Emma's 2021 Reading Nook

[Emma]

Let's do this!

[Emma]

1/21- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
I finally got a chance to finish last year's yearly re-read of Harry Potter. These books are such a comfort to me, especially with the way of the world right now. It's a comfort to have something I know won't change, won't go away, and will be there whenever I need or want.

[Emma]

2/21- Puddin' by Julie Murphy
This is the sequel to her popular book 'Dumplin'. I really enjoyed this book as well. Even though I thought I knew what would happen I was second-guessing myself because her first book didn't end how I thought it would. I liked that about the book though. Yes there were quite a few predictable parts but it was good enough that I kept going back to see what was going to happen next, especially what would Carli do? If you enjoy young adult, female-centered books this might be something you would like to pick up!
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[Emma]

3/21- Take Control of Your Life by Mel Robbins
I picked this book up because I had enjoyed her book "The 5 Second Rule" and I was not disappointed. I loved that it's an audiobook because you get to hear the actual coaching sessions of her with her actual clients. I am definitely on the hunt to try another one of her books.
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[Emma]

4/21- Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien
I was really hoping to love this book, I really enjoyed the Hobbit and the movies are some of my favorites. While I know no movie is wholly true to the novel, this is vastly different which is fine but the reason I rate it so low is that I find, for some reason, his writing in the book very difficult to read. It just dragged for me and I got tired of him taking 5 pages to describe one thing (an exaggeration but if you've read any of the trilogy I'm sure you understand). I will continue reading the trilogy, just so I can say I have read it all but I was not a big fan of this novel.
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[Emma]

5/21- Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by JK Rowling
This was actually the first book I read this year but I forgot to list it when I started. I will always enjoy the Harry Potter books for as long as I read them but I think Half Blood Prince is probably in my top 3 when it comes to my favorites of the seven. I just feel it has a nice flow to it and the story encompasses so many aspects of the magical world from broom flying to love potion poisoning to real world aspects like breaking up with your girlfriend who is on your last nerve. I find it to be relatable and a quick read.
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[Emma]

6/21- The Bleeding Sky by Louis Brandsdorfer
As with all books that I read about WWII and the Holocaust, which is many, I found this memoir-style book to be haunting. Memoirs always affect me more than just the fiction books about that time. Her story was harrowing, reading about how she kept going even when it would have just been easier to give up. As well as hearing about the support many of the women in the camps gave each other. Many moments really hit me, especially the moment with the baby in the ghetto. That really shook me. This is a great account of what happened to many of the Jewish people during the war. I would recommend this novel to anyone looking for a book that's memoir-style about the Holocaust.
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[Emma]

7/21- Badass Habits by Jen Sincero
I really enjoyed this book a whole lot! Her writing style always makes things easier to read. She writes the way she (probably) talks. The advice in this books was great, I loved that she broke it down into 21 days of exercises to really help you with your habit-forming or habit breaking, which ever you choose. She really makes you go deep to discover what it is you want to cultivate or what you want to get rid of. I would definitely suggest this book to anyone who loves her books as well as anyone wanting to make a change in their life.
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[Emma]

8/21- I Can't Make This Up by Kevin Hart
I started this book not knowing much about Kevin Hart. I'd seen a few of his movies but had never seen his stand up. After I read this, however, I went and looked it up and I was laughing so hard I was crying. This book really made me laugh because it is so raw and true. It definitely would not be everybody's cup of tea, though. I found his journey fascinating and how he owned up to everything he has done in his life. I loved seeing the real truth of the industry with how with every step you take forward you're gonna have to take two steps back. The reason it's four stars and not five is that there were quite a few moments where I got a bit lost and felt he just kept getting distracted which threw me off. Otherwise, I found this book really enjoyable.
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[Emma]

9/21- Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe
I was given this book as a gift and I finally got a chance to listen to it on Audible and I really enjoyed it! The story itself was engaging and kept me guessing as to where the story was going to go. The only reason it's not a five-star book for me is that some of Corin's inner monologues. They are so repetitive, I always knew when one started he was going to say he had to learn something or look something up later. I found that part of the book very monotonous. Granted, there were other important tidbits in his inner monologues but by the end of the book, I was tired of them. That being said I've already bought the second book audiobook and the Kindle version of the third because the audiobook for that one isn't out yet. I really enjoy Rowe's writing and now I want to check out some of his other books, especially the one set in the same universe but before this book and with a different character (who is also in this book). This is definitely a read I would recommend to anyone who enjoys sci-fi and fantasy books, it's a great read.
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[Emma]

10/21- Outlawed by Anna North
Holy Moly did I love this book!! I've never been one for books set during a Wild West kind of era but I absolutely devoured this book! I finished it in a few days if you don't count the days I couldn't read when working. I loved the story, the premise, everything. I found it to be engaging and it really made you think. I like that it is fictional and set with false events but you can also imagine that similar things happened back in Wild Wild West times. I enjoyed watching Ada grow and finally get the chance to heal people and do things her mama had taught her. I would say that there is a trigger warning for people who can't have children because the whole book is centered around what has happened to these women who are barren. The writer did a good job with the details, I felt transported every time I picked the book up. I would 100% recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Young Adult Fiction, it's well worth the read!
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[Emma]

11/21- Yes Please by Amy Poehler
I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It made me laugh and think about my own choices as a performer and woman. Great book overall, I would highly recommend it. Listening to this being read by Amp Poehler really enhanced the experience. I'm sure the book alone is funny in and of itself but with her reading it, it gets moved up quite a few notches. There was a bit of bouncing back and forth on the timeline which I found a little difficult to keep track of which is why I'm rating it with four, and not five, stars. It was an easy listen and had me laughing out loud. It has kind of spurred me to get back out there with my performing and directing, and to not give up when the going gets tough.
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[Emma]

12/21- On the Shoulders of Titans by Andrew Rowe
This is the second installment in the Arcane Ascension series. I loved the first book so much that I couldn't get the second book fast enough and it did not disappoint! While there were still a lot of inner monologues from Corin that were similar in part of what it said but I have gotten used to it so it didn't bother me as much. I loved that we got to learn more about Karras, I find his character to be especially intriguing. I'm not so sure how I feel about Cecily though, something about her character puts me on guard. I really enjoyed seeing the core group of characters really come together in a common cause but not just against god-beasts but also just in school and tests. I liked that there is the education factor and it's not just all fighting monsters. Don't get me wrong, I love a good monster fight, but I don't want that to be the entire book. I devoured this book in just a few days, I did listen to the audiobook though. I've already pre-ordered the audiobook of the third book, I'm loving this series that much. I don't know if this is just going to be a trilogy or if there is going to be more books, I guess I will have to wait and find out!
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[Emma]

13/21- The Legacy by JD Franx
I really enjoyed this book, way more than I expected. It definitely kept my attention wanting to know more and more. I loved it so much, I bought the rest of the saga. It definitely leaves you with a cliffhanger so you have to get the other books to know what's happening to kale and ember and everyone.
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