I've had a seriously good book start in 2020. Not just because I read seven books, but because they were all amazing books. My lowest rating was 4 stars, and there are two 5 stars in this stack! That almost never happens in just a month of reading for me. I only rated 12 books that high in all of 2019!
You're going to want to make note of these! Take a screenshot or get your notebook handy. :)
The Shift by Wayne Dyer
Admittedly, if you are not really into the woo-woo spiritual world or haven't gotten very deep with the inner self (think A Course In Miracles, Journey of Souls, Abraham Hicks, Florence Scovel Shinn), this one isn't really for you. It's incredible, but it uses some woo-y terminology and gets to some next level quantum thinking that's not going to reach you the way it's intended to. I love the way Wayne Dyer re-words things and bridges the gap between different modalities of spirituality, so I really adored spending time in this book, but just be sure it's your cup of tea, first.
Emergency Contact by Mary HK Choi
This was sooo goood! My first 5 star rating of the year. It's about a girl who meets her new college roommate's uncle (though he's only a few years older than them) and they strike up a friendship via text. The pair are each going through their versions of drama and issues and joke about becoming emergency contacts for each other. I won't spoil anything, but I was addicting to watching these two evolve, but even more entertained by the humor weaved into the writing - it was so much fun!
10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston
This was super cute, albeit a little bit contrived. I doubt anyone's family operates quite like this one did - the main character was forced out on ten blind dates by random members of her family who treated the assignment
of planning these dates as a competition. The dates were cute, and I liked Sophie (the mc), so I enjoyed seeing where it all lead. Including shipping her with the person she obviously should have been with from the get go. :)The Farm by Joanne Ramos
Okay, mixed feelings. It took a while for me to really get into the groove with this book, but then I had to know how the rest of it went down and I liked the way the loose ends were tied up - even if the premise is super creepy and inhumane. The majority of a story takes place on a baby farm disguised as a luxury resort, full of surrogates that don't even know whose baby they're carrying. There's a lot of class-ism and privilege worked through with a lot of interesting points of view, so I enjoyed it - it was just hard not feel a little skin-crawly and ready-to-bolt the whole time I read it.
Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
While some of the poems in this book were a little on the darker side (and I don't like to spend a whole lot of time in that vibe), I loved the raw and real emotions behind every one of them. There were a few in particular that spoke to me (loudly), in a slack-jawed, put the book down for a sec and reel in how she perfectly describes something you've felt, kind of way. Totally a work of art.
You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley
Ahhh, this was incredible!!!! Basically, there's some magical dreaming going down in this book (which is what drew me to it) but it was so much more than I expected! A pair of strangers star in each other's dreams (months for him, years and years for her), and after moving to a small town, Mia runs into her dream man. They become friends while they research why this is happening, all while Mia is struggling with infertility with her husband, and said husband (who is a doctor) is struggling with the death of one of his patients. There are so many layers in this book, all tied up with mystery, exploring the moments in life when we're inexplicably pulled to someone or something, and beautiful introspection on love and its many forms. I loved every single moment I spent with this book!
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Let's just say....if you are not prepared to carry a lot of all-consuming stress, maybe shelve this book for another day. It was...a trip. I don't think I've ever been as unnerved by a book as I was with this one! There was just...non-stop doomsday moments. One problem lead to the next and the next with very little redemption in between. That said - it was amazing. This is probably one of the most creatively documented stories I've ever read. When I wasn't trying to lower my heart rate back down to normal, I marveling at the incredible thought and detail that went into the making of this wild book. This might be YA, and it may center around young love, but this is one heck of a thriller if that's your thing. I'm not sure my nervous system can handle the sequels lol.
So good! I'd recommend all of these if any of them are calling to you - they're all worth the read! Let me know if you've read any of these or if you're adding any of them to your TBR shelf!
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