Books I Read This Year 2020 - Ashley & Emily
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Books I Read This Year 2020

Reno blogger, Ashley Zeal from Two Peas in a Prada shares

My goal every single year is to read 100 books – I have never ever hit that goal. The closest I have ever come is 83. Last year was probably my worst showing of all time — I was, after all, getting married and growing a baby. My energy just wasn’t there and I couldn’t focus. So this year my ONLY “resolution” is to get back into it. I figure I have a lot of ample opportunity to catch up on my reading when I’m up late at night feeding the baby. And in order to keep track of how many I read – I am going to update this post every month with the books I read this year – and hopefully, by December, it will add up to 100! Check out the Best Books for a New You>>> HERE.

Books I Read This Year

Reno blogger, Ashley Zeal from Two Peas in a Prada shares

December

114.-115. The Debauchery Duet

by M. Robinson

From The First Verse

 

‘Til The Last Lyric

 

I realized I couldn’t leave the number of books I read at 113 – way too superstitious, so back to Kindle Unlimited romance I went. I actually bought a ton of addiction memoirs to read next year, and this was the perfect transition. I am fascinated by the rock and roll lifestyle and this series was such an interesting glimpse into it.

 

113. Pretty Little Wife 

by Darby Kane

 

This book was such a pleasant surprise!  It was an amazing thriller and I loved every second. There were so many unexpected twists and it was so nice to delve into this story in the week between Christmas and New Years. If you like the mystery / thriller genre – you will love this one.

 

112. Seven Lies 

by Elizabeth Kay

 

This was like watching a train wreck in slow motion. I simply couldn’t look away aka stop reading. I found the main character extremely unlikeable and unrelatable so I was a little detached to the story, but it was just so twisted and weird, I had to keep going.

111. Deadly Little Secrets

by Pamela Crane

 

There were so many twists in this book – it definitely kept me on my toes! I’ve really been struggling lately to keep characters straight if there are a lot in a book – probably because I read so fast – and this was one of those times. However, I loved it and did not see the final twist coming at all!

110. Last to See Her

by Courtney Evan Tate

 

Hands down, this was the best book I read this month! I hadn’t read a thriller in a while – and this one was GOOD. I was hooked from the very beginning.

109. The Hoops Series

by Kennedy Ryan

Long Shot 

 

Kennedy Ryan is a top 25 Amazon Bestseller – and this book was good, but I think I am romanced out for the month. I will probably come back and finish this series next year!

105.-108. Something in the Way Series

by Jessica Hawkins

Something in the Way

 

Somebody Else’s Sky

 

Move the Stars

 

Lake + Manning

 

This series was a wild ride from start to finish – but it was so enjoyable, I literally couldn’t stop reading it.

 

104. I’ll Be Gone in the Dark

by Michelle McNamara

 

I listened to this on Audible and it was incredible. We started watching the series right after I finished, and that was really good too. I had to listen to only a little bit each day because it’s pretty heavy and terrifying, but it was so well done. I’m just so sad that she didn’t live to see him get arrested.

103. The Truth about Tomorrow

By B Celeste

 This month was all about the forbidden romance, but even I have my limits, and this one was just a little too creepy for me.

 

102. Layla

By Colleen Hoover

 

I want to start by saying I ADORE Colleen Hoover, and usually love her books, but this one was WILD. I still recommend you read it just because of how crazy it is, but it was not her usual vibe. Minus Twilight, I’m not usually into the supernatural kind of books and was definitely not expecting that in this one.

 

98.-101.  Mr. Cane Series

by Shanora Williams

Wanting Mr. Cane

Breaking Mr. Cane

Loving Mrs. Cane

Being Mrs. Cane

 

I don’t know how I ended up reading a book about falling in love with your Dad’s best friend but here we are. It’s free on Kindle Unlimited and I got super invested in their story. Perfect if you love trashy romance novels!

96.-97. Mr. Black Series

by Shanora Williams

Dear Mr. Black

Forever Mr. Black

 

Since we read one about falling in love with your Dad’s best friend, now let’s do your best friend’s dad. I really went down the Kindle Unlimited Romance genre this month and I have no regrets. So good!

