2021 Reading Challenges - Ya'll Know I Love a List

 Current read: This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens

Current Listen: Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

Happy New Year! If you've followed my reading for awhile, you might remember that for several years now I've done the PopSugar Reading Challenge. I love this challenge because it stretches me JUST ENOUGH so that I explore new genres, but I also don't feel like I'm reading for "homework." I still read exactly what I want to read. In 2021, I went a little crazy and decided to ALSO try the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge, which has fewer, but more challenging, prompts. Well--I did it! I completed both challenges! Will I do them both again next year? Um...probably not. I'll probably draw inspiration from them, but this year I'm pretty committed to reading whatever I want. We'll see. For now, though, enjoy my completed 2021 reading challenges! Let me know if you read and loved any of these, or if you have a reading challenge to recommend!

Book Riot Read Harder 2021

Read a book you’ve been intimidated to read: Native Son by Richard Wright

Read a nonfiction book about anti-racism: Waking Up White by Debbie Irving

Read a non-European book in translation: Open Veins of Latin America by Eduardo Galeano

Read an LGBTQ+ history book: Queer History of the United States by Michael Bronski

Read a genre novel by an Indigenous, First Nations, or Native American author: Firekeeper's 

Daughter by Angeline Boulley 

Read a fanfic: Midnight Snowman by fandom_wh0re (Nathan/Youssef from Heartstopper)

Read a fat-positive romance: Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert 

Read a romance by a trans or nonbinary author: The Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Read a middle grade mystery: Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow 

by Jessica Townsend

Read an SFF anthology edited by a person of color: A Phoenix First Must Burn 

edited by Patrice Caldwell

Read a food memoir by an author of color: Yes Chef by Marcus Samuelsson

Read a work of investigative nonfiction by an author of color: Locking Up Our Own 

by James Forman Jr. 

Read a book with a cover you don’t like: Loud Mouth by Avery Flynn

Read a realistic YA book not set in the U.S., UK, or Canada: Samira Surfs 

by Rukhsanna Guidroz

Read a memoir by a Latinx author: In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

Read an own voices book about disability: Being Heumann by Judith Heumann

Read an own voices YA book with a Black main character that isn’t about Black pain: 

You Should See Me In a Crown by Leah Johnson

Read a book by/about a non-Western world leader: The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

Read a historical fiction with a POC or LGBTQ+ protagonist: Indigo by Beverly Jenkins

Read a book of nature poems: Space Struck by Paige Lewis

Read a children’s book that centers a disabled character but not their disability: A Gentleman’s 

Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Read a book set in the Midwest: The Kindest Lie by Nancy Johnson

Read a book that demystifies a common mental illness: How To Catch a Queen by Alyssa Cole

Read a book featuring a beloved pet where the pet doesn’t die: Isn’t It Bromantic? By Lyssa Kay Adams

Popsugar Reading Challenge

A book that’s published in 2021: Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

A genre hybrid: One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

An Afrofuturist book: An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

A book set mostly or entirely outdoors: The Deep by Rivers Solomon

A book that has a heart, diamond, club, or spade on the cover: A Good Kind of Trouble 

by Lisa Moore Ramee

A book with something broken on the cover: Make Up Break Up by Lily Menon

A book by an author who shares your zodiac sign: Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit

A book by a Muslim American author: American Street by Ibi Zoboi

A dark academia book: Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

A book that was published anonymously: A Woman in Berlin

A book with an oxymoron in the title: Second First Impressions by Sally Thorne

A book with a gem, mineral, or rock in the title: The Final Revival of Opal and Nev 

by Dawnie Walton

A book about do-overs or fresh starts: Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

A book where the main character works at your current or dream job: 

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

A magical realism book: Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri

A book set in multiple countries: Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo

A book that has won the Women’s Prize For Fiction: Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie

A book set somewhere you’d like to visit in 2021: King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender

A book with a family tree: The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom

A book by a blogger, vlogger, YouTube video creator, or other online personality: 

The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr. 

