Y’all. It has been (need I say it?) such a weird year. Pandemic, furlough, layoff, still adjusting to post-divorce life and living alone, a holiday season profoundly unlike any I’ve ever spent. There have been days and even weeks I couldn’t focus on a book. And yet: I have still been reading (around 220 books, give or take), which means it’s time for a year-end roundup post.
I’ve (begrudgingly) read more ebooks this year than ever before, because Shelf Awareness (my review gig) switched to e-galleys in March, when the pandemic hit. It is not my favorite way to read, but I’m making do, thanks to my sister’s old e-reader.
Here are some standouts from the year:
Most Gripping Mystery Series (and Most Wisecracking Sleuth): Sara Paretsky’s series featuring V.I. Warshawski.
Loveliest Nature Writing: a tie between Writing Wild by Kathryn Aalto and Two in the Far North by Margaret E. Murie.
Best Conclusion to a Beloved Series: All the Days Past, All the Days to Come by Mildred D. Taylor.
Sweet Escapist Fiction: The Lost Love Song by Minnie Darke, The Switch by Beth O’Leary, Not Like the Movies by Kerry Winfrey.
Best Reread: Mornings with Rosemary by Libby Page, and so much Mary Oliver.
Wisest Essay Collection: Keep Moving by Maggie Smith, which I read twice.
Smartest Science Writing: The Last Stargazers by Emily Levesque.
Most Timely Book on Writing: Wild Words by Nicole Gulotta.
Most Thoughtful Political Memoir: A Promised Land by Barack Obama, which I just finished last night.
What were your favorite books this year?
It absolutely blows my mind that some people can and do read 100, 200, even 300 books in a single year. I think I read 3 books this year. lol Of course, spending too much time internet-ing is to blame so my goal for 2021 is ‘read more, internet less’. I’ve already selected a few books (all of which I already own) to focus on and one of them is President Obama’s book. Happy New Year to you!
Is that a photo of your real bookshelf? Amazing, if so.
It is! Thank you. 🙂