I wanted to narrow this list down to a satisfying number of five books, but I couldn't decide which book to boot, so instead I have my top six reads from 2020. I went through a couple of slumps throughout the year and then had one big push at the end to meet my reading goal of 50. On October 4th, I still needed to read 20 books to meet my goal. Somehow I managed to do it, and now I have narrowed down those 50 to my top 6.
Counting down for you to my favourite book year, these are my top reads:
#6 The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez.
Genre: Contemporary Romance
My Rating: 5 Stars
Why I Loved It: I love Jimenez's writing style. Her stories always feel fresh, fun, and flirty. The Happy Ever After Playlist is the 2nd book in The Friend Zone series, book #1 in the series was my favourite romance read of 2019. Jimenez's characters feel real, the romance is swoon-worthy, and I couldn't get enough. I also enjoyed seeing the characters I grew to love in The Friend Zone make appearances in this one. The third book, Life's Too Short, is scheduled to be released in 2021 and is my most anticipated read for the new year!
#5 Together by Christmas by Karen Swan.
Genre: Romance/ Holiday
My Rating: 5 Stars
Why I Loved It: This book took a surprisingly dark turn for my yearly Karen Swan Christmas read, and I couldn't put it down. I read it in two sittings. I usually describe Swan's books as "romance with substance." Well, this one was "romance with a whole lot of substance." As in trauma, and war zones, and PTSD. But it worked, flowed easily and still felt festive at the same time. It grasped my attention entirely, and I highly recommend it as your next holiday read.
#4 Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.
Genre: Classic/ Fiction
My Rating: 5 Stars
Why I Loved It: I cannot believe I had not read Little Women before this year. It is brilliant and a classic for a reason. Even my first time reading it (I will surely reread it in the future) it felt like a comfort-read and incredibly familiar. I love how you follow the March sisters over numerous years and watch each of them change along their journey. It is a perfectly woven story of family, growth, and love. Reading experiences like this one are the reason I should read classics more often.
#3 Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens.
Genre: Fiction
My Rating: 5 Stars
Why I Loved It: This was the book I saw most on my Instagram feed this year. Everyone was buzzing about it, and now I can see why. The protagonist Kya is the perfect underdog. You can't help but have compassion for her after her traumatic childhood and root for her as the underdog. There is a touch of romance, family drama, and crime, but what sealed the deal was the ending. A quiet, jaw-dropping, bittersweet finish to a captivating story.
#2 I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
My Rating: 4 Stars
Why I Loved It: It had been a while since I had dipped my toes in the Young Adult Fiction genre, but this book reminded me of all the things it has to offer. I'll Give You the Sun is creative, emotive, and brilliantly written piece of fiction. Why I gave it 4-stars at the time, I don't know why because it is a masterpiece. It 100% deserves its place at #2 of the year. This story unpacks grief, love, and sexuality in such a thoughtful way. I am so glad I stumbled back to my Kobo looking for a read because it was such a pleasant surprise.
Genre: Historical Romance
My Rating: 5 Stars
Why I Loved It: This year started my love affair with historical romance novels. If you know me in real life, follow me on Instagram, or Goodreads, you've heard me talk about Lisa Kleypas. I read my first book of her's Secrets of a Summer Night (the first book in the Wallflowers series) this summer and since then have read eight more. I fell head over heels in love with these fierce, supportive, single friends called the Wallflowers. I am obsessed. The Devil in Winter just happened to be my favourite book of the series, but the entire series should sit at number one. These books are a mix between reading Jane Austen and a steamy contemporary romance. I cannot recommend them enough.
I hope you enjoyed reading about my top 6 reads and perhaps it will give you some ideas for what you want to read in 2021. If you've read any of the above, please let me know what you thought. I've linked my Instagram and Goodreads account below, and you can connect with me on either of those platforms, or in the comments below!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/literarilylauren/
I hope everyone has a happy new year and, filled with good books!
Yours Literarily,
Lauren.
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