Over the last few years, I have kept track and set goals of how many books I want to read that year. Last year I set a goal of 25 and ended the year almost double at 49! I have found some fantastic books that I lose myself in, which have pushed me emotionally and mentally, and some great series and Authors that I now feel even more connected to. It’s crazy how a book can take you into a new reality for a few chapters or hours and leave you feeling relaxed and wanting more.
This year my goal is 50 books! I am hoping I can try to double it again but I know that this seems doable for me and I’m hoping to find some more great Authors and books that can continue to expand my knowledge in many areas.
*January*
Hello Girls – Brittany Cavallaro & Emily Henry
Talking to Strangers – Malcolm Gladwell (audiobook)
The Myth of Normal – Gabor Mate, MD
The Maid – Nita Prose
*February*
5. High Achiever – Tiffany Jenkins (audiobook)
6. Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six – Lisa Unger
7. Maybe Not – Colleen Hoover
8. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman
9. Good Boss, Bad Boss – Robert I. Sutton (audiobook)
10. Agile – Harvard Business Review (audiobook)
11. I’m Glad My Mom Died – Jennette McCurdy (audiobook)
12. The Mind of the Leader – Rasmus Hougaard and Jacqueline Carter (audiobook)
13. Livid – Patricia Cornwell
*March*
14. Bringing Up The Boss – Rachel Pacheco (audiobook)
15. Everything I Never Told You – Celeste Ng
16. Lessons in Chemistry – Bonnie Garmus
17. Our Missing Hearts – Celeste Ng
18. The Energy Bus – Jon Gordon (audiobook)
19. Wrong Place Wrong Time – Gillian McAllister
20. Urgent! – Dermot Crowley (audiobook)
21. Permission to Speak – Samara Bay
*April*
22. Mad Honey – Jodi Picoult & Jennifer Finney Boylan
23. The Self-Care Solution – Jennifer Ashton (audiobook)
24. Maame – Jessica George (audiobook)
25. On The Way to the Wedding – Julia Quinn (Bridgerton #8)
26. Pineapple Street – Jenny Jackson
27. What Happened to You? – Oprah Winfrey (audiobook)
*May*
28. You Can Run – Rebecca Zanetti
29. The Hotel Nantucket – Elin Hilderbrand
30. Beyond the Wand – Tom Felton (audiobook)
31. The Mountain is You – Brianna West (audiobook)
32. The 5 Second Rule – Mel Robbins (audiobook)
*June*
33. Girl, Forgotten – Karin Slaughter
34. Stop Saying You’re Fine – Mel Robbins (audiobook)
35. The High 5 Habit – Mel Robbins (audiobook)
36. Book Lovers – Emily Henry
37. Real Self – Care – Pooja Lakshmin, MD (audiobook)
38. The Gifts of Imperfection – Brené Brown (audiobook)
39. Daisy Jones & The Six – Taylor Jenkins Reid
40. Love in the Time of Serial Killers – Alicia Thompson
41. Spare – Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex
*July*
42. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow – Gabrielle Zevin
43. One of Us Is Dead – Jeneva Rose
44. Hopeless – Colleen Hoover
45. One of Us Is Lying – Karen M. McManus
46. Maybe Someday – Colleen Hoover
47. The House in the Pines – Ana Reyes
48. One of Us Is Next – Karen M. McManus
49. A Very Typical Family – Sierra Godrey
*August*
50. It Starts with Us – Colleen Hoover
51. Maybe Now – Colleen Hoover
52. Hello Beautiful – Ann Napolitano
53. Losing Hope – Colleen Hoover
54. The Power of Vulnerability – Brené Brown (audiobook)
55. Rising Strong as a Spiritual Practice – Brené Brown (audiobook)
56. Finding Cinderella – Colleen Hoover
*September*
57. Finding Perfect – Colleen Hoover
58. Quiet – Susan Cain
59. Happy Place – Emily Henry
60. The Confidence Code – Katty Kay & Claire Shipman
61. Slammed – Colleen Hoover
*October*
62. The Couple at Number 9 – Claire Douglas
63. One of Us is Back – Karen M. McManus
64. Nothing More to Tell – Karen M. McManus
65. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder – Holly Jackson
66. Good Girl, Bad Blood – Holly Jackson
67. Wish You Were Here – Jodi Picoult
68. A Court of Thorns and Roses (#1 series) – Sarah J, Maas
69. Two Can Keep a Secret – Karen M. McManus
70. They Both Die at the End – Adam Silvera
*November*
71. Point of Retreat – Colleen Hoover
72. The First to Die at the End – Adam Silvera
73. The Roughest Draft – Emily Wibberley
74. November 9 – Colleen Hoover
75. Her Every Fear – Peter Swanson
76. Without Merit – Colleen Hoover
77. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo – Taylor Jenkins Reid
*December*
78. The Covenant of Water – Abraham Verghese
79. The Cousins – Karen M. McManus
80. The Little Liar – Mitch Albom
81. A Court of Mist and Fury – Sarah J. Maas
82. The Ballads of Songbirds and Snakes – Suzanne Collins
Well, another year, another round of goals. I keep rocking this reading goal each year; it is more exciting as I try to get to 100 again. Last year I ended in the 90s, so I was so close. I am confident I can reach this goal this year, especially since a different personal goal of mine is to reduce my time on social media and mindlessly scrolling so now I will go for a book instead. I already have a great start in January with reading almost 10 that this goal could be hit by Summer ;).
