Wednesday, December 16, 2020

2021 Reading List

Of the many things 2020 wreaked havoc on, it was especially detrimental to my reading habits.  Since most of my reading previously was done on my subway rides to work and back (at least 1 hour of reading each weekday), working from home since March meant I needed to find new times to read, and it proved difficult.  

That being said, I did manage to complete my 2020 reading list (or just about, I am reading the last book now).  Here is a list of books I read this year:

You've Been Volunteered

The Lake House

Guns, Germs, and Steel

The Last House Guest

More Than Words

The Huntress

Seinfeldia

Bread and Wine

The Great Alone

The Farm

Everyone Brave is Forgiven

The Innocents

The Cooking Gene

American Spy

Becoming (Michelle Obama)

Daisy Jones and the Six

Three Women

Normal People

A Gentleman in Moscow (Turned out to be a pretty good book, but it was a slow read for me.)

Silver Sparrow (the last one on the list I am reading now)


My favourite book of the year was Normal People by Sally Rooney. 

A runner up was The Lake House by Kate Morton.


Now onto my selections for 2021. I like to do this since it gives me a plan of what to read and perhaps gives you some ideas too.

The Skin We're In by Desmond Cole - When the Black Lives Matter movement heated up in June of 2020, I diligently purchased my books by black authors, including this popular one by Canadian Desmond Cole.  Well, then I never got around to reading it, so it will be first up for 2021. 

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins - This one was on a lot of people's reading lists last year, including Oprah and Reese Witherspoon so I'm sure it is something I will enjoy.

Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah - This was also recommended by a few people and when I checked out the synopsis it sounds like an interesting read with a few twists and turns. 

Maid by Stephanie Land - This is a true story about a woman trying to provide for her child and work her way out of poverty.  I heard it is a fascinating story. 

That Kind of Mother by Rumaan Alam - A white woman adopts a black son so I can only imagine what sort of topics will be addressed here.   

The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle - I have seen lots of people reading this book so I thought I should check it out too. It seems kind of weird because I think it is about your diner list coming to life (the "dinner list" being if you could invite any five people living or dead to dinner, who would they be).  I actually wrote out my list back in 2016 here. I could probably replace Donald Driver with someone else now, but I'd have to think about that. 

A Promised Land by Barack Obama - I read Michelle Obama's book last year so I am interested to see Barack's version of the events.  

The Little Bookshop on the Seine by Rebecca Raisin- This one seems like a quick easy read and I will need that after reading some of the other books above.  I have been missing travel so much so reading this will make me long for another visit to Paris I'm sure.

Cancel the Wedding by Carolyn Dingman - Another light read and it's been on my list for so long I need to start ticking off these older recommendations. 

From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle - A Canadian non-fiction book by an Indigenous author.  This was recommended by my family in Northwestern Ontario and it is also a timely read.

Happy Reading in 2021!

4 comments:

  1. Thanks, Sarah! I have liked most of the books you've chosen in the past. So happy to have some new ideas for my reading. Good luck with your 2021 list!

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  2. You are welcome to borrow From the Ashes and The Huntress if you'd like. I haven't heard of many of those books, but they all sound interesting. My mom recommended American Dirt to me. I think we have it too (though she may have gotten it from the library). Thanks for sharing. I love reading too!

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  3. So many great looking books!! I haven't given much thought to next year's reading other than thinking I really need to tackle all the books that are piling up on my Kindle. I have taken advantage of Amazon's first read book each month this year but I think I only actually read one or two of them.

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  4. I'm belatedly catching up on some blog reading! You have some great books on your list for 2021. I also have The Skin We're In to read soon. And I found that 2020 messed with my reading brain as well. I'm sad about it :(

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