As an Amazon Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I had kept myself a challenge of completing at least 52 books in 2020 across all genres and in all formats. I outdid myself and I'm proud. I read 56 books a performance of 106%. Thank you to Goodreads for keeping track of all books read.
Fiction
General Fiction
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
To Kill a Mockingbird was first published in 1960 and has since sold 40 million copies globally. The story starts when Scot Finch and Jem Finch, siblings, are discussing Jem’s broken elbow and are really tracing back to how all the events that culminated in this accident, were the most important events of their growing-up life.
Atticus Finch, their father, and lawyer is fighting a black man accused of rape. While Scot, Jem, and their friend Dill are unraveling the mystery surrounding their neighbor Boo Radley. – Full Review Here
Naked Truth by Carrie Hayes
Naked Truth is the life’s story of the sisters’ Victoria and Tennessee, part fiction and part real. Set in New York and Washington DC in the 1860s and the 1870s, this is a true American Herstory. A carefully lived life by the ambitious, smart, and sexy sisters came into jeopardy at the hands of their own backstabbing family members and trusted friends. Hurt by many, their story of strength in a world dominated entirely by men is nothing short of inspirational. – Full Review Here
The White Tiger by Aravinda Adiga
“Free people don’t know the value of freedom, that’s the problem.”
Set in 2008, The White Tiger is the story of Balram, who builds his life from the darkness of an Indian village to the light of entrepreneurial success amongst city life in India. But the path he follows is not one we should aspire to. Corruption, deception, abandonment, and finally murder, Balram has to resort to several morally evil ways to be a torchbearer. For he believes that surely any successful man must spill a little blood on his way to the top. – Full Review Here
We Drank Wine by Marion Reidel
We Drank Wine is a collection of stories about four middle-aged women going through a series of mid-life crises. These are comical stories about battling the worst events of your life and yet trying to get the best out of life. The four women Celeste, Beth, Sandy, and Janice, are as different as they come, married with kids and yet pillars of support to each other in the worst of times.
Illustrated Short Fiction of William H. Coles: 2000-2016
Illustrated Short Fiction of William H. Coles: 2000 – 2016 is the first short story collection I immensely enjoyed reading in a long time, second to only the great O. Henry’s short stories. There are thirty-three award-winning short stories with two stories being depicted as graphic novels and a short novel towards the end of the book with 27 chapters.
William H.Coles has written several books, but I can say that this is his best compilation. These are stories about human nature when facing their worst. Dark tales of the hypocrisy of human nature when faced with death or dire circumstances. These stories cover people in all strata of society.
Adrift by Charles Sheldon
Adrift means to drift or float without any support. It is the literal position of the Seattle Express, a container ship bound for Seattle that catches fire in the Gulf of Alaska. The captain of the boat, Steve, decides to abandon ship splitting two lifeboats between the entire crew. His lifeboat is rescued, but will his remaining crew be rescued in time or will they perish on the jagged, dangerous shores of Haida Gwaii? Another story gets linked to the unfortunate ship when an old tug, Warhorse, sails 300 miles to salvage the burning boat. Will Larry, the owner of Warhorse, be able to get the Seattle Express safely back racing against the high-speed tugs of Buckhorn, the owner company of the doomed ship?
Chick Lit
Bride Squad Runaway by Caroline Grace-Cassidy and Lisa C. Carey
Ava O’Hara, who works at a gallery, is about to get married to her longtime boyfriend, Simon, a struggling musician in a gig working band. But why does the marriage feel like a chore to get done instead of a dream come true? Because the reality is about to hit soon, over the air, and in the face. And who is going to rescue her, her best friends from college whom she wasn’t in touch with for a very long time? – Full Review Here
Fantasy
Where Angels Cant Follow by Jessi Kallhon
“When we are asleep in this world, we are awake in another.” – Salvador Dali
Haven’t we always looked up to angels to save us from deathly calamities? What if I told you one of God’s angels was in mortal danger and only a human could help? Would you be up to it? Well, Nathaniel or Nate, the hero of this book, certainly was. An orphan living in foster homes, Nate grew up to be wiser than his age. Now, this sixteen-year-old is caught in between two worlds, literally, trying to save his favorite angel Mara, from eternal imprisonment inside a stone sculpture. Only no one believes him. Full Review Here
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Panem is a country with 13 districts, the 13th one was destroyed earlier. Now the remaining 12 have a competition every year where in they send 2 12 to 18 year olds – one boy and one girl – to the competition called the hunger games. The games are broadcast throughout the country. The aim is only one to survive till the end. – Full Review Here
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
“There are some things you cannot evade, only fight.”