One part of this goal this year that is different is providing written reviews of each book, doing a short reflection helps me to retain the information and book I read that way I can always remember some details, the second part is to go to the library more often. Last year was all Libby books, which is not a bad thing but I do miss the feel of holding a paperback book in my hands as I read or using bookmarks instead of digital notes to save my place, so I plan to go to the library once a month and choose 3-4 options to add to my reading list.
I’m grateful for all of the new worlds I am about to discover through books and can’t wait to hit this goal once and for all.
JANUARY
1. IN THE WOODS – TANA FRENCH (#1 in Series)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
This was an excellent mystery and I was eager to add the rest of the series to my queue. I was captured and excited and would definitely recommend reading this one.
2. ONLY SHE CAME BACK – MARGOT HARRISON (Audiobook)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
This was another great read, well listen. I have a new job and work in an open setting so I was listening to an audiobook so I could dive into my own world and work without the distractions of everyone talking. I was really excited to continue listening and getting to the end of this one. It was a shocking ending that I wouldn’t have totally expected.
3. THE LIKENESS – TANA FRENCH (#2 in Series)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I really enjoyed this book. It was another mystery that kept me trying to figure it out before getting to the end. There were definitely some twists I was not expecting.
4. THE ONLY ONE LEFT – RILEY SAGER
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
GREAT READ! I thought I had it figured out and then literally so many twists and turns in the last quarter of the book that I couldn’t go to bed until I knew the ending, even the last chapter was insanely captivating. I would love to read more books like this.
5. THRONE OF GLASS (#1 IN THE SERIES) – SARAH J. MAAS
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
This was a great read. I love book series that are easy to read and impossible to put down without reading 1/2 of it in 1 sitting and this is that kind of book. Definitely going to be reading the rest of the series.
6. CRUELEST MONTH – PENNY LOUISE
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
This was a good mystery book. I actually went to the library and got a few books to read and this was one of them. It was nice to have the good feel of a paperback in my hands. This was another one that I finished in a couple of after-work reading sessions. I like that it is set in Canada and has a lot of twists that keep your attention.
7. RIVALS – JANE PEK
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
This was another new one I got from the library. It was an interesting thriller but had some dating and romance included. I definitely would read more from this author. This was another easy book to read that was finished within 2 days.
8. WEED THAT STRINGS THE HANGMAN’S BAG – BRADLEY ALAN
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
The last of the books from the library. I thought this book was just okay, it took a few chapters to hook me in but after I got through those I couldn’t stop reading the book. I really was trying to figure out the murder mystery before the end but wasn’t and it kept me interested. I finished 3/4 of it all in one sitting.
9. CROWN OF MIDNIGHT (#2 IN THE SERIES) – SARAH J. MAAS
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Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
This is the 2nd book of this series and it was a good read. I like this style of book that is a different world with other creatures but also includes the thrill of following Celena and her assassin story from the beginning. I am excited for the next one but it is on hold for over 12 weeks in my Libby Queue.
10. CAMINO GHOSTS – JOHN GRISHAM
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
This book was a great one to read. I loved the history background and connections the author kept making. It was like reading a mixture of history and murder mystery. It was semi-difficult to follow at first, but once I got going it was great.
FEBRUARY
11. BYE, BABY – CAROLA LOVERING (AUDIOBOOK)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I do sometimes struggle with audiobooks because I mostly listen at work, but overall this was a long one. Usually I can get through 1/2 a book in one day but this one took the full 2 weeks to get through. It was really good when I could focus on the details, a lot of things going on and flashbacks that could get confusing.
