Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Books of 2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Books of 2020

While it’s been a turbulent year, we’ve discovered some great books that have both comforted and confronted us. Here’s a look at some of the best books that we’ve read this year. Thanks to That Artsy Reader Girl for the topic!  

Pete’s Five

I thought this was a so-so- year of reading, but looking back at it, choosing five favorites was pretty challenging!

The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang
Fang Runin is one of the most memorable protagonists I’ve read, and Kuang’s rich world is a joy to explore. I can’t wait to read the final book in this epic trilogy.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
I really should have read this book a long time ago. It’s exactly as brilliant as everyone says it is, and it was a very timely read in this awful year.

A Guide for the Perplexed by Dara Horn
Few books have consistently surprised my like this one did. I never did write a review for it, but this book is brimming with mysteries and deep secrets at every turn.

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Featuring yet another extremely charming protagonist, I had a lot of fun reading this blend of stylish sci-fi and dark magic.

Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson
I waited three years for this book, and it did not disappoint. Now we’re just three years from the end of the first part of the Stormlight Archive. The wait begins again…

Indiana’s Five

The Wave by Susan Casey
I savored this one; trying to read just a chapter or two at a time. Casey writes about these mind blowingly powerful waves that stretch to the height of skyscrapers, and interviews surfers who seek out some of the world’s biggest waves. She also delved into how much we don’t yet understand about these waves. All around a fascinating book that I’ll be returning to. 

Severance by Ling Ma
This was in some ways the perfect year to read this book. Shen Fever is obliterating New York City (along with most of the world) and Candace Chen continues to go to work for as long as she can, even when she’s the only one left at the company who isn’t sick, and one of the only people left in the city. Chilling in a way that it wouldn’t have been in 2019. 

The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett
I also tried to savor this book; only reading a few chapters a day. It’s at the top of so many lists this year I won’t go into the plot but suffice it to say it’s worth the hype. 

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
Everything from the format of this novel to the intricate characters, was done well. It was one of those books where at the end of each chapter (each of which focused on one of the many characters) I needed to talk to someone about it. I’ll definitely return to this one again. 

Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy 
Set in a very near future, this novel gets at the heart of environmental fiction today; the panic and the adoration for species that are quickly disappearing. The complex protagonist was someone I both rooted for and questioned and I really enjoyed McConaghy’s writing style. Already looking out for her forthcoming novel.