94.-95. The Ward Series

by Shanora Williams

The Man I Can’t Have

 

The Man I Need

This is the first of anything I’ve ever read by Shanora Williams, and then I couldn’t stop. Girl is unhappy in marriage. Girl falls in love with landscape architect. Juicy affair begins. This series is sooooo good if you’re looking for some mindless romance to read!~

November

93. Pulse

by Gail McHugh

The second, and sadly, the last book in the Collide series – I loved both of these books so much, I was sad to see them end. But they got me feeling inspired to finish out this goal of 100 books!

 

92. Collide

by Gail McHugh

 

I get a ton of my book recs from Elle’s Book Blog, and this book was on her top reads ever list and I’ve had it on my Kindle forever but finally decided to read it. I was so hooked I started reading the second book in the series immediately after. If you like love triangle romance books, this one is AMAZING.

91. My Fair Junkie

by Amy Dresner

 

I heard Amy on The Skinny Confidential Podcast and knew I had to read her book. I tend to really love the genre of addiction memoirs, and this one was amazing.

90. The Twelve Dates of Christmas

by Jenny Bayliss

 

This book was super cute, very predictable, but so cute. My favorite of the holiday books I’ve read so far!

89. The Lady Upstairs

by Halley Sutton

 

Remember that Jennifer Love Hewitt movies, Heartbreakers, this book reminded me of that a little bit! I found it fascinating – kind of like a revenge agency until something goes very wrong!

88. The Push

by Claire McGowan

 

This wasn’t my favorite book this month! When I’m stressed or busy, it’s really hard for me to follow books that have a lot of characters, and I think this was the case here.

87. Those Who Prey

by Jennifer Moffett

 

I am OBSESSED with cults and so this book was right up my alley – finished it super fast.

86. The Christmas Swap

by Sandy Barker

 

If The Holiday were a book – this would be it! This was so cute and a fun read.,

 

85. The Girl Who Wasn’t There

by Penny Joelson

 

This definitely has Rear Window vibes – and it was amazing.

84. A Surprise Christmas Wedding 

by Philippa Ashley

 

This book was only $8 on Kindle and it was such a fun, fast read!

 

83. Finding Freedom

by Omid Scobie

I listened to this on Audible and was obsessed. I am not the biggest Meghan Markle fan, but I am fascinated by the royals. Most people say she had a big part in how she was portrayed in this book, but it was still such a good read. I am also watching The Crown right now, so I am on a royal kick! Highly recommend this one!

82. Love Your Life

by Sophie Kinsella

 

 

I LOVE Sophie Kinsella – the Shopaholic series is one of my all-time favs, this one was just okay!  But I was glad to see something new from her.

 

 

81. Meaning of Mariah

by Mariah Carey

 

 

I love to read celebrity memoirs because of all the juicy stories they share – this one didn’t have that until halfway through. She shares a lot of stories from her early childhood, which I found fascinating, but I wasn’t hooked until the Derek Jeter stuff – so good!

October

80. Confessions on the 7:45

by Lisa Unger

 

I finished up this book last night and it was the perfect Halloween read! So many twists and turns and I didn’t expect a lot of them which is all you can hope for in a book!

79. Three Mrs. Wrights

by Linda Keir

 

I LOVED this book! I finished it in one sitting and it was AMAZING. It’s very Dear John vibes!

 

78. Goodnight Beautiful

by Aimee Molloy

 

Not my favorite book I read this year – but it wasn’t bad either. It was a great way to pass the time but I give it a 6/10.

 

77. Invisible Girl

by Lisa Jewell

 

Lisa Jewell does it again – this was definitely my favorite book of the month.  I love everything of hers that I’ve ever read and this did not disappoint.

 

76. Sex and Vanity 

by Kevin Kwan

 

Okay you guys called it – not my favorite book. Not that it was bad – it just isn’t what I normally gravitate toward (beach reads & thrillers).

