We are at the end of 2020, friends! I can’t believe it. It feels like the last half of the year went by so quickly. But there were so many good books from this year! Considering I read over 300 books, that’s a lot of books to choose from. However, I did it! I narrowed it down to my top 20 books of 2020. And then to order them! How do you even choose?? Such a difficult task, honestly.
Anyway, I’ll do more of a yearly wrap up post on New Year’s Eve, but I wanted to write this post to go along with my Instagram post from yesterday. Without further ado, here are my top 20 books of 2020!
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Top 20 Books of 2020
20. House of Earth and Blood by SJ Maas
A new fantasy series from SJ Maas? Definitely sign me up. Even though the beginning of this book was devastating, I loved the characters in here. I can’t wait to see what comes next! (Review)
19. The Gravity of Us by Phil Stamper
This book examined the negative effects social media can have and what happens when future plans can suddenly change. I also have an eARC of Stamper’s new book that comes out next February, and I can’t wait!
18. Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
If you’re looking for a funny new romance to read in 2021, look no further. I laughed out loud at multiple instances in this book, and I loved it. Plus, the fake dating to true love trope is so well played out in this book. A great read-a-like for Red, White, & Royal Blue.
17. The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune
A new YA superhero series? Sign me up! Admittedly, I love pretty much anything to do with superheroes, and the characters in this book were spectacular. This seems to be a trend for my top 20, and I’m totally fine with it.
16. Pet by Akwaeke Emezi
Short but powerful. That’s how I would describe this award winning book from author Emezi. Filled with monsters, both mythical and real, you’ll be hooked until the very end. Glad I finally read this in 2020.
15. You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
Since I read this in one night, it absolutely had to make my top 20 books list. Honestly, I hope they make this book into a movie, because it would make a fantastic movie. Come on, movie people! Pick up this book!
14. The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta
This was getting a lot of buzz when it came out in the UK, and I’m glad it finally was released in the US! It absolutely deserved all the hype that it got. This is one of the best verse novels I think I’ve ever read.
13. Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
Another heart melting story! I love Nick and Charlie and these books will definitely become comfort reads for me. Another one is coming in 2021, and I need to know what happens next to Nick and Charlie.
12. Surrender Your Sons by Adam Sass
There aren’t many LGBTQ thriller stories out there, but Sass knocked it out of the park with this one. While the timeline seems a little off, I was glued to this book until the very end.
11. Harley in the Sky by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Akemi Dawn Bowman has become one of my new favorite authors, and I’ll absolutely read anything she writes. This was set in a circus, and dealt with mental health issues in a very realistic way. (Review)
10. Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
Darius! I love him so much. He deserves all the happiness. What I liked about this book was the way Khorram examines the intersection between mental health, culture, and sexuality. It’s continued in the second book, which I also highly recommend!
9. The Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir
What an ending to this series! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time listening to this audiobook, and it will forever be one of my favorite audio series. I can’t wait to see what Tahir does next. (Review)
8. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab
All I can say is I desperately want to annotate a copy of this book. There are so many gorgeous passages and I want to highlight them all. I will definitely be reading more VE Schwab in 2021! (Review)
7. Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel by Jason Reynolds
Let’s talk about gorgeous graphic novels. This is one of the most powerful, most beautiful graphic novels that I read this year. If you haven’t yet picked this one up, definitely read it in this format in audio. Trust me. You’ll thank me later.
6. Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
In talking about favorite debuts, this one definitely has to make the list. This world was so detailed and fascinating, and even though it spans a long period of time, it doesn’t read like it does. Absolutely can’t wait for the rest of this series!
5. Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
Oh Felix, I love him so much! He goes through such a journey in this book, a journey that a lot of teens will be able to relate to. If you’re sleeping on Kacen Callender as an author, make 2021 the year you stop! They’re one of my new favorites.
4. Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
I read a lot more nonfiction this year, but this is the only one that made this list. Oops? I’ll talk more about my favorites in that genre in my New Year’s Eve post, but this one should be on everyone’s to-read list.
3. The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
There was so much hype about this book, and it absolutely lived up to all of it. This book feels like a warm hug when you read it, and it will definitely be going on my re-read shelf. I obviously immediately bought a copy because reasons! (Review)
2. Burn by Patrick Ness
Obviously, Patrick Ness has to make this list because it’s Patrick Ness. This might be one of my favorites of his! It’s set in the 1950s with dragons, so what’s not to like? (Review)
1. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I’ve been talking about this book nonstop in my end of the year posts. I loved it so much. I got approved for Aiden Thomas’s new book coming out in March, and I can’t wait to read that one, either! (Review)