It’s been a busy summer, fall, and winter! As we gear into a season of hibernation (hello, hygge life), it’s fun to look back over the last year and compartmentalize every detail into an end-of-year list.
Maybe not every detail. But books, movies, food, drinks…things like that, yeah.
We’re no Obama, but here’s the list of books we (collectively…not as a sister book club, because who has time for that?) read this year:
(the books in bold are must-reads)
Literary Fiction:
- The House on Mango Street
by Sandra Cisneros – simply stunning! poetic and mesmerizing.
- The Bees: A Novel
by Laline Paull – a different perspective on bees, told in a sci-fi narrative
- Sing, Unburied, Sing: A Novel
by Jesmyn Ward – ghost story, coming-of-age, travel, and drugs. Heavy for sure. But worth reading!
- Homegoing
by Yaa Gyasi – An epic saga spanning hundreds of years, following each generation of a slave. So. Good.
- Kindred
by Octavia Butler – sci-fi, slavery, feminism, page-turner.
- Attachments: A Novel
by Rainbow Rowell – so charming! so wonderful!
- Where’d You Go, Bernadette: A Novel
by Maria Semple – can’t wait for the film adaptation!
Graphic Novels:
- Spill Zone Book 1
, Vol. 2 by Scott Westerfeldt
- My Friend Dahmer
by Derf Backderf – haunting
- March (Trilogy Slipcase Set)
by John Lewis – a must-read for everyone living today, especially who did not grow up during the Civil Rights movement
- Bitch Planet, Vol. 1: Extraordinary Machine
: Kelly Sue DeConnick
Read Aloud with Kiddos:
- The Odyssey
by Gillian Cross – a great re-telling with stunning visuals. Perfect for reading aloud and introducing Greek mythology.
- The Spell Thief: Little Legends by Tom Percival
- Bunnicula
by James Howard – a classic gothic horror! Worth revisiting.
- Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling
Essays, Poetry, Nonfiction and Such
- Leave Me Alone with the Recipes by Cipe Pineless
- The Modern Witchcraft Grimoire: Skye Alexander
- Why Not Me?
By Mindy Kaling – can we be her best friends?
- Ungrateful Mammals
by Dave Eggers
- Vacationland: True Stories from Painful Beaches
by John Hodgman
- Literary Witches: A Celebration of Magical Women Writers
- Heating & Cooling: 52 Micro-Memoirs
by Beth Ann Fennelly
- Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood
by Trevor Noah – YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO IT.
Mysteries & Horror
- The Cat Who Could Read Backwards
- Celine by Peter Heller
- Bird Box: A Novel
by Josh Malerman – read only if you don’t want to sleep or go outside for a few days…
Home Inspiration & Living Colorfully Books
- Novel Interiors: Living in Enchanted Rooms Inspired by Literature
- Kate Spade New York: Things We Love – Twenty Years of Inspiration, Intriguing Bits and Other Curiosities
- How They Decorated: Inspiration from Great Women of the Twentieth Century
- Liberty Book of Home Sewing
- Branches & Blooms: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Magical Centerpieces, Wreaths, Garlands, and Other Unexpected Arrangements
- Gardens of the High Line: Elevating the Nature of Modern Landscapes
- Selina Lake Winter Living: An inspirational guide to styling and decorating your home for winter
by Selena Lake
Cookbooks
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What did you read this year that stood out? Any books worth buying for your permanent collection? And if you’re in a bookclub, don’t forget to download Book Club Bingo. Use the code BOOKCLUB to get it for free!