot of it reads like fantasy to me- a genre I’m simply not into.

Here’s to discovering new characters and stories in 2022.

The 8 Books I Read in May 2020

What a month May ended up being. This year is the tipping point of years of boiling points reached at the same time. I did all my May reading in the few days where my mind seemed to be able to finally focus on reading words in actual pages and paragraphs and not 280 character posts. Unsurprisingly, the reading was very light and fun and I re-discovered a love for romance (that seems to have disappeared this month).

You Deserve Each Other- Sarah Hogle

An engaged couple realises neither of them wants to get married and tries to make the other person cancel the wedding first. The premise was far more interesting than the execution and it was a good 100- 150 pages too long. Basically, nothing happened. It’s getting made into a movie, so that may make the story come more alive.

The Henna Wars -Adiba Jaigirdar

After Nishat decides to come out as a lesbian to her family, she decides to do a henna booth for her class business competition. When a new friend chooses the same idea, their budding friendship turns into a rivalry. This was very well written and explored. The relationships were well developed and racism and homophobia were tackled in a very thoughtful way. Highly recommend.

Dominicana-Angie Cruz

A story of a new Dominicana bride married off by her family for a chance to move to America. It’s a journey of her first year in America finding her feet. It’s a compelling story.

Temptation -Kris Bryant

A nanny and her boss start to fall for each other. I haven’t read standard romance that was so well written in a while.

Late to the Party- Kelly Quindlen

This ended up being really different to what I expected it to be, but in a good way. It’s a book about a babe that has a reckoning about her entire life in her last year of high school and realises she wants more than to do the same things with the same people over and over. She goes to a party and meets someone who changes the trajectory of the year.

Parachutes - Kelly Yang

This was on my to- read for so long that I read it on the release date. It ended up being extremely different to what I expected. It tackled rape, sexual assault, class discrimination, sexuality and racism. I truthfully expected it to have more of a crazy rich Asians vibe because of the synopsis, but it was completely different to that and packed with very very big important discussions.

30 dates in 30 days-Elle Spencer

Goodreads recommended this to me based on temptation and it was so good. Veronica hasn’t had much luck dating, so her mum and personal assistant sign her up to a dating site and convince her to go on 30 dates in 30 days. This is romance, so of course she meets the love of her life but the journey and supporting characters are so interesting. I really enjoyed this.

The Best Laid Plans-Cameron Lund

Keely goes into her senior year wanting to lose her virginity before college. When she starts dating a guy in college, she sets a deadline. The story is one of friendship and growing up and how much imaginary peer pressure can skew your perception of the world.

The Five Books I Read in April 2020

I’m surprised I even read 5 books in April- honestly, it felt more like 2. There was a night I woke up at 2am and couldn’t get back to sleep at 5am and I just read and that was the most focused reading I did the whole month. I don’t know what it is about daytime reading that’s so distracting in a way that it isn’t at night? That’s something to think about another day!

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It’s Not all Downhill From Here- Terry McMillan

Terry McMillan of Waiting to Exhale and How Stella Got Her Groove back fame came out with a new book and even though I hadn’t actually read any of the 11 or so books she has, I jumped at this one. First of all, I don’t think I’m the correct audience for the book- she’s 68 and writing about 68 year olds living their best lives! But it was an easy read and I enjoyed getting a different perspective.

New Waves-Kevin Nguyen

This is a book about two unlikely friends in tech who steal data from the company they work for. When one of them dies, the other is faced with the reality that he didn’t really know his friend.

This is one of those books where the book is the prose and the plot is secondary. If you’ve read Sally Rooney for example, it’s the same sort of “day to day” writing style. It was alright, another easy read, but if you like plots more than prose, this isn’t for you.

Anna K: A Love Story- Jenny Lee

Only after I finished this, did I realise it was a retelling of Anna Karenina (which I never read). It’s kind of in that crazy rich asian style- wealthy teenagers and their antics. It was entertaining at times, but sometimes I skipped over the detailed descriptions of expensive things. Some parts of the story made absolutely no sense to me, but I guess the fact that it’s a retelling puts it in context and some storylines had to bend to fit the original story.

