Does listening to audiobooks count as reading? Here it does. Let’s discuss your favorite reads — or listens.
All in Audiobook
Expectation: A hot and heavy romantic fantasy about living without consequence that will appeal to non-genre fans.
Reality: A tad overcooked, and sometimes repetitive, but it succeeds in bringing forward uncomfortable feelings about the main characters while still delivering a satisfying ending.
Expectation: A sprawling, heartbreaking, and utterly American story about overcoming adversity.
Reality: A sometimes rushed and emotionally disconnected narrative that’s still powerful given Kristin Hannah’s solid writing and historical research.
At one time the Galvins were described as “the most mentally ill family in America.” For a little more than a decade starting in the 1960s, six out of the 12 children would receive a schizophrenia diagnosis, but all family members felt the impact – and those alive still do.
Expectation: A young adult romance weep fest.
Reality: A good balance of heavy subject matter with lighter moments, buoyed by two charming main characters and an understated love story.
Expectation: A remarkable debut novel giving a queer perspective to the experiences of those held in slavery in pre-Civil War America.
Reality: Gorgeous writing, memorable characters and a tense last third help overcome a somewhat confusing structure. This is a book people will talk about all year.
Expectation: An adventure story with political and social commentary.
Reality: A genre-defying horror fantasy featuring an amazing cast of BIPOC women and one of the most terrifying literary villains in recent memory.
Expectation: A balanced examination of second chances delivered with Backman’s signature style of homespun philosophy.
Reality: A somewhat slap-sticky and, at times, annoying character study that tries to do a bit too much but finds its footing in the end.
Noah shares the darker moments of his South African upbringing with a casual and humorous delivery that will make you feel guilty for laughing out loud at memories so painful.
An exhaustive - and sometimes exhausting - recap of about seven years of Barack Obama’s political career.
Curious about what to read first in 2021? These five-star reads and honorable mentions are a great place to start.
Almost 82 percent of my reading this year was done through headphones, but you don’t need to be an audiobook all-star to recognize a good narration from a bad one.
All told, I read 10 classics this year, which accounted for about 13 percent of my total books read – my English teachers would be so proud!
Expectation: A science-fiction version of “It’s A Wonderful Life.”
Reality: A deeply emotional, highly philosophical and ultimately feel good “what if” story.
Expectation: Another trip down memory lane with hefty doses of geek culture.
Reality: Enjoyable and more accessible – from a pop culture perspective – but missing the energy that propelled the first novel.
Expectation: The female “A Little Life.”
Reality: The most depressing book I’ve ever read, yet there was something still beautiful about its pain and misery.
Recommended For: People that like character driven stories, especially those about Americana.
Expectation: A darkly comedic take on how judgmental our inner dialogue can be.
Reality: A surprisingly solid collection that easily alternates between funny and melancholy with a fair amount of hope thrown in.
Expectation: Based on the book promo: A funny, sexy, profound dramedy about two young people at a crossroads in their relationship and the limits of love.
Reality: A beautifully written, but meandering dual-perspective story that often loses focus.
Expectation: A self-pretentious memoir about moving up and moving on from where you came from.
Reality: Laugh out loud funny nostalgia served with a side of pop culture and sports history.
In "Trust," Mayor Pete outlines the many ways in which Americans have grown distrustful - of politics, of science, of media, of each other, etc. - and how foreign actors and partisan politics have exploited the schism.
