My 5-Star Reads from 2019
No time like the present, eh? I read 94* books last year — thanks to a long commute + it’s now part of my job — and have a goal to finish 100 in 2020.
If you’ve started (or abandoned!) a reading goal or are stuck on what to read next, here are the books I gave 5 stars to after reading them in 2019. It’s a pretty even split between new and old, fiction and nonfiction, plus various genres.
And while I’ll happily discuss books with anyone, anytime, I do not need to hear your thoughts on why a book “sucks.” We all have our preferences; if some (or all) of these aren’t your style, simply share your faves so I can try those out, too 🤓
Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Pexels.com
Fiction
- Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
- And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
- An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
- The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
- The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
- All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
- The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
- A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
- Me Before You by Jojo Meyes
- Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Nonfiction
- Beautiful on the Outside by Adam Rippon
- Educated by Tara Westover
- We Should All Be Mirandas: Life Lessons from Sex and the City’s Most Underrated Character by Chelsea Fairless and Lauren Garroni
- American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century by Maureen Callahan
- We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb
- Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou
- Karl the Fog: San Francisco’s Most Mysterious Resident by Karl the Fog…
- Becoming by Michelle Obama
- The Library Book by Susan Orlean
- Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
- Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe
*I read 94 books from cover to cover. For the first time in a while, I allowed myself to abandon books I wasn’t enjoying. I listened to some in audiobook format, but did not make it through any from start to finish. </end disclaimer>
Witty Rewind: April 2019
I thought it’d be fun to capture each month’s activities and milestones in a series called Witty Rewind. It may not be for posterity’s sake, but I hope you’ll enjoy looking back at the previous month with me.
This first paragraph has been dedicated to my health and wellness journey, but tbh guys, I’ve put all that on the backburner. Yes, I bought essential oils. Yes, I practiced some yoga. Yes, I ate a lot of kale. But to say I’m the picture of health (as much as I want to) would be an utter fallacy. [Times I thought about working out: ~50]
I did bump back up my reading list with a handful of books I flew right through. There were some peaks and valleys, some tears and laughs. Overall, I’m just glad my library card is getting so much use (and that my employer reimburses books I read for my job). They’re the real MVPs. [Books read: 6]
Here’s what else I spent time doing in April:
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- Fighting a mystery illness
- Seeing a Star Wars–themed burlesque show
- Explaining to people what/why/who/where re: a Star Wars–themed burlesque show
- Wine-ing with friends after a Vegas trip as a no-go
- Being “those people” at said wineries and giving zero Fs
- Spending time getting set up for the next year of Junior League
- Seeing former colleagues at a ladies’ happy-hour-turned-mega-celebration
- Worshipping a dear friend who knows how to purge crap without judgment
- Brunching with former colleagues at a spot I hadn’t been before
- Dyeing Easter eggs and enjoying homemade lemon cupcakes with a dear friend
- Avoiding my old apartment during countless showings, despite needing to pack
- MOVING to a new apartment with a former roommate! ! !
- Getting my deep clean on at the dentist twice #NoCavities
- Toasting a former colleague as she closes one chapter for a new one at FitBit (gasp!)
- Reaching peak adulthood as I nearly cried when receiving a new mattress
The only photo I have from April that slightly resembles me.
Witty Rewind: March 2019
I thought it’d be fun to capture each month’s activities and milestones in a series called Witty Rewind. It may not be for posterity’s sake, but I hope you’ll enjoy looking back at the previous month with me.