The Switch- Beth O’Leary

I really enjoyed Beth O’ Leary’s debut so I was excited to read this and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s the story of a burnt out consultant living in London and dealing with the grief of losing her sister and her grandma who is finding her stride after a divorce deciding to switch places for a month. It’s very wholesome and enjoyable, with the grandma bring the London neighbours closer together and rediscovering parts of herself and the consultant finally dealing with the grief of losing her sister.

Clap when you Land- Elizabeth Acevedo

After a plane crash, the secret of a man having two families is out and the families have to deal with his secret.

For some reason, because of the way it was written in verse, it was very hard for me to get into. The book is told from the perspective of his two daughters and I kept losing which daughter was which, I don’t think their voices were distinctive enough, at least at the beginning. It was good, but I didn’t leave it feeling like I really knew any of the characters.

The Nine Books I Read in March 2020

Blitzed Alexa Martin.jpeg

This is a book that had been on my TBR for a long time after reading Alexa Martin’s first two books. She writes books in the football (American) universe, so characters are usually a football player and a woman. This followed the same format in that regards. The man was a footballer and the woman was a bar owner in the same ecosystem as the characters in the first two books. I really found it hard to get engaged because the story wasn’t very engaging to me, especially compared to the first two books (and particularly the first). I didn’t buy into the love story and the male protagonist raised a lot of red flags that were brushed under the carpet and maybe I’m just too old to find stuff like that romantic. The story just dragged and dragged and it felt a bit like it was written because it had to be? Not like the author really connected with the story. There’s a new instalment coming later this year and I’m still going to read it because, black love.

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sick bay

Sick Bay- Nova Weetman

This book is about two girls who often end up in the school sick bay and become friends. It’s a middle grade book and it’s really cute, even when dealing with some weighty issues. It’s also one of the few times i’ve read an Australian author.

Tiffany sly lives here

I read this during the peak of my covid anxiety and managed to stay engaged. Tiffany has to go and live with her dad that she finds out about after her mum dies. Just before she leaves, another man shows up that could also be her dad. Before she can find out for sure in a week, she has to try and settle into a new life that may or may not be permanent. I’m often not a fan of books set in a rigid time frame as the plot can get long winded, but this really worked. The characters were flawed and interesting and it was really engaging. Recommend!

the unhoneymooners

This is one I had in my library for ages and finally decided to read and I’m glad because it was really fun. When A bride and groom are unable to go on their honeymoon, her twin sister and his brother have to step in to take their place. They spend the honeymoon falling in love until (obviously) disaster strikes. You have to read the rest in the story.

when you were everything

This is a book that details the end of a friendship going between now and then. It reminds me a lot of one of my top books from last year, but is also a great book in it’s own right. I love books about friendships ending because it’s always so subtle and complex. Sigh.

last couple standing

When three couples in a four couple friendship group get divorced, the last couple is feeling the pressure and decide to open their relationship in order to save it. What could go wrong? I really enjoyed this one because it looked at marriage, relationships and ageing in a realistic way, but it all wasn’t too heavy. I really enjoyed it.

the nearness of you

This really annoyed me to be honest. I only bought it because a really big book club recommended it as like a MUST READ and was like “if you love Cameron and Lauren’s relationship, you’ll love this”. Firstly, I don’t care about Cameron and Lauren’s relationship one way or the other but I bring it up to say that it is NOTHING like Cameron and Lauren’s relationship and secondly, Cameron and Lauren are the most successful couple from Love is Blind. This is a book about a women who meets a man briefly in a cinema and then some amount of time later, he turns up as her best friend’s boyfriend and then roommate. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that they fall in love (obviously while trying not to cross any lines). Lol. Yeah, no.

goodbye perfect

When Eden’s best friend runs away with her boyfriend, who turns out to be a teacher, she keeps her secret. As police get involved and parents get more and more worried, she starts to wonder if she made the right call. The book focuses on Eden protecting her friend, rather than the relationship between teacher and minor which I think made the plot stronger. Really good read.

