Top Ten Tuesday

TTT – My Favorite Books of 2020

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Top Ten Tuesday used to be a weekly post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, but was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl. “It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.” This is definitely something I can understand and want to participate in.

I can’t believe this is my last Top Ten Tuesday post of 2020! This has been the longest year ever, and I’m not sorry to see the end of it. At the same time, 2020 has been a fabulous reading year for me, and there have been a ton of truly amazing books that were published this year!

Today’s topic is favorite books of 2020, and I’m going to talk about the books that I read in 2020, rather than just the books that were put out this year.

  1. Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert — The combination of romance, humor, and incredibly witty banter between a sweet, sexy artist, and a brilliant and independent woman with a chronic illness was one of the high points of my reading year. It started an amazing series, and I’m looking forward to the third book being released.
  2. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden — The first book in the Winternight trilogy (and the following two) was a brilliant take on an old Russian fairy tale that was so atmospheric and absorbing. This is a series that I truly fell in love with, and Vasilisa is the kind of girl who didn’t adhere to gender roles of the times, which is always impressive.
  3. With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo — It was a struggle to figure out which one of her books to put on this list, since ALL of them were so great, but this was the first one that I read. It stole my foodie heart, with the lovable characters, engrossing stories, and delicious recipes.
  4. The Merciful Crow by Margaret Owen — The duology is such an impressive one, and took on such a relatable tone during a pandemic. I loved the characters and the way that the story played out. After reading this book, I couldn’t wait for the second book to come out, and it certainly didn’t let me down.
  5. The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant — While I haven’t read or watched the original Les Misérables (I tried but I really despise musicals), I truly loved this retelling. It’s such an incredible story, and I really loved Nina and how brave she was.
  6. A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer — Come on, who doesn’t love a Beauty and the Beast retelling, especially with a badass character who has cerebral palsy but doesn’t let it hold her back in any way? I was so invested in the story, and I really enjoyed how it was a crossover between our world and a fantasy world.
  7. The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed — This was such an eye-opening look at an event that I remember happening, but was really too young to process fully. It was such a powerful story that stuck with me long after I finished the book.
  8. You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson — This was such a heartwarming story that made me tear up with happiness. Small-town romance between a girl who fights to overcome challenges and stigma? YES PLEASE! It’s super cute and sweet.
  9. The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang — The first book in this trilogy was incredible, but the whole series absolutely blew me away! This was one of the fantasy series that made a huge impression on me, and feels incredibly real by combining actual aspects of history that have been overlooked in Western education, and paired them with a well-developed fantasy world.
  10. Red Rising by Pierce Brown — This is another book series where the first book got its hooks in me, and hasn’t let go since. It’s super fascinating, and like nothing I’ve ever read before. The characters are flawed and complicated, and the plot is fully absorbing.
  11. Stay Mad, Sweetheart by Heleen Kist — I had been wanting to read this for quite some time, and was fortunate to read this as part of the BBNYA. It’s such a great and timely story about women taking charge of situations and addresses the issues faced in the workplace as well as the MeToo movement.

Okay, so I know that I’ve put 11 here, but it was impossible to just put 10 down.

What are the best books that you’ve read in 2020?

Categories: Top Ten Tuesday

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30 replies »

  1. I haven’t read any of these, but I want to read them all! It’s so hard to choose, but I may start with The Poppy War first. I’ve seen so many glowing reviews for this series.

    In other words, this is a great list! 🙂

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  3. I love how you’ve showcased the book cover gallery; it just makes the books even MORE appealing. 🙂 Poppy War and A Curse So Dark and Lonely are both awesome, but you’ve got me really interested in the Court of Miracles.
    Happy TTT and Happy 2021 in advance!

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  4. Wasn’t The Bear and the Nightingale good? And the sequels do not disappoint!

    I really want to read You Should See Me in a Crown … I could use such a sweet story right now.

    Happy 2021!

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  9. I mean, this list comes as absolutely no surprise cos we definitely are BOOK TWINS! Haha, I had WTFOH, The Black Kids and TPW on my list today as well. These books… They’re just too amazing 😍 I also loved Chloe Brown, TBATN and ACSDAL too. Fabulous list, Leah 🥰

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