Hi all!

Today I am going to be sharing my 10 best reads of 2020. I read a total of 102 books last year and in that list, encountered some incredible novels. It was extremely hard to narrow down, but I did it. I’m not going to review them or discuss the plots; I’m simply going to express why they made my list. Let’s not delay! We’ve a lot to get through!

THE 10 BEST BOOKS OF 2020 

1.) Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Eleanor Oliphant completely stole my heart! It was definitely my favourite read of 2020. The novel is both laugh out loud funny and cry into the pages sad. The character development was also some of the best I’ve ever witnessed. The Eleanor we get at the beginning, is completely different by the end. I love that the romance was minimal; not overpowering her story. There was a lot of overcoming trauma in the book, which I could relate to. If you haven’t read it, please do. I’ve heard the audio book is excellent too.

2.) Circe by Madeline Miller

This was such a beautifully feminist, written memoir, from the perspective of Circe, within Greek Mythology. She had such a difficult life, yet retained her good heart. I felt myself relating to our misunderstood protagonist; especially during her postpartum depression, after her son was born. I loved how the story came full circle in the end. It brought a tear to my eye. 

3.) The Carrow Haunt by Darcy Coates

This book hit the best list of 2020 for several reasons. 1.) It was a phenomenal story; giving me everything I ever could have wanted in a haunted house novel. The writing style, characters, scare-factor, world-building and pacing was amazing. It made Darcy Coates one of my favourite female authors. In fact, this year, I set myself a challenge to read every single one of her works. 2.) It was the very first bookclub pick for The You’ll Read Too Bookclub. Check out the full discussion post here. 3.) It led to me meeting one of my closest friends, so needless to say, The Carrow Haunt is special on multiple levels.

4.) The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

I will fight anybody who says this book was a waste of time (not literally). I gave it a whopping 5/5 stars. I was hooked from the very beginning to end. There was nothing slow about this story, nor did I think it dragged. If you’re a fan of The Hunger Games, you will appreciate the backstory. Not once did Suzanne Collins try to get us to sympathise with Snow. She painted him as a cold, unfeeling bastard from the opening line. There were so many gripping, action-packed moments and cleverly written chapters. I just loved it. It really impressed me. If you want to read all my thoughts and feelings, I did a Buzzfeed style review that you can check out here.

5.) Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid

This story went in a completely different direction than I anticipated. I thought it would be mainly about the ‘kidnapping’ incident, but it was so much more. It gave me Little Fires Everywhere vibes. Take note of black fetishisation, optical allyship, white saviorism and tokenism. It is a book I could go over multiple times; uncovering new layers and perspectives. I loved it. It was easily one of the best reads of 2020. Check out my review here.

6.) Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

In 2020, Aiden Thomas was the first trans-author to hit the New York Times Bestseller List, with a book featuring a trans-protagonist. It was a moment in history, that made many people around the world overjoyed. That book was Cemetery Boys. This Latinx young adult novel is full of heart, friendship, love and cultural insight. It was so touching. If you have the opportunity and haven’t done so yet, please pick it up. Keep supporting the LGBTQ+ community.

7.) Sorrow by Tiffanie DeBartolo 

I can’t even begin to explain how this book made me feel and how captivating it was to read. It was sent to me by the publishing company, in exchange for an honest review. Before their email, I had never heard of Tiffanie DeBartolo, which made this story the most surprising one of the year. I wrote a full, spoiler-free review here. I also got to interview the author herself, which you can check out here. It will rip your heart out in the best possible way. Don’t take my word for it, read it for yourself!

8.) The Diviners by Libba Bray

If you love a creepy series, set in 1920’s New York, this is the journey for you! The setting, music, costumes, lingo, story and history, will catapult you into a time period you’ve secretly always wanted to visit. Or is that just me? Furthermore, you will be creeped out. Make no mistake, this is a horror story. The sequel, Lair of Dreams, was just as good. 

9.) The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

This book was so unexpectedly dark and creepy. I couldn’t put it down! In my opinion, the villain could’ve rivaled Umbridge. She was so hateful! I was mesmerised by the world-building, the vivid descriptions of the food, colours, fashion, hair and makeup. I highly recommend it. Camellia is the perfect protagonist. I wrote a more in-depth review here.

10.) Becoming by Michelle Obama

Last, but certainly not least, I had to talk about Becoming. This autobiography was so inspirational and heartfelt. It gave such insight into Michelle’s life as the first African American Lady, but also as a mother/wife/daughter/sister. She writes so candidly and honestly. I admire her strength and resilience so much. Highly recommend!

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

– Heartstopper Volume 2 & 3 by Alice Oseman 

– Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare 

– It Will Just Be Us by Jo Kaplan (review here & interview with the author here)

– The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta (review here)

I hope you enjoyed this post! Tell me some of your best reads of last year. Thanks for reading. 

Peace & Love xoxo