 

75.  Just Like You

by Nick Hornby

 

This book is a great and relevant read. Immediately I connected to the main character because like me, she fell for a younger black man named Joseph. This is funny and charming while at the same time still exploring interracial relationships and how others view them Highly recommend!

 

 

74. Troubles in Paradise

by Elin Hilderbrand

 

The last of the Paradise series – and I was sad to see it go. I loved all three of these books and already jonesing for my next Elin fix!b

 

 

73. The Book of Two Ways

by Jodi Picoult

I got a little behind this month because I started off with this book. Jodi Picoult’s books always take me longer than usual because her stories are so complicated and in-depth. But they’re always worth it. This one took me a whole week but I loved every single second of it. I

 

September

72. One by One

by Ruth Ware

 

This was a reader rec from you all and I loved it!!!! The twist at the end was so good and I actually didn’t see it coming! I loved the tech aspect of this one, too!

 

71. I’ll Never Tell 

by Abigal Haas

 

It’s been a while since I’ve read YA and Iove that thrillers are creeping their way into one of my favorite genres. Read this one super fast because I had to know how it ended!!

 

 

70. Someone’s Listening

by Seraphina Nova Glass

 

LOVED this book!!!!! As the weather gets cooler, this is the perfect thriller to curl up with on the couch with coffee and a cozy blanket!

 

69. Three Single Wives

by Gina Lamanna

 

This was a new release this month and wasn’t my favorite, but it was still an enjoyable read.

 

68. Blackout 

by Candace Owens

 

You either love her or you hate her, but I had to find out why so many people were talking about this book! It was super interesting to find out more about her and her family’s background and I learned a lot. It shot to the top of the charts and is actually sold out on Amazon as I type this – crazy!

 

67. The Night Swim

by Megan Goldin

 

This book is really two stories in one and they were woven together beautifully. As a true-crime podcast fan, this was a must-read.

 

 

 

 

66. Whisper Network 

by Chandler Baker

 

Not gonna lie – couldn’t get into this one AT ALL. So many of you loved it, but it was a really slow start!

 

65. Little Secrets 

by Jennifer Hillier

TW: kidnapping. I thought this book would be so hard to read because it’s based around a kidnapping but I gave it a chance. So many twists and turns. Kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

 

64. The Family Upstairs

by Lisa Jewell

 

Can Lisa Jewell do any wrong? The answer is no.  Definitely one of my favorite books of the month – maybe even the year. Can’t wait for her next one out on October 13.

 

63. The Perfect Marriage 

by Jeneva Rose

 

This was a birthday gift from one of my old students and it was SOOOOO good!!!!!!

 

August

 

62. Boys Club

by Erica Katz

 

This book was SO good. I breezed right through it – it’s kind of like The Firm meets Me Too. Finished it in a few hours!

 

 

61. His & Hers

by Alice Feeney

 

 

This is one of the best thrillers I’ve read since Gone Girl. Highly recommend!

 

 

60. The Wife Who Knew Too Much 

by Michelle Campbell

 

 

A little unrealistic but highly entertaining. I also finished this one super fast. It’s definitely a page-turner and got me back into the reading groove this month!

 

 

59. Midnight Sun

by Stephanie Meyer

 

 

It hurts my heart to even write this, because Edward is my everything, but this book was just not as amazing as I wanted it to be. I think reading it during the stress of moving also made it a little less enjoyable – but I  just wasn’t feeling it. Team Edward forever, tho.

 

58. The Comeback

by Ella Berman

 

 

This was a #readwithjenna book club pick and I’m so glad I found it! I probably wouldn’t have found this one on my own but I really liked it. The beginning was a little slow but the whole first half made it worth it.

 

 

July

 

57. Something She’s Not Telling Us

by Darcey Bell

 

We both LOVED Darcey Bell’s last book, A Simple Favor, which turned into an amazing movie with Blake Lively so I was really excited to read this one.  There were so many twists and turns and I finished it super fast.

 

56. Beach Read 

by Emily Henry

 

This was a classic summer beach read. This is a great fast read to toss in your beach bag!

