My Top Books of 2020
Happy New Year (and thank goodness 2020 is over)! We have a tradition on this blog to showcase the top 10 books that I read every year. However, this year I wanted to do something different. Since it was 2020, I wanted to list my top 20 books instead of my top 10. It just has a better ring to it. However, I haven’t read that many novels this year, so I decided to split it into my top 10 books and my top 10 graphic novels. I read a lot of comics (although I don’t review them that much), so it’s only fair that I include them on the list.
In no particular order, I present to you my top books of 2020.
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Side note: Because some of these books are sequels in a series, I included a short, spoiler-free summary for each book. If you want to read the full blurb, you can click on the cover to go to its Goodreads page. Also, I linked my review (if there is one) to the title of the book. Enjoy!
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Top 10 Books
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
Series: standalone
Category/Genre: YA contemporary, LGBTQ+
Five-word summary: trans coming of age story
Why I liked it: talks about different types of relationships (friends, romantic, family, etc.), emotional, every character has flaws (makes them feel more realistic)
Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim
Series: The Blood of Stars, #1
Category/Genre: YA fantasy
Five-word summary: Mulan retelling meets Project Runway
Why I liked it: super engaging, fast-paced, has elements of Mulan but definitely it’s own story
A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir
Series: An Ember in the Ashes, #2
Category/Genre: YA fantasy
Five-word summary: this series will kill me
Why I liked it: no character is safe, unpredictable, super intense, underdog characters, couldn’t put down, magic
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Series: standalone
Category/Genre: memoir
Five-word summary: the life of Michelle Obama
Why I liked it: got to learn about Michelle Obama’s childhood, the audiobook is narrated by Michelle Obama herself, super interesting
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
Series: standalone
Category/Genre: YA contemporary
Five-word summary: teen mom has magical cooking
Why I liked it: big foodie, unlike anything I’ve read before, generational relationships, generally wholesome, homey vibes
Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Series: standalone
Category/Genre: new adult mythology
Five-word summary: girl accidentally releases death god
Why I liked it: Mayan mythology, super interesting, engaging, beautiful story
Verona Comics by Jennifer Dugan
Series: standalone
Category/Genre: YA contemporary romance
Five-word summary: comic store Romeo and Juliet
Why I liked it: talks about mental health, knows when to be lighthearted or heavy, nerdy and cute, not entirely romantic fluff
Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett
Series: The Founders Trilogy, #1
Category/Genre: adult fantasy
Five-word summary: thief and crew pulls heist
Why I liked it: heists are always fun to read about, every character has their quirks, interesting world and magic system
House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas
Series: Crescent City, #1
Category/Genre: adult fantasy romance
Five-word summary: girl and angel investigate murders
Why I liked it: lots of book boyfriend/girlfriend material, hard to put down, fast-paced, spicy
A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: Blood and Ash, #2
Category/Genre: new adult fantasy romance
Five-word summary: Poppy gets sassy and stabby
Why I liked it: get to know the characters more intimately than the first book, plot twist, spicy, couldn’t put down
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Top 10 Graphic Novels
Check, Please!, Book 2: Sticks & Scones by Ngozi Ukazu
Series: Check, Please!, #2
Category/Genre: YA sports, LGBTQ+
Five-word summary: boy loves baking and hockey
Why I liked it: wholesome x100, don’t need to know hockey to enjoy, super cute, good relationships (friends, partner, family), will fall in love with all the characters
Herding Cats by Sarah Anderson
Series: Sarah’s Scribbles, #3
Category/Genre: slice-of-life, humor
Five-word summary: relatable introvert who loves cats
Why I liked it: hilarious, super fun, easy and quick read
The Witch Boy by Molly Ostertag
Series: The Witch Boy, #1
Category/Genre: middle grade fantasy, LGBTQ+
Five-word summary: boy breaking magic gender norms
Why I liked it: teaches a valuable lesson in an entertaining way, fun, love the cartoon-y artwork
The Search Omnibus by Gene Luen Yang
Series: Avatar: The Last Airbender Comics, #2
Category/Genre: YA fantasy
Five-word summary: Gaang searches for Zuko’s mom
Why I liked it: answers the question of what happened to Zuko’s mother, feels good to revisit A:TLA world, fun artwork, goes into life after Sozin’s Comet
Unicorn on a Roll by Dana Simpson
Series: Phoebe and Her Unicorn, #2
Category/Genre: middle grade fantasy
Five-word summary: girl and unicorn have fun
Why I liked it: living the fantasy of having a unicorn as a best friend, hilarious, fun and playful, witty
Success is 90% Spite by Jane Zei
Series: standalone
Category/Genre: humor, comedy
Five-word summary: the everyday rollercoaster of life
Why I liked it: hilarious, relatable, fun, quick read
Let’s Play, Volume 1 by Leanne M. Krecic
Series: Let’s Play, #1
Category/Genre: contemporary, gaming
Five-word summary: shy game developer vs gamer
Why I liked it: good character arcs, fun, lovable characters, really cute doggo
Our Super Adventure: Cute! by Sarah Graley & Stef Purenins
Series: Our Super Adventure, #3
Category/Genre: slice of life
Five-word summary: cute couple and their cats
Why I liked it: as the title implies the comics are very cute, lots and lots of cats featured, wholesome
The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill
Series: Tea Dragon, #1
Category/Genre: middle grade fantasy LGBTQ+
Five-word summary: girl learns tea dragon care
Why I liked it: cute artwork, wholesome story, adorable tea dragons (I want to cuddle one)
Ms. Marvel: Mecca by G. Willow Wilson
Series: Ms. Marvel, Vol. 8
Category/Genre: YA superhero
Five-word summary: enemy strikes closer to home
Why I liked it: gives Spider-Man vibes (teen superhero living double life), POC superhero, not everything is simply good vs. evil
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What are your thoughts on my top reads?
What were some of your top reads of 2020?
Any 2021 anticipated reads?
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Stay awkward and amazing! ❤
The Awkward Book Blogger 