12. THE HUNTER (#2 IN THE SERIES) – TANA FRENCH
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
This was another tough one to read at first. Once I was able to get connected and interested it was much easier to read. I really enjoy this author, she has a great writing style that keeps you invested.
13. HEIR OF FIRE (#3 in the Series) – SARAH J. MAAS
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I am obsessed with this Author and her series work. This is the 3rd series I have started and I really like how they connect and intermingle the worlds she creates. This was a great lineup addition, I really enjoy the back story of each character and how they continue throughout the series. The next one is on a long hold period of Libby, so hopefully doing some recaps can help me stay current with this one.
14. NOW YOU SEE THEM – ELLY GRIFFITHS
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I got this book from the library this month. It was a good mystery. It took a few chapters to really get hooked, but after that, I was able to dive in. The characters are very interesting but all intertwined, which helps in figuring out the murderer.
15. A STUDY IN CRIMSON (SHERLOCK HOLMES 1942) – ROBERT J. HARRIS
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
This was another book from the library, and I finished this within a few hours, I really enjoy Sherlock Holmes stories and this is one of them. I started it during a WFH day and honestly finished it before the end of the work day, so not great for work productivity but it was too good to stop.
16. THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY WITH MURDER – TRISH LUNDY (Audiobook)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
I was listening to most of this audiobook at work this week, and it was a good one. It is like how people listen to podcasts or music, I tune into a book and get to work. I sometimes get lost in thought and don’t retain much, but once I get hooked into the plot again, I know where I am at and don’t stop listening to the end. I sometimes carry them over into the commute home and listen through my car.
17. WHEN YOU SEE ME – LISA GARDNER
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
This was a great Mystery book. At first, a lot was going on to follow because each chapter is from a different character’s perspective, but it all tied together very well and ended with so many different twists. These kinds of books are my favorite to read because they keep me engaged until the very last page.
18. THE ZIG ZAG GIRL – ELLY GRIFFITHS
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
This book was another great mystery read. I really enjoyed this one, it was a quick and easy page-turner, and was leaving me trying to guess the ending right up until the end, so it was very captivating.
MARCH (I moved in March and that hindered a little bit of reading progress, but overall proud of what I accomplished)
19. BUTCHER & BLACKBIRD – BRYNNE WEAVER
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I absolutely loved this book; it was interesting to have two vigilante killers fall in love and share these random games with each other. It was hard to put this one down, I’m pretty sure I finished this read within 1 day.
20. NOTHING LIKE THE MOVIES – LYNN PAINTER
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Another quick read! This is more of a romance series, but overall still very good. I like books they do different character perspectives on each chapter, and this one does a good job at that.
21. QUEEN OF SHADOWS (#4 IN SERIES) – SARAH J. MAAS
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
This is a great fantasy series! The only downside is how long I have to wait on hold for the next one to be ready to read! There is nothing better than disconnecting from real life and diving into a fantasy novel. I usually have to be in places where I can read for hours because these are long books, and I like to make large dents in them each time I pick them up.
APRIL
22. HIDDEN POTENTIAL – ADAM GRANT
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
This book was more of a self-growth book; it had a lot of great points and takeaways that I hope to use in my personal and professional growth.
23. LONG TIME GONE – CHARLIE DONLEA
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I really enjoy Charlie Donlea’s style of mystery, crime writing books. They are super quick reads and very engaging. I enjoyed this book because it tied into another one of his that I read, so it felt familiar reading and knowing the characters’ back stories.
24. MODERN DATING – CHIARA ATIK
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
This is a book about dating and some helpful tips. I was mostly trying to help boost my confidence as I navigate the dating world. Now to put the tips to use.
25. THE BEE STING – PAUL MURRAY
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Ok, this book took me all month, it was one that I had a hard time reading a lot of at once, but mostly because the story at first was confusing and hard to follow. Towards the end, it was faster for me to read because I had understood the structure and timeline of the story better.
MAY – I fell behind on updates and can’t recall great recaps for each book.
26. THE PARADISE PROBLEM – CHRISTINA LAUREN
27. IF HE HAD BEEN WITH ME – LAURA NOWLIN
28. WICKED – GREGORY MAGUIRE
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
JUNE
29. MAGIC HOUR – KRISTIN HANNAH
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
30. LEATHER & LARK – BRYNNE WEAVER (#2 IN SERIES)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
This series is excellent; it’s a little gory at times and not something you want to be eating while reading, but it keeps me intrigued the entire time.
