Posted on by Elizabeth OTS

Books of 2020: Part 1

I REALLY should not have put this post off. There’s a reason I switched to quarterly book posts! And I’ve done a lot more reading than usual this year since I have more time with my career change. Anyway, here’s the list. I’m not writing blurbs for each book; I’ll focus on the ones I ranked highly. I’m also not including the cover photo for each book, though I’ll try to include most since I personally really like seeing the cover art.

…Except I totally do. via GIPHY

If you want to read some of my previous recommendation posts:

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That being said, my first preference is for you to check any recommended books out from your local library! Read more about my affiliate philosophy here. You can also check books out in e-book form and download them to the Kindle app, which means you don’t even have to put on pants and leave the house to get your book. Isn’t technology grand? Occasionally, books I read and review are also available for free through Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited program, and I make sure to note if that’s the case.

Also, I’m switching up my ranking system. Instead of DEAR, HR, GB, OK, and MDB, I’m going with 1-10. Here’s a full breakdown:

  • 1-2: Basically, don’t waste your time. (previously MDB).
  • 3-4: The book was okay, but I wouldn’t reread it. (previously OK).
  • 5-6: Really enjoyed these. (previously GB).
  • 7-8: Awesome book. Definitely worth reading! (previously HR).
  • 9-10: Read this book. Immediately. It was fantastic and/or life-changing. (previously DEAR).

Finally, a word about diversity. I think I’ve always done a good job of reading books by men AND women (I hate seeing reading lists that are essentially all white men). I’m trying to do a better job of reading books by BIPOC as well, and not just books about race relations, but fiction too. If you’re a blogger (or just a reader in general) and you like to track the books you’ve read, I would challenge you to make sure your reading list isn’t too homogenous. When that’s the case, you’re missing out on a lot of good literature, and you’re also not doing enough to widen your worldview and consider other life experiences.

Ok, you ready for this? Let’s go.

Nonfiction

  • Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. 10. Coates writes this book to his son, and you can hear the despair and love that he has in every sentence. Toni Morrison described this book as “required reading,” and I’m going to have to concur. Buy it. Read it. Learn from it. I highlighted so many passages in this book that the Kindle app told me I couldn’t export my notes because I was over the 10% limit (if you’re reproducing over 10% of a book, it’s subject to copyright). Here are just a few of those highlighted quotes.

“‘White America’ is a syndicate arrayed to protect its exclusive power to dominate and control our bodies. Sometimes this power is direct (lynching), and sometimes it is insidious (redlining). But however it appears, the power of domination and exclusion is central to the belief in being white, and without it, ‘white people’ would cease to exist for want of reasons. There will surely always be people with straight hair and blue eyes, as there have been for all history. But some of these straight-haired people with blue eyes have been ‘black,’ and this points to the great difference between their world and ours. We did not choose our fences. They were imposed on us by Virginia planters obsessed with enslaving as many Americans as possible.” pg 42

“Never forget that we were enslaved in this country longer than we have been free. Never forget that for 250 years black people were born into chains–whole generations followed by more generations who knew nothing but chains. You must struggle to truly remember this past in all its nuance, error, and humanity. You must resist the common urge toward the comforting narrative of divine law, toward fairy tales that imply some irrepressible justice. The enslaved were not bricks in your road, and their lives were not chapters in your redemptive history. They were people turned to fuel for the American machine. Enslavement was not destined to end, and it is wrong to claim our present circumstance–no matter how improved–as the redemption for the lives of people who never asked for the posthumous, untouchable glory of dying for their children. Our triumphs can never compensate for this. Perhaps our triumphs are not even the point. Perhaps struggle is all we have because the god of history is an atheist, and nothing about his world is meant to be. So you must wake up every morning knowing that no promise is unbreakable, least of all the promise of waking up at all. This is not despair. These are the preferences of the universe itself: verbs over nouns, actions over states, struggle over hope.” pg 70

“The mettle that it takes to look away from the horror of our prison system, from police forces transformed into armies, from the long war against the black body, is not forged overnight. This is the practiced habit of jabbing out one’s eyes and forgetting the work of one’s hands. To acknowledge these horrors means turning away from the brightly rendered version of your country as it has always declared itself and turning toward something murkier and unknown. It is still too difficult for most Americans to do this. But that is your work. It must be, if only to preserve the sanctity of your mind.” pg 98

