AT the start of the years, I made a goal to read twenty books.

For some, this number might be a small fraction of their yearly reading goals but for me, it felt like a massive number. I set this goal at the start of the year as a way to improve my evening routine — to eliminate my terrible habit of mindless scrolling. Reading has many benefits particularly in helping you fall asleep by helping you to destress and relax.

As the year comes to an end, I am happy to share that I was able to meet my yearly goal. Each night, I dedicate an hour (or two) to reading before I fall asleep. It has significantly improved my overall sleep quality, and has become a staple in my evening routine. One that I look forward to every night, which has helped me to achieve my goal.

Here are a list of the books that I read this year as well as my thoughts on each book along with a rating.

Memoir/Autobiography:

SPARE by Prince Harry

This memoir made me sad and sympathetic and if I am being entirely honest, at times I was quite bored. Having watched the various interviews of Harry & Meghan as well as their Netflix documentary, the book seemed to share some repetitive moments. What kept my interest were the parts about Camilla, William and King Charles.

THE WOMAN IN ME by Britney Spears

So many emotions were felt while reading Britney’s memoir. As a young pre-teen, like most girls, Britney was my idol. Knowing what I did about her as a child and now, as an adult, I read this book with an open mind and wow, was I left with my jaw dropped several times. Given the media attention concerning her conservatorship, we knew of her family issues. However, the memoir spares no details. From the truth about her virginity, to the details concerning her and Justin Timberlakes relationship, it felt as if I idolized someone who, behind closed doors, was deeply hurt and traumatized. It made me sad when I reflected on watching her on the television while reading about what was happening behind the scenes. I finished the book in four days and when I was finished, I have a newfound respect and appreciation for Britney — (5/5)

Fiction — Psychological Thriller/Mystery:

THE HOUSEMAID by Freida McFadden

From the moment I started reading The Housemaid, I was hooked. It was an intense page turner that at times, made me yell out loud. Beautifully written and easy to read, Freida does a beautiful job at sharing the perspective of both characters. Just when you think you know the plot, there is a twist that leaves you stunned. I finished this book in three days and immediately downloaded an online copy of the explosive sequel, The Housemaid’s Secret — (5/5)

THE HOUSEMAID’S SECRET by Freida McFadden

Another amazing read that left me turning the pages at record speed. The storyline kept my interest but similar to The Housemaid, it followed the same flow — shared perspectives of the characters and twists that keep you guessing. My one gripe with this sequel; however, is that some themes seemed quite repetitive. The story flows well from the original, but some themes were too similar to the original. Overall, this is a great book to read, and one of Freida’s best novels in my opinion — (4/5)

THE PARIS APARTMENT by Lucy Foley

The Paris Apartment came highly recommended from my coworker. Initially, I found it to be interesting. However, half way through, it was slightly boring and did not keep my interest solely because it felt like nothing was happening. Each of the characters had skeletons in their closets, which was revealed, rather slowly, in each chapter. It was not until the end when everything began to fall into place. By time I got the end, I was kind of over it to be honest — (3/5)

THE MAID by Nita Prose

I cannot express how much I enjoyed reading this book! It was an easy read that hooked me from the very beginning. Molly, the dedicated hotel maid who is the person of interest following the mysterious death of Mr. Black, is a character that I truly loved. While reading, I could not help but to think that Molly is Neurodivergent, as she has many traits that are linked to autism — she struggles with socialization and often misinterprets the intentions of others. Her daily routine is structured and very black and white with no grey area in between. Reading the book from that perspective made me enjoy it even more — (5/5)

THE PERFECT MARRIAGE by Jeneva Rose

I couldn't put this book down. I sped through the first few chapters, which kept me guessing given all the plot twists. One thing I will say is that there storyline was, in a lot of ways, very unrealistic. There were moments when I loved Sarah Morgan due to her strong personality and overall drive, and other times when I said to myself, “oh, please” because her ego was too inflated. Perhaps additional character development would have been helpful, especially for Adam, as there were a lot of plot holes when it came to his storyline. The ending was good, in terms of the twist, but it was very ridiculous and completely unrealistic in so many ways — (4/5)

DON’T LET HER STAY by Freida McFadden

Another amazing read by Freida McFadden. Don’t Let Her Stay is by far one of the best psychological thrillers that I have read in a while. The question that kept reoccurring in my mind while reading this book was, “who the one that is completely unhinged?” Is it Joanne, her husband or his newly arrived daughter, Chloe? And that is what I love about Freida’s books. She keeps you guessing until the end, and even when I got the end, I was left stunned at the information provided by Evie’s paternal grandmother — (5/5)

THE LOCKED DOOR by Freida McFadden

As someone who enjoys murder mysteries and reading about serial killers, the description of The Locked Door is what reeled me in. The book was

Fiction — Satire:

YELLOWFACE by R.F. Kuang

FICTION — ROMANCE NOVEL:

IT ENDS WITH US by Colleen Hoover

IT STARTS WITH US by Coleen Hoover

THE PAPER PALACE by Miranda Cowley Heller

LITERARY FICTION:

O BEAUTIFUL: A NOVEL by Jung Yun

NIGHTCRAWLING by Leila Mottley

FICTION — COMTEMPORARY/LGBT