31. BETTING ON YOU – LYNN PAINTER
32. FINAL GIRLS – RILEY SAGER
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Loved this one! It was a cool take on Final Girls, connecting 3 different women’s stories, but then at the end it was a wild twist. A very good read.
33. EMPIRE OF STORMS – SARAH J. MAAS (#5 IN SERIES)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
The only downside of this series is how long I constantly have to be on the holds list for the next one. I am ready to buy it, but I am also almost done with the series at this point. I love fantasy-style stories, and this one is awesome. Each book includes new battles and characters, but keeps everything consistent throughout.
34. MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT – RILEY SAGER
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
This was more of a ghost story than a murder mystery, but it was still pretty good. I have started getting into my Riley Sager books and have them saved on my Libby. Always very quick reads, with great mysteries.
35. FAITHFUL PLACE – TANA FRENCH
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
This is another murder mystery style book; however, I found it hard to stay interested and get through this one until like the last 10 chapters.
JULY
36. SCYTHE & SPARROW – BRYNNE WEAVER (#3 IN SERIES)
I read 82 books in 2023, maybe some were audiobooks but overall that’s an amazing accomplishment. I really like all kinds of books, last year I dived into a lot of ‘self-help’ or ‘knowledge’ type books to help with leadership training and development and some anxiety coping tips, along with the favorites, rom-coms, steamy sexy novels, murder mysteries, auto-biographies, and dystopian end-of-the World Series.
Last year, my goal was to hit 100, which would double my 2022 list of 49 books read. With the momentum of how much I am reading right now, it definitely feels achievable. So 100 is the goal for 2024. I have a full holds shelf on my Libby app and 2-3 physical books in my room that I need to read, so I’m off to a great start.
Looking forward to learning, creating fantasy movies in my mind based on the books, and overall just the journey of discovering new books and authors that I enjoy.
☮️
*January*
The Lost Bookshop – Evie Woods
Romantic Comedy – Curtis Sittenfeld
As Good as Dead – Holly Jackson
All Your Perfects – Colleen Hoover
A Court of Wings and Ruin (#3 in Series) – Sarah J. Maas
*February*
6. Don’t Believe It – Charlie Donlea
7. The It Girl – Ruth Ware
8. The Lost Summers of Newport – Beatriz Williams, Lauren Wiilig, Karen White
9. Meet Me at the Lake – Carley Fortune
10. This Girl – Colleen Hoover
*March*
11. Tom Lake – Ann Patchett
12. None of This is True – Lisa Jewell
13. Fairy Tale – Stephen King
14. A Court of Frost and Starlight (#3.5 in series) – Sarah J. Maas
15. Argylle – Elly Conway
16. The Family Remains – Lisa Jewell
*April*
17. Then She Was Gone – Lisa Jewell
18. A Court of Silver Flames (#4 in series) – Sarah J Maas
19. Those Empty Eyes – Charlie Donlea
20. The Alice Network – Kate Quinn
21. It’s Not Summer Without You (#2 in series) – Jenny Han
22. The Suicide House – Charlie Donlea
23. We’ll Always Have Summer – (#3 in series) – Jenny Han
*May*
24. The Family Upstairs – Lisa Jewell (didn’t realize I read the sequel already and felt it was familiar the entire book lol)
