My favorite books of 2020
I am well aware that the year isn’t over yet, though it feels like it should’ve ended at least 2.75 months ago.
This morning my daughter (7) asked me to look up when Home Alone 2 was made because, “I just want to know how old the movie is” and boy, howdy friends was that a trip.
Turns out, that movie was made in 1992.
Making it 28 years old.
I am part of that annoying group of folks that still thinks the 90’s was 10 years ago, so learning this information really sparked a fun little time related existential crisis.
Anyway. it’s unlikely that I’ll read anything much else before the year ends, so here’s what’s been my favorite:
The Sword of Truth series, by Terry Goodkind - I’ve read 5, maybe 6, of these by now and they’ve been life-changing in many ways. I love them so much and am already eager to reread them all once I’m done with the series. They’re better than Harry Potter. Better than LOTR too. I said what I said! They’re that good and I’m gonna try to get more people to read these - I will even rec them at my funeral. Go get the first one, Wizard’s First Rule, and read it!
The Dresden Files, by Jim Butcher - I read this entire series over the course of this year and it was the best escape, the most fun, and such a delight to fall into a world where the writing is so immediately engaging and interesting, the characters are charming and clever and funny, and I don’t have to think about the real world for a while. Highly recommend.
Gideon the Ninth, by Tamsyn Muir - I just finished Harrow the Ninth, the sequel to Gideon, and this series together is some of the most clever, creative, inventive, trustworthy writing I’ve ever experienced.
Beach Read, by Emily Henry - I didn’t read a lot of great romances this year, but this was the best one. I really enjoyed the story, the characters acted like real people, the plot was charming and the problems were real. It was cute.
Qualityland, by Marc-Uwe Kling - This is a super clever story about the future, if it was run by the smiley boxed company that nearly runs everything already. In this timeline the algorithm knows what you want before you ask for it so it sends it to you before you even know you need it. But then! Our hero in this story gets something in the mail that he does not want and tries to return. I loved this and would be stoked to see it turn into a movie someday.
Once Upon A Time I Lived on Mars: Space, Exploration, and Life on Earth, by Kate Greene - This turned out to be a timely read even though it wasn’t intended to be. Greene’s examination of solitude was really interesting to me. I read this when the COVID-19 shelter at home orders were just getting started earlier this year. It was fascinating from an individual in search of creativity pov and from a science view. I enjoy non-fiction about space and the thoughtful essays on being a human in the world and this nudged both of those interests for me real well.
The Friend, by Sigrid Nunez - I was attracted to this book by the cover. It’s beautiful. The story itself was heart-rending and impressive to me. I loved it. It contemplated things about pet ownership, friendship, the inevitability of death, the importance of choices, and the passing of time. Big thoughts and big feelings. Highly recommend.
Here for It: Or, How to Save Your Soul in America; Essays, by R. Eric Thomas - I listened to this and laughed so much at Thomas’ wit and charm and extraordinary observations of the ordinary and ridiculous way pop culture infiltrates and infects and distracts our souls. It was a treat.
Parasol Protectorate series, by Gail Carriger - Technically, I read most of this series last year but I finished the last book in the series in January. So I’m counting it. They were all a paranormal treat and I loved the shenanigans, the characters, the romance, the mystery, and the fun of it all. It was a hard time in my real life when I read these and they were an excellent and entertaining diversion.
Such a Fun Age, by Kiley Reid - This book got lots of hype and I found it to be worth it. For me, the story managed to describe slippery feelings and difficult situations that I wouldn’t know how to put into words. I could barely put it down and was so impressed with the writing. I’m excited to see what Reid writes next.
Here are some “best of 2020” lists I enjoyed looking through:
And finally, a list of things to look forward to next year (hint - they’re all books - wink)
What did you enjoy reading this year?