 

55. The Guest List

by Lisa Foley

 

 

Since I read so many books, I can normally predict the ending but this one really threw me off! It was SO good.

54. The Dilemma 

by B.A. Harris

 

This book was WILD. It has a super sad aspect to it- but it was amazing watching it all unfold. I couldn’t put it down!

 

53. Before We Were Strangers 

by Renee Carlino

 

 

This book was one of The Readheads Book Club pics and I was SO OBSESSED. I loved listening to the podcast episode after. Highly recommend!

 

52. The Golden Cage

by Camila Lackberg

 

 

This was a classic tale of revenge and I loved every single second.

51. Party of Two 

by Jasmine Guillory

 

I am trying to read more books by Black authors, and Guillory is one of my favorites!

 

50. The Girl from Widow Hills 

by Megan Miranda

 

 

I started a little book club with my All In coaches and we all read this together which made it so much more fun! If you love thrillers, this is a good one!

49. One to Watch 

by Kate Stayman London

 

Everyone told me to read this book- and I definitely have some thoughts. It’s about the first-ever plus-size woman being The Bachelorette, I’m not sure if it’s because I don’t usually watch the franchise, but I just couldn’t get into it. I really loved the character though and think fans of the ABC show would really love it. I do love how it called them out for never having a bigger girl on the show – it’s time.

 

48. A Woman Alone

by Nina Laurin

 

I really wanted to love this book, but it’s not my favorite. It gave me a Truman Show / Big Brother vibe, but it wasn’t my favorite of the month!

47. Two Truths and a Lie

by Meg Mitchell Moore

 

 

I can always tell how much I like a book by how quickly I read it. This one took me a few days, but I still liked it! There were a lot of characters, which was a little hard to keep up with – but I did also like having all of those perspectives as well. I’d give this a 6.5/10!

46. The Swap 

by Robyn Harding

 

I finished this book during ONE of Baby Joe’s naps – like it was soooo wild and good. Kind of disturbing but in a good way!

 

45. The Last Flight

by Julie Clark

 

I wanted to make the last book of July a good one – and this is one I have been “saving” on my shelf! It’s a very different kind of thriller but it was so good!

June

44. The Lies that Bind 

by Emily Giffin

 

I love love love, Emily Giffin, and this book did not disappoint.

 

43. 28 Summers

by Elin Hildebrand

 

Elin is my girl, I am her biggest fan. We read her books every single summer and winter, and this one was SO good!

42. Girls of Summer

by Nancy Thayer

 

 

Nancy Thayer is another summer staple for me! This book was the perfect beach read!

 

41. We’re Going to Need More Wine

by Gabrielle Union

 

 

Inspired to read more books by black voices, I really wanted to read this memoir. I got it on audible because I love her voice. I listened to all 8 hours within two days.

May

40. Summer Longing

by Jamie Brenner

 

I thought a book about an abandoned baby would be a little too sensitive for me to read right now, but it was totally fine and heartwarming!

 

39. Hello Summer

by Mary Kay Andrews

 

I read her books every single summer, and I always love them! A big-city journalist loses her job and has to return home to her small town where she grew up and ends up getting the lead on a major political scandal for her family’s run local paper! This is perfect to read by the pool. Not too serious, but just juicy enough!

 

38. Big Summer

by Jennifer Weiner

 

It pains me to say that I was not the biggest fan of her last book, but this one was so good! It’s about a plus-size influencer (probably why I liked it so much), but also has a thriller aspect to it, which is super different for her! I really enjoyed this!

 

37. Feels Like Falling

by Kristy Woodsen Harvey

 

This was such a cute book about friendship and turned out to be way different than what I thought it was going to be when I started it. I am a huge fan of her writing and this was a super fun and easy beach read!

 

36. The Wife Stalker 

by Liv Constantine

 

I’m not joking when I say that I did not put this book down. I read it from start to finish in one sitting. It is THAT good. The ending is wild – this is the best book I’ve read in a long time. I don’t want to give too much away but you have to read it!

