Read With Z - 2021 Books

I don’t need to do a long intro, if you’re here on this very post, you know why. I’m a pretty avid reader, and in 2021 I wanted to increase my reading and decrease my screen time. I didn’t always succeed, but on goodreads, I set my 2021 reading goal at 25 books since I read 25 in 2020 and as of me writing this blog, I have read 35 books with at least 10 more started and never finished.

I started a book club, though sometimes we don’t read a book for months or we forget to actually discuss the book, but we at least encourage more reading. I joined another book club (but have only finished one of the books they recommended). But most of all, I exceeded my reading goal and can’t wait to increase my goal to 50 for 2022.

Anyway, without further ado, here’s the list of books I read in 2021 along with short reviews (if I can remember reading it). Also, please prepare for this to be like a Kanye album where I’ll edit it if I finish more books before the year is over. Additionally, I’m doing this in chronological order from oldest book read to newest book read.

Restavec: From Haitian Slave Child to Middle-Class American by Jean-Robert Cadet

This book was a book club pick. It was an extremely sad story and to make that worse, it was very poorly written. Additionally, there was a lot of white savior complex and white is better despite the fact that there was absolutely no proof in his life that a white person was better than him. All of those made this book very hard to read. I gave it a 2/5 on goodreads but looking back, it’s probably closer to a 1/5.

A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum

I had purchased this on the kindle from 2020, but it’s was like every new thing I bought caused me to forget it. In early 2021, I decided to finally read it rather than buying more new books. I love books by women authors, especially ones that explore gender and how it plays out in different societies. Although the story was incredibly sad, I enjoyed this book. I gave it a 4/5 on goodreads and definitely recommend this.

Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson

I loved the cover of this book and couldn’t wait to read it, but I was supremely let down. I hated this book so much, I gave it an actual review on goodreads and not my usual clicks how many stars and move on. I think that this book tried to capitalize off of the cancel R. Kelly movement and show how a girl and her parents can end up down that path, but this book was simply not good. You can see my full goodreads review here. I gave it 2/5 but that’s literally only because I couldn’t give it 1.5 absolutely do not recommend, but again, beautiful cover.

Waiting to Exhale by Terry McMillan

What more can I say? This is a classic. I watched the movie, but never actually read the book and I finally got a chance to. This was another Read with Z book club pick and I enjoyed it immensely. I will say, in the novel, none of the women characters were likable, but sometimes that works and this is one of those times. If you’ve only watched the movie, read the book. 4/5

32 Candles by Ernessa T. Carter

This was a Read With Z book club pick. After reading heavier titles, we just wanted a fun break. I really enjoyed this book, it was fun, light, thought provoking, and blackity, black black. Just what I needed then. 4/5

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

This was highly rated in the bookstagram and booktok space, but I didn’t really get what others seemed to have gotten out of it. I wanted to know how the story played out, but I ended up feeling like WHAT WAS THE REASON *insert Cardi B gif*. 3/5

Th Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell

This is the first book on the list that I could barely remember, I had to scroll through reviews to refresh my memory. I also gave it a 2/5 so that seems accurate. I tend to like suspense novels, but I think this tried to play into too many genres at once and the story was very wtf.

You’re the Only One I’ve Told: the Stories Behind Abortion by Dr. Meera Shah

I gave it 4/5 only because I don’t know what would make a book 5/5 for me. It deserves all of the stars. It’s required reading if you’re a feminist, womanist, pro-choice or even if you’re not because maybe it will change your mind and get you on the winning team. I loved the stories but more importantly loved the excerpts from the doctor on abortion facts. Amazing book. Recommend with everything in me. Probably my favorite non fiction book this year.

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

This book is a lesson in not rating things immediately on goodreads, but sitting with it for a while because despite literally JUST saying I don’t know what would earn a book a 5/5, I gave this book a 5/5. I regret that. I also feel hypocritical talking about this book now after giving it a 5/5 on goodreads then. Yes I cried, but that’s because the book is trauma porn. It was a tad racist at times. It was a weird portrayal of molestation and disability and it just wasn’t good. I don’t really recommend.

Suicide Notes by Michael Thomas Ford

This is the second book I don’t really remember like that. And once again, I gave it a 2/5 so that seems accurate. It’s also a young adult novel which I tend to enjoy from time to time but I can’t remember it enough to recommend.

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole

This book fit so much of my criteria for wanting to read a book. It’s a thriller, the author is a woman and the author is black. I loved the thriller play on gentrification. I enjoyed reading it, however the ending was a bit weird to me. I’m also super over the black woman, white man relationship trope in recent novels. Hard pass on that every time. 4/5 but only because I couldn’t give it a 3.5

The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

I love intersectionality. And this book has that. It was a nice little YA palette cleanser and focused on the woman on color element. Loved that. 3/5 (but only because YA novels are pretty middle of the road enjoyable to me).

