My Top 10 Reads of 2020
I finally took the time to sort through all the books I’ve read in 2020 (the most I’ve read in a year in a very long time) and looking back on some of the adventures I’d been on this year made it very difficult to choose my favourites. I read so many amazing books this year that I want to give them all credit for getting me through this tumultuous and stressful time. But, alas, I have narrowed it down to the ten I enjoyed the most.
I did take quite a bit of time to go through these and make sure I was singling out the truly memorable reads. This list may include books that didn’t exactly hit the 5 stars for me at the time I read them but they are the ones that have stuck with me and that I can’t stop thinking about. I’m thankful for all the great authors I got introduced to this year and the extra time I had to be able to read (although I wish it were under much better circumstances) and I can’t wait to share my top 10 with you!
~~~~~
10. All the Light We Cannot See — Anthony Doerr
This book was one of the most beautifully written pieces of literature I’ve ever read. Historical fiction is typically my jam so I was already won over before even starting but the writing style won me over even further. I felt transported to a war-torn Europe and I left a piece of myself there in the pages of this book. The short vignettes between the lives of our two main characters kept it fast-paced. The short and concise chapters were so full of plot that I was amazed I had only been in that world for a page before moving onto the next. It was a heart-rending experience and I know this book will stay with me for a very long time. Check out my full review here.
9. Conjure Women — Afia Atakora
Conjure Women is a book I was completely influenced to read by Instagram….by the author herself. Following her journey through the release of this book had me so excited to pick it up and it was just as good as I hoped it would be. The post-war plot and the alternate past/present plot points between mother and daughter made me feel so comfortable with these characters as if I'd known them all my life. There was love, there was horror, there was heartbreak. It was a unique viewpoint into life before and after the Civil War for the people left behind at those plantations after liberation. It posed the question “what comes next?” which I don’t think is ever thought on in any other pre/post-American Civil War stories. Atakora’s writing transported me into a dream world of reminiscences as if I myself had been there and were reliving my past. Her talent with words was amazing and I can’t wait to read what she writes next. Read my full review here.
8. Lovecraft Country — Matt Ruff
This book was my most anticipated book of the year. I’ve never personally read any H.P. Lovecraft but the idea of a novel taking those horrific monsters from Lovecraftian lore and flipping them to tell a Black story with an anti-racist narrative was something I needed to read. The book is separated into different stories that all relate together, each character experiencing different supernatural anomalies while struggling to navigate Jim Crow America. The monsters were scary, the humans were scarier, and the characters were the most badass and interesting cast of characters you could imagine. I was hooked from page one. Check out my review here.
7. There There — Tommy Orange
Not my typical type of book (I tend more towards history or fantasy) but there were so many good reviews for this book and so many book clubs reading it I needed to pick it up. I listened to this one in audiobook form and binged it as soon as I started it. The different viewpoints of American Indigenous people from different walks of life, culminating in a powwow as the common catalyst gave interesting glimpses into the various lifestyles created as a consequence of American genocide that still reaches its fingers out into present-day generations. Tommy Orange’s writing style told a unique story and as many characters and viewpoints that that story had, it all tied together seamlessly and shockingly. I won’t forget this book, it taught me a different perspective and opened my mind up more on some very difficult topics. I think everyone should read it. Check out my full review here.
6. Beach Read — Emily Henry
I’m still new to romance but this is one of the best romance books I’ve read thus far. The relationship portrayed in this novel was more realistic than any I’ve read. Typically love stories portray some pretty unhealthy relationships or aspects of highly unrealistic relationships. In this book, both January and Gus had major baggage but it didn’t turn them into poisonous or toxic people. They were able to trust each other and work through their own issues while still slowly falling in love. It was such a beautiful story and I had such a hard time saying goodbye to these characters. It’s a book I feel I’ll probably read annually every summer. My full review is here if you want to check it out!
5. Hood Feminism — Mikki Kendall
This book is probably one of the only non-fiction, non-true-crime books I’ve ever enjoyed. I’m not a big non-fiction fan but this book had so many timely and important topics that I was very interested in that I devoured it as quick as I could and will probably re-read countless times. This book focuses on the shortfalls of the white feminist movement and the people it left behind (mainly Black people). How can we fight for equal pay between men and women when there are still Black men not even get paid as much as white women let alone white men? When gun violence runs rampant in North America? When the education system favours the privileged and leaves behind the less fortunate creating an endless cycle of poverty? There were so many interesting insights and statistics that blew my mind and opened up the door to the many things that need to be done to reach equality before we can ever claim to be true feminists. This book is a must for any person who considers themselves a feminist.
4. I’ll Be Gone in the Dark — Michelle McNamara
I don’t even have words to describe this book. I listened to it as an audiobook back in the pre-COVID days when I still commuted quite a bit for work and this book had me wishing my typical 1-hour drive was longer because I didn’t want to stop listening! Michelle did such a good deep dive into the crimes of the Golden State Killer and had so many well thought out theories. One thing that I loved about this book is how well Michelle portrayed and paid tribute to the victims and the survivors. It wasn’t a book worshipping the horrific acts of a psycho killer, it was a book that looked deep into and reflected on all the lives changed and destroyed by this monster. Read my full review here.
3. Washington Black — Esi Edugyan
The adventure novel to top all other adventure novels! Washington Black was a wild ride from start to finish. This book came highly recommended by a friend of mine with very similar taste in books and for a long time I put off reading it. How I regret not reading this book sooner! Washington’s adventures from his harrowing escape from plantation life with a hot-air-balloon to his run-in with the Underground Railroad, to his arctic adventures and life in Eastern Canada kept me reading and so invested! This is one of the few books this year that had me truly as invested in a main character as I was in Wash. Highly recommend this book if you’re looking for some excitement! Read my full review here.
2. The Once and Future Witches — Alix E. Harrow
In October, I read witchy books. And this witchy book was, literally, everywhere so I had no choice but to read it! This 500-page tome was absolutely nothing like I expected. The story of the three sisters and their struggles with growth and newfound power captured my whole heart. Taking place during the suffragist movement this book ticked all the marks for me: historical fiction, feminism, sisterhood, witches and magic. The warped fairytale aspect of the story is what kept me so intrigued, however. Twisting the Grimm fairytales we know so well into something more powerful and sacred was a true talent for this author and it was so fun to compare to the fairytales I grew up with. I’m still in awe how well Harrow drew me into this world and had me believing in magic as well. A great read for lovers of lore and the supernatural. Full review here.
1. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle — Stuart Turton
This book is the murder mystery of the century in my opinion. Not your typical thriller, it reaches back into those classic Clue and Agatha Christie tropes and turns them into something newer and much darker. I had no clue who did what to whom for literally the entire book so I was kept at the edge of my seat and I couldn’t stop till I reached the end. Set in the past in a dilapidated mansion, featuring a masquerade party and characters with a dark history, the book also includes a map of the grounds and an invitation to the party making the experience so immersive and creepy. I loved every minute of it and I’m sad that I’ll never get to read this book for the first time again. Check out my full review here.
~~~~~
There we have it, my top 10 favourite reads of 2020. There were so many other books this year that were amazing but these are the ones that I connected to the most. Hope this list helps you add a few great titles to your 2021 TBR! Comment below with any of your favourite reads of the past year.
Ciao, Taylor