NPR’s Books of the Year

Whether I do a post of not, every year I look forward to National Public Radio’s books of the year list. I always “grade” myself–how many have I read. This year I got an F. I’ve read only ONE BOOK from this year’s list. I started one other and got distracted (I won it in a giveaway so I’ll get to it eventually), just reset my hold on another since I’m in Christmas book mode only right now, and have a few others on my TBR.

The One I Read

My review is linked here.

The One I Re-Set My Hold On

I’ll be listening to this one after Christmas–it arrived in my online holds, but I sent it on to another patron to return to me next month. Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead.

The One I Started Reading, but Got Distracted From Finishing

How gorgeous is this cover??? Island Queen by Vanessa Riley

New to me–Discovered on the List

Flight of the Diamond Smugglers by Matthew Gavin Frank seems like an update of Ian Fleming’s nonfiction book on the same topic.

This memoir sounds good–I’ve had friends and co-workers over the years who were gentrifies, restorers, urban pioneers, whatever you want to label it. Gentrifier: A Memoir by Anne Elizabeth Moore.

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan could go either way for me, but I want to try it.

On My TBR

How About You?

Any favorites for 2021 on this list? Leave me a comment or a link to your post.

NPR’s Best Books of the Year

You can see the entire list HERE

I always check out which books NPR loves each year. I track those that I read on their own shelf on Goodreads. This year I have read only 4! Not bad for a year in which I did all sorts of reading challenges and in which I lost my two hours per workday of listening to audiobooks on my commute. I usually add a few books from this list to my TBR, too, so in time I will have read more of them.

My reviews:

Fiction

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larsen

Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker

2019 Books of the Year Read in 2020

Because the lists generally come on in December, not January of the new year, I also read a few of N

 

Everything Inside: Stories by Edwidge Danticat

Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

Past Years Posts

I thought I did this post for 2019?? I read nine of the books!

NPR’s 2018 Books of the Year

What about you? Do you compare your yearly list of books read to any of the “Best Books of the [Year]” posts elsewhere? Tell me where or link to your post.

 

It’s Here! NPR’s Book Concierge for 2018: Here are my reviews

Image: NPR.org

NPR’s Book Concierge 2018 is up! I love this list and look forward to it each year! I don’t agree with each selection and do find some that make me snort with wonder at their inclusion even, but I love it. It is a real reader’s look at the years books–not only the over-hyped wonder books of the year. (And, in the spirit of honesty, I dearly hope one of mine becomes one of those some year! I need the money for retirement!)

I have read several, had others on my To Read list already and added a few more to the list today after reading thru it all. Here are the links to my reviews. Hint: One of these is a front-runner for my best book of 2018. (Note: these reviews are in no special order of ranking. Click the book’s linked title to see my review).

My Reviews

Varina: A Novel by Charles Frazier

That Kind of Mother: A Novel by Rumaan Alam

Female Persuasion: A Novel by Meg Wolitzer

Fascism: A Warning by Madeline Albright  [I have not yet reviewed this book].

Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret by Craig Brown

Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover  (I did not finish this one 100% and did not review it but for other reasons–nothing to do with disliking it in any way).

Have you read any of the books in this year’s Conceirge list? Leave me a comment.