A bestseller from the 1990s: The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

A book about forgetting: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

A book whose title starts with Q, X, or Z: Queerstory by Rebecca Strickson

A book you have seen on someone’s bookshelf: Aristotle and Dante 

Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

A book featuring three generations: Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams

A locked-room mystery: Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

A book about a social justice issue: This Is My America by Kim Johnson

A book set in a restaurant: Tweet Cute by Emma Lord

A book in a different format than what you normally read: Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

A book with a black-and-white cover: A Promised Land by Barack Obama

A book by an Indigenous author: Crazy Brave by Joy Harjo

A book that has fewer than 1000 reviews on Goodreads: Somebody Give 

This Heart a Pen by Sophia Thakur

A book that has the same title as a song: Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur

A book you think your best friend would like: The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George

A book about a subject you are passionate about: What It’s Like to Be a Bird by David Alan Sibley

A book about art or an artist: Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam

A book that discusses body positivity: Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai

A book everyone seems to have read but you: Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

A book found on a Black Lives Matter reading list: Pushout by Monique W. Morris

Your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR reading challenge (a book by two female authors): 

You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar

Advanced:

The longest book (by pages) on your TBR list: African American Poetry: 

250 Years of Struggle and Strong, edited by Kevin Young

The shortest book (by pages) on your TBR list: I Hate Men by Pauline Harmange

The book on your TBR list with the prettiest cover: Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

The book on your TBR list with the ugliest cover: The Men Who Stare at Goats by Jon Ronson

The book that’s been on your TBR list for the longest amount of time: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

A book from your TBR list you meant to read last year but didn’t: Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds

A book from your TBR list you associate with a favorite person, place, or thing: The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary

A book from your TBR list chosen at random: What’s Mine and Yours by Naima Coster

A DNF book from your TBR list: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

A free book from your TBR list: Stand Up Yumi Chung by Jessica Kim

Extremely Belated April Reading Wrap Up

Current read: Make Up Break Up by Lily Menon

Current listen: A Promised Land by Barack Obama

Hello all! This is...not a Youtube video. May is CRAZY BUSY for teachers, and with more and more people fully vaccinated my social life is beginning to actually be a thing that takes up my time. And then when I finally did have time to film last weekend, I totally lost my voice. Thus, no video. 

April was also just a weird reading month for me. The Oscars were in April this year, and the movie awards season is another really intense hobby of mine. Most of my hobbies are pretty intense tbh. The internet calls what I do the "Oscars death race," where you try to see every single Oscar-nominated film before the Oscars actually happen. This year was not NEARLY as fun without movie theatres, so I procrastinated to the point where I had to find time to watch 15 movies the week before the Oscars. I even took a personal day to watch several really sad international films. Not a lot of reading time in there.

With that being said, i was still able to finish 10 books in the month of April. Here is what I read!

A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramee  

I had seen a LOT of buzz about this one, but it ended up just having a little bit too much middle school drama for me as an adult. That being said, this is a great story about a middle school aged girl discovering activism, and it openly discusses BLM in a positive light. My kids will love it, and I'm glad that it exists. 3.5/5 stars

Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend 

This is the 3rd book in the Nevermoor series. I am COMPLETELY OBSESSED with this middle grade fantasy series, and this newest release continued to raise the bar for the series. I've talked about the Nevermoor series in videos before - click here for my March reading wrap up. Think Harry Potter levels of magic and wonder, but with a strong and fierce heroine at the center of the story and also a really sassy cat the size of a large bear. The audiobooks are also wonderfully narrated by Gemma Whelan, who played Yara Greyjoy on GoT. I need more people to know about and read this series. 5/5 stars

Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur 4 stars

This was SUCH a fun read, and somehow my only romance read of April? I told you it was a WEIRD month. This was a sapphic romantic comedy with great characters and some excellent chemistry between Darcy, a no-nonsense actuary, and Elle, an influencer and an astrologist. It was both a Pride and Prejudice retelling AND a fake-dating book, which seemed ambitious but turned out to be totally adorable. The representation throughout the book was great, and both characters developed and grew without it feeling too contrived. 4/5 stars

Almost American Girl by Robin Ha

I have closely followed the #weneeddiversebooks campaign for many years, and they have just recently begun awarding a Walter Dean Myers award for excellence in literature written by diverse authors. I saw this year's list of award winners and realized this was only one I hadn't already read. This was a graphic novel memoir about Robin Ha's experience moving from Seoul to rural Alabama at age 14. This book shed new light on Korean culture, and it will be relatable to any young person who doesn't feel like they fit in. I think it would be especially helpful not just to Asian young people, but to immigrant kids or other kids who have to balance different cultural norms. 4/5 stars