I told myself I’d try a “clean eating on weekdays” approach in March but I most certainly did not. Instead, I started on the 1st with a Mexican fiesta lunch, spent mid-March in San Diego (Mexican food capital of California) and ended the 31st with a wine-and-tacos apartment purge party. Noticing a theme? Ay dios mio. [🌮 eaten: ~20]
Despite having plenty of time to devote to reading on the shuttle and quick flights, I found myself not able to power through any reads the way I normally would. (For context, I can usually get through a book in 2-4 sittings, and a few days’ time.) That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy my March picks, but I do think I was considerably less motivated with my brain on overdrive in work summits and commitments. [📚 read: 3.5]
Some highlights from the madness that was this past month:
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- Bowling with dear friends who moved to New York last year
- Celebrating a housemate’s birthday with incredible Cajun cuisine
- Meeting lots of inspiring and empowering women through Junior League of SF
- Attending a newcomer summit for work + getting uplifting insight
- Looking for a new apartment with a current housemate
- Catching up with a longtime friend during her stay in SF before she moves back to NYC
- Checking out a crystal fair (really!) and somehow buying only jewelry
- Hosting my fave former writer for lunch at my new(ish) job
- Happy hour-ing with other former writers and getting the tea
- Helping another former writer with her portfolio
- Spending a week in San Diego with my family
- Experiencing DisneyLand for the first time and seeing my nieces go wild
- Attending a global summit for work + meeting tons of colleagues face-to-face
- Exploring the Exploratorium 😉 and its After Dark series for the first time
- Celebrating a handful of close friends’ birthdays with drinks, dinners, brunches galore
Six people looking at the camera = a Christmas miracle
Witty Rewind: February 2019
I thought it’d be fun to capture each month’s activities and milestones in a series called Witty Rewind. It may not be for posterity’s sake, but I hope you’ll enjoy looking back at the previous month with me.
After my Whole30 high, I sadly slipped back into some old habits. It’s to be expected given my “all or nothing” attitude, but I also tried not to beat myself up too much for it. I saw some weight gain after reintroducing bread and cheese, and I scaled back on formal workouts to focus more on a StepBet at work. I feel OK, but I’ll be experimenting with a “clean eating on weekdays” approach for March. [Miles walked: 88.29]
I slowed down on reading considerably, as I’ve had to use my morning commute more for actual work time. That said, I’ve still enjoyed devouring a mix of fiction and nonfiction, from beach reads to heavier topics. Find me on Goodreads to see the latest! [Books read: 5.5]
Some highlights from the shortest (but most social) month:
- Line dancing at The Saddle Rack for a dear friend’s birthday
- Waking up the next morning to continental breakfast and a PANCAKE MACHINE
- Hosting a Super Bowl party for that snoozefest of a game
- Volunteering with the Junior League of SF and AOII alumnae group
- Lunching with former colleagues on the rainiest day possible
- (Not a highlight) Being knocked out with exhaustion and missing two events
- Attending a JLSF yoga class for Galentine’s Day
- Finding a new dentist who didn’t lecture or belittle me
- Brunching with friends… and getting a peep show from an exhibitionist neighbor
- MONSTER JAMMING for the fourth consecutive year
- Starting the apartment hunt with one of my current roommates
- Hosting Book Club as we discussed “The Last Mrs. Parrish”
- Seeing “FRIENDS LIVE!,” a drag parody of the iconic sitcom
- Celebrating the Lunar New Year parade from our annual Irish pub spot
- Toasting to many birthdays, engagements, babies, and work accolades
That about does it for me. Can you believe it’s already March?! Madness, I say 😉🏀
☠️ MONSTER JAM with one of my faves ☠️
Witty Rewind: January 2019
I thought it’d be fun to capture each month’s activities and milestones in a series called Witty Rewind. It may not be for posterity’s sake, but I hope you’ll enjoy looking back at the previous month with me.
I committed to doing Whole30 as a palate reset and general post-holiday hangover challenge. I’ll be doing a recap post in the next week or so, but I can happily share as part of this commitment, I feel like a whole new Witty! Stay tuned for more to come soon. [Lbs lost: 15.8]
My new commute means I’m getting plenty of time to read for fun. I haven’t been jumping into books for work just yet, but I can proudly say I’m already more than 1/4 through my personal goal of 40 books in 2019! [Books read: 11]
Despite wanting to get some R&R in after the holidays, my social life had a different idea. Some highlights include:
- Hosting a NYE party
- Seeing the Tampa Bay Lightning play the San Jose Sharks (even though they lost)
- Sushi dinner with former colleagues
- Annual mole patrol (AKA dermatologist appointment) came back clean
- Finding a nail salon that looks like Hello Kitty’s dream home
- Getting back into the dating scene… we’ll see
- Doing yoga for a Cystic Fibrosis Foundation fundraiser
- PAID OFF MY CREDIT CARDS!
- Sushi dinner with my fellow AOII officers; Founders’ Day for AOIIs in Northern California
- Volunteering with the Junior League of SF
- Hosted my 4th? 5th? Gasparilla in SF
- Book Club discussed “Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows”
- Attending a team offsite, culminating with dinner at La Fontaine
- Happy hour with former colleagues
- Crushing the first week of my StepBet because I hate losing money
Phew! If this weekend is any indication, February shows no signs of slowing down. Here’s to all the next month will bring!
