Alright. I’m doing it. I’m putting this OUT INTO THE UNIVERSE: I would like to read 50 books this year.

This is a huge goal, especially given that the most I’ve ever read in a single year is 23 (last year! Yessss to the post-grad reading binge 😎) and this more than doubles that. Plus, I’m working now.

To top it off, I’m not!! Even!! On!! Schedule!!!

However, I’m still gonna do my best to make 2020 ~The Year Of The Bibliophile~. And that starts with being open with what I’m reading! All about that outer accountability, y’know?

Without further ado, here are my January + February reads:

Normal People by Sally Rooney
Rating: A+
Left me feeling: 😱
Overall: I DEVOURED this book. The writing’s fantastic. I could feel myself wincing while reading the toxic dynamic between the main characters unfold. I could definitely see why this book had so much hype.
Extra Commentary w/ Spoilers (highlight to see): The ending made me feel so empty! I mean, it was fitting for the book/characters….but still.

The Rosie Result by Graeme Simsion
Rating: A
Left me feeling: 😌
Overall: I love the entire “Rosie Project” series, and this was a fantastic way to end it. It’s definitely a page-turner, but not as gripping as the first volume. Just as cute though.

Deep Work by Cal Newport
Rating: A-
Left me feeling: 💯
Overall: This book made me think a lot about my work habits and how much more I could get done if I simply cut out distractions. Concentration is a skill. (Fun fact, this book made me stop listening to music at work! Tried it for a week and the increase in productivity was so immense that I couldn’t go back.) Part 1, when Newport explains the value of deep work, was so motivational. Part 2, essentially the practical/how-to portion, was less engaging to me.

Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero
Rating: C+
Left me feeling: 😐
Overall: So…I don’t like fantasy, and I wasn’t a mega fan of Scooby-Doo growing up. This book is basically the ultimate combo of those two things (and it’s VERY on-the-nose about it), which is why I didn’t really enjoy it as a whole. However, I found the writing style pretty cool and unique.
Extra commentary (with spoilers—highlight to see): In general, I wished this book was scarier (I had high hopes). My favorite parts were the transitions between regular dialogue and movie-script dialogue. Those were neat! And I found the ending, with Tim, so weird and also kinda hilarious because of how absurd it was. This was a funky book.