2019 End of the Year Wrap Up Post

I had a great year of reading in 2019!! I read a total of 125 books this year. I completely surpassed my reading goal, which was to read 87 books this year. I have not written book reviews for all the books I've read in 2019... I think I have roughly 15 (???) books that I didn't write book reviews for this year. I think this is the 1st time I've not been able to write all my book reviews before the year was up. Maybe I'll write a few more book reviews from 2019 in the new year, maybe not... We'll see what transpires!

Some of my favorite reads this year include the following books:

1. Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson
2. Suggestible You: A Remarkable Journey Into the Brain's Ability to Deceive, Transform, and Heal by Erik Vance

3. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
4. The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony

5. I Hear You by Michael S. Sorensen

6. Whoever Fights Monsters: My Twenty Years Tracking Serial Killers for the FBI by Robert K. Ressler and Tom Shachtman

7. Trinity: A Graphic History of the First Atomic Bomb by Jonathan Fetter-Vorm
8. Get Well Soon: History's Worst Plagues and the Heroes Who Fought Them by Jennifer Wright
9. An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
10. Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard

I've also been blessed to have visited 30 new to me Little Free Libraries around the state of California... Plus, I've revisited several Little Free Libraries as well throughout the year. I love discovering new to me Little Free Libraries and exchanging books I've read with books I haven't yet read. I've actually found many wishlist books inside Little Free Libraries I have visited. Do You enjoy exchanging books at Little Free Libraries too?

Additionally, I attended the 2019 Bay Area Book Festival in Berkeley, California for the 5th year in a row!! I had so much fun attending this two day event with my husband. Click on the the following links to read my bookish adventures at the 2019 Bay Area Book Festival.... BABF Sneak Peek, BABF Day 1 and BABF Day 2.

I also enjoyed attending the Pleasant Hill Public Library's free used book giveaway in July of this year. I came away with 25 used/withdrawn library books. Click on the above link to read abut my experience.

Did you meet your reading goals in 2019? Share with me some of your favorite books read in 2019 in the comment section below. Did you attend any author signings or book festivals? Did you participate in any book clubs/reading groups? Share any fun bookish related things you'd like below. 

2020 Reading Goals

My goal is to read 52 books in 2020. All 52 books to be read will come from my current 'to be read' pile. No specific titles at this time have been decided upon. However, I do plan to read 13 books that I've acquired through Goodreads Giveaways, 13 books that I acquired prior to May 2014, and the 26 remaining books will be chosen at random from my 'tbr' pile... These could be books added  to my collection after May 2014, more of my older books acquired prior to May 2014, or more books I acquired through Goodreads Giveaways.

So what are your reading goals for 2020?

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

The Joy of Bookcrossing!!

I've been a member of Bookcrossing for over a decade now. I've had such an awesome experience being part of the Bookcrossing community. 

In fact, I received a hand knitted scarf and young adult book from another Bookcrosser in the mail. What a wonderful surprise!!

Killer Fashion by Jennifer Wright

Earlier this year, I listened to the unabridged audio version of Get Well Soon: History's Worst Plagues and the Heroes Who Fought Them by Jennifer Wright and really enjoyed this nonfiction book. I liked Get Well Soon: History's Worst Plagues and the Heroes Who Fought Them by Jennifer Wright so much that I decided to read another book written by Jennifer Wright. I chose to read a used edition of Killer Fashion by Jennifer Wright.

Killer Fashion by Jennifer Wright is an extremely quick read!! Like you can read it in about 60-90 minutes at most. I purchased Killer Fashion by Jennifer Wright online and didn't really pay attention to the page length.... It's 56 pages in length. The writing is HUGE and there is a paragraph or two discussing various 'killer fashion' over the years. The factoids were fun to read, but not as in depth as I would have liked. I also enjoyed the vintage inspired artwork that accompanied each piece of killer fashion.  

Below is the publisher's summary for Killer Fashion by Jennifer Wright from Audible:

A darkly comic book about some surprisingly lethal garments. Featuring stories like the untimely demise of dancer Isadora Duncan caused by her signature red scarf and the bloody riot that greeted the appearance of the first top hat, among many others, these bite-size accounts will frighten and delight. Killer Fashion includes over twenty of these short tales along with beautiful full-page illustrations. Both morbid and humorous, this book will appeal to fans of Edward Gorey and dark historical trivia.