  • White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo. 10. DiAngelo is an antiracist educator. She talks about the defensive role white fragility plays in conversations about racism, and she does a great job of illuminating why racism is a problem we all have to face, even if we don’t think we’re “bad people” or “racist” (spoiler alert: it’s not just bad people who are racist). This book is wonderful a nuts-and-bolts explanation; I found it clear and concise. My only regret is that I listened to the audiobook, so I couldn’t highlight the parts I found most helpful. I’ll have to reread it in print.
  • How to Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. 9. This was another great book that digs into the issue of racism in our country. Kendi makes the strong argument that neutrality is NOT enough because it supports the status quo. “Not racist” shouldn’t be the title we strive for – instead, we should aim to be Antiracist in all of our actions. As a side note, can I just say that I absolutely love that he and his wife both changed their last names when they got married?
  • I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening): A Guide to Grace-Filled Political Conversations by Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth A. Silvers. 9. The authors are also the hosts of one of my favorite podcasts, “Pantsuit Politics.” I love this book (and the podcast) because of the focus on nuance. I think part of the issue with our current political system is the knee-jerk instinct to stick to our party lines, no matter what. But there’s a whole lot of gray in the American political system, and it’s important to recognize that no one party (or politician) has all the answers. Sarah and Beth make dealing with our political differences seem possible. Jury is out on if they’re right, but in the meantime, listening to their podcast makes me happy. Also, this is currently free on Kindle Unlimited!
  • Shameless: A Case for Not Feeling Bad About Feeling Good (About Sex). 9.
  • Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint. 8.
  • Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People by Nadia Bolz-Weber. 8. Bolz-Weber is officially one of my new favorite people. I’ve struggled a lot in recent years with how exactly to come to terms with what I was told in church growing up and what I know as right. And I kept coming back to the fact that the God I know is not the deity that is being weaponized by the Republican party. God is not the vengeful, angry, strict Almighty who leaves us to suffer alone. Bolz-Weber takes those indistinct feelings and shows me the scriptural explanation behind them. And it feels like a breath of fresh air. My journey of religious grappling is not even close to done (is it ever?), but I’m so glad that I found Nadia’s writing along the way. It gives me hope.
  • Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle. 8. Doyle is an absolutely beautiful writer. She is raw, and real, and open. I cried multiple times while reading this book. And I was grateful for her willingness to speak about really hard truths in her life. I can’t wait to read her next book!
  • A Warning by Anonymous. 7. Wow. It does not feel like I read this in 2020. Mainly because I read it before COVID-19, which I think we can all agree was a totally separate year. That being said, I thought the book had some really interesting insights about Trump and the Administration. I guess we’ll see if any of those revelations have any sort of impact down the line.
  • Bringing Nature Home. 7.
  • Nature’s Best Hope by Douglas W. Tallamy. 7. In addition to a vegetable garden, I’ve been reading and planning a lot for a native plant garden – specifically, a rain garden. Tallamy does a wonderful job of talking about WHY native plants are so important and what we can all be doing to protect native ecosystems, no matter how small our garden size.
  • Roses Love Garlic: Companion Planting and Other Secrets of Flowers by Louise Riotte. 6. I read a lot about gardening this winter before I could start planting! Now, my garden is in the ground. It hasn’t all gone perfectly, but I’m having a lot of fun. I’ll probably write a post about this at the end of the summer. Anyway, this and the next two books are resources I read when planning.