25. The Silent Patient – Alex Michaelides
26. Simply Lies – David Baldacci
27. She Thinks Like a Boss – Jemma Roedel
28. The Five-Star Weekend – Elin Hilderbrand
29. Heart Bones – Colleen Hoover
30. The 6:20 Man – David Baldacci
*June*
31. The Royal Librarian – Daisy Wood
32. The Book of Lost Names – Kristin Harmel
33. We Were the Lucky Ones – Georgia Hunter
34. Every Summer After – Carley Fortune
35. The Midnight Library – Matt Haig
36. I Will Find You – Harlan Coben
*July*
37. Summit Lake – Charlie Donlea
38. The Bodyguard – Katherine Center
30. A Little Life – Hanya Yanagihara
40. The Girl Who Was Taken – Charlie Donlea
*August*
41. Catch and Kill – Ronan Farrow
42. Last Night at the Telegraph Club – Malinda Lo
43. What Lies in the Woods – Kate Alice Marshall
44. The Winter People – Jennifer McMahon
45. The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak Magic – Breanne Randall
46. The Perfect Couple – Elin Hilderbrand
47. Demon Copperhead – Barbara Kingsolver
*September*
48. No One Can Know – Kate Alice Marshall
49. The Night She Disappeared – Lisa Jewell
50. Tell Me Lies – Carola Lovering
51. Divine Rivals – Rebecca Ross (#1 in series)
*October*
52. House of Earth and Blood – Sarah J. Maas (#1 in Series)
53. All the Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr
54. Midnight Sun – Stephanie Meyer
55. Camino Island – John Grisham
56. Ruthless Vows (#2 in Series) – Rebecca Ross
57. Holly – Stephen King
58. This Summer Will Be Different – Carley Fortune
59. Better Than the Movies – Lynn Painter
60. All Good People Here – Ashley Flowers
61. The Do-Over – Lynn Painter
*November*
62. The Perfect Marriage – Jeneva Rose
63. Too Late – Colleen Hoover
64. The Searcher – Tara French
65. Before We Were Yours – Lisa Winegate
66. Educated – Tara Westover
67. House of Sky and Breath – Sarah J. Maas (#2 in series)
68. House of Flame and Shadow – Sarah J. Maas (#3 in series)
69. Happily Never After – Lynn Painter
*December*
70. Doppelgänger – Naomi Klein – only read 1/2 of this before Libby auto-returned. This was a hard one to read.
71. The Wilderness of Girls – Madeline Claire (audiobook)
72. Beach Read – Emily Henry
73. What We Kept to Ourselves – Nancy Jooyoun Kim
74. Breath – James Nestor
75. Didn’t See That Coming – Rachel Hollis
76. Season’s Schemings – Katie Bailey (audiobook)
77. Something She’s Not Telling Us – Darcey Bell
78. The Assassin’s Blade – Sarah J. Maas (#1 in Series)
79. Everything We Never Said – Sloan Harlow (audiobook)
So this year, I am setting a more obtainable reading goal. 25 Books. That’s 2 a month, plus 1 more for fun. I feel ready to take on this goal and eager to exceed it even. I have been working on my 2022 book wishlist and am ready to get reading. I renewed my library card, redownloaded my free kindle app, and even found some great reads with amazon primes book selection. One of my personal goals is more self-reflection and finding ways to get around feeling stressed and burnt out so my first few books up are definitely more in the self-help genre than my usual mystery, mythical options.
*January*
1. 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do – Amy Morin:
*February*
2. The Book of Two Ways – Jodi Picoult
3. The Last Thing He Told Me – Laura Dave
*March*
4. I’m Thinking of Ending Things – Iain Reid
5. The Paper Palace – Miranda Cowley Heller
*April*
6. Murder at Black Swan Lane – Andrea Penrose
7. Stranger in the Lake – Kimberly Belle
*May*
8. Romancing Mister Bridgerton (Bridgerton #4) – Julia Quinn
9. Burnout – The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Code – Emily Nagasaki
10. The Thief – Megan Whalen Turner
*June*
11. More Than This – Patrick Ness
*July*
12. To Sir Philip, with Love (Bridgerton #5) – Julia Quinn
13. You Are a Badass – Jen Sincero (audiobook)
14. Less – Andrew Sean Greer
*August*
15. Stolen Focus – Johann Hari (audiobook)
16. The Paris Apartment – Lucy Foley
17. Shadow of Night (#2 in series)- Deborah Harkness
It’s that time of the year again, a time to reflect and look forward.
Something I sometimes dread, but this time I’m feeling very cliche, New Year, New Me. 2022 will be my year and all those other corny new years sayings. I felt like there is some kind of refresh or reset button waiting for me at midnight on December 31st, which obviously was crazy to think. But I’m ready for this reset and 2022 feels like it for me.
To reflect, in 2021, I started a new job at a Cannabis Marketing Agency, I was promoted pretty quickly and now am looking forward to some more career moves in 2022 as our company and team continue to grow.
I established a workout routine with my sister, we have a schedule set and go to planet fitness 3-4 times a week, our goal was mostly for Aruba but we have since kept it up at the gym after getting back from our trip.
And I became more comfortable in my stomach diagnosis of gastroparesis and actually finding better alternatives and solutions to eating and not feeling sick 100% of the time.
2022 Goals
Read 25 Books this year
Find the comfort in alone time outside of the house (dinner, gym, coffee shop, shopping, etc.)
Pay off more of my credit card debt
Start seriously looking into buying a house in 2023 (evaluate savings, mortgage rates, etc)
Dedicate time to a new hobby (and actually follow through with it) lol
Spend less money on material things that I don’t NEED
Actually put myself out there more, be more open to the idea of a relationship
One a month reach out to at least 1-2 friends I haven’t seen a while and connect/checkin
Go on more trips across Michigan this summer
A big promotion at work
I’m ready to kick this year’s ass, it’s all about personal and professional growth. Being able to love myself so others can see my great qualities and potential. Finding joy and pleasures in the little things in life.
