Okay, guys. I know 2020 has been a year we’d all like to forget. But I’ve read some amazing books this year, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a shout-out to those incredible authors who managed to take my mind off politics and COVID and bloody freaking murder hornets by giving me characters to root for, stories to fall in love with, and language that breathes life onto each page. It’s no fun publishing a book during a pandemic, but these writers soldiered on, and for that, I want to thank each and every one of them.
10. Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes
Snobby rich people, helicopter parents, and a secret blog where parents complain about teachers, assignments, and other parents? This book is guaranteed to make you laugh, snicker, and shake your head. A thoroughly enjoyable read, particularly for fans of books like Where’d You Go, Bernadette?
9. The Best Laid Plans
If you’re looking for a book that will make you blush, coo, and relive flashbacks to your teen years, this is the one for you. A rom-com that doesn’t shy away from cringe-worthy sex chats, with a lead guy that seems too good to be true (because this is fiction, after all), this book is perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Meg Cabot.
8. Layoverland
Fans of “The Good Place” have discovered their next favorite read! This book is set in an in-between limbo world, where the MC must help others cross over before she can earn her right to move on. It sounds heavy, but there is so much comedy in this little masterpiece, you almost forget that these characters are speaking from beyond the grave.
7. Seasons of the Storm
Full disclosure: I haven’t finished this one yet, but it has definitely earned its way onto my Top 10 list so far. The premise is so clever and original, I only wish I had thought of it first: Teens struck down at a young age are given a second chance at life by Gaia, the god who transforms them into the seasons of winter, spring, summer, and fall. Then, in a Hunger Games-esque twist, each season must track and kill the other each year when it’s their time to shine. That is, until a few rogue seasons fall for each other and decide to escape their fate by running away. I know, crazy, right?
6. Three Single Wives
I’m starting to realize while writing this post that my 2020 reading list consists of mostly dark comedy. Hmmm. Makes sense. This book just came out in time for Halloween, and it’s a twisty, turny who-dun-it with an emphasis on strong (albeit, damaged) females. Perfect for fans of Netflix’s “Dead to Me.”
5. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Speaking of The Hunger Games, weeeeeeee! The lovely Suzanne Collins surprised us with a prequel this year, single-handedly saving 2020 in the eyes of many avid dystopian readers (myself included). While some Katniss fans might be disappointed that she isn’t the star of this one, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know a young, pre-president Snow and witnessing him devolve from a promising and likeable young lad to the evil tyrant we know him to be in the trilogy.
4. One of Us is Next
The sequel to One of Us is Lying, this book delivers all the murder mystery intrigue of the first installment, adds in a deadly game of Truth or Dare, and shifts a set of formerly secondary characters into the spotlight. What’s not to love?
3. All Your Twisted Secrets
Okay, so over half of the books on this list have to do with death. I wonder if I should be concerned about my latest thirst for murder novels? Oh well!
Take “The Breakfast Club,” throw in a ticking time bomb (literally), an unreliable narrator, and a feast that may or may not contain poison, and you have this gem of a novel. I highly recommend it, just maybe not right before Thanksgiving (pass the peas, anyone?)
2. Wow, No Thank You
This is without a doubt the funniest book of 2020. If you need a laugh (and face it, we all do), please do yourself a favor and pick this one up. Or better yet, go for the audiobook instead. Samantha Irby’s dry, self-effacing humor will have you bent over your steering wheel, cackling like a maniac and earning disturbed looks from passersby (speaking from experience here, people).
And the top of the list, my #1 pick for 2020, is …
WRITERS & LOVERS
I cannot tell you how much I adored this book. It is one of the most beautifully written pieces of literature I’ve read in a long time, and I hope it becomes an instant classic.
Well, there you have it! Did you read any of the books on this list? What were your favorite books of 2020?