I’m the worst at taking photos. Here’s one from January…
WitLit 2018
You may have noticed how much I love reading and sharing book recommendations. As part of my new job, I won’t be able to do that on a regular basis anymore — but I thought I could provide a quick recap of All the Books I’ve Loved Before.*
I started 2018 with a challenge to read 15 books, aiming to double my paltry performance from 2017. With the help of Libby and a newfound taste for e-reading on a long commute, I smashed that goal and read 45 books this year.
In order of when I read them, here are the books I consumed in 2018. The titles in bold are my faves:
- Lying by Sam Harris
- The Emperor’s Children by Claire MesSud
- Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
- Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty
- Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
- Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
- Am I There Yet? by Mari Andrew
- Wild by Cheryl Strayed
- A Working Theory of Love by Scott Hutchins
- Shrill by Lindy West
- Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
- Meaty by Samantha Irby
- Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple
- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
- The Girl Who Played with Fire by Steig Larsson
- The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Steig Larsson
- Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris
- It’s Not You by Sara Eckel
- The Heart Is a Shifting Sea by Elizabeth Flock
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
- I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara
- The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish
- Best State Ever by Dave Barry
- Refinery 29 Money Diaries by Lindsey Stanberry
- Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
- Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
- We Are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby
- The Girl in the Spider’s Web by David Lagercrantz
- The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye by David Lagercrantz
- China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan
- The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn
- Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff
- The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
- Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
- The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware
- Imagine Me Gone by Adam Haslett
- The Sunshine Sisters by Jane Green
- Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
- The Girl Who Smiled Beads by Clementine Wamariya
- Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
- A Simple Favor by Darcey Bell
- Fear by Bob Woodward
- The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a Fuck by Sarah Knight
- Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal
There are plenty I’m awaiting from the library, so I have no doubt I’ll be off to a strong start tomorrow. Happy reading, and see you all in 2019!
*Yes, I am as cheesy as they come.
WO: Weekly Obsessions
Now that I’m back to being a working woman, I’ve had considerably less time to read. Don’t get me wrong; I’ve still read 1.75 books since last Wednesday, but my pace has slowed a bit. Fair trade-off for gainful employment, don’t you think? In any case, here are some more I devoured during my free week:
- “The Rosie Project” – Graeme Simsion: This book has been on my Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf since I joined the site on Jan. 1, 2016. I finally checked a digital copy out from the library and raced through it in record time. Don Tillman is a particularly enjoyable narrator, and you can guess how smoothly his quest to find the perfect wife through a questionnaire goes. 4 /5 stars for some superfluous parts — though that could be my speed-reading bias speaking.
- “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” – Mary Ann Shaffer: Can you say that title five times fast? I’ve yet to see the hit Netflix adaptation of this fictional World War II story, but the book was quite captivating. It’s structured unlike anything I’ve read before, entirely from letters between characters. An extra-special touch: Before Shaffer died in 2008, she worked with her niece, Annie Barrows, to piece this together. The result is nothing short of stunning. 4 / 5 stars because I predicted a few of the twists, but I enjoyed it immensely.
- “Into the Water” – Paula Hawkins: Author of “The Girl on the Train” is at it again with another twisty-turny tale. At least, that’s how it’s billed. While I love a good thriller, I didn’t find this one particularly thrilling. There are countless references to the water women are found dead in — so many, I literally said aloud, “We get it. There’s water.” I expected every turn and didn’t find this nearly as well done as Train. It’s one I felt I had to read, though, and I’m glad I could judge the hype for myself. It gets 3 / 5 stars.
- “The Death of Mrs. Westaway” – Ruth Ware: My peers rave about Ruth Ware, and this one (they claim) is some of her best work yet. It’s no wonder I took a break from the genre after this novel — I didn’t anticipate every single twist, but I also didn’t enjoy the core story nearly as much as I expected. An inheritance and big secret are usually enough to hook me, but I remained unimpressed. Again, so many references to the cold, I wondered if the editor ever read the story all at once. Chill, cold, freezing, icy… thank you, Thesaurus! At the risk of sounding bitter, this one gets 3 /5 stars because I wanted to read it and didn’t hate myself afterward.
Images courtesy of: Google Play, x2, …, guess?
