By: Michelle Obama
Autobiography Politics History Non-fiction A+
The perfect book to start a year. I’ve always admired Michelle Obama for her candor, intelligence, grace, and, of course, amazing fashion but my admiration was taken to a new level in this autobiography. Her detailed experiences as a mother, wife, and First Lady have impacted me immeasurably. In this book she pulls back the curtain to her experiences. This is an absolute must read.
By: Dan Pfiffer
Politics Autobiography History Non-fiction A
An extremely interesting accoun t on the role of media, both traditional news outlets and social media, on Barack Obama and Donald Trump’s presidencies. It was mindblowing to revisit the years when presidents did not tweet, analyze how news outlets cover political candidates and stories and the role of dis-information during this internet era, and learn about the early formation of Crooked Media.
By: Tupac Shakur
Music Autobiography Celebrity Poetry A-
From the first time I read The Rose That Grew From Concrete a decade ago, I became obsessed with Tupac. This poem is something I come back to often, a metaphor so shaking you can't help but feel it in your bones. This year, I read his book of poetry compiled after his death. Written between the ages of 19-25, Tupac shares his analysis of art, poverty, and the human experience in a way that is still relevant and poignant after all these years.
By: Ruth Bader Ginsberg
Autobiography Politics History Non-fiction A-
A fascinatingly curated book that tells the story of Ruth Bader Ginsberg through her writings spanning almost seven decades. From one of her first published essays in a school paper to her court opinions on some of the most consequential cases in our nation’s history, this book was truly illuminating. It was so interesting to examine some of the lesser known cases, especially those in which she had a dissenting opinion as well as her relationship with her “life partner” Marty.
By: Karen McManus
Fiction Young Adult Thriller B
The Cousins, ironically written by a distant relative of mine, is the first thriller I’ve read in quite some time. I flew through this book in a few days because I just had to know how it ended.This one definitely inspired me to snag a few new thriller books to add to the reading list this year!
By: Jonathan Van Ness
Non-Fiction Autobiography Celebrity A
This book made me laugh, cry, and call my mom. It was wonderfully hilarious and stunningly heartbreaking at the same time. This truly is one of the most uplifting and brave autobiographies I've ever read. As always, JVN delivers pure brilliance, leaving you feeling like you can take on anything.
By: Kiley Reid
Fiction A
Finally! My first fiction read of the year! Such a Fun Age hooked me back into reading. I sped through this one in just a few days, needing to know what happened next. This is an excellent look at the complexities of race, class, gender, and motherhood in America today.
By: Delia Owens
Fiction Thriller-ish B-
Where the Crawdads Sing is composed of beautiful imagery, lovely writing, and a murder-mystery. This novel was a great summer read, and though it took me a bit longer to get through, the ending made it all worth it.
By: Glennon Doyle
Non-fiction Self-help Female empowerment A
Every year I come across a book I absolutely have to pass to my mom. This was that book this year. While self-help books can be tricky to navigate, I found myself empathizing with Glennon a lot. She details her battles with an eating disorder,leaving her husband to pursue a relationship with a woman, and founding a nonprofit after feeling a longing to help those in need. I personally found her story about the Black Lives Matter protests incredibly moving. What will we say to our children? This is THE book to get your mom.
By: Adam Grant
Non-fiction Self-help Business B+
What makes a good idea? This book explores not only that question, but also why some ideas work and why others fail. I read this book in the summer, before one of our biggest events when I needed a spark of inspiration to take a step back from running the business to HOW I was running the business. I recommend reading this with a highlighter.
By: Rebecca Serle
Fiction Female Friendship New York City A+
This book killed me. As a lover of any book in NYC, In Five Years had a sweet spot from the jump. But as the story developed, I found myself racing to know what was going to happen. It’s absolutely beautiful and tragic and will make you call your best friend to say I love you. I can’t recommend it enough.
By: Kate Stayman London
Fiction Romance B
Bachelor fans, this one is for you. One to Watch is what you’ve been waiting for ABC to do — taking you behind the scenes of what actually happens on the show. This book follows Bea, a daring, girl-boss heroine on her quest to challenge the status quo, and potentially even fall in love.
By: Brit Bennett
Fiction A+
Taking the coveted spot at the Best Book I read all year is The Vanishing Half. Uniquely telling the story of two sisters and their two daughters, Brit Bennet examines family relationships, love, gender, and race spanning across several decades. It was un-put-downable. Don’t believe me? Ask Barack Obama who also listed this on his best books of 2020 list.
By: Laura Hankin
Fiction Female Friendships New York City
B+
If you love books that take place in Manhattan, stories of salacious upper east side moms, Instagram Influencers as main characters, and a hint of mystery, this book is for you. This book was like Gossip Girl in print — but better. I had a blast reading it and finished it in a few days!
By: Gail Honeyman
Fiction Thriller-ish C
Perhaps it was the time of the Pandemic that I was reading this or the extremely dark and serious subject matter, but I found myself having a hard time getting through this book. I am, however, looking forward to Reese Witherspoon’s adaptation of this book in a movie.
By: Ella Berman
Fiction A+
This book. I finished this book in just one day because it was that captivating. It is one of my top two books of 2020. The story was beautifully told, even though the subject matter was complicated and dark. I loved reading every word of it. The Comeback is a must read.
What have you read lately? Let me know in the comments below!
Your internet BFF,
kylee p.s, this post has links that may offer affiliate commission, meaning I may earn a small percentage of the sale price at no cost to you. That helps power the content I create! Thank you for your support!
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