This is going to be an ongoing post of all the books that I read this year. I’m excited to keep on digging further into my list of books that I have wanted to read for a while now. I am also excited because I joined a book club with my friend so that I way I will have people to talk to about a few of the books I read in 2021. I will break them up by month read and mark ones that were read in my book club. I will do my best to just say my general opinion and no spoilers but be warned.
*January*
1. Book Club:In some other world, Maybe – Shari Goldhagen: Really good, it was so cute to follow each person’s story and connection throughout the book. I really enjoyed this one. I actually had read most of it in a day then forgot to finish it and I still really liked it.
2.Untamed – Glennon Doyle: (memoir) I really enjoyed this book. It’s always really interesting to read a memoir and this one was really well written and kept me interested until the end.
3. The Guest List – Lucy Foley: (mystery) So good! I liked that each chapter was from the perspective of one of the guests. I read this one within 2 days, I couldn’t stop myself.
4. American Dirt – Jeanine Cummins: Heartbreaking but you can’t stop reading it. I’m happy that some of these characters made it to a happy and safe ending. I don’t want to spoil anything, but the entire story is just sad but you don’t want to stop reading it.
*FEBRUARY*
5. The Glass Hotel – Emily St. John Mandel: This mystery was really interesting. It follows a couple different character stories throughout a few years. A woman disappears and the connections between her and the other characters are all a little odd.
6. The Hunting Party – Lucy Foley: Another murder mystery. If you can’t tell what kind of books I enjoy lol. This one was a really creepy one in that each chapter follows a different character POV. I love these kinds of books, it was really engaging until the end.
*MARCH*
7. Book Club Book: The Beauty in Breaking – Michele Harper – A memoir, this was a great read. I don’t know how to explain the motivational drive I was feeling after reading this one.
*APRIL*
8. All You Can Ever Know: Nicole Chung
*MAY*
9. The Nightingale – Kristin Hannah – So Good. Very sad and moving but I also couldn’t stop reading it.
*JUNE- AUGUST*
Went on a hiatus and didn’t read at all or much of anything for that much.
*SEPTEMBER*
10., 11. & 12. Bridgerton Collection: Books 1-3 – Julia Quinn – Mostly read this because of the Netflix series, the book was way better, and the 2nd and 3rd kind of showed what may come to the series. I definitely always prefer the book to the movie or show. This way a very sexual read and definitely took a long time to get through.
*OCTOBER-DECEMBER*
So to be honest, I went on another hiatus. I didn’t really end up having a ton of time to read after starting my new job in March. I was promoted by July and things really picked up for me so I really slacked when it came to spending time reading.
I plan to set a more obtainable goal of reading 25 books in 2022, that is 2 a month with 1 extra. So doable. It’s not a competition, it was just a personal goal that at the time of setting it I was reading 3-4 books a month so it seemed like, hey, I could read 100 books lol. I barely even participated in my book club after March. I truly need to do better at hobbies, I always want a hobby but when it comes to doing things I just feel like not doing it. ugh, something I’m working on.
Anyways, trying to nail down my list of books to read in 2022, always open to suggestions in the comments.
So in typical new year fashion, I wanted to jot down some goals for this year. My main focus being my mental health and focusing on me this year. A lot of my goals are revolved around personal development and learning to feel better about myself. I do just want to say that I’ve had a pretty great first few weeks since I started some new routines for myself.
Get active – (start actually utilizing the beach body programs you pay for lol)
Be more proactive with my healthy eating – (planning meals so I don’t get lazy and eat snacks until I’m not hungry for real food)
Drink a lot of water (at least 72 oz a day)
Read more (can I try for 100 this year?!)
Journal more often
weekly face masks
screen detox weekly or at least before bed (no cell or tv)
Work on things to start freelancing / side hustle
Pay down credit card debt
Take a vacation (Aruba in November!!!)
Start a new hobby / or pick up an old one
Set boundaries on constant activities out of the house
Save money (maybe buy a house in 2022-23?)
Look into professional development opportunities (online certificates, seminars, etc.)
Get better at scheduling Doctors appointments, instead of putting them off forever
Well, that’s a start. My goals always evolve and change as I get further into the year. I’ve also have been getting better at not getting mad at myself when I don’t accomplish everything on a to do list. I would always be so disappointed when I can’t accomplish all the tasks I set out to in a day, but now I try to focus on the fact that I got so many other things done, that it’s okay if a couple things transfer to the next day, or even the next week. There is no rules and no one evaluating how well I “adult” and get all of my things done, just my brain, so I push through that and focus on all I do accomplish.