WO: Weekly Obsessions
I’m in between jobs this week and have zero FOMO about using it to read, relax and recharge locally before I throw myself into my next gig. I could have escaped to the beach or mountains, but I think my body and brain needed more of a staycation vibe. It’s no surprise, then, I’ve got some recommended reading this week:
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“China Rich Girlfriend” – Kevin Kwan: The second book in the “Crazy Rich Asians” trilogy gives us a deeper look at the characters introduced in book one. I preferred this plot, probably because it didn’t have to spend so much time explaining familial connections, and Kwan really shines in his detailed descriptions of the ultra-lavish lifestyles. 4/5 stars, because I still crave more realistic dialogue (less “Har-har!”) between Rachel and Nick.
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“The Woman in the Window” – A.J. Finn: This one has been all over my Goodreads suggestions and friends’ lists, and I’m a sucker for all of these “girl,” “woman,” “lies,” etc. titles. The main character is a recluse who witnesses a terrible crime nearby… or does she? I anticipated most of the twists but still enjoyed the storyline and characters, so it also gets a 4/5 stars.
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“Fates and Furies” – Lauren Groff: Another one feverishly favored all over reading lists, this book is one I actually don’t recommend. I found the two main characters extremely unlikable and the writing so contrived, I couldn’t wait to be done with it. The Florida and New York connections were somewhat redeeming, as was the final third of the novel. Still, not enough to redeem it, so it’s a 2/5 stars from me.
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“The Best Way to Save Someone from Suicide”: And finally, the holiday season is no stranger to suicide, particularly as the conversation around mental health continues to grow. But how do you help someone? This piece is heartbreaking, enlightening and well worth the read. As always, there are resources available (including me!) for anyone suffering.
Images courtesy of: Amazon, x2, …, Huffington Post
WO: Weekly Obsessions
If you’re a word nerd like me, there’s no doubt you’ll love these finds:
- “Turtles All the Way Down” – John Green: As you can imagine, I had plenty of reading material to get through during 11+ hours of flights last week. Bestselling author John Green does it again with this intriguing and unabashed introspection of mental health, adolescence and family bonds.
- “Money Diaries” – Lindsey Stanberry: You already know I love Refinery29’s Money Diaries so it’s no wonder I was full-on pumped for this compilation of firsthand stories and financial advice. From paying off loans to buying a home, it’s a must-have for making cents of complicated topics. You’re welcome.
- “We Are Never Meeting in Real Life” – Samantha Irby: The always hilarious Irby does it again with this array of personal essays. It’s completely normal to burst out laughing in the middle of an airport, right? Nothing to see here, just pure enjoyment and entertainment from these ridiculous real-life stories.
- “2002” – Anne-Marie: If you listened to the radio 16 years ago, I can guarantee you’ll love this ode to throwback tunes. From Nelly to *NSYNC and everything in between, Anne-Marie has you covered.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Il-an3K9pjg
Images courtesy of: Amazon, Refinery29, Amazon, Wikipedia
WO: Weekly Obsessions
Are you ready for a wild ride? Don’t say I didn’t warn you:
- “Girls’ Trip”: It’s no surprise to see a star-studded cast of Queen Latifah, Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith and Tiffany Haddish straight-up slay the female buddy comedy genre. I finally watched this last weekend and laughed, cringed and guffawed the whole way through. I won’t be that girl (Kate Walsh’s character) but seriously, you must see it.
- “The Last Black Unicorn” – Tiffany Haddish: Inspired by Miss Haddish’s performance (and unforgettable SNL episode), I borrowed a copy of her bestselling memoir. Again, I laughed, I cringed, I was gobsmacked. She writes so honestly and from the heart, and you can’t help but read it in her signature style. Do yourself a favor and get a copy ASAP.
- “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” – Michelle McNamara: By now, you’ve likely heard about the infamous Golden State Killer and his capture, thanks to a national DNA database and unrelenting detectives. One such person was Michelle McNamara, who compiled decades of evidence and information to inspire others to theorize and piece clues together. Her book was published posthumously, just a few months before the killer was named. Seriously, this is one you won’t want to miss.
- “Making a Murderer” Returns: Hold onto your hats and get ready for the next season of this binge-worthy true crime series. The gripping, thrilling documentary sheds a harrowing light on the criminal justice system, its faults and failings. I’m setting my calendar now for the season to come back October 19.
Images courtesy of: Amazon, x2, x3, Tubefilter
