My Top Books of 2020
As a reader, one of my favorite things to do around this time is to peruse end of year book lists. I love seeing what other people loved and what books made an impact on readers. Most people release their end of year book lists in December of the corresponding year, but I find that I need time to ruminate on the books from the previous year before I can jump in and think about which ones were my actual favorites. I find that end of year book lists are a great way to get inspiration for books that I want to add to my to be read pile in this new year.
Below, is my own list of favorite books that I read in 2020. These are not books that were necessarily published in 2020, just books I happen to read this year and while I do have a favorite book from 2020 (you’ll find this one at the very end of this post) these books aren’t in any ranking order, rather, I am listing them based on when I actually read them in 2020.
In 2020, I read 90 books and out of those 90, 9 books landed on this list. Two nonfiction, two King, two controversial books, and my favorite that might piss you off a little. Get ready to add some books to your 2021 TBR!
Just a quick reminder: these are in order of when I read them in 2020, not by ranking!
Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators by Ronan Farrow
One of only two nonfiction books that landed on my list for favorite books of this year, this book and all of it’s complexity has stuck with me and I still find myself thinking about it often. Farrow did an incredible job unraveling the horrid underbelly of the Hollywood scene in this book and how so many powerful people chose to keep silent on such a disgusting and prevalent injustice. I thought it was fast paced and very well written. Not a super happy way to start this list, but I promise there are some other great ones here too!
Pet Sematary by Stephen King
I read a lot of King this year and he has quickly become my favorite author. People mainly know King for his horror, rightfully so, but what I love about him is his ability to describe human emotions. He is phenomenal at taking something we all feel at one time or another and describing it to such a detailed degree that it feels relatable, almost like he’s looking into your soul and seeing exactly how you feel. Trippy, right? Pet Sematary was most definitely horror and it lived up to the hype for me. I find that while it is classified as a horror novel, it is more an exploration of grief and what lengths humans will travel to avoid it. This read was creepy and fascinating and sad but so good.
The Stand by Stephen King
After Pet Sematary, I needed more King. So I figured why not pick up one of his most famous books about a deadly virus that kills almost the entire population while our world is in the midst of a pandemic. One thing I’ve noticed this year about readers, there seem to be those who stray away from things that remind them of global pandemics and those who seek out things that remind them of global pandemics. I am clearly the latter. Glutton for punishment much?
This book was long and at times, arduous, as King can take pages to describe one seemingly insignificant event but that’s what I love about him. His character and setting descriptions are like no other, making me feel like I was trudging my way to Colorado right alongside the main characters in this novel. I find myself thinking about and talking about this book often and while it was long, I will most definitely be doing a reread at some point. I am so thankful that I picked this book up.
The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
This was a re-read for me, I read it back in 2017, and it rocked my world so that I needed to pick it up again. I honestly don’t know how to describe this book other than bloody, gory, weird, and NOT about libraries. Does that help? Its such a strange read that all I can say is, it’s like nothing I’ve ever read before and if you’re anything like me, when readers say that, I usually gravitate towards it. Hawkins clearly has an incredibly dark and twisted imagination that just works. This book was a five star read for me both times and I can see myself reading it again, just to experience it over.
The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd
The Book of Longings is a complete turn from the other books on my top list. It’s much lighter and more uplifting. What if Jesus had a wife? That is the basic premise of this book. I absolutely loved the exploration of the idea that Jesus was married and lived a normal life. My favorite thing about this book was the way that Kidd described Jesus and his humanness. She didn’t talk about his divinity, but chose to focus on Jesus as we all are, human. This exploration made Jesus feel more relatable and real to me. I also thought Kidd did an incredible job with her character Ana. I loved how strong willed and committed to becoming a scholar she was. This book also made me think and ask questions. I found myself doing lots of research after reading this book. It also has a stunning cover.
Eloquent Rage by
I loved this book by Brittany Cooper. She explored the concept of women’s rage, and how so often it is seen as something that shouldn’t be. Women shouldn’t be angry but instead polite, soft spoken, soft around the edges, but women have rage and it’s what makes us strong. I loved reading and learning about what it’s like to not only be a woman with rage, but what it’s like to a black woman with rage and power. I enjoyed reading through Cooper’s self discovery and seeing how she became the powerful, badass, black feminist that she is today. I also love following her on Instagram and highly recommend you to follow her too.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
This book is controversial in the book scene and I’ve heard some people who absolutely loved it and some people who didn’t enjoy it. I was one who loved it. V.E. Schwab’s writing was stunning. She did an incredible job with descriptions and I thought her characters were so strong. I loved the time jumps and the complexity of the relationships between characters.
Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
Probably the most controversial book on this list, Leave the World Behind, has caused quite an uproar among readers. From what I’ve read and listened to, so many people hated this book. It was quite pretentious in the beginning with the author’s word choice, choosing to include words that were so ostenacious that I needed to re-read almost every word just to make sure I knew what I was reading. But once that died down (which it does after the first few pages), this book made me think, the whole way through. This book is about a family that has rented an AirBnB for a much needed vacation when all of a sudden an older couple, claiming to own the property, shows up saying something has happened in New York City and they need to stay with them in their home. I also happen to be staying in an AirBnB while reading this book and couldn’t help but wonder what I would do if put in that situation. Alam provides you with answers all throughout the book as to what’s happening in the world, if only you pay attention. I did read this book towards the end of the year, but I still find myself thinking about it.
And my favorite book of 2020 was:
A Storm of Swords (#3 in the A Song of Ice and Fire Series)
Is it annoying that I chose book 3 in a series for my favorite book of the year? Yes, probably. I know I would be annoyed if I were you, but I just can’t help it. This book was honestly my favorite of the 90 books I read.
My ONLY reading goal in 2020, was to read George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series and I did end up reaching that goal (I literally finished the last book on December 31st.) But out of all of the books I read in 2020, this book was the most enthralling, the most gut wrenching, the most action packed, the most memorable. Everything I love from Game of Thrones, was in this novel. It was so atmospheric and honestly, it felt like I was running a marathon while reading it, but by the time I got to the end, I felt accomplished and ready for more. I loved this series so much and I cannot wait for the next book to come out, whenever the hell that is.
My book reading tastes are quite eclectic. I try to read a variety of genres and find myself always willing to try any book that other’s recommend.
My 2020 reading year was like no other, for the simple fact that I read more than I ever have, and because 2020 was a year like no other. This book list only shows the books that I absolutely loved or that made an impression on me and that I find myself thinking about often.
Did you read any of the books on my list? If so, what were your thoughts? I’d love to know!