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This is really hard to review. It’s a fictional book about a girl who gets into a relationship with her teacher when she’s 15 (aka is groomed and molested) and then is forced to question that relationship in her 30s when it surfaces that he did it to someone else. Abuse is a very hard subject to write about especially in fiction and I don’t know how successful this was in doing that, which for me feels hard to say because it’s such a weighty subject but it’s also fiction. I have to ask myself, what was the author’s intention? Because I don’t know. It left me with a taste in my mouth, I can’t explain it. I don’t feel like the main character was written as a whole person but maybe that was the author’s intention.

The 4 books I read in February 2020

It Sounded Better In My Head - When her two best friends start dating, Natalie is suddenly a third wheel, but she’s also taken aback because she kind of thought she and Zach would always end up together. On top of that, her parents are getting divorced and seem to be taking it too well. The story follows Natalie trying to work through everything that seems to be falling apart and figuring out how to enjoy her final high school year without blowing up her life any further.

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Black Sunday- when their parents abandon them with their grandmother in search of different lives, they each have to find their own way to cope and create their own lives. This story follows each child in alternating chapters till they grow up. It’s set in a fictional but realistic Lagos.

A Particular Kind of Black Man- When Tunde’s mum leaves he and his brother in America in a midwestern town, it begins and adventure that includes moving every couple of months and starting over. Tunde starts to lose grasp on reality, often living a thought and remembering things that never happened. As he loses grip on his thoughts and memories, he decides to take a trip to Nigeria to visit his mother who suffered from mental health issues as well. The book read like a memoir and was a different kind of storytelling. Like The Millions Lives of Neena Gill, it puts you in the mind of Tunde, which means you start to doubt everything in the story too.

The Right Swipe- when Rhiannon runs into the guy that ghosted her at an app event, her first instinct is to put her guard up and ignore everything he has to say. Their work for rival dating apps throws them together and soon, she’s willing to accept that he’s more than the jerk she assumed him to be. It wasn’t as engaging as I expected because it tried to address too many issues in sub plots and be as diverse as possible which just ended up distracting from the romance. However, it was still an enjoyable read.


the 11 books i read in january 2020

Every Reason We Shouldn’t – enjoyable and well rounded read. Romantic YA (Young Adult) novels tend to focus on romance and nothing else, this was an exception. The characters, their voices and actions were well formed and there was a good balance between showing and telling motivations. I was sad for this fictional world to end.

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 Would Like to meet- I enjoyed this way more than I expected to. Evie with a promotion on the line, agrees to re-enact meet cute situations to inspire a scriptwriter at her agency to finish his rom com script. Cue clumsy romance scenarios and multiple love interests.

 Before and After the Book Deal: a writer’s Guide to finishing, publishing, promoting and surviving your first book- as someone that is on a journey to acquiring a book deal, this was on my must read for the year and it was well written and easy to read. If you’re someone that loves to research, most of the information is pretty available online, but something like this pulls all the important stuff into one place.

Loveboat, Taipei- Ever is sent to a summer camp in Taiwan for fellow foreign students to learn more about their home country. The camp ends up being more fun and drama than she expected and allows her to explore herself away from her parents.

I’m Not Dying With You Tonight- a white and black high school student get stuck finding their way home together during police riots. During their journey home, they find out more about each others lives and points of view and examine previously held prejudices. I usually avoid plots that take place in a short time frame because I tend to find it repetitive and long winded, but it actually worked here and was a quick easy read.

From the Desk of Zoe Washington- when Zoe opens a letter addressed to her that she isn’t supposed to have, she finds that its from her father in jail. Knowing her parents wouldn’t allow her to speak to him, she starts a secret correspondence with hum and leafs to her finding out complicated information.

The Fitness Chef: Eat What You Like & Lose Weight For Life- if you follow Graeme on instagram, this book is basically a reprise of his instragram and doesn’t really say much else that’s new. I think the “lose weight for life” is a bit of a marketing gimmick because what does that even mean, but he talks about energy balance and encourages

Not so pure and Simple- when Del feels like he may miss an opportunity to finally get with his long term crush, Kiera, he enters a purity pledge at church to be closer to her. What follows is his examination of friendship, sexuality, faith and family.

What I carry- this is a look at the American foster care system from a different perspective. With only one year left in foster care, Muir has learnt to not form attachments, or roots and to only own what she can carry in her suitcase. Her final placement leads her to people that are life changing which upsets her idea of everything she has fought so hard to believe. While it was nice to read a different perspective of foster care (the author adopted a daughter that was previously in foster care), the story fell a bit flat in places and the character motivations were kind of flat. It was a quick, don’t want to think too much kind of read.