35. One Perfect Summer

by Brenda Novak

 

I was super interested in this book because it takes place in Lake Tahoe! Three women find out they’re sisters thanks to 23 & Me – and they try to unravel how exactly that happened. Loved it!

 

34. On Ocean Boulevard

by Mary Alice Monroe

 

This book is part of a series but can be read as a standalone novel. I always read her books and this one was the perfect beach read!

 

 

April

33. Untamed

by Glennon Dolye

 

I finished this book in just three days – I love how short the chapters are. Each one reads like a short story and you can pick it back up anytime. She is such a talented writer, and can’t believe I haven’t read any of her other stuff.

 

32. The Herd

by Andrea Bartz

 

This book is basically an all-female Soho House type thriller. What more could you ask for in a book?

31. Cape May

by Chip Cheek

 

30. Babywise

by Gary Ezzo

 

This is the book I read in addition to taking the TCB class on sleep training – it was so helpful!

March

29. High Achiever

by Tiffany Jenkins

 

This was the first book I read this month and probably my favorite! It is a non-fiction memoir written by an addict. It was so well-written. Sad at times, but also funny and endearing. Some of the stories she shares are so crazy, it’s hard to believe that it’s fiction.

28. My Dark Vanessa

by Kate Elizabeth Russell

 

I cannot believe this was her first book – it was so amazing, I could hardly put it down. I normally dislike books that alternate from past to present, but Russell tells the story so seamlessly, I hardly noticed. The story itself was unsettling to read – a 15-year-old girl who has a relationship with her teacher. It was a dark read for sure, but a page-turner at the same time.

 

27. You Are Not Alone

by Greer Hendricks &  Sarah Pekkanen

 

Surprisingly, this was the only thriller I read last month, but it was so so good! These are the same authors who wrote one of my faves, The Wife Between Us, and this book didn’t disappoint. The book starts off with a woman witnessing a suicide at a subway station in New York City and follows her obsession with getting to the bottom of it. I highly recommend!

 

26. Buy Yourself the F*cking Lillies

by Tara Schuster

 

This book is normally not my vibe, but I heard her on Stassi’s podcast and thought she was pretty funny. I listened to this on Audible and found it uplifting and it helped pass the time during the quarantine. I related to her a lot – anxious, self-medicating and just trying to be successful. I found this self-help book to be different than most – it was not sanctimonious in the least, and I felt like she was one of my girlfriends talking to me.

February

25. The Last House Guest 

by Megan Miranda

 

This was the first book I actually read after Joe was born. It actually came out last summer, and I just got around to reading it. I read it while I was pumping – which gave me something to look forward to! I bought the hardcover version, so it was a little challenging to read while I was holding the baby, but we made it work! It was a thriller that wasn’t too scary, but it kept me entertained the whole time. I knew a huge twist was coming, but I enjoy the times when I can’t guess it – and this book was that way!

24. Open Book

by Jessica Simpson

 

If you were a Jessica Simpson fan, read this immediately. Even if you weren’t a fan, but you love pop culture, read this I was shook at how open she was throughout the book. I feel like so many celebrities take the easy way out when writing books like this, but she held nothing back. I listened to it on Audible, and she narrated, which made it extra special. Her voice definitely brought me back to my middle school BSB days and listening to her reminisce about her and Nick was fascinating. I love her even more after reading this.

23. Happiest Baby on the Block

by Harvey Karp

 

Written by the founder of the Snoo, his 5 S method is famous for soothing fussy babies. It was so fascinating to read that babies in other cultures don’t experience the colicky baby like we do in America. His research was so interesting and his methods seem to be working. This research was what inspired him to create the Snoo in the first place (which we are loving so far, and I will do a full review once we have used it for a full month).

22. Mr. Nobody

by Catherine Steadman

 

This book was recommended to me by my friend, Daisy. She is the only person who reads more than me – we always share so many book recs, and by now she knows my taste. And she was right- I finished this in a few hours and was actually surprised by the twist ending!

