My Halfway Top Ten Books for 2020
2020 has been a million years long, with more curveballs than I ever could have guessed. The history books will need a HEFTY chapter to sum up all that this year has held, am I right?! At least all this time at home has led to extra time for me to read… not really complaining about that.
Now that the year is more than halfway through (praise Jesus), I wanted to look back at my reads so far and recap my favorites!
Here are my picks for my halfway top ten of 2020:
Here’s one sentence from my reviews of each of these picks:
The Scent Keeper: It reminded me a little of Crawdads, mixed with a bit of The Great Alone... // review here
The Book of Longings: Would it be sacrilegious? Would it feel inappropriate? Would it be bizarre? // review here
A Million Little Ways: Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live: Spent my early morning being inspired and soothed and comforted // review here
So You Want to Talk about Race: It’s an essential read, and a reference I’ll return to again and again as I keep learning and growing // review here
Try Softer: A Fresh Approach to Move Us out of Anxiety, Stress, and Survival Mode--and into a Life of Connection and Joy: I brought this book to several counseling sessions to talk about it more // review here
The Friend Zone: I grabbed it at Target before spending 2 hours at the tire shop for my car, and I almost wanted them to take longer so I could finish it in one sitting??? // review here
A Court of Mist and Fury: I didn’t know how it could after the first was amazing BUT THEN I READ IT AND HOT DAMN YOU ALL WERE RIGHT // review here
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption: I left this one unread on my shelf for too long, afraid of what it would open my eyes to and what injustices it would expose // review here
Defiant: What the Women of Exodus Teach Us about Freedom: I am better for having read her words from her heart and her thoughtful and thought-provoking work // review here
The Vanishing Half: So good, that it inspired me to start a new thing on tiktok sharing mini book reviews?!??? // review here
What’s one book on your halfway top ten list?!
so, you’ve heard about this enneagram thing, and you’re curious to dive in, but you don’t know where to start? you’re in the right place! i’ve rounded up great book recs for the beginner or deeper dive suggestions if you want to learn more. let’s dive in!
if you’re wondering “what are the best bookstores in virginia?” look no further — i’ve got you covered!
get ready for 2026 with the 8th annual edition of a rad reading challenge! nine prompts and one year to stretch yourself in your reading.
get ready for 2025 with the 7th annual edition of a rad reading challenge! nine prompts and one year to stretch yourself in your reading.
i firmly believe books are the very best gifts, even if nobody ever gets them for me because they think i have too many! not true!!! anyway. i’ve turned to gifting books to my people in hopes that it inspires them to return the favor… and also because as previously stated, i believe books are the best gifts.
in this guide, you’ll find 72 total recommendations, with 12 each in the following categories:
🍂cozy/comforting
🧙🏼♀️witches/hexes
🔥sweet/spicy
🩸murder/mystery
🧑🏻🏫academic settings
🧌creature features
looking for your next read in the river city? look no further — here are 5 of my most favorite and most frequented bookstores in the richmond, va area!
i am so excited about this year’s guide — it’s a really fun blend of book recs for all kinds of readers, and i implemented so many of your suggestions which makes it even better! plus, these recs aren’t just from me…
april was the month i read the steamiest book of my life (still not over it, i loved it) and returned to enneagram books and read 4 five star reads… a solid month, overall!
ahhh, the sweet, sweet feeling of coming out of a reading slump! I AM BACK IN ACTION and crushing 15 books (with SIX of them racking up five stars) felt SO GOOD. march was great! yay books!
february felt like a reading SLUMP even though, sure, i read 11 books (6 of them were novellas!). i didn’t have FUN reading this month…
may these resources be helpful guides along this lenten season as we remove a distraction to better create space for Christ in our lives and in our hearts.
i don’t know about you, but even as a very single and very-anti-valentine’s day person, there’s something about all the love, hearts, and commercially-crafted romance in the air this time of year that makes me want to read something with a happily ever after.
by popular demand, i’m back to rounding up all of the reviews of what i read each month here on my blog, and i hope it’s a helpful resource for you!
whether you are joining in on a rad reading challenge for 2024, or you are just looking to diversify your reading, or you want to amplify and support Latinx authors for another reason, i hope this list of books (both that i’ve read and that are on my tbr list!) is a helpful guide!
This is one of my favorite things to create year after year — A RAD Reading Challenge is back for 2024!
The focus this year is to intentionally read DIVERSELY. (it matters!!! so much!!!)
tis the season for twinkly lights and cozy blankets, cheesy movies and mistletoe (but only in the movies? i’ve seriously never seen the stuff in real life…), and, OF COURSE, holiday reads!
i grew up pretty clueless about most pop culture, but in my adulthood, i’ve loved catching up with the shows, movies, music, and other trends i missed over the years as well as what’s popular now, and then learning more about the key people in the midst of it all. when celebs release memoirs and spill the tea (or some heavily filtered, still very one-sided, definitely strategic and not always totally honest version of it), i am HERE FOR IT, especially when it comes to actors, musicians, and bachelor nation stars. JUDGE ME IF YOU MUST.
it has been a summer of easy, breezy, swoony reads for me this year (more than ever, i’d say!) and i’m rounding up 20 that i’ve read this june and july to give you some great recs!
out of the 86 books i’ve read so far this year, 25 snagged five star ratings, and these 12 are my favorites of those! the best of the best of the year, if you will.
In ten different categories, featuring a diverse range of authors, these 89 book recommendations include both new releases and former favorites, giving you an abundance of options for your summer reading adventures.
it didn’t take long before taylor jenkins read became an auto-read author for me — there’s something about the way she tells stories that is so immersive, compelling, and just plain FUN
i don’t quite know yet how i’ll engage with this season of lent, especially alongside and as part of a new community, but i’m hopeful and curious about what will come of this season of preparing for easter, beginning with the reminder that i come from dust and will one day return to it.
there’s just something about escaping reality with unrealistic meet cutes and fantastic flirtations and steamy scenes that i just can’t get enough of, and with valentine’s day around the corner, it felt like the perfect time to round up some of my most favorite romances!
One of the prompts for A RAD Reading Challenge in 2023 is to read a modern day retelling of a classic, and I wanted to round up a handful of recommendations for those doing the challenge!
and now, as the year wraps up, i’m sharing my favorites of both fiction and nonfiction. i’m not the best at picking favorites, so i’m wrapping up 10 for each!
This is one of my favorite things to create year after year — A RAD Reading Challenge is back for 2023 with nine new prompts!
if you’re looking for a book or a guide for the season of advent (it starts december 3, 2022) as we look toward christmas and the coming of our savior, i’ve rounded up some suggestions (both that i’ve read and ones that i haven’t but that look great) in hopes that they’re helpful.
if you’ve never read wendell berry or are newer to his body of work, here’s a guide on which book to start with (as well as a complete list of all of this works across genres)