I started out this year with a goal of reading 16 books, 10 more books than I read in 2020. I ended up reading over 20! Check out this blog post for the 6 tips that helped me get back into reading.
Below are my book reviews of everything I read in 2021. I’ve compiled my favorite quotes in this Google Doc here. All Goodreads ratings are current as of publishing. Add me as a friend on Goodreads here!
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MY 5 STAR READS
Atomic Habits by James Clear
My rating: 5 stars | Goodreads: 4.36
I really liked Atomic Habits! It’s tied with Think Like a Monk for my favorite self-help book that I’ve read this year! It was what I had hoped Think Again by Adam Grant would be. There wasn’t too much scientific jargon or descriptions of studies. It had more anecdotal stories and ways to apply concepts to your life. If you’re looking to achieve some goals next year or wondering why you haven’t achieved your goals this year, this is the book to read! Also, don’t skip the prologue, James Clear’s background is wild! I definitely see myself re-reading this in the future.
Becoming by Michelle Obama
My rating: 5 stars | Goodreads: 4.50
I didn’t know anything about pre-FLOTUS Michelle Obama or really anything about the personal lives of the Obamas in general. This book gave a super interesting look into her life and their time in the White House. Like any biography/autobiography, it definitely humanizes her and shows the difficulties of being thrown into the political spotlight. She writes with humility and candor, and I can now call myself a true fan.
The Everything Store by Brad Stone
My rating: 5 stars | Goodreads: 4.11
First of all, the reporting and research alone deserves an award! I am in awe of Brad Stone and the detailed way he chronicled the start of Amazon. This book did a good job of showing Amazon/Bezos at their best and worst. They were ruthless and controlling, but amazingly customer-focused and unconcerned with short-term success. No one in the 1990s could have predicted what Amazon would become except for Jeff. It was fascinating to read about his childhood and how the company became the ultimate challenger brand, disrupting several industries, even through a decade of financial losses and Wall Street doubters. Now knowing more about the company, I’m even more intrigued to see how Andy Jassy will change the company, its culture, and reputation. This book was published in 2014, so I’m definitely going to read Brad Stone’s second book on Amazon that came out in May 2021.
Extraordinary, Ordinary People by Condoleezza Rice
My rating: 5 stars | Goodreads: 4.03
Extraordinary, Ordinary People is the autobiography of Condoleezza Rice, the first Black female to serve as the US Secretary of State. She was also the National Security Advisor during the Bush administrations. I liked how she wrote in a casual style and included fun anecdotes about her life, which made the book easy to follow and get through quickly. It is truly a memoir of family, and her childhood years take up ⅔ of the book which was super interesting to read about since she grew up in Birmingham, Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement. While she is a Republican, the book didn’t really focus on politics, but more on her jobs in the White House and at Stanford. I’m always fascinated by how people grow in their careers, and it is extraordinary how the daughter of teachers in the segregated South became a specialist in Soviet relations and ended up advising two US presidents. This book was written even more casually than Becoming, so it felt very genuine.
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
My rating: 5 stars | Goodreads: 4.58
Just Mercy was a really touching true story about how Bryan Stevenson started the Equal Justice Initiative in Alabama. It mentions several court cases that he and his team worked on, but focused mainly on getting a man named Walter McMillian off death row. It covers race, mass incarceration, corruption, criminal law, and so much more. This book serves as a good reminder that we are all human and we all make mistakes, but you can’t judge someone for anything they’ve done unless you know the full picture. Too often, the punishment doesn’t fit the crime. I think this is a must-read for everyone! I haven’t seen the movie yet, so I look forward to seeing if it lives up to the book.
So You Want to Talk ABout Race by Ijeoma Oluo
My rating: 5 stars | Goodreads: 4.49
So You Want to Talk About Race provided a lot of perspective about racism that I couldn’t have thought of based on my race and privilege. I had to read it in parts so I could really absorb everything, and I already know there are chapters that I’ll want to re-read. The book does mostly focus on the Black experience, as the author is Black; however, it does sometimes address other people of color. I have to wonder what else she would’ve included if this book had come out in 2021. It’s a must-read, and I think everyone would benefit from the content.
Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty
My rating: 5 stars | Goodreads: 4.22
I did not know much about Jay Shetty before reading this book, and I’ve still never seen any of his YouTube videos, but I know he has a large following. It took me over a month to finish this book because I’d read 10 pages at a time and then try to digest what he said. This book will help you reflect and overcome your past, find better ways to live in the present, and build habits for the future. I like how there are activities and concrete action plans to analyze and better your life. I really do believe if you follow the monk mindset, you’ll feel lighter and happier no matter what life throws your way. This is one of the best self-help books, and I think it would make a great gift for anyone.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
My rating: 5 stars | Goodreads rating: 4.46
I went in not knowing a single thing about the plot, I just knew that it was a popular book. I never even read the back of the book, and it did not disappoint! It looks like a long book, but the chapters are super digestible with great pacing and description of the landscape. If you don’t know, it is a suspenseful book revolving around a murder, but if you know me, I don’t like anything scary and this definitely wasn’t. I won’t give anything away, but let’s just say the hype is real, go read this book! I’m super excited for the movie to come out that is being produced by Reese Witherspoon’s company, Hello Sunshine.
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 5 stars | Goodreads rating: 4.21
Was this a self-help book disguised as a whodunnit? I knew Anxious People had good reviews and now I know why! This was my first Fredrick Backman book, and I really liked his writing style! The character development that I was looking for in Nine Perfect Strangers was here and I liked how the characters defied stereotypes. It was cool to see how things were connected throughout the bok, and it had a fun little twist at the end! This was a feel-good mystery that tells the story of human hardships interwoven with some humor, and I would recommend! Love that I found this book in a little free library and very excited to read A Man Called Ove.
MY 4 STAR READS
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
My rating: 4.5 stars | Goodreads rating: 4.02
Untamed is a wild ride. This was my first book that I’ve read by Glennon Doyle and given how much her life has changed, I’m not sure if I want to read her previous books. Untamed is pretty amazing in that Glennon Doyle insightfully covers all sorts of sensitive and relevant topics from divorce to feminism to anxiety to race, and she explains new ways of thinking about them. Sometimes I got a little lost when she talked about the bigger picture and had to put the book down and come back to it later, but I loved all the stories from Glennon’s life. Now I’m very invested in her, Abby, and their family. I honestly think this book is for anyone ages 12 to 100, not just postgrads and women having a mid-life crisis. I almost wish this was required reading in high school or college because I think it reminds you to treat everyone with kindness and respect because you have no idea what they could be going through.
All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
My rating: 4 stars | Goodreads: 4.32
I don’t typically like to read historical fiction, but when I do, my time period of choice is usually WWII. All the Light You Cannot See is another very popular book that I didn’t have much context about, but it surprised me in a good way. It was kind of slow and had a lot of war-specific vocab words, but it picked up halfway through, and I couldn’t put it down. I also appreciate the ending and how it wraps up everything with all the characters. I’m looking forward to the Netflix series!
Bossypants by Tina Fey
My rating: 4 stars | Goodreads: 3.95
Bossypants details Tina Fey’s childhood, time on SNL, the creation of 30 Rock, and her transition to motherhood. I wish she had covered Mean Girls, but it did talk about her Sarah Palin skits on SNL. It was a quick and funny read, but almost too funny? I might just be used to reading so many serious self-help books that I was looking for something a little deeper. The book was published in 2011, and you could tell because there are some things I don’t think she would have joked about in this day and age. Overall, it was an interesting view into Tina Fey’s life and the New York side of the entertainment business.
Dare to Lead by Brene Brown
My rating: 4 stars | Goodreads: 4.14
This was my first Brene Brown book and the first self-help book I’ve read that’s specifically for workplace/organizational leadership. I could only read 15 pages at a time since it was dense, but it made me realize how wonderful my co-workers are and how grateful I am for the new policies and changes that my company’s leadership team has made during this pandemic. Brene Brown explains how important clear and honest communication is, and I think it’s just good to start building and modeling those habits even as a junior-level employee. She mentioned learning from several of her previous books, so I’m glad I read this one instead of her older book.
Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg
My rating: 4 stars | Goodreads: 3.94
Lean In was published in 2013 and combines research on gender disparities in the workplace and the home with stories from Sheryl’s life in DC and Silicon Valley as a professional and working mom. This book is probably most helpful to women who are working in corporate America. She writes openly about her struggles to balance it all, which she explains isn’t balance at all. Race is not addressed, which feels odd in this day and age, but she was often the only female in a room of white men and she speaks to her own lived experiences. This was a quick read, maybe because I agreed with everything she said. In 2021, her main concepts and stats aren’t shocking or revolutionary, but I did like learning how someone at her level managed having kids and being in the C-Suite of Facebook. Overall, this book is still relevant and inspirational, and she does provide concrete examples and ways to be a better leader. She also explains how both men and other women can better support women in their careers.
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 4 stars | Goodreads: 3.53
I didn’t know anything about this book, but I wanted to read it before watching the Hulu show. I did suspect there’d be some sort of dark part since I knew Liane Moriarty is the author of Big Little Lies. I didn’t read that book, but I watched the show and it was kind of dark. I thankfully couldn’t relate to any of the characters and because there were so many of them, it kind of felt like all their stories were rushed and compressed. Despite this, Nine Perfect Stangers was a suspenseful page-turner! I don’t particularly enjoy watching or reading thrillers, but it wasn’t too crazy and not bloody at all. The book looked intimidating, but I was surprised at how quickly the 450 pages flew by. I don’t think this is a spoiler, but parts of this book definitely reminded me of You season 3 on Netflix.
One Day in December by Josie Silver
My rating: 4 stars | Goodreads: 3.91
I don’t know if it’s just because I didn’t read a lot of fiction this year, but I couldn’t put this down and finished it in three days! I liked the main female character and was immediately swept into her world. I’m always a fan of books with multiple narrators, and I actually didn’t mind the gaps in time, as the story spans several years. It’s also set in London and the characters are English, so there’s some fun unfamiliar sayings and vocab. I think this book needs to be adapted into a Christmas romcom movie ASAP!! If you’re looking for a quick heartwarming read, I would recommend!
What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell
My rating: 4 stars | Goodreads: 3.84
This book is just a collection of pieces that Malcolm Gladwell wrote for The New Yorker instead of a typical novel. Each story was around 30 pages and essentially explained how we misjudged and mishandled several things in America like homelessnes, pit bulls, breast cancer exams, job interview, and more. He weaves a lot of different scenarios together to prove his point, and I had to be really focused to keep up. I found 80% of the pieces to be really interesting. Some references are now outdated since the book was published in 2009. I look forward to reading more of his books. I have Outliers and Blink on my bookshelf!
MY 3 STAR READS
Think Again by Adam Grant
My rating: 3.75 stars | Goodreads: 4.25
I had high expectations for this book, and there were definitely a few good nuggets, but it just didn’t live up to the hype for me.Think Again is all about rethinking, approaching, and evaluating aspects of our lives and jobs like scientists. Naturally, a lot of the book was Adam Grant describing the set-up of scientific experiments, which as a non-scientist, I found a little dense and boring to read about. However, the length of the chapters made it manageable. This book was published earlier this year, and I like how he wove in the pandemic and recent events. I think I would’ve found the book more enlightening if I had read it as a teenager. After college, traveling, moving to a big city, and 2.5 years of working, I feel like I’ve already come to a lot of these conclusions through my own experiences. I definitely want to check out Adam’s podcast to learn more about his life and other research, though.
