My top ten books of 2020

It feels like a million years ago when I declared in my first blog post of 2020 that my word of the year was PURPOSEFUL. And while 2020 threw all of us for a loop, I was purposeful in at least one area of my life: reading. 

This is my final post of the year, and that means I’m getting geeky with my reading statistics. Even if you do not share my love for the numbers, my list of the top books I read in 2020 may be helpful for those of you who always have a to-read list. 

My best books of 2020 are chosen from the ones I read this year, but those books aren’t necessarily published this year (although most of them were). My goal this year was the same as it was for 2018 and 2019: 55 books. I crushed that goal; that was one of the few positive outcomes of the pandemic. Here is My Year in Books, courtesy of GoodReads:

I ended up reading 53 books and listening to 22 for a grand total of 75 books. I heavily favor fiction over non-fiction, although of the eight non-fiction books I read this year, four ranked in my top ten.

As always, I rate every book from one to five stars, and my average is consistently 3 to 3.3 stars. I am a tough rater, so a rating of three stars is a good book that I would recommend. I’m picky about giving four stars, and downright stingy giving out five stars. This year, my ratings fell like this:

0 ONE-STAR BOOKS
7 TWO-STAR BOOKS
46 THREE-STAR BOOKS
20 FOUR-STAR BOOKS
2 FIVE-STAR BOOKS

Here are my top ten books of 2020, in no particular order. The titles link to my full review.

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds

A condensed, YA geared remix of Kendi’s Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas, this is an accessible, engaging narrative that I believe every American teen and adult should read. Or better yet, listen – Reynolds is an excellent narrator.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

Who are we if no one remembers us? This novel is a sweeping tale of life, death and love, told over the centuries during which Addie lives without leaving a mark, until one day she does. I adored this book and was sad to reach the last page.

Becoming by Michelle Obama

Everyone knows about this book, and if you are interested in reading, you’ve probably already read it. But if you haven’t gotten around to it yet, listen instead. Michelle’s narration is excellent.

I finished her husband’s audiobook today – all 29 hours of it! It’s a great read and you’re a wonderful writer, Mr. President, but I enjoyed your wife’s memoir just a little bit more.

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Identical twin sisters from a small southern community return home after a decade away. One has chosen to “pass over” and live as a white woman. The book is a thoughtful and wonderfully written exploration of identity – for the sisters and their daughters, whose lives eventually intersect.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

The midnight library is the magical place between life and death; it holds all the possible lives Nora could have lived. In this place, she explores the paths not taken, and the journey is a heartbreaking, heartwarming, funny and hopeful one.

On Living by Kerry Egan

This is a surprise pick – not my usual type of book, but one I found so worth reading that I’ve already gifted it. A collection of experiences written by a hospice chaplain, these stories are written with thoughtful wisdom and grace.

Oona Out of Order by Margarite Montimore

Oona is living her life out of order, jumping to a different year at the stroke of midnight every New Year’s Eve. While some of my reading friends found the time jumps disconcerting, I found this novel to be absolutely delightful and unique, and an interesting exploration into living life in the moment.

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson

I just finished this book so this is my only review. I caught a bit of the movie when my son was watching it, and immediately bought the book, because I am of the opinion that the book is always better (even when the movie is excellent).

Bryan Stevenson founded the Equal Justice Initiative to defend the poor, incarcerated and wrongly convicted and condemned. His book follows one man, Walter McMillian, as the EJI fights to overturn his wrongful conviction and get him off of death row. It’s not an easy book to read, but it is necessary. Our country has a shameful history of mass incarceration and racial and economic injustice, and Stevenson’s book and work at the EJI confronts this history so we may overcome it. Read it.

When We Were Vikings by Andrew David MacDonald

This book is not about Vikings; it’s about Zelda, who is twenty-one years old, born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and obsessed with Vikings. She goes on a mission to help her older brother, as a good Viking would do. This novel will give you all the feels, in a good way. 

The entire Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

This series rescued me from a serious reading slump early in the pandemic. No more incredulous looks when I admit I’ve never read them! From April 29th to July 6th, I alternated between a real world book and a delightfully magical visit to Hogwarts. Of the twenty books I rated as four stars, seven were the Potter series. Thanks, Harry. I really needed you this year.

May your 2021 be filled with great books!