5 Books You Need To Read Before The End Of The Year
At the end of 2020, I made a list with a few resolutions I wanted to keep during the year. I was determined to read at least 15 books by the 1st of January of 2021. I haven’t counted them yet, but I have written down the titles of the best 5 books that I believe everyone should read, either for the valuable knowledge packed in the nonfiction or because the novel is delightful.
The first nonfiction book I am extremely lucky to have found is:
Irresistible
I feel this book should be mandatory in every school. Irresistible talks about addictions. It breaks down every part of them, from explaining the reasons that trigger the consumption of a substance to the chemical reactions in our brains that develop a dependency on that particular product or behaviour.
Because this is the trick, Irresistible differentiates two different types of addictions, substance addictions (drugs or alcohol) and behavioural addictions. Substance addictions, as most of us know, are based on the physical consumption of a product and the following dependency on it. Behavioural addictions, on the other side, are those behaviours that become so continuous and repetitive in your day that result in a dependency. These addictions can go from playing video games to checking your phone or even opening your emails too many times a day.
Since I finished reading the book, I am a lot more aware of how much I use my electronic devices and the number of times I check notifications. Nowadays is incredibly easy to be blind to the early symptoms of new addictions and I am confident that everyone can at some point in their lives benefit from this bestseller!
Sharp objects
I am a massive fan of Gillian Flynn. I fell involve with her writing when I devoured Gone Girl. I made it my goal to read every one of her books. The thing is, some of her tales are pretty dark. If you have ever read a dark book, you know it’s important to feel in a certain mood to start reading them in the first place.
And what are pandemics for?
Dark moods! I started reading this book at some point this year during the first self-isolation lockdown. I had already watched the TV show watched based on the same book so I knew what I was getting into.
Sharp Objects follows the story of a journalist that visits her hometown to write about the mysterious vanishing of two young girls.
What can you expect? As from all books from the same author, you will go through a first-person narrative following an imperfect, extraordinary woman. The novelty about Gillian Flynn’s characters is as unique as that, they are completely real.
As a little girl, I grew up watching movies and reading books that were mostly written by men. More often than not, movies and TV Shows made in Hollywood included female characters that were also created under the vision of men. This situation often resulted in very simplified humans. The nerdy girls, the mean girls, the hot girls, etc…
As I grew up, the entertainment industry started to make a very slow change. I am happy to see more complex, yet realistic female characters and this book’s hero fill in all the boxes of multiple realistic human beings (some being a lot more messed up than others).
The Girl On The Train
2020 has made me rethink my options when it comes to fiction. I came to the conclusion that fiction was not a waste of time, it is indeed a great path to learn about people and emotions and I am glad that I have been giving novels the opportunities that I refused last year.
The girl on the train tells the story of a depressive woman who, after losing the love of her life and the house of her dreams, develops an obsession with a couple that she can see from the train on her morning commute.
In this book, you will go through the mind of 3 different women, their personal lives and their perspectives as the story goes on.
You
Do you guys remember that time this year when all the cool TV shows were cancelled/postponed due to the virus?
I contemplated watching the first season for the second time when I read that this successful TV show is actually the adaptation of a novel written by Caroline Kepnes.
I decided to go for the book instead and I have no regrets!
You relates the story of a stalker. If you watch the show, you know that Penn Badgley really makes a great job humanizing a sadistic killer in the Netflix series.
The book is a bit more different. It follows every depraved thought that goes through his mind. The characters are fairly different, making him and his prey a lot less likable than the characters you can see on the Netflix adaptation.
There are more similarities in the events that occur than the personality types of people.
One more reason why you should read it? Because you can follow up with the sequel!
Hidden Bodies
The sequel of “You”.
There is a clear radical divorce between the second season of the TV Show and the second book of this trilogy. The story is not alike and the characters are completely different people.
The only similarity you will find between Hidden Bodies and the second season of the TV Show is that one of the characters of the series has the same name as one of the individuals in the book (Love). That is all! And those two people still have completely different personalities.
My opinion? The book is a lot more interesting to me. Not only the story is easy to follow but some of the events that take place (like the party at the comedian’s mansion) give you the unsettling feeling that the sadistic stalker we follow could be indeed the less insane human of the crowd.
30 Comments
Jamie
That is a great list of books! I haven’t read Irresistible but for instance I read the You books about a year ago (when season 2 of the tv show came out) and I thought they were absolutely fantastic. I think I liked the first one a bit better, which one is your favourite?