I am giving Killer Fashion by Jennifer Wright a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates

Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates was first published in 1995 and according to Wikipedia it received "the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Novel."

Before I write my thoughts about Zombie, I want to state that I admire Joyce Carol Oates on being such a prolific writer for over 50 years. How she continually churns out high quality works is impressive to me. 

I also had the wonderful opportunity to see/hear Joyce Carol Oates speak at the Bay Area Book Festival in Berkeley, California earlier this year. I was able to have her sign Zombie and another one of her novels for my personal collection.

I read the hardback edition of Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates, which is a relatively short read at 181 pages. This book is both creepy and slightly weird... It was a bit difficult for me to get into the rhythm and flow of the writing style/approach Joyce Carol Oates used in writing Zombie... But then once I did grow use to the writing style used by Oates, it became easier to follow the storyline. 

Zombie is like reading someone's diary or journal. Zombie takes the reader into the mind of serial killer, Quentin P., a fictional character based on the life of Jeffrey Dahmer (according to what I discovered through Wikipedia.) The plot is truly chilling and not for the squeamish at heart.

Interesting side note though, Oates uses the ampersand symbol repeatedly throughout Zombie... Even at the start of sentences. Many words and phrases are all in caps... Not sure what the ampersand and words/phrases all in caps was trying to achieve. It just seemed to add to the creepy atmosphere and the main character being mentally unstable. 

Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates is the first book I read this month. I've been trying to catch up on writing reviews for books from August 2019 onward. Not sure if I'll be able to finish writing all of my older reviews before the year is up. 

The following is a plot summary for Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates from Amazon:

Zombie is a classic novel of dark obsession from the extraordinary Joyce Carol Oates. A brilliant, unflinching journey into the mind of a serial killer, Zombie views the world through the eyes of Quentin P., newly paroled sex offender, as he chillingly evolves from rapist to mass murderer. Joyce Carol Oates—the prolific author of so many extraordinary bestsellers, including The Gravediggers Daughter, Blonde, and The Falls—demonstrates why she ranks among America’s most respected and accomplished literary artists with this provocative, breathtaking, and disturbing masterwork.

I am giving Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars. I wasn't overly wowed by this novel, but it made for interesting reading nonetheless.

Until my next post, happy reading!!!

Shade Me (Nikki Kill, #1) by Jennifer Brown

I received an advanced readers copy of Shade Me (Nikki Kill, #1) by Jennifer Brown for FREE through the Goodreads Giveaway program. Below is my honest, unbiased review for Shade Me (Nikki Kill, #1) by Jennifer Brown.

First off, I am drawn to the cover for Shade Me (Nikki Kill, #1) by Jennifer Brown. It's definitely attention grabbing for sure and well done. I like reading mysteries/thrillers and also I enjoy reading novels from the young adult genre as well... Shade Me (Nikki Kill, #1) by Jennifer Brown falls into both categories nicely.

Jennifer Brown is a new to me author. Her novel Shade Me is the first book in the Nikki Kill series. Nikki Kill has a phenomenon called synesthesia, which gives her certain abilities to see things other people are unable to see or sense. Nikki is also 18 years old, a senior in high school, and on the verge of flunking out of school at the start of Shade Me. Nikki is contacted by a local hospital to come and identify an unconscious girl in the emergency room on the verge of dying. The girl in question has no form of identification on her and Nikki is the only contact in the girl's cell phone... And so the mystery begins!

Overall, I liked reading Shade Me (Nikki Kill, #1) by Jennifer Brown, but it wasn't perfect. I enjoyed all of the characters for the most part... Luna (minor character) was a bit over the top evil for someone her age, so her character seemed unrealistic. Plus, Nikki's dad seemed too hands off in that he gave her too much free rein to do whatever she wanted. If my daughter was on academic probation, I wouldn't be letting her run around day and night not knowing what she was doing or where she was going without question and ditching school... and that's if Nikki's dad knew what she was doing in the first place.

Nikki solving the mystery was cool in some aspects due to her synesthesia and ability to decipher clues left behind by the victim... But MANY other plot details seemed really unrealistic. Like the fact that the police let Nikki slide on not cooperating with them in what she knew when it was very apparent that she knew more about the case than she was willing to divulge to them... And how does an 18 year old really solve a case all on her own? Additionally, Nikki finds herself in some truly sticky situations that she gets herself out of, which made the storyline a bit unrealistic at times. However, if you can get past these things, you're in for a good read.

