I think we can all say 2020 was a wild year. While travel plans had to be put on pause, I decided to make it a goal for myself to read more and make it a habit. Therefore, I set a goal on Goodreads to read 15 books in 2020. AND I DID IT! Here are all the books I read this year divided by fiction and nonfiction.
Fiction
A Game of Thrones by George RR Martin
One of the most epic fantasy series that took over the world with its HBO show. I started this while traveling around Europe and finally finished it this year. It’s a pretty hefty book but so much fun. In case you don’t know what it’s about, several feuding families in Westeros begin to dispute who has the claim to the Iron Throne. What happens next includes dragons, ice zombies, war, and more. If you’ve seen the show, this book is pretty identical to season 1. I have never nerded out about a series as much as I have with this one. Can’t wait to read the second book and hopefully George finishes writing this series cause I need to read his way of telling the ending!
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A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
This book is by far one of my favorites. It isn’t light-hearted and it will devastate you, but I have never felt like a cast of characters were my own friends so much. I felt like I knew everyone in this book personally. It follows four guys who become friends in college and their lives as they grow up in NYC and become successful. However, Jude, the protagonist, has a past that when learned left me speechless. I would definitely recommend reading a little about this before starting it just so you know what to expect (tears, smiles, tears again). This book has a special place in my heart.
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City of Thieves by David Benioff
If the author sounds familiar, he was one of the showrunners on Game of Thrones (big reason why I picked it up). This book is set in Nazi occupied St. Petersburg where two boys get the chance to be freed from prison if they can find a dozen eggs. Funny concept – I know. However, it is such a quick read and the friendship they form is incredible. Also, reading about Russia during WW2 was super interesting.
⭐️
Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips
This book is also set in Russia but over on the isolated Kamchatka Peninsula. Two young girls are kidnapped and the story follows a new woman every chapter. You’ll learn how these characters are connected and try to piece together what happened to the two girls.
⭐️
Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
This is a coming of age story about a teenage guy struggling to fit in and is filled with some memorable quotes. He befriends two outgoing pals and slowly finds where he belongs. It is a great feel-good but also might make you tear up all at the same time. The movie is just as good as well with an all-star cast.
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The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Another one of my favorites, this book follows two siblings who grew up in this large fancy house (The Dutch House) but after it gets taken away from them they struggle to make ends meet. It showcases the bond between siblings and was a joy to read. I would totally recommend the audiobook because Tom Hanks narrates it!
⭐️
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
There’s a wedding on this island off the coast of Ireland and all the guests have secrets. This whodunnit was fun to read and try to guess who murdered who and why. It felt like Clue but at a wedding.
⭐️
The Martian by Andy Weir
Ever wonder what might happen if you were left on Mars alone? Well that’s what happens here. This book is hilarious and very scientific. I felt like I learned a lot and honestly felt like it was a true story while reading it. Even if you’ve seen the movie, this book is really good!
⭐️
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
This is such a fun thriller! This lady murders her husband and then refuses to ever speak again. She gets put into an asylum of sorts and a psychologist is very intrigued by her story and wants to get her to talk. That’s all I will say cause the twist at the end gave me goosebumps.
⭐️
The Secret History by Donna Tart
This book has a huge cult following and I can see why but the characters were questionable to me. It starts off with a bang where one of the students in this prestigious classics group died. We then see what led to his death and the spiraling of events afterwards. You follow these students study really fancy subjects at a prestigious northeastern university, but this book is definitely a slow burn. A lot of people say this book defines the dark academia aesthetic, so if that’s your thing you’d like this book!
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Nonfiction
Atomic Habits by James Clear
I’m not usually one for self-development books but this one motivated me (especially for this blog). It teaches you how to develop good habits and remove bad ones as well as gives stories of others and how they developed habits. He has a ton of info on his own blog so I’ll link it here: https://jamesclear.com/
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Becoming by Michelle Obama
Nothing political to talk about here just a great telling of how this former First Lady ended up in the White House. She has a lot of great stories from her life and I enjoyed listening to the audiobook narrated by herself.
⭐️
Educated by Tara Westover
This memoir tells the story of Tara’s life with her kind of extreme Mormon family. She never had a birth certificate, her dad was preparing for the apocalypse, and she wanted an education. This story follows her journey breaking out of the family’s expectations to go to college and excel in life.
⭐️
Stay Sexy and Don't Get Murdered by Karen Kilpatrick & Georgia Hardstark
So if you listen to the podcast My Favorite Murder, this is the memoir of the two hosts. I listened to the audiobook, and it felt like another longer podcast episode. Lots of great stories and I enjoyed it.
⭐️
Yes Please by Amy Poehler
The one and only Amy Poehler tells stories from SNL and Parks and Recreation in her memoir. She also narrates the audiobook with many guests too, so I’d recommend checking that out.
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Some quick stats: I read 10 fiction and 5 nonfiction. I gave 9 books 5 stars, 4 books 4 stars, and 2 books 3 stars. I read 2 literary fiction, 2 historical fiction, 1 fantasy, 1 sci-fi, 4 memoirs, 1 self-help, 2 thrillers, 1 young adult, anf 1 mystery.
Looking forward to reading more in 2021!
