Giveaways and Reviews

My 5 Best Reads of 2019

While we’re pondering the year behind us and looking forward to the year ahead, one consistent theme for me has been to continue my love of reading and make more time for it. My book goal for 2019 was 19 books (you have to write down or share those goals, to help you be accountable, “they” say, whoever they are…) and I fell shy of that. I read 17 books which is pretty awesome considering that’s more than 1 book/month which itself is a pretty good goal. See? I’m not down on myself about it, but I am inspired to smash my goal of 20 books in 2020.

If you’d like to join me on my reading goal, please do! I’m going to hashtag it on Twitter (#FFF20in20) and that way I’ll be keeping myself accountable, while sharing my new reads and progress with you!

If you need some inspiration to get started in 2020, here are my top 5 reads from 2019:

The Testaments – Margaret Atwood

Yes, if you’re a fan of The Handmaid’s Tale chances are you’ve already devoured this book. But, maybe you’re new to the fandom – I myself didn’t read The Handmaid’s Tale until I heard the excitement about the TV series and wanted to ensure I read the book first. I have friends who are loyal to the book and refuse to stream it, and that’s OK. The Testaments follows The Handmaid’s Tale beautifully for those who are staying true to the literary form and those who are fans of the series.

Vox – Christina Dalcher

This book has a similar theme to The Handmaid’s Tale and that makes people either love it or hate it. I loved it. If you wear a FitBit or similar device, if you watch political chaos on the news, it will make you glance down at your device several times and ponder where technology is heading in the years to come.

Ladies Who Punch: The Explosive Inside Story of The View – Ramin Setoodeh

A departure from fiction, I wanted to include this book on my list not only for fans of The View like me, but also for women working in any type of media, or frankly any office/business setting. It’s eye-opening, funny, insightful, and shocking. Sadly, though, it reflects experiences many of us have had in our lifetime. I really enjoyed the “backstage” look into The View and appreciate the men and women who shared their own tidbits in the book.

The Turn of The Key – Ruth Ware

I’m surprising myself by not simply making a list of 5 suspenseful “Girl On The Train” type books because they really are my favorite, so if you like that particular theme, I have many more to share. However, in 2019 this one was my favorite because it creeped me out. The question I wondered about in The Vox, how is technology going to impact us in the years going forward, was asked in this book as well. Except, in this book it might involve the paranormal.


Southern Discomfort: A Memoir – Tena Clark

Again, a departure from fiction but a story so outrageous in some ways that it felt like it was a fictional account, though it’s not. It’s a true story set in rural Mississippi during the Civil Rights era about a white girl coming of age in a repressive society and the woman who gave her the strength to forge her own path—the black nanny who cared for her. Many compare it to the beautiful storytelling in Educated which is one of the books I have not yet read, but is on my list for 2020. So, if we’re opposites and you’ve read Educated already, this one’s for you.

In the spirit of giving back, I’m sharing a $50 Amazon.ca gift card giveaway with my readers, so you can stock up on some reads for 2020!

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