The million pieces of Neena Gill- this was a very hard read because it was told from the point of view of someone that was experiencing psychosis after the disappearance of her brother- the unreliable narration, the way incidents were skewed, the flawed relationships- it was very well done, but I felt like I needed a break after because of the intensity.

Nothing to see here- When Madison invites her old school friend to babysit her step kids, Lilian jumps at the offer because she has nothing else going on. What she doesn’t expect is that the twins sometimes burst into flames. The books explores the relationship between Lilian and the twins as she learns about them and tries to control the fire.

12 of my best reads of 2019

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So far this year, I’ve read one hundred and one books. I know- it’s crazy. It’s more exciting because my goal was 52. For the past two years, I’ve set a 100 books goal and made it, but just. After last year, I was TIRED, so tired, I considered not setting a goal at all, but I decided to set a goal for 52- one book every week, easy peasy. It’s true what they say- small goals work. Anyway, it’s a bit premature, but I thought I’d do my top books of the year, for people looking to buy books as gifts or whatever. If I read another amazing book, I’ll update this list at the end of the year.

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The Farm- Joanna Ramos

Synopsis- Ambitious businesswoman Mae Yu runs Golden Oaks - a luxury retreat transforming the fertility industry. There, women get the very best of everything: organic meals, fitness trainers, daily massages and big money. Provided they dedicate themselves to producing the perfect baby. For someone else. 

Jane is a young immigrant in search of a better future. Stuck living in a cramped dorm with her baby daughter and her shrewd aunt Ate, she sees an unmissable chance to change her life. But at what cost?

My thoughts- I loved this book so much, I dropped it occasionally to run round the room in excitement because the author is just so good with words. I received an ARC (advanced readers copy) and was dying for it to come out so everyone could read it. The book is diverse and the characters and their motivations are complex, but the complexity isn’t forced down your throat. Definitely one of my top reads this year.

Where to buy- Amazon UK

Her Royal Highness - Rachel Hawkins

Synopsis- Millie Quint is devastated when she discovers that her sort-of-best friend/sort-of-girlfriend has been kissing someone else. Heartbroken and ready for a change of pace, Millie decides to apply for scholarships to boarding schools . . . the farther from Houston the better. Soon, Millie is accepted into one of the world's most exclusive schools, located in the rolling highlands of Scotland. Here, the country is dreamy and green; the school is covered in ivy, and the students think her American-ness is adorable. The only problem: Mille's roommate Flora is a total princess. She's also an actual princess. Of Scotland. At first, the girls can't stand each other, but before Millie knows it, she has another sort-of-best-friend/sort-of-girlfriend. Princess Flora could be a new chapter in her love life, but Millie knows the chances of happily-ever-afters are slim . . . after all, real life isn't a fairy tale . . . or is it?

My thoughts- This book took me out of a reading slump. It was so easy to read and the plot was fresh (I know it sounds like the most cliché plot ever but somehow the author managed to make it fresh). It’s one of my favourite reads this year for enjoyability alone!

Where to buy- amazon

More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are (No Matter What They Say)- Elaine Welteroth

Blurb- In this part-manifesto, part-memoir, the revolutionary editor who infused social consciousness into the pages of Teen Vogue explores what it means to come into your own – on your own terms.

My thoughts- I have to say, I had never followed Elaine Welteroth’s career, I found out about her from Project Runway. When her book was released, I realised I hadn’t picked up enough non-fiction, so I decided to read it and I was really pleased. Her trajectory is very interesting, becoming the youngest editor in chief at Conde Nast by the time she was 30 and for once, she actually detailed how she got there. In these memoirs, people often gloss over their path to success by Elaine does not, including lucky breaks, her hard work and people that helped along the way. It’s not all work though, she also talks about romantic relationships (past and present), family and friendship. Very easy and enjoyable read.