The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom 

This book, the winner of 2019 National Book Award for nonfiction, completely changed my perspective on the city of New Orleans. This extremely compelling memoir covers 100 or so years of Broom's family history and their relationship with the city of New Orleans. As with any New Orleans story from recent years, Katrina features prominently, but what makes this book different is the fact that it takes place in EAST New Orleans. East New Orleans is a world away from the French Quarter, and despite the fact that East was one of the worst-hit areas during the hurricane, I knew next to nothing about what the people there experienced. 5/5 stars

Chance: Escape from the Holocaust by Uri Shulevitz  

I have no memory of how this book ended up in my library holds. It was an illustrated memoir of the author's experience as a Polish Jew during World War 2. The author grew up to become a Caledcott winner, so the illustrations are unbelievably stunning. This is an undeniably important book, and a Holocaust story that is different from many others out there -- a refugee story rather than an imprisonment story. It makes me sad how relevant this refugee story from 80 years ago is in 2021. 3.5/5 stars

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang 

This book was far and away my favorite read of April. This series has gotten SO MUCH LOVE on Booktube, and I'm so glad I decided to see what all the fuss was about. This is a Chinese-inspired fantasy loosely based around the opium wars. It stars Rin, a war orphan from a rural province who aces the exam to enter the Empire's most prestigious military academy. This is probably the most military-based fantasy I've ever read, which I was very skeptical about, but the action scenes are so well-written and never got repetitive or ploddy. The thing that made the biggest impression on me about this book, though, was how Rin's womanhood was addressed in the novel. She is such a well-written, strong character, but R.F. Kuang also does not shy away from the practical problems that women warriors would have. Can't wait to pick up the next book in this series. 5/5 stars

The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman 

I did go ahead and pick up the commemorative edition of Amanda Gorman's inauguration poem, and I highly recommend just having this one on your side table when you need a pick me up. It's just such an inspiring poem, and I just so appreciate and respect her work and look forward to seeing what is next for her. 5/5 stars

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller 

This was the 2021 Newbery award winner, and it should be widely read by both kids and adults. The story follows Lily, a biracial girl who moves with her mother and her sister to live with their ailing Korean-born grandmother. Lily makes a deal with a tiger (a figure from her grandmother's Korean folktales) in exchange for restoring her grandmother's health. This was a BEAUTIFUL story about Asian identity and family, and I looooooooved the magical realism throughout. 5/5 stars

She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey 

I hesitated to read this one, worried that it would be a rehash of Ronan Farrow's book Catch and Kill. It turned out to be a COMPLETELY different story, even though both books are about the Harvey Weinstein story. While Farrow's book focused on the Weinstein surveillance apparatus and his attempts to use his power to suppress the story, Kantor and Twohey focused on the story itself. This was a woman-centered take on the situation, with a focus on the victims and their families and the journalists' journey writing it. Both books are great, but I preferred this one. 5/5 stars

Thanks for reading! No worries if you prefer a video format -- I have several videos planned for late May and June, including a Pride month TBR! And for now, that's all she read!

 

Top 10 Books of 2020 - Nonfiction

Current Read: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

Current Listen: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor #1) by Jessica Townsend

Hey all! Took a second with school starting back up again, but I'm back with my Top 10 Nonfiction Reads of 2020. Non-fiction has become a bigger part of my reading life, mostly reading related to social justice issues with the occasional memoir or "weird history" sort of book. Looking back at this list, I read some DAMN GOOD non-fiction this year. Enjoy this list, and click on the titles for a link to purchase from bookshop.org! (Elon Musk doesn't need your book money.)

Untamed by Glennon Doyle

  

What is it: I avoided this book for MOST of last year and only picked up when it kept getting incredible reviews from some of my most trusted reader friends. People kept describing it as "former Christian mommy blogger falls in love with a woman" which just made me...confused. But this is a book that is about womanhood and trusting yourself and living authentically and doing hard things. It is a book that I will read many, many times.

When did it come out: 2020

How did I read it: Book of the Month

Why you should read it: Here is just one of MANY passages that spoke to me: “We weren’t born distrusting and fearing ourselves. That was part of our taming. We were taught to believe that who we are in our natural state is bad and dangerous. They convinced us to be afraid of ourselves. So we do not honor our own bodies, curiosity, hunger, judgment, experience, or ambition. Instead, we lock away our true selves. Women who are best at this disappearing act earn the highest praise: She is so selfless. Can you imagine? The epitome of womanhood is to lose one’s self completely. That is the end goal of every patriarchal culture. Because a very effective way to control women is to convince women to control themselves.”