21. The Wives

Taryn Fisher

 

I read this book super fast, and there were definitely some twists I didn’t see coming. It’s one of those books where you definitely don’t know what’s going to happen next. When it was over – I almost thought I read the ending wrong – and that’s all I will say. This is a great beach read but may leave you saying, “WTF” after you’re finished.

 

20. The HouseKeeper

by Natalie Barelli

 

This is a great case of revenge. Claire is looking to get revenge on Hannah for something she did to her family years ago. She sees the perfect opportunity to apply for a live-in housekeeper job in order to get closer to her and bring her down. Again, this ending surprised me, I can normally always guess! Maybe baby is throwing me off my game.

 

19. The Lookalike

by Erica Spindler

 

I don’t know why but it took me forever to get into this book! Once I finally was almost a third of the way through, it started picking up. This book would usually be right up my alley – but there was something about the main character I just didn’t like, so it was hard for me to connect. The ending was pretty wild though. If you like thrillers, this one was okay!

 

18. Do You Mind if I Cancel?

by Gary Janetti

 

It took me a while to get into this book – but then I found myself laughing out loud. I listened to this one on Audible. It’s super light-hearted and fun!

 

17. Saint X

by Alexis Schaitkin

 

This book gave me Natalie Holloway vibes – not so much a thriller, but more of a murder mystery. A young girl goes missing on a family vacation to a tropical island. They find her body and then years later, her sister befriends one of the suspects determined to get to the truth. To say I didn’t see the ending coming is an understatement.

 

16. The Other Mrs.

by Mary Kubica

 

 

I haven’t been actually scared of a book in a long time. I normally am reading in the middle of the night when I’m pumping or feeding. I found a couple of times I would have to wait until the sun came up to finish chapters in this book. It’s not her very best work, but it was still pretty good.

January

15. Such a Fun Age

by Kiley Reid

 

This is Reese’s book club pick for the month. And the first fiction book I read this year. It was SO good I can’t even explain it. I finished it in two days – like could not put it down. It tackles race in a very interesting way. It’s eye-opening, but incredibly entertaining at the same time. It was sold out when I tried to buy it, so I had to get the Kindle version – read it however you can!

14. What to Expect the First Year

by Heidi Murkoff

 

You know I had to read this book! With just a month to go, I figured it was time I figured out what to expect. I found What to Expect When You’re Expecting super helpful, and the same for this book. If you’re anxious like me and having your first baby, definitely check it out. I love that you can refer back to it all the time. You don’t need to wait to have the baby to read this as it covers things like how many onesies to buy, what supplies you need for breastfeeding etc.

 

13. How to Stop Feeling Like Shit

by Andrea Owen

 

Emily LOVES audiobooks and I could never get into them – yet I paid for Audible every single month (found this out when trying to cancel my subscriptions) –  I went to cancel and I had a ton of credits – meaning I could still use all the times I paid and didn’t download a book. I love love love podcasts so couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t do audiobooks. I decided to download only non-fiction and it worked! I was loving listening to these books while I was walking, cleaning, cooking, in the bath – it’s just another way for me to fit in more books now – and I love it. This is written by a life coach and it forces you to face some hard truths about yourself. For example, she was saying when a friend comes to you for help, there are certain categories as to how you respond. Unfortunately, I identified most as the “one-upper” not something I’m proud of, but at least now I know and can work on it. She gives you 14 ways to stop feeling like shit and they’re all doable. Highly recommend!

12. Quit Like a Woman

by Holly Whitaker

 

This book is everywhere and I mean everywhere. It’s all over social media, magazines, and everyone is talking about it. I first heard about this sober curious lifestyle a year or so ago. It always surprises people when they learn that we don’t drink. Don’t get me wrong – I definitely do – just not often. I’m either a 0 or 100 type of girl – so I am either going balls to the wall or staying sober with a glass of wine here or there on certain occasions. Everyone always asks if I miss drinking when we talk about my pregnancy – the answer is no. There are a million other things I miss way more — like tuna tartare and unlimited coffee! I can’t tell you the last time we had a drink together – just us two – we would always just rather be working. But I was super curious about this book, and how my life would look after birth – and this book is so incredibly honest and eye-opening. When I look at all the people I strive to be like – Kim Kardashian, J Lo, Warren Buffet, Blake Lively – not one of them drinks and the list goes on and on. Highly suggest reading this if you are thinking of quitting the booze!