In the first book, we saw that Panem is a country with 13 districts. The 13th one was destroyed earlier because they rebelled against the capital. As I reminder every year now, the remaining 12 have a competition where they send 2 12 to 18-year-olds – one boy and one girl – to the competition named the hunger games. The games are broadcast throughout the country. The aim is only to survive till the end. – Full Review Here
Mockingjay by by Suzanne Collins – 3 stars
Having won the 74th games and escaped the 75th games, Katniss is now in open rebellion with the Capitol. Although having survived the Hunger Games twice, she isn’t yet safe. A revolution she unknowingly sparked has now been carefully planned with her at the forefront without Katniss having any knowledge about it. She has a vital role to play in the final battle against Snow. She has to become the Mockingjay – the symbol of rebellion, even if she has to die. – Full Review Here
Non-fiction
Outliers by Malcom Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell starts with a clear goal for this book. He argues that to understand success, we should not just understand an individual’s personal choices or actions in isolation, but also look beyond the individual to -
- The culture they were a part of
- Who their friends and families were
- What town their families came from
Indias Greatest Speeches by Nitin Agarwal
All the speeches are chronologically ordered starting from 1893 to 2014, very recent times. The saying, Old is gold holds true to these greatest public speeches and they remain relevant even today in the 21st century. The beauty of these speeches is that other than being spoken by remarkable personalities they mark historic moments. Moments that changed India, moments that make us proud to be an Indian. – Full Review Here
Top Visionaries Who Changed The World by George Ilian
This book is a must-read if you want to start thinking like a winner. You must learn from those people's successes and failures at the top of their fields today or those who have been pioneers in the past. This book is a concise model written by George Ilian, an author of 18 books, which will help you know some world leaders intimately. – Full Review Here
Ripcord Recovery by T.J. Sawyer
Ripcord Recovery is an alcohol addiction survivor’s real account of his path to recovery. After having stayed sober for 22 years, he relapsed. He finds himself caught in a “death spiral” attending AA meetings, counseling, engaging with his sponsor, and doctor visits. In short, doing everything by the book and yet his fear of relapse is omnipresent. That’s when he finds a radical solution: a solution that everyone may not approve but one that works for him.
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
This is not a book. It is a money-making secret which has made a fortune for multiple very wealthy men. It is a textbook and step-by-step guide and tutorial to achieve success, followed by riches based on actionable techniques for anyone seeking it in whatever field in life. Truly. – Full Review Here
The Subtle Art of Not giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
In this generation-defending self-help book, a rockstar blogger shows us that the key to being stronger and happier people is to handle adversity better and stop trying to be “positive” all the time. – Full Review Here
Ikigai : The Japanese secret to a long and happy life by Hector Garcia
“Life is pure imperfection, but if you have a clear sense of ikigai, each moment will hold so many possibilities that it will seem almost like an eternity.”
I was intrigued about this book that was being talked about everywhere I went. So I went ahead and bought of a copy of the book and read it. I think the reason Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life has become so popular is because it reminds us of the very basics of life that we all seem to have forgotten in the hustle and bustle of life. Also the simple practicality of the book and the very doable activities given have in my opinion appealed to readers. – Full Review Here
Zero To One by Peter Thiel with Blake Masters
8 questions about entrepreneurship that Peter Thiel answers in his book will guide you to building your startup that sees vertical progress. – Full Review Here
Empowered by Dominica Lumazar
“When we put our own gains aside and focus on how to help our customers first, that’s when everyone wins.”
Empowered (The Business Owner’s Guide to Leadership and Success) is an inspiring read by Dominica Lumazar, an amazing businesswoman. Lumazar shares wisdom, insights achieved through her setbacks and experience, and her mentoring by some of the finest in the marketing business. She has built her business single-handedly using her brain and brawn.
Children’s Books
I Don’t Like Racism by Tymeka Conney
I Don’t Like Racism is an illustrated board book for kids aged 4 -18 years. The book tells the story of racism through the eyes of a young and bold African-American girl and her experiences with her cousin's unfair involvement in police brutality. She is trying to understand what all this meant. – Full Review Here
Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a snoopy cat by Kristi
Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat by Kristi belongs to the Children’s books genre. It is the 7th standalone children’s book in the Diary of a Snoopy Cat series. This book is about a Siberian snoopy cat, Inca, and her little buddies or whom she calls Inca & company, her detective agency. On vacation with her mom, in Sri Lanka, Inca discovers a valuable, antique sword gets stolen from the city’s main museum. Their neighbor Solo and his dog Terrence are to join them to hunt for the sword. Will Inca decide to take on another adventure snooping around for the stolen sword? Will Inca & Company be able to set to rest another mystery and return home safely?
The Mountain and the Goat by Siamak Taghaddos
The Mountain and the Goat starts with the protagonist arriving at a mountain and seeing a goat. The goat offers the protagonist some bread and water with some sage advice saying – “Do as you wish but plan ahead.” Then we progress through the story where this bread and water through careful planning culminates in a treehouse for the protagonist.
Memoir
Becoming by Michelle Obama
“Even when it’s not pretty or perfect. Even when it’s more real than you want it to be. Your story is what you have, what you will always have it is something to own.”
This is Michelle’s story from as young as 18 months to the day after her husband, Barack Obama left the Office of President of the United States to reinstate Donald Trump into his place. She recalls how she became what she became and ponders on the journey ahead. – Full Review Here
Beware of Falling Coconuts by Gillian McNeil
It takes courage to write such a book as Gillian McNeill has written. Her story of cancer, her experiences, memories, and her triumphant win over it. No matter how lightly you decide to take it, the experience of the discovery, the mastectomy, and the radiation treatment must have been harrowing without a doubt. And reliving all that to write this book and presenting it in such a fun way is not a task possible for the weak-hearted. – Full Review Here
Beneath the Muscle: Unleash your Inner Champion by Lauren Powers
“People helping people is what life is all about and we need more of it in the world.”
Lauren Powers is a professional body-building champion, a woman in a field dominated by men. And Beneath the Muscle: Unleash your Inner Champion is her inspirational story about being different and taking this difference and placing it on a pinnacle, changing lives, not through force but leading by example. Lauren describes herself as a square peg in a world of round holes. This book is her way of helping anyone and everyone who is different but is still in the shadows.
Hope you enjoyed reading about the books I read. Please explore more books yourself and share your feedback.
Goodbye to 2020 and Happy New Year 2021.
Happy Reading!!
This post contains affiliate links. Read my Disclosure Policy.