Kiira Smith
I love both but so far my favourite is the second one because of the unpredictability of the story (I had watched the TV show already).
John Malone
You have good taste! I read Sharp Objects as I think you mentioned it on a previous post, and it as a great read. As you say it is a very dark book but very powerful too. Sometimes a bit of that is great for a change!
Kiira Smith
Thanks John! You’re right, as dark as it is it feels refreshing from the average fiction.
Karolina
Irresistible sounds very interesting. have you read Nicholas Carr’s The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains? I did and it was pretty good, maybe they are kind of similar?
Kiira Smith
I’ve never heard about that book but I probably should give it a try. I also want to watch the documentary The Social Dilemma. It has amazing reviews!
Karen
Irresistible is an awesome book. This book waking you up that everything you use is amazing but has another dangerous side and shows you that how you can use new technologies in a healthy way. And it is written in an easy language, not science blah blah. It should definitely be mandatory at schools as you mentioned!
Kiira Smith
Right? It could help everyone to understand the signs and dangers of every addiction 🙂
Katherine
I’ve read all of Gillian Flynn’s books, and Sharp Objects was my favorite. It’s just . . . so diabolical. I love how everyone in all of her books is so fucked up. There’s not a good soul in the bunch! Hahaha
Kiira Smith
Agree, everything takes place in a disturbing town you never want to visit 🙂
Tara
I found Sharp Objects to be extremely disturbing, my predictions changed many times and the ending was brilliantly evil.
Read Gillian Flynn’s other books, Dark Places was even better if you ask me.
I love how none of the characters are nice, you can hate every one of them at some point!!
Kiira Smith
I want to read Dark Places too, I know that I love the writing style so I will enjoy it independently of the story! And also The Grownup which is her least-known book 🙂
Martha
My favourite one from that list is definitely The Girl On The Train. I very much enjoyed the book. I did really like how each chapter was written in the different women’s perspective and giving each a chance to portray their lives.
The ending completely threw me off, but loved it. Surprisingly, I have heard quite a few bad reviews about the book? Maybe just comparisons with Gone Girl perhaps, as they are similar?
Kiira Smith
I wasn’t that surprised about the ending because I had watched the movie! Still, I prefer the book and I am surprised that it has bad reviews. On the other side, people seem to be loving her following novel Into the Water.
Essa
I just finished Hidden Bodies yesterday, and although I’d say it wasn’t as good as You (which I thought it was fantastic), I still enjoyed it quite a bit. Caroline Kepnes did a good job of writing a character that seems to be so strong in his convictions yet also utterly lacking self-awareness.
Kiira Smith
Her characters are maniacs! There isn’t a single thing they do/say that is uninteresting. I feel Hidden Bodies doesn’t follow a straight structure as You does, but I always appreciate the uncertainty in a good story.
Sarah
I love the You saga, and I am halfway through “Providence” right now. It is an irritating book – full of annoying plot devices that remind me of a bad TV show. No not read! 🙁
Kiira Smith
Well that sounds disappointing. I’ll for your advice, it won’t be on my reading list anytime soon haha
Chelsea
I love the You books. I love unreliable narrators and Joe was a fantastic one. I believe what we read happened, but obviously with Joe’s interpretation that isn’t always grounded in reality. It is like how 5 people in a room can tell the same story, but there will be variations of that story. Hard to find out what “really” happened. It was a good book.
Kiira Smith
Joe’s character is the main reason these books are so popular. On top of being a first-person narrative, his internal thoughts are the best of all. I find it difficult to find books with such a unique persona 🙂
Annalisa
That is a great list! I have been recommended some of these books recently so it seems I need to get on with them 🙂
Thanks!
Kiira Smith
Of course! 2020 is the best year to read every book you can hahaha
Virginija
The You books are pretty great! I particularly recommend the Audiobook version from Audible, it is really well made and the voice actor is fantastic
Kiira Smith
I agree the Audiobook is the best! And for some great news, the third book will be released in 2021 🙂
Emma Crawford-Nash
Fantastic list! I have read all of them before and they are all very good 🙂
I haven’t read anything super interesting lately but will definitely let you know if I do!
Kiira Smith
You are one step ahead! Please let me know, I am running out of ideas to read too 🙂
Samantha
Great read. Nice blog by the way!
Kiira Smith
That’s lovely! Thank you Samantha 🙂
Narisa
sharp objects and gone girl are my two favourite books of all time. So dark, I love them!
Kiira Smith
Hehe, dark stories are the best. You may enjoy Dark Places too!