Lynnie's Favorite Books of 2020

2020 may have been a crazy year, but one thing was terrific about it- the books that 2020 brought into my life. 

I read fewer books than in 2019- only 50- but part of that is because I read fewer cookbooks and comics.  I had 6 books that I did not finish this year, but I rated 74% of the books I read 3 stars or higher on Goodreads, which makes me happy to see; I love a good book!  I only gave 5 stars to 3 books this year, and one of them was a LOTR book that I re-read so it doesn't really count.  Once again, I barely read any young adult fiction during the year and none of those that I did read made my favorites list, after 2 years in a row of this happening, it might be time to admit that YA no longer has the draw for me that it once did. 

Without further ado, here are my favorite books from 2020 (organized, but in no order); these are the books I've been recommending to friends when asked.  Make sure you click on the title for our full blog review of each book.  

Best Fiction: 

The Starless Sea by Erin Morganstern

This is one of my five star books from the year and it's on Amy's favorites list as well. The Starless Sea is a novel about stories, how they are created, and how they are interconnected.  

Told through a series of short stories that at first do not seem to relate to one another (trust me, they do) The Starless Sea jumps from the current life of Zachary Ezra Rollins, who finds his own story in a mysterious library book, to other tales of monsters, pirates, time, fate, magical libraries, and secret societies, among others. As Zachary tries to learn more about the book in which he is a character, he is led on an adventure that he could not have imagined in his wildest dreams.

The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate

The Book of Lost Friends is a tale of past and present, based on real records and facts. Set on the same property in Louisiana, Hannie tells the story of what it was like to live as a former slave and share cropper in 1875, while Bennie's story takes place in 1987 as she tries to connect to her students, her new town, and the ghosts of the past.

 

 

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

Nothing to See Here and its combustible children is a dark, quirky, and original story. The characters in this novel are wonderful and they suck you into their world quickly and totally. I needed to know what would happen next and was amused throughout. 

 

 

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary

The Flatshare is a completely delightful few hours of reading. It's a ridiculous story, but I absolutely loved every single minute of it. The characters were charming and colorful, the side plots were engaging (I hated the villain, as one is supposed to, but he was almost too much of a cartoon villain sometimes), and I found myself completely wrapped up in the drama of Tiffy and Leon. 
 

 

Best Nonfiction

Burn it Down: Women Writing About Anger edited by Lilly Dancyger

This was my other 5 star review. The 22 essays in Burn It Down are diverse not only in the demographics of their authors, but in the experiences they discuss. Essays are about how anger is expressed, or often withheld based on a variety of inner calculations that most other people, particularly men, never consider. Women who are black, transgender, suffer from invisible illness, are visibly disabled, come from dysfunctional homes, experience sexual and/or physical violence, and even the anger that comes when our bodies enter menopause all experience and embrace the anger of not only their circumstances but of themselves. The inextricable link between anger and sadness, fear, and guilt is discussed throughout the book.  

The Girls Who Went Away by Ann Fessler 

Wherever you fall on the spectrum of abortion/adoption debate, this is an important book to read.

I was interested in this book for many reasons, but particularly because my mother was adopted in the 40s and we really only learned her true adoption story after her death. I was curious to hear the stories of women who had limited choices and even less agency over themselves and their bodies. It was a heartbreaking book and I often found myself in tears at the stories of these women. 

Best Comics

Locke & Key (all 6 volumes) by Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez (artist)

As I finished the final pages of Locke and Key, I found myself thinking back to how much all the characters have grown since the series began. I was particularly struck by Tyler- a forlorn kid, understandably full of regret and guilt in the first volume, he has grown into the man of Keyhouse both in appearance and action. The graphics add so much to the story, making this a much-read series. 

 

Here's to another great year of reading ahead in 2021.  In case you're curious and looking for more reading ideas, here's a link to my favorites lists from 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Also don't forget to check out Amy's Favorite Books of 2020 too.