Below is the plot summary for Shade Me (Nikki Kill, #1) by Jennifer Brown from Goodreads:

Nikki Kill does not see the world like everyone else. In her eyes, happiness is pink, sadness is a mixture of brown and green, and lies are gray.

Thanks to a phenomenon called synesthesia, Nikki’s senses overlap, in a way that both comforts and overwhelms her.

Always an outsider, just one D shy of flunking out, Nikki’s life is on the fast track to nowhere until the night a mysterious call lights her phone up bright orange—the color of emergencies.

It’s the local hospital. They need Nikki to identify a Jane Doe who is barely hanging on to life after a horrible attack.

The victim is Peyton Hollis, a popular girl from Nikki’s school who Nikki hardly knows. One thing is clear: Someone wants Peyton dead. But why? And why was Nikki’s cell the only number in Peyton’s phone?

As she tries to decipher the strange kaleidoscope of clues, Nikki finds herself thrust into the dark, glittering world of the ultrarich Hollis family and drawn towards Peyton’s handsome, ne’er-do-well older brother, Dru.

While Nikki’s colors seem to help her unravel the puzzle, what she can’t see is that she may be falling into a trap. The only truth she can be sure of is that death is a deep, pulsing crimson.

I'm giving Shade Me (Nikki Kill, #1) by Jennifer Brown a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

The Worry Trick by David A. Carbonell, PhD

I recently listened to the unabridged audio version of The Worry Trick by David A. Carbonell, PhD and narrated by Stephen Paul Aulridge Jr.

Listening time for The Worry Trick by David A. Carbonell, PhD is 6 hours, 7 minutes.

I found that The Worry Trick by David A. Carbonell, PhD made for interesting reading. Especially if one is prone to excessive worry. My only major complaint about this book is that I feel like the author takes too long to make his points and give the techniques/advice on how to reduce worry in one's life. Otherwise I feel like this book is a good read. 

I have yet to fully apply/incorporate the techniques suggested in this book to see if they work. But I look forward to employing the techniques soon.

Below is the publisher's summary for The Worry Trick by David A. Carbonell, PhD from Audible:

Are you truly in danger or has your brain simply "tricked" you into thinking you are? In The Worry Trick, psychologist and anxiety expert David Carbonell shows how anxiety hijacks the brain and offers effective techniques to help you break the cycle of worry, once and for all.

Anxiety is a powerful force. It makes us question ourselves and our decisions, causes us to worry about the future, and fills our days with dread and emotional turbulence. Based in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), this audiobook is designed to help you break the cycle of worry. 

Worry convinces us there's danger, and then tricks us into getting into fight, flight, or freeze mode - even when there is no danger. The techniques in this audiobook, rather than encouraging you to avoid or try to resist anxiety, show you how to see the trick that underlies your anxious thoughts, and how avoidance can backfire and make anxiety worse.
If you're ready to start observing your anxious feelings with distance and clarity - rather than getting tricked once again - this audiobook will show you how.

I am giving The Worry Trick by David A. Carbonell, PhD a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Written In Tandem by Andie Madison

Written In Tandem by Andie Madison is a short contemporary fiction ebook approximately 56 pages in length. It's also the first book in the  'Murder, We Wrote' series.

I was able to download Written In Tandem by Andie Madison to my Kindle for FREE from Amazon. Below is my honest, unbiased review of Written In Tandem by Andie Madison.

Ugh, Written In Tandem by Andie Madison, wasn't for me. I felt like too much of the focus of this short read was all about how much disdain the two leading characters have for each other!! I will not be reading any further books in the 'Murder, We Wrote' series.

Below is the plot summary for Written In Tandem by Andie Madison from Amazon:

Alex Green is the author of a successful book series whose hero, Logan, is every woman’s dream. Ellie Adams is a romantic comedy author who has won the heart of her readers with her witty and funny heroines. When they both find themselves at an impasse, unable to meet their deadlines, Meg, their editor, comes up with an original idea: combine their strengths and dream up the romantic, adventurous couple all readers are bound to fall in love with.

Only problem: Alex and Ellie aren’t exactly fond of each other. She thinks Logan is a heartless hero; he finds her heroines unrealistic. Moreover, he riles her by teasing her about her inability to write an interesting love scene. If they don’t want to lose their readership though, they’ll have to put aside their differences, trust each other, and write their next book together.

I am giving Written In Tandem by Andie Madison a rating of 2 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post happy reading!!