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson

 

What is it: This incredibly compelling, well-researched book reframes American society through the lens of a caste system. She supports her argument with comparisons to India and to Nazi Germany, and she applies the argument thoroughly to every facet of American society.

When did it come out: 2020

How did I read it: Audible. Highly recommend the narrator, Robin Miles.

Why you should read it: My initial reaction to this book was "paradigm shifting." Every American should read this. It will make you rethink American history. The Nazis literally looked at how America treated BIPOC when they were determining how to treat Jews and undesirables. 

Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall 

 

What is it: This is an outstanding essay collection that argues (very effectively) that mainstream feminism as a whole is ignoring basic needs for survival, like safe neighborhoods and healthy food, in favor of issues that concern the privileged. It was a great reminder for me as a feminist to consider the intersectional needs of women dealing with racism, transphobia, ableism, and classism.

When did it come out: 2020

How did I read it: Audible

Why you should read it: Sex workers, women of color, transwomen, women with disabilities, and women from any other marginalized group need to be a part of the conversation. Any remnant of "white feminism" needs to go in the garbage. As Kendall says, "No woman has to be respectable to be valuable.”

"Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?": And Other Conversations About Race by Beverly Daniel Tatum

 

What is it: Dr. Tatum is a renowned scholar in the field of race psychology, and this is her seminal work on racial identity. She uses this psychological lens to discuss how racial identity develops (with chapters about childhood racial identity development that I found suuuuuuuuper helpful as a teacher) and why it is so important to openly discuss race. Side note - the 20th century edition of the book is a must, as it is revised to include a Trump-era perspective. 

When did it come out: 1997

How did I read it: I own a copy of the 20th anniversary edition.

Why you should read it: You should read this book because it contains one of the best descriptions of the struggle against racism that I have ever heard. "I sometimes visualize the ongoing cycle of racism as a moving walkway at the airport. Active racist behavior is equivalent to walking fast on the conveyor belt. The person engaged in active racist behavior has identified with the ideology of White supremacy and is moving with it. Passive racist behavior is equivalent to standing still on the walkway. No overt effort is being made, but the conveyor belt moves the bystanders along to the same destination as those who are actively walking. Some of the bystanders may feel the motion of the conveyor belt, see the active racists ahead of them, and choose to turn around, unwilling to go in the same destination as the White supremacists. But unless they are walking actively in the opposite direction at a speed faster than the conveyor belt—unless they are actively antiracist—they will find themselves carried along with the others."

The Witches Are Coming by Lindy West

 

What is it: A second essay collection from my queen, Lindy West. This collection is even better than Shrill, which I adored. She is primarily known for her feminist and pro-choice writing, but she branched out in this one with discussions of climate change and racial justice that were very well-written.

When did it come out: 2019

How did I read it: Audible (read by the author)

Why you should read it: Her essay about Adam Sandler movies is EVERYTHING.

Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audre Lourde 

 

What is it: This is a collection of essays, speeches, interviews, and poems written between 1976-1984. I thought it was a great starting place for familiarizing myself with one of the pillars of Black Feminism.

When did it come out: 1984

How did I read it: I own this one.

Why you should read it: Any feminist or anti-racist should read Audre Lorde. She is so piercing in her critiques, and her use of language is unparalleled. Her essay on turning silence into action is one that I reference and quote often.

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

 

What is it: This is a memoir by Bryan Stephenson, the founder of Equal Justice Initiative, a group that, per their website, "is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society."

When did it come out: 2014

How did I read it: Audible (read by the author)

Why you should read it: I loved the movie, and the book does discuss Walter McMillian's case, but it speaks to so many issues not addressed in the film, such as children serving life sentences or the sexual abuse of women serving prison sentences.

Dying of Whiteness: How the Politics of Racial Resentment is Killing America's Heartland by Jonathan M. Metzl

 

What is it: This is a very well-researched study of the health impact of recent conservative policies on the white people in middle America who vehemently support those policies. The book is divided into three sections: Missouri and the impact of pro-gun laws, Tennessee and its resistance to the ACA, and Kansas and the unintended consequences of their steep cuts to schools and social services. Metzl shows the horrific aftermath of the attitude that W.E.B. DuBois referred to as the "wages of whiteness."

