Simply Kayla

You guys… I did not reach my reading goal of 30 books last year. And it wasn’t like I was off by 1 or 2 books, I only read 18 books. With that said, it was still 18 books. I shouldn’t shame myself too much. I actually have a good reason why my nose was not submerged in a sea of pages! I focused on traveling last year to see friends, family, and to think about my place in the world. Some of the places I visited:

• Seattle, WA
• Orlando, FL
• Columbus, OH
• St. Paul, MN (2x)
• Minneapolis, MN
• Boston, MA
• Salem, MA
• Los Angeles, CA
• Scotland!

So yeah – I kept busy, and busy enough to not have time to read. Although, I always kept a book on me (just in case).

Since the list was shorter, I’ll share my top 5 favorite reads:

5. “Cujo” by Stephen King

Fiction.

Surprised? I was. This book partially made the list because at how much it too me off guard. I don’t think I was 5 pages in, when I was already terrified and looking over my shoulder. It wasn’t even because of the dog! This book not only surprised me with its terror (I know I should have been expecting it since it’s Stephen King – duh), but it surprised me with how sad it made me feel. You have moments of this gentle dog’s perspective as he is transforming into this monster, and his confusion is heart-wrenching. Needless to say, the story-telling by King is top notch. FYI, there is a lot more than the rabid dog going on. That’s what I love about King – he can take the most normal thing and turn it into a fantastic and wild story.

4. “Reality Is Not What It Seems: The Journey to Quantum Gravity” By Carlo Rovelli

Non-Fiction.

Yes, another book about quantum gravity…. and this isn’t the only book I read by Rovelli last year. What can I say – I’m addicted to reading about things impossible for my mind to grasp. As the title states, Rovelli defines reality through quantum gravity. What I loved about this book (and many of his others) is that he blends science with history and philosophy. He writes prose in a way where I feel like I’m having a conversation with someone over coffee (as if I can actually maintain intelligent conversations like these! But it’s fun to pretend). Diving back into reality, this book makes you question a lot in regard to how you see yourself in the universe – or rather how the universe sees you. Which, in my opinion, is way more fascinating.

3. “Emma” by Jane Austen

Fiction.

She never fails to disappoint. I’ve read this book a few times, but I did something different this time – I read along with a podcast. It was the most fun I’ve had reading this book. The podcast is called Pod and Prejudice. It’s hosted by two funny ladies – one who is an Austen fan and has read all of her books, and another who has never read any of Austen’s books. It’s very easy to follow along as they give you a few chapters to read, and each episode covers those chapters. They talk about content, characters, themes – it feels like you’re in a bookclub. But although you voraciously do the reading, you’re the person that never talks. AKA – me in every single class I’ve ever been in.

But back to Emma. Oh, Emma. She is spoiled, she’s a brat, she is smart and clever. She is generous, she is genuine, and she is hilarious. She is one of my favorite Austen heroines – definitely the funniest. If you haven’t read the book, you’ve probably seen one of the MANY movie adaptations – Clueless, being the most popular. It’s a fabulous story about a rich girl tremendously failing at setting up her friends, and causing ripples along the way. A must read.

2. “The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder” by David Grann

Non-fiction, with likely fiction weaved in.

The fact that this was based on true events astounds me. How did they travel in ships like these back then?! How did they survive off just celery for so long?! THE Lord Byron?! This is a story that needs to be read page by page, but to unjustly sum this up: David Grann tells the story of how a ship in war gets destroyed and strands all the men on an island. Mutiny ensues, and there is an effort to construct a small ship to sail back home. There is starvation, fighting, death, a dog, betrayal, loyalty (mostly from the dog). It’s not just about the shipwreck though. Grann details out the history of each man and how he came to be on that ship. He explains everything leading up to the tumultuous events. It is story-telling at its finest.

1. “The Glass Castle” by Jeanette Walls

Memoir.

Jeanette Walls immediately pulls you into her life. If you think your family is crazy, I can assure you that after reading this book, you will realize how severely you over-estimated their craziness. But this isn’t just a book about how wild her life was. Alongside dysfunction, there is also love and resilience. With shame, there is pride and support. Walls’ stories show how complicated relationships are and more importantly, that “normal” isn’t what we should strive for or push others towards. Acceptance is the ultimate power. Once we accept our course, then we can start navigating. Reading her story, forced me to evaluate my own relationships and consider them from a different perspective. I loved this book because after everything Walls had been through, she found ways to accept and to love. It’s an inspiring read and one of the best memoirs I’ve read yet.

I learned a lot of things last year from trying new ways of reading to never underestimating Stephen King’s ability to terrify us. But my biggest takeaway was that reading is not a contest. I think it’s healthy to set goals, but it’s healthier to be able to accept a loss. Just reset and move on. Life gets in the way sometimes and there is nothing wrong with that – it happens to everyone.

Especially yours truly,

A Curious Reader