Another five books on the shelf for 2020, bringing my total to 65 for the year. I still can’t believe I’ve read this many books in less than 365 days. Last year I only just completed the 12 Books in 12 Months challenge and now I’m aiming for 75 for this year.
Naturally, I want to better myself again next year and read 80 books (if I manage to hit the 75 mark this year) in 2021 and keep pushing that number further (if life allows).
I was slow at the start of 2020, given that COVID-19 didn’t hit the states hard until the end of March, so I can already get a head start on myself this January.
But let’s also hope that I don’t get anywhere near my target next year as I’m hoping COVID-19 is much less of a problem and I can travel and live life without constantly having a book in my hand.
(As always, catch up with what I’m reading in realtime at @ocbookshelf)
1. THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR BY SHARI LAPENA
Loved this! I’ve really been getting into thrillers this year and loved the twists and turns of this story.
I was a bit confused when the main plot of the story was given away in the middle of the book, but it got even juicier as the story unfolded. I would definitely recommend if you’re into crime/thriller books!
2. CRAZY RICH ASIANS BY KEVIN KWAN
I had watched the movie adaption of this book on a flight to Las Vegas a few years ago and loved it. It probably wasn’t the best way to watch it for the first time on such a small screen but it was still such a good movie.
After reading the book, I want my next travel destination to be Singapore. I want to see whether everyone there is filthy rich, how the other half live and eat all of the amazing food that they talk about. Asian is my favourite cuisine after all.
I found the book incredibly funny and also quite educational as there are Mandarin phrases added in throughout the book. Even though there were a lot of characters, it wasn’t overly confusing at all. Great read!
3. ME BEFORE YOU BY JOJO MOYES
I’m not usually one for a soppy book, and I knew what to expect having already seen the movie, but I loved this book. So much so that I’ve ordered the remaining two books in the series.
It’s identical to the movie, like you’d expect, but it was funny, quirky, sad and heartwarming. A brilliant book.
4. THE ADVENT KILLER BY ALASTAIR GUNN
2020 may have been the year that reignited my love for reading, but it’s also been the year that I’ve been introduced to a new genre. I was never one for crime drama/thriller but it’s probably been my favourite this year.
Since I’ve put my Christmas tree up (yes, I know it’s November) and am starting to get into the Christmas spirit, I thought it would be a good time to read a Christmas-themed thriller.
I enjoyed this one, and didn’t guess who the murderer was at all. I liked the short chapters and the change of voice between characters. Some things I thought were left a little in the air as I had a few questions near the end, but otherwise I really enjoyed it and wanted to keep reading to see what happened.
5. GUNG HO! BY KEN BLANCHARD
This was a very short and quick read that I finished in one day. However, it’s probably a book that will stay with me for a very long time. A little like, The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People, it was related to the business world and running and organisation.
You don’t need to be Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos or any company-owner to read this book in order to understand it. If you want to understand how you can make your own working life better, then I would recommend reading this book. Once you’ve read it, pass it along to someone else because everyone should know the story in this book.
Gung ho, friend.
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