Conviction by Denise Mara

I can barely remember this book besides wedding, thriller and men are trash. So if you’re into that, this book is for you. 3/5

The Unexpected Mother: A Surrogate Mother Caught Between Science, the Law and Humanity by Susan A Ring

I purchased this book due to the fact that surrogacy may be my sole option if I want to be a mom, so this was intriguing to me. Again, men are trash. But also, people are trash in general. It’s a great memoir on what can be some pitfalls in surrogacy. However I do think the author has this weird addiction to being pregnant. I gave it a 5/5 but I do think I have a bias in my rating.

Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal

This was a fun read. Everyone loves to talk about sex, even those you least expect. 3/5

Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez

What can I say, I enjoy a good YA novel, and this one didn’t disappoint. It’s Bend It Like Beckham, but in Arab Latina. 4/5

Broke Milennial Talks Money: Scripts, Stories, and Advice to Navigate Awkward Financial Conversations

If you read this blog or follow me on twitter or know me in real life, then you know I love to talk money. I absolutely love this book. I own 2 copies (one that’s completely highlighted and one that’s bare) and I have gifted copies. I love this book that much. If you love to talk money or want to be better with it, buy this book. 5/5

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

This was a book club book at my chemo center AND is a Reese’s Book Club book and I tend to LOVE her picks. This is one of those books that gets rave reviews and they are all completely warranted. The story is beautiful and tragic and something you should read if you enjoy reading. 5/5

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

This was a book that compelled me to do a full review on goodreads. It also didn't know if it wanted to be a thriller or a book about race and I think a decision would have made this book so much better. The thriller twist at the end was very unnecessary. Moreover this is another white man, black woman relationship book and I am tired. These authors write so much about the iced experience of being a black woman in a world where white beauty standards reign supreme and consistently put their characters with white men. I rated the book 4/5 but I hate read this book because I hated every single thing about this book.

Somebody’s Daughter by Ashley C. Ford

This book is false advertisement. I went in expecting a memoir about a girl’s relationship with her father and got a memoir about a girl’s relationship with herself, her mother and [spoiler alert] white men. I gave it a 2 but I don’t recommend it at all. And I hate to have to say that about a memoir written by a black woman.

While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory

I love Jasmine Guillory. I will read anything she writes. With pleasure. It’s chick lit, but who cares. Not everyday do you want to read some deep introspective thing. This is an escape. 4/5

One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus

I was extremely drawn to the cover so I picked this up on a whim. It’s a YA novel, and it was very middle of the road to me, but I enjoyed it enough to buy the sequel. 3/5

Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan

If you loved the Crazy Rich Asian books or movie, you’ll enjoy this. It follows the same asian opulence theme and I enjoyed it. 4/5

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

This was a Read With Z pick. I loved the way this book was written, it seemed like a memoir though it was a novel. It was also tragically painful. I will say however, the ending left something to be desired and the protagonist focused more on others than herself and I wanted to know her more. 4/5

One of Us is Next by Karen McManus

This is the sequel to One of Us is Lying and it was very triggering to me because of the content so I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I could. However I ended up rating it higher than the original. 4/5

The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom

I did not like this book at all, and it saddened me, because I really don’t like to give low ratings to memoirs, especially memoirs by black women authors. However, this was another book where what was promised wasn't delivered and I don’t like what was delivered. 2/5

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

This book was one of the books from the other book club I joined. This book has been recommended to me for a couple months but I kept passing, so it being a book club pick felt like serendipity. I’m so glad I read this, it was way better than I expected. 4/5

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

This is another book where I should have waited before I rated. I gave it a 5 immediately upon reading but by the time it was discussion day (since this was for my book club), I was like girl WHAT? There was way too many coincidences to suspend relief, but I still think it’s worth a read.

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

This book was a disappointment. It was my book club’s pick for November and I couldn’t wait to be done because the story was boring, the twist was nonsensical and after reading The Silent Patient, I was like what the hell is this. 2/5

The Mother of Black Hollywood by Jenifer Lewis

There was wayyyy too much name dropping in this memoir for me, but she’s famous and it’s a memoir so it makes sense. She’s incredibly entertaining and it comes across in the book. 3/5

The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley

I liked the premise of this book, but I can’t say it was super remarkable or memorable. I took it while traveling and didn’t care enough to bring it back with me for the bookshelf. 3/5