Where to buy- amazon

Big Magic- Elizabeth Gilbert

Synopsis-Whether you long to write a book, create art, cope with challenges at work, embark on a long-held dream, or simply to make your everyday life more vivid and rewarding, Big Magic will take you on a journey of exploration filled with wonder and unexpected joys. Readers of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration from Elizabeth Gilbert’s books for years. Now, this beloved author shares her wisdom and unique understanding of creativity, shattering the perceptions of mystery and suffering that surround the process – and showing us all just how easy it can be.

My thoughts- I’m a fan of books that just give you a boost of inspiration and that’s why I like this. Elizabeth Gilbert talks about overcoming fear in the creative process and actually doing your work- a struggle that at least 80 percent of creative people face! In fact, she might be part of the reason why this post is written and published right now! It’s a short book, under 200 pages, so it’s the perfect length to read quickly and get to work.

Where to buy- amazon

Technically, You started It- Lana Wood Johnson

Blurb-A hilarious, snarky, and utterly addicting #ownvoices debut that explores friendship, sexual orientation, mental health, and falling in love (even if things might be falling apart around you).

My thoughts- I really loved this book. Part of it was the epistolary format (the entire book is in text messages) and the rest of it is just enjoying the characters and their relationship. It was all just very enjoyable.

Where to buy- amazon

Love Double Dutch- Doreen Spicer-Dannelly

Synopsis-Brooklyn middle-schooler MaKayla can only think about one thing--taking her double Dutch team all the way to the National Jump-off at Madison Square Garden. That is, until her mother breaks the news. Kayla has to spend the summer at her aunt's house in North Carolina while her parents work out their problems . . . or decide to call it quits. 

Kayla does not feel at home in the South, and she certainly doesn't get along with her snooty cousin Sally. It looks like her Jump-off dreams are over. 

Hold the phone! Turns out, double Dutch is huge in the South. She and Sally just need to find two more kids for a team. And a routine. And the confidence to stand up to the double Dutch divas who used to be Sally's BFFs. Time to show those Southern belles some Brooklyn attitude!

My thoughts- another middle grade book on my list of faves. Middle grade books are aimed at 8-12 year olds and I must be 10 in my heart, because I really fell in love with them this year. You know those movies that were all the rage in the noughties where there would be come kind of competition- cheerleading, dancing, jump rope, spelling, whatever and then the main character would have to overcome obstacles to get to the finish line, this was exactly like that, and it was a very fun journey.

Where to buy-amazon

For Black Girls like me- Cariama J. Lockington

Synopsis-Makeda June Kirkland is eleven years old, adopted, and black. Her parents and big sister are white, and even though she loves her family very much, Makeda often feels left out. When Makeda's family moves from Maryland to New Mexico, she leaves behind her best friend, Lena— the only other adopted black girl she knows— for a new life. In New Mexico, everything is different. At home, Makeda’s sister is too cool to hang out with her anymore and at school, she can’t seem to find one real friend.

Through it all, Makeda can’t help but wonder: What would it feel like to grow up with a family that looks like me?

My thoughts- the fact that this book was based a bit on the author’s actual life made it that much more deep. I have never read a story with this specific plot before and it really made me think of things I hadn’t thought of before. There are a lot of stories about not fitting into your family, but the idea of literally, obviously standing out in this way was an interesting subject to explore.

Where to buy- amazon

The Revolution of Birdie Randolph- Brandy Colbert

Synopsis- Dove "Birdie" Randolph works hard to be the perfect daughter and follow the path her parents have laid out for her: She quit playing her beloved soccer, she keeps her nose buried in textbooks, and she's on track to finish high school at the top of her class. But then Birdie falls hard for Booker, a sweet boy with a troubled past...whom she knows her parents will never approve of. 

When her estranged aunt Carlene returns to Chicago and moves into the family's apartment above their hair salon, Birdie notices the tension building at home. Carlene is sweet, friendly, and open-minded--she's also spent decades in and out of treatment facilities for addiction. As Birdie becomes closer to both Booker and Carlene, she yearns to spread her wings. But when long-buried secrets rise to the surface, everything she's known to be true is turned upside down.

My thoughts- this had all the things I loved about young adult fiction. True growth and kind of that first step that makes you glimpse what adult life will truly be like. I loved the imperfect characters and the way the story broke the mould of the typical girl meets boy falls in love and nothing else important happens.

