Keri Reads

I thought I’d get back into book blogging by highlighting my top book from each of the last four years! On Instagram I do a “Best 9” at the end of the year. I’ve included those lists and quick ratings as well.

Let’s get to it!

2020: Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory

OK, so 2020 was a shitty year. At the beginning of the Pandemic, I found it hard to read. I was overflowing with anxiety and fear that it was hard to focus. I baked a lot and watched a lot of comfort shows (ahem Gilmore Girls and The Great British Baking Show). My top read of 2020 was Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory. It was my favorite because I had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading it.

What I loved:

• The main characters were older!
• It took place in London. (I’m a sucker for books that are set in England.)
• And of course, it indirectly involved the Royals! (which I am also a sucker for)
• It was unbelievably charming.

My “Best 9” Books of 2020:

1. Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory – ★★★★★
2. Untamed by Glennon Doyle – ★★★★★
3. Between the World and Me by Ta Nehisi Coates – ★★★★★
4. The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin – ★★★★★
5. The Best American Food Writing of 2019 by Samin Nosrat – ★★★★★
6. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo – ★★★★★
7. Majesty by Katharine McGee – ★★★★★
8. Imitations by Zadie Smith – ★★★★★
9. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb – ★★★★★

2021: The Star Crossed Sisters of Tuscany by Lori Nelson Spielman

I could NOT put this book down. I NEEDED to know what happened. I was completely absorbed in the dreamy descriptions of Italy and for a moment was whisked away to Europe. I love how this book centered on two cousins, Emelia and Lucy, finding the courage and freedom to be themselves. But, Poppy was my favorite character – gracious, kind, and colorful.

What I loved:

• The strong female characters!
• The setting! I’ve never been to Italy but I felt like I was there.
• How addictive it was to read! I couldn’t put it down.

My “Best 9” books of 2021:

1. The Star Crossed Sisters of Tuscany by Lori Nelson Spielman – ★★★★★
2. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid – ★★★★★
3. The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer – ★★★★★
4. HRH by Elizabeth Holmes – ★★★★★
5. Notes on Grief by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – ★★★★★
6. An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn (Book 3 in the Bridgerton series) – ★★★★
7. The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory – ★★★★★
8. Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi – ★★★★
9. Passing by Nella Larsen – ★★★★

2022: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I still think about this book. This is the book I recommend the most. I lent it out to one of my best friends and she absolutely loved it too. We still talk about it! Evelyn Hugo is a great character – strong, independent, ambitious, determined, calculating, but also flawed and secretive. I loved her character arc – there were times I loved her and times I hated her. She was such a well-developed character. I can usually see twists coming, but the one in this book I did not guess. I audibly gasped and I love when that happens.

What I liked:

• Strong female characters! (Sense a theme of what I love in books?)
• The glamor of old Hollywood!
• THE TWIST

My “Best 9” books of 2022:

1. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid – ★★★★★
2. The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi – ★★★★
3. Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore (Book 1 of The League of Extraordinary Women series) – ★★★★
4. A Rogue of One’s Own by Evie Dunmore (Book 2 of The League of Extraordinary Women series) – ★★★★
5. Portrait of a Scottsman by Evie Dunmore (Book 3 of The League of Extraordinary Women series) – ★★★★
6. The House on the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune – ★★★★★
7. Before the Crown by Flora Harding – ★★★★★
8. Between Two Kingdoms by Sulieka Jaouad – ★★★★★
9. New Teeth: Stories by Simon Rich – ★★★★

2023: The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

Omg. This book. I’m still thinking about it. WWII historical fiction with a taste of Royals? Count me in! The Rose Code is officially one of my favorite books of all time. It was my first Kate Quinn book and now I need to read everything she’s ever written. It was so well researched and developed. I LOVED learning about code breaking during WWII. I’ve read a lot of WWII historical fiction and this was a new type of plot for me. I loved it!

What I liked:

• Strong female characters and their friendship with each other
• The Royals make an appearance! (A young Prince Phillip is a minor character.)
• Code breaking is fascinating. I did not know organizations like this were predominantly female!
• A refreshingly different plot about WWII.

My “Best 9” books of 2023:

1. The Rose Code by Kate Quinn – ★★★★★
2. Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley – ★★★★★
3. Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid – ★★★★★
4. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna – ★★★★★
5. Spare by Prince Harry – ★★★★★
6. The Audrey Hepburn Estate by Brenda Janowitz – ★★★★
7. Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano – ★★★★
8. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin – ★★★★
9. The Gentleman’s Gambit by Evie Dunmore (Book 4 of The League of Extraordinary Women series) – ★★★★