11. A Love-Hate Thing

by Whitney Grandison

 

It’s been a while since I’ve read a young adult novel – a genre that used to be my favorite. But this one sounded good so I decided to pick it up! It was an easy read and I finished it in two days!

 

10. Long Bright River

by Liz Moore

 

Set in Kensington Bech, this isn’t your normal cop mystery. This book not only tackles the relationship between two sisters and murder but also the opioid crisis. It’s super relevant to what is happening in today’s world and sadly could be a true story. I was sad when I had to go to sleep and wasn’t able to finish it all in the same day. SO GOOD.

 

9. Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything

by BJ Fogg Ph.D.

 

This was a great follow up piece to Atomic Habits. This book explores the behaviors behind habits. I found it so fascinating. My favorite takeaway from the book is The Maui Habit; for example, fill in the blanks for any habit you want to implement

After I…

I will…

So if your goal is to change your mindset yours would go, “After I wake up, I will say to myself ‘today is going to be a great day.'” Or if you want to make your bed every day, add it onto a habit you already do every morning. “After I brush my teeth, I will make my bad.” And just repeat this over and over again, until it becomes a habit.

8. Regretting You 

by Colleen Hoover

 

Colleen Hoover is one of my favorites – and this one is no different. Of course, I stayed up super late to finish, but I couldn’t put it down! I don’t want to say too much without giving things away – just read it!

7. Love Her or Lose Her

by Tessa Bailey

 

This was a silly book I read super fast, but it was cute! A struggling couple enters intense couples therapy in an attempt to save their marriage. This would definitely be a good airplane or beach read!

 

6. Super Attractor

by Gabrielle Bernstein

 

We are big into manifestation and this takes it to the next level. If you are a fan of The Secret or do manifesting yourself, then definitely check this out. I read her very first book and was obsessed and this one was good too – a little more spiritual, which was good.

 

5. The Better Liar

by Tannen Jones

 

THIS BOOK! It’s such a good thriller – it kind of gave me Gone Girl vibes – something I haven’t experienced in a while. I can’t believe this is James’ first book – it is incredible. It’s definitely a page-turner. Perfect for an upcoming spring break trip, or cozy weekend on the couch.

 

4. Followers

by Megan Angelo

 

I was surprised at how slow this book started for me. I was SO excited to read it and it just took me longer than usual. It’s very Handmaid’s Tale / Brave New World meets the Kardashians. I have never been a fan of books that go back and forth from past to present every other chapter- so that totally may be a part of it as well. But once I got to page 100 or so, it flew by! If you love dystopian novels or reality tv, you will be super into this!

 

3. Uncanny Valley: A Memoir

by Anna Wiener

 

If you work in tech or at a start-up you will find this fascinating. Or if you are just curious as to what life in Silicon Valley /Bay Area is like then definitely check this out. I think because I have been living in it for so long, I forget that other people just don’t know what it’s like. I am going to work on reading more memoirs this year because this one was fantastic!

2. Take Control of Your Life

by Mel Robbins

 

This is an Audible original – meaning you can only listen to it on Audible. So I am sorry to those of you who don’t have it! This book was perfect for me right before baby because it’s all about fear. If you knew how many times during my pregnancy I second-guessed myself, or convinced myself we weren’t ready… this book is great for tackling the fear that’s holding you back in life. It’s broken down into six separate coaching sessions which I found super helpful. They are all case studies of real people, which added a human element and made it super relatable!

 

1. Oligarchy: A Novel

by Scarlett Thomas

 

This book is all kinds of messed up, but it’s totally how in envision boarding schools to be. Although the themes of body image, eating disorders and fitting in are kind of dark, Thomas somehow makes this book funny at the same time. It’s a quick read at only 228 pages, but the theme was a little heavy so I couldn’t read it in one sitting. Very well written!

 

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