Table of contents:
Best Books To Read In 2020 Fiction – When I look back at twenty-twenty, one thing is very clear: I read to enjoy, to escape, to be entertained. In many previous seasons, I devoured self-help, true stories and/or deep, serious fiction. That was not the case for me this year. I read what I wanted, when I wanted or needed! And it’s nice for me that books met me where I was. Need hope. Need light. Quite frankly, need a completely different world in the magic of written pages.
– the over-the-top act of diversifying my reading lists and TBR authors. I learned so much from fresh BIPOC voices and other underrepresented minorities.
Best Books To Read In 2020 Fiction
! Keeping down my favorite picks wasn’t easy, friends! But I feel enthralled with this list. Based on popular vote on my Instagram Stories, I decided to share my top reads by genre. Ten of them, to be exact. Hopefully, this way I’ll add a little something for everyone!
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I hope you enjoy, my dear! Without further ado: The most popular books I’ve devoured this historic year!
If you’ve been reading my reviews for a while, you know that historical fiction isn’t really my favorite. But it’s 2020 for you!!! My two favorite books OF THE YEAR were both, technically, historical fiction! Slow down
Is a beautiful and heartwarming saga of two fair-skinned Black identical twin sisters. The book left me breathless and still made me think.
Is a plain old, big, brilliant, beautiful piece of fiction that I can’t seem to stop recommending. These novels both deal fascinatingly with issues of race, family, identity and self-discovery. I can’t rave about them enough!
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In the Romance category for his Best Books of 2020. But I just don’t think it’s a romance! Not a traditional one, anyway.
By Rebecca Serle is equal parts modern magic and an unforgettable story of female friendship. I cried like a baby because of his piercing emotion – and also because the book had to end! The story drove me to New York when I needed it most. March 2020,
To be exact. Rebecca Serle, superstar, also a college friend of mine: We all really needed your book this year. Thank you for this beautiful gift!
By Elin Hildebrand. I warned in my initial Instagram review that I don’t think this book is for everyone, and I would reiterate that. It is the story of two soul mates in love, Jake and Mallory, who agree to meet every summer –
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For Labor Day weekend on Nantucket. It’s a “same-time-next-year” arrangement, come marriage-to-other-people or high water. Now of course I would
Condone this in real life, or even a book! But I feel like that’s the beauty of books. You can witness characters make terrible decisions and see all the edges of dangerous swords that you would (hopefully) never fall on yourself. I love this complicated, painful, bittersweet story.
Angie Thomas. This book is a must read, I say. The character of sixteen-year-old Starr Carter brings racial oppression and injustice to light in a way that nonfiction cannot. I felt, heard, smelled, and
Our nation today tensions within these pages. Got chills, choked on the truths. It’s rough. It’s emotional. It is written in a fantastically entertaining and readable style. I like it. Read it! (Contains language and violence.)
Sam’s 2020 Book List. Besides Everything Else Going On In…
By Alex North. I still give it the upper hand, for its absolute spook factor, literary talent, and satisfying slow-burn brilliance. But I also SUPER love the following heartwarming, quick gems:
Please note that these books are quite disturbing and are mostly R-rated; not for my sensitive readers! (Always feel free to contact me if you have specific questions.)
Since then I’ve been doing it – and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon! Oh, friends, I just love it. Read it. Especially if you already love her, but also if you decide not to. Her story is so full of nuance, depth and vulnerability. I can almost promise you will see her differently after reading it. (John Mayer too. Gah!) I am simply in awe of Jessica Simpson, wife and mother, pop musician, billionaire businesswoman. But I am mostly appreciative of her bravery in putting this out into the world. It is a moving story of healing and strength, deep lows and great highs, with all the right doses of Hollywood tea. I’m also still drooling over Matthew McConaughey’s memoir,
. Add this one to your lineup if you’re into celebrity memoirs, as I will forever be!
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Devon Daniels is a talent to watch, my friends!!! I had the privilege of reading an ARC of this rom-com, released in February. I’ve read a few debut novels in 2020 and this one absolutely took the red, white and blue cake for me.
Is in my opinion the political healing balm we all need! I laughed, I cried! And now can we please get a dating reality show where republicans and democrats go head to head? Without, you know, killing each other too? On a more serious note: Are political differences a dating deal-breaker for some people? The most? This bi-partisan romance explores this in a charming and humorous way – but the story also dives deeper. It sparks thought about the long-held beliefs we hold, and how we relate to each other. The book has a spectacular strong voice, sizzling chemistry, and all the makings of America’s next great romantic comedy. I admired it. (It has a hot closed-door scene, for those who like the head!)
While nonfiction was by no means my top read genre this year, I did spend time with some greats. The book that touched me the most and taught me the most powerfully was
By Miles McPherson. Listen, friends: I know this year has been a lot. Especially over the summer, there was no shortage of anti-racism titles filling your feed and perhaps overwhelming your soul. As someone who reads a number of these titles – and who holds a firm, unrelenting faith in the Bible as the end-all, be-all, infallible Word of God and guidebook for life here on earth – I recommend this the most, of all the ones I have read so far. It’s smart, it’s gentle, it’s firm, it’s clear. Above all, it is rooted in the gospel and also makes racial healing appear
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. It begins in our hearts. And for me, while reading this book. I highly recommend it to anyone.
I think many of us can say that we cooked more meals at home this year than ever before. I’m all for googling my little heart out in search of the perfect recipe, but in 2020 my love for a real cookbook has resurfaced. I have purchase
This summer, shortly after that I also discovered the Instant Pot (the Lord bless you)!!!! I have made so, so, so many of the recipes in this book! They are delicious. They are healthy. They are simple. They are, for the most part, child-friendly. Enjoy the slow cooker meals, the one-sheet wonders, the Instant Pot… I’m so into it.
Has long been a regular resource for me, and I’m thrilled with the addition of this cookbook to my kitchen library.
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By Paul David Tripp did not disappoint. In fact, it moved me and carried me through the pains, disappointments and hallelujahs of 2020 every day. I will never forget that
Was the year I discovered this precious book that I will keep with me as a sacred companion for years and decades. This holy, God-breathed book is a powerful gift to get for yourself (or anyone you know) if you’re still on the hunt for a 2021 devotional.
Thanks, as always, for being here! To follow me in my writing wherever God and His creative winds lead. This has been the hardest year of my life. My daughter was suddenly diagnosed with a rare, advanced form of cancer in January. The Covid19 and all that it brought with it arrested the UK in March. A fiscal layoff situation occurred in Kultur Trip, between April and June, when I left the company. Going on my own – at least for now – from September.
An exhausting year. The year of three terrible Cs – cancer, corona and cuts. But also a year of another C – for Certainty – that everything will be fine. And another C – for Consultancy – which I really enjoyed.
The Best Non Fiction Books I Read In 2020
Perhaps, surprisingly, I found it incredibly difficult to find the time or concentrate on reading, especially in the first half of the year, averaging only one book a month for the first six months. Fiction books could no longer take me away from my reality. Non-fiction books bombarded me with concepts and numbers that my exhausted brain found hard to take.
I picked up the pace as things began to settle into an unfamiliar but steady flow in the second half of 2020, when I managed to add another 16 titles, a decent annual average rate of just under 2 books per month, 22 in total. Not reading stressed me out because books have always played a huge role in my life, I desperately wanted to get back into it. It is no