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
My rating: 3.5 stars | Goodreads: 3.86
In terms of tidying tips, I think The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up could’ve just been a 10-page pdf, but I did appreciate learning about her childhood and her clients’ experiences. I feel that Marie Kondo’s Netflix shows are more effective in showing the benefits of tidying, but you are able to better understand every part of her philosophy and process by reading the book. While a lot of Goodreads reviews said she was weird for talking to her house and possessions, and I admit some of what she said sounded silly to me too, I think there is a cultural element that Western people are missing, since we aren’t very spiritual/don’t really think about the energy of our spaces and items. I don’t agree with everything Marie Kondo said, but I do think she’s right that it’s important to surround yourself with things that spark joy and treat them with respect and gratitude.
She Explores by Gale Straub
My rating: 3.5 stars | Goodreads: 4.22
This book is full of beautiful photographs and little vignettes about different womens’ experiences in the outdoors. It features perspectives that aren’t usually heard, like hikers with disabilities and hiking with babies. The sense of freedom and awe of nature were prevalent throughout, and I could relate to a lot of the passages. My one major criticism is that I wish that each vignette was 4-5 pages instead of 1-2, as the stories felt too brief and incomplete, but I can’t wait to read more on the She Explores website!
The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 3.5 stars | Goodreads: 3.65
I originally gave this 4 stars, but now thinking about it, I think this book is more like 3.5 stars. Jodi Picoult is one of my all-time favorite authors and this book was not my favorite, although it was still captivating. The jumping around in time was kind of confusing, but finally made more sense at the end. She puts a lot of research into her books, and this one taught me about excavating Egyptian tombs, as well as a little bit about quantum physics although that is still beyond me. Her characters always have so much depth. They’re ordinary people with flaws and moral dilemmas who struggle to find themselves. As usual, there was an unexpected twist at the end! However, I wish she wrote this book from several characters’ perspectives, like she did in some of her other novels that I’ve read.
The Dating Plan by Sara Desai
My rating: 3 stars | Goodreads: 3.68
The Dating Plan was pretty dang corny, but a fun, fast read! The beginning was especially cringey, but once you get past that, it’s alright. I chose to read this instead of watching the The Bachelorette on Tuesday, and I think this book would make a great cheesy Netflix rom com. It was also cool that the main female character was Indian and an engineer. This is my first “chick lit” of the year, and I’m excited to read the other ones on my shelf!
Home Body by Rupi Kaur
My rating: 3 stars | Goodreads: 4.07
I really thought I’d like this a lot more. I’ve read both of Rupi Kaur’s other books, and I wish she had included more long form poems in Home Body. It feels weird criticizing this because the poems are so personal to her and her life. Maybe I didn’t enjoy it as much because I felt like a lot of the poems were about very painful things that I can’t relate to or truly understand. The book has four sections: mind, heart, rest, awake. By the end, it does feel like she is healing, and I’m intrigued to see what she will write next.
The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin
My rating: 3 stars | Goodreads: 3.71
If you could know what day you’ll die, would you want to know? My answer has always been yes, but this book actually changed my mind. The Immortalists is divided into sections and follows each of the characters after they get their date. It sounds like fantasy, but it’s definitely not. There are gaps in time, which are kind of explained through the dialogue and narration, but I still feel like a lot of the backstory was missing. Each character was unique and I’m sure their plot line was strategically thought out, but I struggled to relate to any of them or their experiences. It’s hard to rate this book because while it was interesting and a page-turner, I wouldn’t say I enjoyed it.
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn
My rating: 3 stars | Goodreads: 3.98
I read this book because it’s one of my friend’s favorite books that she’s talked about for years. Ishmael was unlike anything I’ve ever read, but it did give me high school required reading vibes. I felt like the journey was as important as the destination for both the reader and the protagonist. Topics covered include evolution, religion, and civilization. I think the book could be very polarizing. It wasn’t nonfiction, but it wasn’t exactly fiction either, but parts of it felt more like opinion than universal truth. I didn’t like the format of the novel with basically endless dialogue. I’m thinking it would be better consumed as an audiobook. While there were some profound parts, to me this book dragged on for far too long and I just wanted to know more about Ishmael, not the role of the human race. I don’t think I can say I truly enjoyed reading this; however, Daniel Quinn’s afterword was intriguing, and I just might have to read the sequel…but not for a while.
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My 2021 Book Reviews