When did it come out: 2019

How did I read it: Audible

Why you should read it: The interviews in this book are so jarring. There are people in America who would rather die in pain than accept money from "Obamacare." Metzl uses data and research to argue that racial resentment and a need for white dominance are literally killing people. This is a must-read for anyone grappling with their own whiteness and what white culture looks like.

The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein

 

What is it: This is an in-depth look at all the different ways that racism has been embedded into the housing policy in the United States. His whole premise is that the racism is not de facto (based on individual prejudice) but de jure, based in local, state, and federal law. This book made me want to research the history of Indianapolis, because all cities and towns were developed to reinforce the racial hierarchy.

When did it come out: 2017

How did I read it: Audible

Why you should read it: This one is a MUST for anyone learning about racism in the United States. There is so much more to housing-related racism than redlining (which is what I initially thought this book was about). This one really brings home how white supremacy was/is LITERALLY government-sponsored.

No Visible Bruises: What We Don't Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us by Rachel Louise Snyder

 

What is it: This is a very well-researched investigation into the domestic violence public health crisis in the United States. Snyder, whose name you may recognize if you listen to NPR, tells the stories of victims and victim advocates, both through individual stories and data analysis. She also visits abusers and abuse counseling programs and presents the stories of men attempting to actually address the toxic masculinity that causes them to abuse their partners. 

When did it come out: 2019

How did I read it: Audible

Why you should read it: Before I read this book, I fell into the traps that most people do when thinking about domestic violence. "This would never happen to me." "Why doesn't she just leave?" This book COMPLETELY shifted my thinking on the plight of domestic violence victims and the mindsets of abusers. Not only that, she presents the stories of programs that are using data to save lives. For such a bleak topic, the book offers a lot of hope. 

 

And that's it! It was hard to do these books justice with just a few sentences. Please let me know in the comments if you've read or plan to read any of these! And for now, that's all she read.

Top 10 Books of 2020 - Fiction

Current Read: Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam

Current Listen: All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson

Hey all! 2020 is DONE FOREVER. Hallelujah. It was a garbage year, but I got a LOT of reading done. I'm working on a post about my reading statistics for the year. I read 360 books, according to Goodreads, which is the most ever. For many years I have been too scared to try to narrow down a Top 10 list, but I was determined to do so this year. I...sort of succeeded? But since I read so much more non-fiction this year than in previous years (and since I in general read SO MUCH MORE than a normal year), I decided to do two lists, fiction and non-fiction (which will be in a separate post). I have also listed book series as one entry, because it's my list and I do what I want.

So, in no particular order, here are my Top 10 Fiction Reads for 2020.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

What is it: A fantasy novel about a man, Linus Baker, who is basically a social worker for kids with magical abilities. He is given an assignment to live for a month at an orphanage with particularly difficult and unusual cases (including a boy who may or may not be the anti-Christ), an orphanage run by the enigmatic Arthur Parnassus. It's a beautiful book about found families, acceptance, and prejudice.

When did it come out: 2020

How did I read it: I listened to this one on Audible, but I also have a physical copy.

Why you should read it: Every single character is ridiculously lovable, and it's got a completely adorable queer romance at its center.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

What is it: A novel about a former It-Girl, Evelyn Hugo, who decides at age 79 to do a tell-all about her notorious love life and career.

When did it come out: 2017

How did I read it: This was a Book of the Month selection.

Why you should read it: Come for the old Hollywood glamour and the intriguing mystery at the novel's center. Stay fierceness of Evelyn Hugo herself and of the journalist who she chooses to conduct the interview.

The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin

What is it: One of the best fantasy series I've ever read. In this world, the residents of The Stillness are constantly prepared for the next Season, or apocalyptic event. The world is populated with Oregenes, people who are able to manipulate the earth's energy. Rather than being revered, they are viewed with suspicion and are controlled by the government. The novel follows 3 perspectives: Essun, a woman who is secretly an oregene and is searching for her daughter; Damaya, a young girl who is learning to control her oregeny at a government school; and Syenite, a young woman working as an oregene.

When did it come out: 2015-2017

How did I read it: I listened to all three books on Audible, mostly while puzzling during quarantine.

Why you should read it: All three of the books in this series won the Hugo Award for best science fiction or fantasy novel. The world that Jemisin builds in these books, the topics that she manages to explore, the pacing of the story--all incredible. Just mind-blowing.

