Does anyone else participate in Goodreads Reading Challenge each year? Yes? Last year, I failed my goal miserably.

My reader friend, @wayfaring_reader, assures me that writing a whole Christmas novella in the span of two months (and the marketing, etc.) has to count for a dozen books read, but I’m not so sure. I definitely cut myself slack for my reading list.

This year though, I chose a reading goal that’s MUCH MORE MANAGEABLE.

In fact, it looks like I’m on track to finish my 2021 Reading Challenge (of 25 books) before we’re mid-year. We’ll see. 😉 Yah know how life goes sideways sometimes when you’re not expecting. Anyway, I feel like this year has been a winner of a year for the books that I have read!

It’s probably got a LOT to do with the fact that I’ve been getting some of my reading suggestions from Brene Brown’s podcasts.

7 Books You Need to Fast-Track to the Top of Your Reading List

WOLFPACK: How to Come Together, Unleash Our Power, and Change the Game by Abby Wambach

On a scale of cotton candy to Brussels sprouts, Wolfpack by Abby Wambach is a daily gummy multi-vitamin for women. Each vitamin gummy feels like a delicious candy, but it’s packed with great nutrients for the body.

I chose to include this book in my list because Abby Wambach shares in a succinct, take-no-prisoners way how to rewrite the rules for women. It should be the book that every woman starts the day off with.

Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don’t Know by Malcolm Gladwell

On a scale of cotton candy to Brussels sprouts, Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell is coffee brewed with Red Bull rather than water. Every sip is eye-opening and heart-pounding.

Phew, if you’ve ever been told not to talk to strangers, then it may be interesting to learn how to get into the heads of strangers through Malcolm Gladwell’s storytelling narrative of research and studies around how humans relate to one another. It’s intense and eye-opening.

Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn

On a scale of cotton candy to Brussels sprouts, Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn is a cinnamon roll from @350bakerypgh. Swirls of cinnamony sweetness spiral through the perfectly prepared dough. The caramelized sugar on the exterior of the cinnamon roll offers a satisfying crunch along with that intoxicatingly chewy candy texture, and the frosting tops it off for an exquisite experience all around.

Would I even be me if I didn’t suggest reading a melt-in-your-shoes romance? Honestly, this is the best romance I’ve read in months and months. Kate Clayborn brought forth a romance so detailed with complex humanity that it truly felt real to me.

Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, & Advice for Living Your Best Life by Ali Wong

On a scale of cotton candy to Brussels sprouts, Dear Girls by Ali Wong is a giant gob of bubble gum. The gush of flavor and the fun of chewing while blowing bubbles offer all sorts of amusement.

Ali Wong should be a household name. She says it like it is, but I’ve also never read SO MUCH about buttholes in a book. However, I appreciate her humor as she deals with difficult topics such a sexism, racism, and so much more.

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

On a scale of cotton candy to Brussels sprouts, So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo is a matcha latte. Earthy with a kick of caffeine, a matcha latte is smooth yet startling. And let’s not forget that bright green!

If there was ever a book that most white people (specifically) needed to read on racism, it’s this one. Ijeoma Oluo made racism feel personal to me, even as I’m white and don’t daily experience the difficulty that BIPOC people deal with daily. This rewrote a lot of my thinking, offering me better perspective. THANK YOU, Ijeoma Oluo.

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

On a scale of cotton candy to Brussels sprouts, The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson is a garlic and parmesan linguini. Intertwined with saltiness, the linguini can be a fight to eat prettily, and its spike of flavor is enthralling.

Is it fiction? Is it nonfiction? I think this book is technically considered fiction; however, it will have you questioning everything you thought you knew about history, life, and the after-life. It’s graphically beautiful and tragic. I’d read it again.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

On a scale of cotton candy to Brussels sprouts, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig is an everlasting gobstopper cake. Popping with color and layers, every slice of cake offers an adventure.

Layered with questions about “what could have been” and “what if,” this book is a beautiful narrative on life and our choices of how we live. It’s fiction, but the story is so poignant that it will be changing my life from here on out.

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