— Y E A R I N R E V I E W —

2019 was a year of big changes for me: I quit my toxic job to travel for its second half. Super excited to see what 2020 brings! On to the books:

Classic and Lovely: Lolita
Subtle, Scary, Satisfying: Rosemary’s Baby
The Main Character did WHAT: Come Closer
Plot Twist Party: The Lost Man
Stranger Than Fiction: Bad Blood
Fuck Yeah Feminism: The Priory of the Orange Tree
Biggest Disappointment: Educated
Best Discovery: A Walk in the Woods
Biggest Mindfuck: Vita Nostra
Most Satisfying Reread: The Shining
Tried Too Hard: The Death of Mrs. Westaway
Quintessentially Kelly: The Run of His Life
No Regrets: The Name of the Rose

[I’m not going to do a Top 5 this year due to crippling indecision.]

READING CHALLENGE:

This year, I decided to create and implement two reading challenges. The first: 1 re-read per month. I'm really interested in revisiting old favorites - many of them books I read as a child or a young person - and this was meant to get me out from under the pressure to consume everything new and shiny.

1) The Westing Game | 5 STARS

2) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland | 4 STARS

3) What Was She Thinking? [Notes on a Scandal] | 5 STARS

4) Dracula | 5 STARS

5) The Fellowship of the Ring | 5 STARS

6) The Two Towers | 5 STARS

7) The Return of the King | 5 STARS

8) The Shining | 5 STARS

9) Watchmen | 5 STARS

10) Time Stops for No Mouse | 5 STARS

11) The Last Kingdom | 5 STARS

12) The Sands of Time | 5 STARS

The second challenge: 1 you haven't read that yet?! per month. There are some books out there (classics, bestselllers, Want to Read lingerers) that I just haven't forced myself to read, for whatever reason. This challenge was meant to make it happen. I had so much fun developing my lists/plans for both of these, but I kept them under wraps so I could tinker/change my mind.

1) In Cold Blood | 5 STARS

2) The Virgin Suicides | 5 STARS

3) Jurassic Park | 4 STARS

4) Ghost Story | 4 STARS

5) Interview with the Vampire | 3 STARS

6) Fight Club | 5 STARS

7) One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest | 4 STARS

8) Lolita | 5 STARS

9) The Name of the Rose | 5 STARS

10) 1984 | 4 STARS

11) Ready Player One | 5 STARS

12) The Bell Jar | 5 STARS