Books I Read in December
It’s the last book recap of my 2020 books!
I hope you’ve enjoyed these book recaps as much as I’ve loved writing them. I can’t wait to push myself even more in 2021. My goal is at least 75 books. It seems daunting, but I was able to surpass my 50-book goal and read 65 in 2020, so maybe it’s not too bad?
December was a crazy month with Blogmas, Christmas prep, and quarantining but I somehow squeezed in six books that I’m excited to share with you.
The Checklist Manifesto — Atul Gawande (2/5 stars)
I had high hopes for this book but it honestly wasn’t that great. It’s written by a doctor who went on the search to see how checklists were used in other industries and how important they were for productivity and success. As you may have guessed, his conclusions were that 1) checklists are helpful, 2) checklists have a purpose and should be used, but 3) there are some circumstances where checklists are unnecessary.
I’ll Be There For You — Kelsey Miller (4/5 stars)
A book about Friends? Could it BE any better? Seriously though, I really enjoyed this. It had mixed reviews but I decided to take a chance and read it anyways. It’s basically an analysis on why Friends became popular, the making of the show, and the cultural contexts surrounding the show, certain episodes, and why the author believes it’s still super popular today.
Off the Page — Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer (2.5/5 stars)
I recently read and reviewed Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer (check out the November book reviews here). I was anxiously awaiting the sequel to arrive at the library and when it did, I dove right in. Sadly this book didn’t live up to the hype or expectations of the first one, but it did provide some interesting storylines to the characters and an okay ending in my opinion.
Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World — Cal Newport (4/5 stars)
‘Tis the season to declutter the entire house and rethink how I’m using technology. I’m sorta kidding. I’m in no way a minimalist but I love the concepts and practical tips Cal Newport provides to minimize screentime and be intentional in real-life relationships.
The Black Sisterhood Files — Kristina O. Naydonova (1.5/5 stars)
The author reached out to me through my Bookstagram in November and asked if I’d read and review her book, The Black Sisterhood Files. I immediately said yes because I want to support young and rising authors. Although I enjoyed the concept of this (similar to Pretty Little Liars/murder mystery), it was hard to follow and jumped around sporadically. There were also characters and storylines that either abruptly ended or disappeared all together for no reason. Kristina is a budding author and I know with practice and time, she’ll be even better!
New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional — Paul David Tripp (5+/5 stars)
This is what I wrote about New Morning Mercies in my recent post, “My Top 10 Books of 2020.”
I’ve been reading this devotional all year long and have enjoyed it so much. I plan to read it in 2021 and maybe even 2022 and so on. Each devotion is only one page so it’s easy to fit in your day but the content is so rich that it keeps you wanting more. Highly recommend, especially if you’re looking for a new devotional.
Here’s to even more books in 2021!