Monday, December 28, 2020

What I Read in 2020

 Early in 2020 I had the grand idea to create a reading challenge for myself (and anyone else who wanted to join) and create a list of 20 authors to read in 2020.  It was a good challenge, and I started strong.  

I read about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, but when I got to his books, I realized it wasn't going to be a quick read, so I moved on to some of the young adult authors on the list.  Then Covid-19 happened and the world turned upside down.  And all I wanted to do was comfort read.  So I dropped the challenge and read what I wanted.  I only ended up checking off about 3 of the authors (Samira Ahmed, Holly Black, and Jason Reynolds) but by the end of the year I read 50 books.  

Here are my stats!  (see my instagram for a blank template)


Disclaimer:  If you purchase a book through one of the links below I may earn a small commission.  
You can also look for these books at your local used bookstore or at your local library!


I started and abandoned 3 books - which as a Library Lady I give you permission to do.  There are too many great books out there to read one you don't love!  (Even if everyone else loves it!)

Abandoned books: 


Fiction books:


Nonfiction books: 

So that's what I read - I was influenced by a lot of different things in choosing what I read, but here is a few: 

New Releases

There were several new releases this year that I was excited about - The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and Midnight Sun specifically.  They prompted the rereading of those entire series, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  The re-reading of the Twilight series was especially nostalgic for me.  

The Release of Hamilton on Disney+

When Hamilton was released on Disney Plus in July I went kind of Hamilton crazy - that prompted me to read the YA biography of him (which was great) and the historical fiction Alex and Eliza, which was cute, but not good enough for me to read the next 2 books in the series.  

Netflix film releases

I am a firm believer that the book is always better than the movie, and if a movie is based on a book, I want to read the book before I see the movie.  I didn't do that with the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - I watched that movie before I realized it was a book.  I read the book this year and it, as always, was better than the movie!  I read the Enola Holmes book and Rebecca in preparation to watch the Netflix movies.  

Black Lives Matter and the fight against systemic racism

Along with the rest of the world, this summer I realized I needed to broaden my horizons and learn about the issue of system racism and how it affects people - so I read books such as Internment, Stamped, Make Change, and All American Boys.  I firmly believe that books can help open our eyes and help us become more empathetic to the issues that others face.  


So what was my favorite?  

My favorite fiction book was definitely Internment by Samira Ahmed.  It was thought provoking and relevant.  It's the first fiction book in a long time that has prompted me to write down quotes!  

My favorite nonfiction book was Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds.  I love when there is a young adult version of a bestseller.  It retains all of the good stuff and is an easier read.  This book is no exception - Reynolds does a phenomenal job breaking down the information from Ibram X. Kendi's bestseller Stamped from the Beginning.  I learned so much from this book and it is a great first read for anyone wanting to learn more about systemic racism in America.  

What was your favorite read in 2020?  Did you read any of the books I read?



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