Bromance Book Club series by Lyssa Kay Adams

What is it: This series of books revolves around a group of men who use romance novels to help each other with their own love lives.

When did it come out: 2019-2020

How did I read it: I own all three books in paperback.

Why you should read it: I love how these novels use romance novel tropes while also subverting them. I love how the men in these novels hold each other to high standards and use the novels they read to learn more about how society treats women. I adore these books, and they were perfect for the escapism I needed in 2020.

Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

What is it: An adult romance novel about the son of the U.S. President falling in love with the Prince of Wales.

When did it come out: 2019 

How did I read it: I own this in paperback.

Why you should read it: This is the gay romance novel of your dreams. Both characters are well-written, the romantic pacing is wonderful, it's just so great please go read it. You can borrow it if you promise to give it back.  

We Are Not Free by Traci Chee

What is it: This is a young adult novel about the experience of a group of Japanese-American teens who were incarcerated by the United States during World War 2. It begins with them living in San Francisco and covers the span of their initial "evacuation" through the end of the war and reentry. 

When did it come out: 2020

How did I read it: I checked this one out from the library.

Why you should read it: This is one of the darkest parts of American history, and it was so great to read about it from a young adult perspective. There were so many issues addressed that covered the teen experience specifically, such as trying to apply to college as a "hostile alien" or being drafted. This book is incredibly well-researched and well-written, and it's a great place to start if you want to learn more about this horrendous part of our country's history.

Us Against You by Fredrik Backman

 

What is it: This is the sequel to Bear Town, a book that made my favorites list last year. The series takes place in Bear Town, a community that lives and breathes for their local hockey team and is torn apart by a horrific accusation.

When did it come out: 2018  

How did I read it: I own this one in paperback.

Why you should read it: Fredrik Backman is in the business of writing universal truths. When I initally reviewed it, I described it as "a gut punch in the best possible way." Here is just one example of the stunning writing: "It's hard to care about people. Exhausting, in fact, because empathy is a complicated thing. It requires us to accept that everyone else's lives are also going on the whole time. We have no pause button for when everything gets too much for us to deal with, but then neither does anyone else."

Bringing Down the Duke and A Rogue of One's Own by Evie Dunmore

What is it: A historical romance series that takes place during the suffragette era in Britain. The series covers a group of young women suffragists who are fighting the good fight and also falling in love.

When did it come out: 2019-2020

How did I read it: Bringing Down the Duke Book of the Month selection, and then I preordered the sequel.

Why you should read it: Bringing Down the Duke was my entry point into the magical world of historical romance. It is a misunderstood genre, and a genre that people are often judged for reading. I am here to tell those judgmental people to fuck off. The brilliance of a well-written historical romance is how the villain is always society's treatment of women. And that's magic.

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

 

What is it: A suburban drama that was on my TBR for waaaaaaaaay too long. It centers on the cookie-cutter Richardson family and how their lives are upended by the arrival of some fairly controversial newcomers, Mia and Pearl Warren.

When did it come out: 2017

How did I read it: This was a Book of the Month selection.

Why you should read it: I'm so glad I finally got to this one this year. I was hooked from the first line. Celeste Ng's writing is gorgeous, and she pulls so many important truths from a seemingly innocuous suburban setting. This one stuck with me for a long time.

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

What is it: This is Elizabeth Acevedo's third novel and second in verse. It is told the perspectives of two Afro-Dominican sisters, one in the D.R. and one in New York City, who were unaware of the other's existence before their father's death in a plane crash.

When did it come out:  2020

How did I read it: Elizabeth Acevedo is an author whose books I will pre-order without question, and that's what I did with this one.

Why you should read it: Elizabeth Acevedo is my QUEEN. She is a gifted slam poet, and if you've never heard her she has TONS of recordings on Youtube. Acevedo is driven by telling the stories she wishes she could have read as a teen, and so all of her books star beautifully written Afro-Latinx heroines.

And there you have it! Did you read any of these books? Are there any favorites of yours that you recommend? Let me know in the comments, and look for my non-fiction list in the next few days. And for now, that's all she read!

My Completed 2020 PopSugar Reading Challenge!

Current Read: The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss

Current Listen: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Hey all! I've started to look back at my year in reading for the year, and holy SHIT. Some of the stuff I read in the before-times...it just seems so long ago! But I did just complete the last prompt for my 2020 PopSugar Reading Challenge the other day, so I thought that I would share it with you. 

