Expectation: A richly drawn character study that brings the tears.
Reality: The epitome of a character-driven story that lacks the emotional heft of Yanagihara’s “A Little Life” but is still an exceptional work of fiction.
Columbine – Dave Cullen
Dave Cullen is a talented writer who used meticulous research and years of building a strong rapport with victims and investigators to bring us what has been called the "ultimate" description of what happened on April 20, 1999.
Several People Are Typing – Calvin Kasulke
Expectation: A quirky workplace comedy.
Reality: A funny, thought-provoking satire that nailed corporate/creative agency absurdities. It also had an understated M/M love story.
Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual – Luvvie Ajayi Jones
I’m going to challenge my fellow white men to read this book, over the next “it” topic by Malcom Gladwell, Simon Sinek or Mark Manson, because you will learn something here that will truly make you a better colleague. In the age of the Great Resignation, that’s more important than the bottom line.
Father of Lions: One Man's Remarkable Quest to Save the Mosul Zoo – Louise Callaghan
While a fascinating microhistory of humans and animals surviving through the ISIS occupation of Mosul through much of the mid-2010s, Callaghan never quite found the right balance between history, politics and humanity.
Razorblade Tears – S. A. Cosby
Expectation: A modern-day revenge tale that doesn’t solely involve rich, white and heterosexual characters.
Reality: A bit clichéd but surprisingly heartfelt and raw exploration for grief, regret and redemption.
The Last House on Needless Street – Catriona Ward
Expectation: A page-turning supernatural thriller.
Reality: A slow-burn mystery with some satisfying last act reveals.
The Cat Who Saved Books – Sōsuke Natsukawa
Expectation: A fun-filled adventure that celebrates reading and the human-animal bond.
Reality: A disjointed and heavy-handed mess.
The Troop – Nick Cutter
Expectation: Your standard gore fest.
Reality: An old school throwback gore fest with a surprising amount of heart.
The Old Man and the Sea – Ernest Hemingway
Expectation: A philosophical and meandering over-rated classic.
Reality: An intimate and deeply affecting reflection on growing older and feeling needed.
Underground Airlines – Ben H. Winters
Expectation: A history-flipping tale of empowerment.
Reality: A novel that isn’t bad, but in hindsight is incredibly problematic given the author’s race.
Apple: Skin to the Core – Eric Gansworth
It feels strange to give an autobiographical story a negative review, especially when it takes courage to share your personal thoughts publicly, but after the first 25 percent, “Apple” was not as interesting as Eric Gansworth thought it to be.
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die – Chip Heath & Dan Heath
While “Stick” provides a few good insights into how to craft a message with easy recall and that drives action, some of the examples felt trite compared to other, similar books – or maybe there’s only a handful of original business books out there?
The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Expectation: A folksy tale of second chances.
Reality: A soap opera of confusing plots, overly sexualized characters and an insane amount of fart jokes.
2021: The Best Books I Read
This year I did something I haven’t done before. In re-assessing my book ratings, I made some adjustments. Like many others, for me 2021 was a roller coaster. So, it was only fair that I gave all my reads a second look before looking in the best of list.
2021: The Worst Books I Read
Not all the books are terrible per se. Each had a few redeemable qualities that made them entertaining and informative, but they lacked the brilliance that immerses you in a story and doesn’t let go.
2021: The Best and Worst Audiobook Narrations I Heard
As you’ve guessed by the title of this website, audiobooks are my go-to format for reading. In 2021, 77 percent of my 82 books attempted were audiobooks, so I experienced the good, the bad and the mediocre of audiobook narration and production.
2021: My Year In Reading – The Stats
Last year, I made the goal to increase my female-identifying and Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) author reading by 10 percent – two demographics that together made up roughly 26 percent of my reading last year. So, how’d I do?
2021: My Year In Books
After reading and listening to more books in a single year than I used to finish in a decade, I can say, wholeheartedly, that 2021 was the year of nonfiction.
“Little Women” and the Other Classics I Read This Year
While I read fewer classics than usual, there was only one that fell flat — a truly remarkable achievement in my eyes!