Here’s to the new year, and might I say, new me. I know so cliche to say that. But I really think this can be a good year of growth for me. Here’s to hoping.
So every year I start with some ridiculous goal of wanting to read 100 books or something crazy, when I know I don’t have the time. Well it started off a slow year, but I got a library card in October and started reading a lot from my phone or iPad (definitely not the same as having a real book in your hands). So I since I finished strong in 2020 (even if I didn’t reach 100), I decided to set the same goal for 2021. This post will highlight all of the books that I have read in 2020.
(So on a side note, I graduated in May 2020 with my Masters, so I didn’t really have any free time to read for pleasure until after that, plenty of textbooks and scholarly articles though).
Below is a list and general overview of the books of 2020. I will try not to reveal any spoilers, but be warned. Mostly just giving my view on how good, bad or annoying these books were. Also speaking it into existence right now, that I will reach my 2021 goal of reading 100 books!
Buy Yourself the Fu*king Lilies – Tara Schuster :(self-help) So amazing! Literally it is kept on my night stand with sticky notes and things to follow up on. Not just a set down after reading. To me, it almost feels like a manual or guide of how to better myself. It also made me feel connected to someone who also doesn’t always have it all together for themselves.
The Sun Down Motel – Simone St. James : (mystery) Great! I could not stop reading. It kept going back and forth between times and stories of the aunt and her niece. The ending was kinda, ehhh. But overall, a great read.
Normal People – Sally Rooney : (Nonfiction) Umm.. If I could rate 1 to 10, maybe a 6. I did NOT like the ending. Just kind of stops. Also the main characters are so frustrating. But it wasn’t terrible.
The Vanishing Half – Brit Bennett : (mystery) This was so good. I definitely recommend this book. I couldn’t stop reading until I was done. Two twin sisters who run away from home and then end up separating from each other and end up living different lives. They end up being brought together again years later back at home, with different life stories to share.
White Fragility – Robin DiAngelo: Very eye opening. It was about the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially. A MUST READ!
Today. Tonight. Tomorrow – Rachel Lynn Solomon: It was kind of sad. Very good read, but another one that kind of left me annoyed at the end. About a teenage love story of two rivals, but it turns out they find out they have had feelings for each other and just didn’t express them until years later.
Maybe You should Talk to Someone – Lori Gottlieb: (self helpish): I really enjoyed this book. It’s from the perspective of a therapist and really was encouraging me to actually look into therapy/counseling.
A Discovery of Witches – Deborah Harkness: So GREAT! For anyone who loves fantasy books. It brought me back to reading Twilight in high school. It had everything I loved from witches, vampires, a love story, and more. Really long, but so worth it. It is the first of a trilogy, so I will definitely be continuing the series.
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark – Michelle McNamara: A true crime writer who becomes a bit obsessed with the Golden State Killer case and helps some former investigators work on the cold case. This book is posthumous. I loved it, mostly because I’m also obsessed with true crime.
The Broken Girls – Simone St. James: Another murder/ spooky mystery. I finished this book in less than two days. I couldn’t stop reading. I will definitely continue to read books produced by this author.
Anxious People – Fredrik Backman: This one was pretty interesting. An attempted bank robber gone wrong, really wrong. Ends with new friendships and family secrets. Really good. Another one that I read in the matter of a couple days.
The Whisper Man – Alex North: Mystery, suspenseful. So good, this one I finished in like 6 hours on Saturday. A creepy connected background that keeps it interesting page after page. Definitely reading more from this author.
*Edit* I just found a list in my trello of books that I read in early 2020 that I completely forgot about.. lol 2020 was a blur.
The 2nd and 3rd Novels in the Darkest Mind Series
The Defining Decade
Speak
Shout
Overall proud of what I was able to read in the last few months. Excited for what the new year holds. Already almost done with another one on my list.
So it’s been a while. I kind of fell off on my personal productivity goals over the last few months. It all started with a wisdom tooth infection back in early November. The infection put me into a stomach flare up and i’ve been struggling to regain my motivation to do the things that were bringing me joy.
I have kept up with my reading, but not my blog. I’ve been feeling just super burnt out in my personal and professional life. 2020 has really gotten to me at this point. I have fallen behind on taking care of myself and working towards my goals of trying to start my own marketing/social media consultant business.