Where to buy- amazon

Frankly in Love- David Yoon

Synopsis- Frank Li is caught between his parents' expectations and his own California life. Frank's parents emigrated from Korea, and have pretty much one big rule for Frank - he must only date Korean girls. But Frank has fallen for Brit, who is smart, beautiful and white. His friend Joy Song is in the same boat and so they make a pact: they'll pretend to date each other in order to gain their freedom. Frank thinks fake-dating is the perfect plan, but it leaves him wondering if he ever really understood love - or himself - at all.

My thoughts- when I say I came for one story and left with something completely different! This book is so much deeper, more thoughtful and way more interesting than the blurb suggests. The story speaks on the American immigrant experience, not fitting in, complex family dynamics, sexuality and taking responsibility for your choices on the way into adulthood.

Where to buy- amazon

The Private Joys of Nnenna Maloney- Okechukwu Nzelu

Synopsis-As Nnenna Maloney approaches womanhood she longs to connect with her Igbo-Nigerian culture. Her once close and tender relationship with her mother, Joanie, becomes strained as Nnenna begins to ask probing questions about her father, who Joanie refuses to discuss.

Nnenna is asking big questions of how to 'be' when she doesn't know the whole of who she is. Meanwhile, Joanie wonders how to love when she has never truly been loved. Their lives are filled with a cast of characters asking similar questions about identity and belonging whilst grappling with the often hilarious encounters of everyday Manchester.

My thoughts- what a delightful read. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I pre-ordered this because it was by a Nigerian (duh). The story I got was so much more layered than I expected. It’s really a story on identity, a struggle that all the characters share. Even though Nnenna is trying to connect to a Nigerian identity, this book is not a Nigerian story. It is far more accurate to think of it as a British story. Very very very good book.

Where to buy- amazon

In Five Years- Rebecca Serle

Synopsis-Type-A Manhattan lawyer Dannie Kohan has been in possession of her meticulously crafted answer since she understood the question. On the day that she nails the most important job interview of her career and gets engaged to the perfect man, she's well on her way to fulfilling her life goals.
That night Dannie falls asleep only to wake up in a different apartment with a different ring on her finger, and in the company of a very different man. The TV is on in the background, and she can just make out the date. It's the same night - December 15th - but 2025, five years in the future.
It was just a dream, she tells herself when she wakes, but it felt so real... Determined to ignore the odd experience, she files it away in the back of her mind.
That is, until four and a half years later, when Dannie turns down a street and there, standing on the corner, is the man from her dream...

My thoughts- again, this is one that has a misleading synopsis - when I requested this ARC, I really thought it would be this time travel love story. It turned out to actually mostly be a story about friendship and relationships - I was completely surprised but in a good way.

Where to buy- amazon (to be released March 2020)

We Used to be Friends- Amy Spalding

Synopsis-Told in dual timelines half of the chapters moving forward in time and half moving backward We Used to Be Friends explores the most traumatic breakup of all: that of childhood besties. At the start of their senior year in high school, James (a girl with a boy's name) and Kat are inseparable, but by graduation, they re no longer friends. James prepares to head off to college as she reflects on the dissolution of her friendship with Kat while, in alternating chapters, Kat thinks about being newly in love with her first girlfriend and having a future that feels wide open. Over the course of senior year, Kat wants nothing more than James to continue to be her steady rock, as James worries that everything she believes about love and her future is a lie when her high-school sweetheart parents announce they re getting a divorce. Funny, honest, and full of heart, We Used to Be Friends tells of the pains of growing up and growing apart.

My thoughts- I requested this ARC because I am a sucker for a book about friendship and this book over delivered, wow! It explored the complexity of how friendships fall apart and how one day, your best friend could be the closest person to you and the next, they could be a complete stranger. Loved loved loved and I hope for more books about friendship.

Where to buy-amazon (to be released Feb, 2020)

 

My Top Books of 2018

Since I didn’t get round to reviewing books in 2018, I thought I’d throw in some books I loved from last year as well.

Except you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of My Sister the Serial Killer and it absolutely lives up to the hype. Don’t expect complex writing, all the joy is in the easy to read prose. Buy here.

An American Marriage is so popular that the author’s previous book is having a wave of popularity. This book is so well written, it’s unbelievable. The plot is deep and layered, but I think the strength of the book is really in the writing. Buy here.

