I'm doing good, I'm on some new sh*t
Just like that November is over and we are onto December. 2020 has been both such a long and impossibly short year that I cannot believe it is almost over. Some days I feel like I have been in a fever dream since March and cannot believe it has been 9 months. As for my reading, like much else in life, it has its ups and downs. I started slow this month as I, like many others, worked through election stress. All in all, I read 12 books this month. Check out below for my reviews and what I’ve been loving lately! Also gear up because this newsletter is a long one :)
What I read in November:
My first newsletter this month I had just finished Head Over Heels, which I loved. I haven’t watched the USA Gymnastics documentary yet on the sexual assault, but I thought this book was a great romance that mixed light with heavy. It also did a good job of handling the idea of spending your whole life working towards one thing and the aftermath (many Olympians have spoken out about the depression they faced after training and competition ends). 4 Stars
Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai: I may be the only person who didn’t love the first book in the series but I absolutely adored this installation. I thought it was extremely cute and funny. I loved the diversity of the cast and that this story dealt with trauma and mental health. 4 stars
Crazy Stupid Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams: Crazy Stupid Bromance is the third installation in the Bromance Book Club books. It wasn’t my favorite but it was still cute and definitely worth the read, especially because I love a good friends to lovers trope. 3.5 stars
Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson: This book was so hard to read- I kid you not when I say I had to stop and put it down every few pages because my heart was hurting so much. Tiffany Jackson touched on so many important and difficult topics in this book- primarily abuse, rape, grooming etc.- so major trigger warning for this one! Although it is a YA book it was by no means light and deals with heavy topics. I would recommend this to a teen for sure- signs of emotional abuse and control can be hard to recognize but I think Jackson did a great job showing us what was happening and putting us in Enchanted’s head. 5 stars
Kiss My Cupcake by Helena Hunting: This book was an easy read- it was a fun way to spend a couple hours but was nothing so special that I’ll remember it in 10 years. I would compare it to watching a cute holiday movie. 3 stars
Well-Read Black Girl by Glory Edim: I have had this essay collection on my shelf for quite some time now and on my TBR for even longer. I loved the chance to read essays from some of my favorite Black authors about their journey with reading and when they first became readers. These essays are nothing groundbreaking but they do you feel like a warm blanket. 4 stars
Freedom Is A Constant Struggle by Angela Y. Davis: This was my first Angela Davis book. This is not actually a book she wrote but a collection of her speeches, essays, and interviews. This was published in 2016 before Trump was elected so it was really interesting to put her words into the context of 2020. But enough has remained the same about the fabric of domestic and international politics that her words still hold a lot of truth and wisdom. 5 stars.
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi: I loved this book so much. I think we’ve all heard the raves by now but it is definitely worth the read. It is very different from Homegoing but still just as captivating. 5 stars
People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry: This book won’t be out until May 2021 but it’ll be worth the wait! Emily Henry is becoming a romance favorite. This book was sweet and tells the story of two friends who meet freshman year of college and stay best friends for the next decade despite living thousands of miles apart. Of course there is a missed connection for love somewhere in there. The story was told in alternating timelines, which was really well done. 4 stars
From Scratch by Tembi Locke was the book club pick of the month so share your thoughts here!
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata: This book was so good and weird and different and special- I just loved it! It was about this woman who has been “different” her entire life and but feels like she really found herself and who she’s meant to be when she finds a job working at a convenience store. She works there for 18 years and the book starts when she is 36 years old and follows her life for a few months. Highly recommend- it’s a super fast read! 4 stars
Memorial by Bryan Washington: This story was amazing- I just finished it and am still processing my thoughts but I definitely recommend it. Washington writes beautifully about family, grief, love, and pain. I would reread this book again even though I just finished it yesterday. 5 stars
What I’m enjoying on the internet:
The NYT shared its list of the Top 10 Books of 2020. I’m not sure I agree…
This photo of President Obama is just *heart eyes*
The idea of the Good Enough Job instead of the Dream Job. I’ve been thinking about this concept a lot lately!
What Thanksgiving means to an Indigenous Family.
The Losses We Share by Meghan Markle
I have a lot of nieces and nephew and this is definitely something that I know my siblings have worried about.
10 Books to Look Forward to this Winter!!! This Time Next Year comes out tomorrow and it is on my December TBR for sure! I also am especially looking forward to The Kindest Lie, This Close to Okay and A Pho Love Story
See you next time,
Sarah