If you're unfamiliar, the website PopSugar comes up with 50 prompts (40 regular prompts and 10 "advanced" prompts) that are meant to give you some direction in your reading for the year. I choose to read a different book for each prompt, but there aren't really any rules. I make it a point to not let the challenge keep me from reading exactly what I want to read, and I generally just fill things in as I go. But it does get me to expand my reading horizons and try things that I find intriguing but would never normally pick up. This year, in particular, I was challenged to read a Western and a medical thriller. I'm not sure I had EVER read something from either of those genres, and I ended up enjoying both books. The full challenge with the books I read, along with the ratings I gave them, is below. If you'd like to join me in the 2021 Popsugar reading challenge, click here!

Did you read any of these books this year or have other suggestions that fit the prompts? Let me know in the comments. And for now, that's all she read!

2020 Popsugar Reading Challenge

A book that’s published in 2020: Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams (5/5)

A book published the month of your birthday: The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead (4/5)

A book by a trans or nonbinary author: Pet by Akwaeke Emezi (4/5)

A book about or by a woman in STEM: Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly (3/5)

A book with a great first line: On the Come Up by Angie Thomas (5/5)

A book that won an award in 2019: Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (5/5)

A book about a book club: The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams (5/5)

A book on a subject you know nothing about: The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson (4/5)

A book set in a city that has hosted the Olympics: Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore (London) (5/5)

A book with only words on the cover, no images or graphics: Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? By Beverly Daniel Tatum (5/5)

A bildungsroman: Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery (5/5)

A book with a pun in the title: Check Please! Book 2: Sticks and Scones by Ngozi Ukazu (5/5)

The first book you touch on a shelf with your eyes closed: Coraline by Neil Gaiman (4/5)

A book featuring one of the seven deadly sins: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (5/5)

A book with an upside-down image on the cover: Verity by Colleen Hoover (5/5)

A book with a robot, cyborg, or AI character: Skyward by Brandon Sanderson (5/5)

A book with a map: Of Curses and Kisses by Sandhya Menon (4/5)

A book with a bird on the cover: The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta (5/5)

A book recommended by your favorite blog, vlog, podcast, or online book club: The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare (4/5)

A fiction or nonfiction book about a world leader: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (5/5)

An anthology: We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices edited by Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson (5/5)

A book with gold, silver, or bronze in the title: Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith (4/5)

A book that passes the Bechdel test: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson (3/5)

A book by a WOC: With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo (5/5)

A book with the same title as a movie or TV show but that’s unrelated to it: The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory (4/5)

A book with at least a 4-star rating on Goodreads: City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare (5/5)

A book by an author with flora or fauna in their name: The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory (4/5)

A book you meant to read in 2019: City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare (5/5)

A book about or involving social media: Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles (4/5)

A book with a three-world title: Letters From Skye by Jessica Brockmole (5/5)

A book that has a book on the cover: Beach Read by Emily Henry (5/5)

A book with a pink cover: Bygone Badass Broads by Mackenzi Lee (4/5)

A medical thriller: The End of October by Lawrence Wright (4/5)

A Western: True Grit by Charles Portis (4/5)

A book with a made-up language: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling (5/5)

A book by or about a journalist: No Visible Bruises by Rachel Louise Snyder (5/5)

A book set in a country beginning with a C: A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende (Chile) (5/5)

Read a banned book during banned books week: Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers (5/5)

A book you picked because the title caught your attention: Notes From a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi (4/5)

Your favorite prompt from a past Popsugar reading challenge: A book by two female authors: The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren (4/5)

Advanced:

A book written by an author in their 20s: Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story by Jacob Tobia (5/5)

A book by an author who has written more than 20 books: Starsight by Brandon Sanderson (4/5)

A book with “20” or “twenty” in the title: 200 Women by Geoff Blackwell, Ruth Hobday, and Kieran Scott (5/5)

A book with more than 20 letters in the title: The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson (5/5)

A book with a character with a vision impairment or enhancement: Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare (4/5)

A book published in the 20th century: The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X and Alex Haley (5/5)

A book set in Japan, host of the 2020 Olympics: Wildcard by Marie Lu (4/5)

A book from a series with more than 20 books: Death On the Nile by Agatha Christie (4/5)

A book set in the 1920s: The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore (3/5)

A book with a main character in their 20s: How to Walk Away by Katherine Center (5/5)