Turtles All the Way Down is the first book I read about anxiety after I realised I had anxiety and it perfectly captured so many of the complex mental battles of anxiety. I was really happy to just feel seen. Buy here.

I don’t know what I expected from Gabrielle Union’s memoir but I didn’t expect to just want more! I was gutted when it finished, I wanted to rewind and read it again, but this time, read something that was magically twice the length. She surprised me. Buy here.






My Year In Books so far

The Girl on the Train

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Paula Hawkins

It's in that 'if you like gone girl, you'll like this category' but I kind of have to disagree. Gone girl isn't really a mystery so much as a journey to why two people are as messed up as they are. This is a mystery, as in you don't find out what happens till the very end. It was an easy read but it was all very surface in the end. It tried to cover so many issues- alcoholism, the fallout from losing a loved one, domestic abuse, being the other woman, therapy, sociopaths, child molesters, drug abuse, infidelity. Geez! Everything was very surface and I felt like maybe the author didn't particularly understand any of these issues in any depth. Then again, these are things we can observe without deep understanding right?

Hamilton High-The DUFF

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Kody Keplinger

Remember I blogged about the movie

the duff

before? Well, I got excited when I found out it was made from a book and decided to read it. Bad bad idea. The book doesnt have the same plot as the movie, from the trailer anyway, so it ended up being a book about teenage problems and teenage love and teenage bad decisions, which is great, but largely uninteresting the way this is written. It's no fault in our stars or perks of being a wallflower. Sigh.

The Fishermen

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Chigozie Obioma

A dark tragedy about brothers who get a prophecy from a mad man and how their lives change afterwards. I typically don't read anything dark so imagine my surprise when I got sucked into this by my love for reading African books. The book is very wordy, but the story is surprisingly engaging.

We Were Liars

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E.Lockhart

This book is supposed to be the bestest bestest book YA book ever if reviews are anything to go by. I did not find this to be so. It's about a group of teenagers who holiday on an island every summer and family secrets and the difficulty in being wealthy and etc. I think as I grow older, I fine YA fiction to be tedious. Teenagers are SO NARCISSISTIC in fiction. I just keep wanting to shout 'AAARGH!'

The Girl From Nowhere

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Dorothy Koomson

I love Dorothy Koomson. So whatever I'm reading at the time, I pause to read her when she has a new book out. The central theme of this book is adoption, feeling like an outsider and a splash of racism.  Although I found the protagonist childish for a 37 year old, it was an easy and enjoyable read that took only a few hours to get through.

Only Ever Yours

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Louise O'Neill

A dystopian novel about a school where women are groomed to become wives, concubines or nuns. I think writing in dystopian settings is an excuse sometimes to not try. As much as I got what the theme was - the story didn't really push any boundaries.

The Two of Us

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Andy Jones

An unconventional love story featuring massive age gaps, chastity, unexpected pregnancy and a hesitation that's often missing from written love stories.

The Dish

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Stella Newman

I read Stella Newmans debut book pear shaped and absolutely loved it. It was a honest telling of an overweight protagonist so when I saw that she has a new book, I almost broke my finger downloading it (and by downloading, i mean buying off amazon and downloading to my kindle). Its about a love story between a chef and an anonymous food critic. A book that has food as it's central element? I was sold before I even started and it was great. It's an easy escapist read.

Dangerous Girls

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Abigail Haas

A group of friends go on holiday and one of them ends up dead. Well, murdered. Who murdered her? The book is a juxtaposition between current courtroom events and flashbacks from the past. It made me scared to think how easily you could end up on the wrong side of the legal system in a foreign country.

If You Could Be Mine

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Sara Farizan

This book is set in Iran and is about two teenage lesbians who can't be together for obvious cultural reasons.  After reading Girls of Riyahd, set in Saudi Arabia, I gravitate towards books with a layered cultural background. This fell short. I don't know why I'm reading so many YA books this year. But I think I need to stop actually. There was a sense of desperation , but it didn't feel real. It felt, as usual, overly dramatic. I felt like the plot could have been so much more exploratory.  I wanted it to be more of a cultural discourse than it turned out to be.