Anyone else feeling those “Sunday scaries” today where you are dreading your Monday work schedule? Trust me, I get it. While we are technically no longer in a full on quarantine, most of us are still taking a lot of precautions.
These precautions have REALLY changed our summers. While we are used to going to barbeques, visiting busy beaches and pools, and flying for vacations, most of us are feeling the end of summer looming and thinking, “Wow, I haven’t even had a vacation or spent time with my family and friends!”
This can make us feel like we haven’t accomplished much of anything, when really we have because we are IN.A.PANDEMIC and doing the best we absolutely can. Since quarantine started, I found that setting small goals for myself helped me feel much more productive.
One of those major goals was reading 20 books in 2020. Whenever I felt bored to tears, frustrated, or sad, I picked up a book. It really did help improve my time at home this year, as I LOVE to read but had trouble finding time for it.
In case you’ve caught the reading bug, here are some of my favorite books I’ve read this year! They are linked below 🙂
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara
I don’t think I have one bad thing to say about this book. I’ve read a lot of crime novels (because I am one of THOSE true crime people) and none have been as raw and honest as this book. And quite frankly, it was SCARY. Like I had nightmares and was scared to read it when I was at home by myself. So if thrillers and being scared isn’t your jam, you may want to skip this one.
But in case you’re thinking “I’m buying this book right now!”, I’ll give a quick summary. The author spent years investigating the Golden State Killer and this book is about the offender (who was just caught in 2018), her investigation, and her discussions with police and victims. It is chilling to hear what these victims went through and so interesting to hear the author’s story and how she helped with the case.
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
I’m a firm believer that ANYTHING Glennon Doyle touches is gold. She is such a good writer and storyteller and is not afraid of telling her readers the hard truth.
This book is about letting go of standards and the “taming” that we all participate in, and setting yourself free to be your truest self. However, this isn’t a cheesy self help book-she tells stories from her life that are so relatable.
Act Like a Lady by Keltie Knight, Becca Tobin and Jac Vanek
If you are able to go to a pool or beach this summer, BRING THIS BOOK. It is a light but meaningful read with essays written by the members of the Ladygang podcast. They talk about so many things that we can all relate to, including breakups, friendships, fertility struggles, work tips, fashion advice, and so much more!
The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn
Another thriller that I really couldn’t put down. It is a fictional story that reminds me a lot of books like The Girl on the Train. Crazy things start to happen and you don’t know if you should be trusting the narrator or not. If you love solving mysteries, this one is for you 🙂
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
I am a huge fan of anything Malcolm Gladwell writes. He is a non-fiction writer who explores ideas most hold as accurate and flip them to make you think differently. This book is about what truly makes things outliers, as in high-achieving people, the best athletes, the most successful entrepreneurs, etc. It feels like a science lab mixed with entertaining stories mixed with an elder giving life advice.
