Every year I keep a list of books I read- and I read a lot. I read everything from thrillers to biographies, romances to young adult- I read it all. This year I read 119 books! I was hoping to make it a round 120 but work got in the way. I also realized this year that I normally get a lot of reading done on the plane but with my European adventures ending in the end of February that seriously cut into my uninterrupted reading time. My goal for 2021 is to read at least 100 books. Ideally I would love to read over 119 books but I know this year is going to be busy so I am not sure that is realistic. The books below are my top picks in a variety of genres. They are in no specific order- I recommend you read them all! [Plus there were so many books I broke up the list into two blog posts. This is the first post.]
1- The Queens of Animation: The Untold Story of the Women Who Transformed the World of Disney and Made Cinematic History
By Nathalia Holt
Genre: Nonfiction
If you are a Disney fan or an animation buff you will love this book. The book follows the women pioneers behind many of the classic Disney animated films. These women were often forgotten in Disney folklore so I love that Holt emphasizes their lives and work accomplishments.
2- The Testaments: A Novel (The Handmaid’s Tale)
By Margaret Atwood
Genre: Dystopian Fiction
I love a good dystopian novel and this book by Atwood continues on the world she built in the Handmaid’s Tale. This book is about the fall of the dystopian and non-functional Gilead from the point of view of some of the women who run the regime and also some of the young women born into the system. [Note that this is a sequel to the Handmaid’s Tale but can be read as a standalone book as well. Personally I would recommend that you read the Handmaid’s Tale first.]
3- Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive
By Stephanie Land
Genre: Autobiography
Stephanie Land tells her story of an unplanned pregnancy and how hard it is as a single working mother to survive. She tells her story of hard work as a housekeeper and how, even with government assistance, survival is difficult for her and her daughter. It was also on Obama’s summer reading list!
4- The Kiss Quotient
By Helen Hoang
Genre: Romance
A very cute romance about a women name Stella, who has Asperger’s and next to no experience with anything romantic. To get more romantic experience she hires escort Michael Phan. Such a fun, easy read and I cannot wait for Helen Hoang’s new book to come out.
5- Finding Dorothy
By Elizabeth Letts
Genre: Historical Fiction
“This richly imagined novel tells the story behind The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the book that inspired the iconic film, through the eyes of author L. Frank Baum’s intrepid wife, Maud.” I literally could not summarize this book better. If you love Old Hollywood or The Wonderful Wizard of Oz you will love this book.
6- In the Name of Gucci
By Patricia Gucci
Genre: Autobiography
Written by Patricia Gucci, the secret love child of Aldo Gucci’s, the book tells the love story between her dad and her mom as well as surrounding the rise and fall of the late Aldo Gucci, the man responsible for making the legendary fashion label the powerhouse it is today. Great read for any luxury lover.
7- The Secrets We Kept
By Lara Prescott
Genre: Historical Fiction; Thriller
“At the height of the Cold War, Irina, a young Russian-American secretary, is plucked from the CIA typing pool and given the assignment of a lifetime. Her mission: to help smuggle Doctor Zhivago into the USSR, where it is banned, and enable Boris Pasternak’s magnum opus to make its way into print around the world… The Secrets We Kept combines a legendary literary love story—the decades-long affair between Pasternak and his mistress and muse, Olga Ivinskaya, who inspired Zhivago’s heroine, Lara—with a narrative about two women empowered to lead lives of extraordinary intrigue and risk.”
8- Compton Cowboys: The New Generation of Cowboys in America’s Urban Heartland
By Walter Thompson
Genre: Non-Fiction
A compelling story about The Company Cowboys, an organization of African-American men and women who keep up the proud tradition of black cowboys. Living in LA for 7 years I had no idea that there was any sort of horse culture in Compton. A very well written book by a rising New York Times reporter.
9- The Mastermind: A True Story of Murder, Empire, and a New Kind of Crime Lord
By Evan Ratliff
Genre: Non-Fiction
“The incredible true story of the decade-long quest to bring down Paul Le Roux—the creator of a frighteningly powerful Internet-enabled cartel who merged the ruthlessness of a drug lord with the technological savvy of a Silicon Valley entrepreneur.”
10- Open Book
By Jessica Simpson
Genre: Autobiography
An autobiography by Jessica Simpson, where she reveals inner monologue and most intimate struggles. She talks about becoming a star, including messing up her Mickey Mouse Club tryout, and her marriage and ultimate divorce to Nick Lachey.