Mostly writing this post to keep myself accountable for the rest of the year. I have 4 draft posts started that I want to get done before 2021. I have a count down until my last day of work for 2020, (I get lucky here and we close down from December 23 – January 4th). Only 6 days of work!! (I’m off next Thursday and Friday for wisdom teeth extraction, not too excited for that).
Here my few remaining goals for 2020:
-Finish 3-4 more books -Get back into a workout program (I started yoga again, but I’m not consistent with it) -Try to find ways to have fun, even if I’m stuck at home -Finish the 4 blog drafts that I want to post -Reach out to a few friends I haven’t talked to in a while
So if you want to get super technical, here is the definition of Gastroparesis thanks to the Cleveland Clinic, “Gastroparesis is a disease in which the stomach cannot empty itself of food in a normal fashion. Symptoms include heartburn, nausea, vomiting, and feeling full quickly when eating.” That is like a short and to the point explanation.
If you want my definition, my stomach no longer works without medication, and it f*king sucks and is something I manage daily not just like go to a Doctor and figure it out and I’m good for life. It’s a constant struggle to stick to a routine and even when one works it can come to end.
I was diagnosed in 2017, but I feel like it may have been something I have been suffering with for far longer than that. It was because I had moved home to live with my mom after my Undergrad that she saw me struggling all of the time and insisted I get some help. So after 5 or 6 huge, expensive tests, and thousands of dollars later, the answer was found. My stomach couldn’t digest food at the rate it is supposed to, I want to say I had like 80% still left in my stomach after 4 hours of laying in this big machine and eating these radioactive egg whites and it was supposed to be less than 20%. Not totally sure about the accuracy of those percentages but it was something similar to that.
Anyways, I have the idiopathic version, so no sure cause or reason why I have this. I will go through phases where I feel like that I’m doing good, no stomach pain, regular bathroom visits, and then just out of nowhere all of the things that usually don’t bother my stomach or things that usually work well for me won’t, and this is called a flare-up.
Too much stress, flare-up. More anxiety than usual, flare-up. That time of the month, flare-up. Decided to enjoy a few too many alcoholic beverages, flare-up. Couldn’t stop my craving for fried food or other fatty foods, flare-up. Just wanted to enjoy a nice family meal without being that pain in the ass person who needs their own menu, flare-up. Sometimes for just no reason, flare-up. (Yeah, I know a few of the above are my own fault for indulging)
It’s great. Like I said earlier, I can find routines and products that will help and make me feel better but they always only work for so long until I go into a flare-up then I struggle to get back on track. Sometimes the flares don’t last long, sometimes it’s weeks of not being able to keep any food down, being nauseous all of the time, bloated with stomach pain, and being so fatigued with no appetite. Not to mention the acid reflux, which is daily, no matter what, flare or not. When it’s bad, it’s a struggle to get out of bed. I force myself to be a productive human being and I know that I can be not so pleasant of a person to some people on those days, but I’m truly doing my best and would much rather be lying in the fetal position in bed if I could, but I don’t have unlimited sick days. I usually lay in bed and decide what outfit I can wear that will not be tight or uncomfortable while I try not to puke all over the place. Then I do as little as possible to get ready to go to work. It’s not the best process, but at least I’m still a functioning human, right?!
Now, I feel like I may sound dramatic, but it feels like having worse than the stomach flu all of the time. Even though it sucks, I always try to remain grateful for my state and condition. Others have it worse and end up with feeding tubes and hospitalized often. I try to work to find ways to be healthy but live a life where I can indulge in good food on special occasions. I don’t want to be sicker than I am, but I know that this is a battle that I will fight forever and I need to accept that.
I spent a lot of time frustrated and annoyed by my diagnosis. Hell, I still get annoyed by it, I wish I could get a new stomach some days. I fight to have an appetite like 90% of the time and mostly force food or forget to eat. So, I know these are unhealthy habits, and I have a stash of meal replacement drinks and easily digestible snacks nearby at all times so that way I’m not completely starving myself.
Well, that wasn’t everything, but I felt I could spare the gross bathroom details that I manage daily. It’s tough, I still get frustrated by it, I hate explaining it to everyone, just to re-explain it to them in a few weeks when they forgot and now it’s awkward because we are trying to have a meal together. I’m managing it the best I can.
In the meantime, to those who read my blog posts and know me, I hope this was educational and you learned some more about me and have a better understanding. If you are a fellow GP’er, I’m with you! If you just stumbled upon it and now you’re like WTF, well I’m sorry, you wasted your time reading my stomach story, but this was only the tip of the iceberg.
wondering what’s next. 