The 10 Best Books I Read in 2020

I’m a pretty voracious reader, and 2020 was my best reading year yet in terms of quantity (which certainly isn’t the only — or maybe even the best — way to measure reading).

I also am a big fan of utilizing library ebooks and audiobooks, which means I often have to wait a while for things to come out.

For those reasons, these books aren’t all ones that were published in 2020; they are simply books I read in 2020.

How did I choose?

It was a very un-scientific process of going back through my year of books in my beloved Goodreads app to see which ones stuck out and which ones I had given five stars. And here you have them (not in any particular order)!

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott — this is one of my all-time favorites, and I got a beautiful Puffin in Bloom version that I just adore. I continued reading Little Men and Jo’s Boys afterward, which also didn’t disappoint.

Don’t Overthink It by Anne Bogel — I love Anne and her podcast What Should I Read Next? So it only seemed fitting that I’d pick up her newest book all about overthinking and making better decisions. It was so good!

The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney — I loved this book! I could hardly put it down and read it in one afternoon. It's wildly compelling, telling a fictionalized version of events in Darfur in a way that's digestible for younger readers.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan — Or really, more accurately, all the Percy Jackson books. I couldn’t get enough of the adventure combined with Greek and Roman mythology this summer!

The Next Right Thing by Emily P. Freeman — Much like Anne Bogel, I love Emily’s podcast— also called The Next Right Thing. It’s a breath of fresh air in my day. Her book was much the same. I love her tone that’s reassuring, calming, and quietly encouraging.

Restart by Gordon Korman — This was such a fabulous middle grade read for me that focuses on what it means to start over, be a good friend, and really think about your choices and who you want to be.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas — I was late to the game with this one, mainly because it was in such high demand at the library, and for good reason! It’s tough to read because of the emotional subject matter (content warning for those who are sensitive to racial conflict and violence), but it was handled really well and opened my eyes to a perspective vastly different from my own.

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult — This was a really interesting, heartbreaking novel about a black nurse prosecuted for her actions and decisions around a baby of a white supremacist. It was hard for me to read the perspective of the white supremacist, but I felt like I grew through the experience.

Oz, The Complete Collection Vol 1 by L. Frank Baum — I seldom thought of Oz beyond The Wizard of Oz movie (though I recall Return to Oz as traumatic for me as a child), until I stumbled upon this in my local independent bookstore. I’m so glad I did! I won’t say it’s as tame as the “original” movie, but it definitely explores some odd worlds and characters without feeling truly scary.

Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes — This was such a fun read! The two main characters who are thrown together seem like an odd pair, but I rooted for them the whole way, and I was pleasantly surprised with some of the twists their backstories provided.

What were your favorite books (of any quantity) of 2020? I’d love to get some more recommendations!