Fiction

  • Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. 10. This book is so beautiful. It follows two half-sisters from Ghana and their descendants through several generations. One sister remains in Ghana, but the other is sold into slavery. Something that struck me while reading was the role that continuity played in the two stories. How quickly a family line could be obscured. It drove home just one more aspect of privilege that I have. I can trace my family line back 12 generations. But slavery removed any possibility of that for so many families. It’s maybe a smaller thing in the grand scheme of racial injustice, but it’s also a deeply personal one that has generations of repercussions. Read this book.
  • House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas. 9. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. I will ALWAYS read whatever Sarah J. Maas writes. She’s one of the authors where I automatically pre-order the book because I know I’ll want to own it and reread it. This is the first in a new series of hers, and it was delightful. Think fantasy crime thriller. If that’s your scene, then you should give Maas a read.
  • Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth. 9. I wasn’t really into Roth’s Divergent series (similar to Marie Lu’s writing, I thought it was overhyped). But I’m so glad I picked up this book. It was wonderful. Essentially, the question is what happens to the heroes after they win the battle? How do they deal with the aftermath? And how do we know what is right and wrong? This book ensures that I’ll be giving Roth the benefit of the doubt with future writing as well. It has nuance and a really unique plot.
  • The Girl of Fire and Thorns
  • The Crown of Embers
  • The Bitter Kingdom
  • The Empire of Dreams by Rae Carson. 9. I reread the first three books in this series to refresh my memory before reading the new fourth book (which is more of a spin-off). I loved them just as much as the first time I read them, and I really enjoyed the newest book. It’s a well-written and designed fantasy world, and there are depths to the worldbuilding that lend themselves to future novels.
  • Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. 9. Ugh. This book was just wonderful. First off, it’s set in Nebraska, at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. And so many of the references made me nostalgic for my time there in middle school and high school (Nebraska was one of my favorite places I’ve ever lived)! But it’s also just a wonderful read about that moment when you go off to college and have to define yourself for the very first time, without the context of long-time friends, or family, or home. And the plot was just so well thought-out. I rented this one from the library, but it’s a book I should probably buy because I’ll definitely be rereading it.
  • Carry On
  • Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell. 8. So, in the book Fangirl, the main character, Cath, is writing fanfiction for the Simon Snow series (think Harry Potter…but not). Carry On and Wayward Son are that fanfiction brought to life. They’re magical and wonderful and poignant. I can’t wait to read the next one. Though I recommend reading Fangirl first so you at least have some introduction to the piecemeal Simon Snow world that Rowell created there.
  • Intercepted by Alexa Martin. 8. This book was SO GOOD. A perfect balance of escapist romance with enough drama to keep it interesting. And I don’t even really care about football. I will definitely be reading Martin’s other books in this series. This is the first of her books I’ve read, and I love her writing style and humor.
  • The Kingdom by Jess Rothenberg. 8. Disney meets Westworld. Basically. I loved the concept and the characters and the dark shadows that are sometimes illuminated and sometimes skirted past. Worth the read.
  • Eragon
  • Eldest
  • Brisingr
  • Inheritance by Christopher Paolini. 8. Ok, Paolini wrote Eragon when he was a teenager, and there are definitely places where that shows. But it’s also a wonderful hero quest series, and his writing and plot development does improve significantly as the series progresses. Rereading this series is nostalgic for me, and I’m so glad I picked it up again after so many years.
  • The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm: Tales from Alagaësia by Christopher Paolini. 7. This was my first time reading the short story collection that Paolini wrote following the events of Inheritance, and I really enjoyed it. It’s clearly working to set things up for a continuation of the series (he’s already said he’s planning Book 5). Looking forward to seeing what else he does with this world that he spent so many years building.
  • Supernova by Marissa Meyer. 7. This was the third book in Meyer’s Renegade trilogy, and it was just as much fun as the first two. Meyer is another author that I follow. Her Lunar Chronicles series was FANTASTIC. I don’t know if I liked the Renegades quite as much as that series, but it was still a good set of books. Another view of good versus evil (and the grey area in between) in a superhero context. I reviewed the first two books of this series in my book post for Q2 2019.
  • Ember Queen by Laura Sebastian. 7. Another finale in a trilogy I had already been reading. I reviewed the first two books in my post on Books of Q4 2019. The plot twist at the end of the second book had me excited for this one, and Sebastian didn’t disappoint. Strong female characters, and wonderful writing.
  • The Glittering Court. 7.
  • Midnight Jewel. 6.
  • The Emerald Sea by Richelle Mead. 7. I read this series after seeing it on Tread Lightly Retire Early’s 2019 Book List (which gave me lots of other great ideas!). While I really enjoyed it, I agree with Angela’s opinion that the third book was the best. I liked the first and third somewhat equally, but I thought the second was a little slower. All three books follow the same set of events but from three different protagonists’ standpoints. The third was unique enough that it wasn’t repetitive, but I found the second book couldn’t make the same claim.
  • Dear Martin by Nic Stone. 7. This was a great book. I saw it on a library list of books by black authors. It is definitely a young adult book, but it was beautiful, and it made me cry. I’ll definitely be reading the sequel.
  • The Toll by Neal Shusterman. 7. The final book in this trilogy! And what a book it was. So great. I reviewed the second one in my inaugural book recommendation post from 2018.
  • Court of Ruins by Jenna Wolfhart. 6. This was pretty good, especially for something I got on Kindle Unlimited (I have hit or miss experience with fantasy books I find on Kindle Unlimited). I enjoyed this one, and I’ll read the sequel.
  • The Wedding Date. 5.
  • The Proposal. 6.
  • The Wedding Party. 5.
  • Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory. 3. Ok, I realize how this is going to sound, but as lovely as these books were, I like my romance novels with a little more drama. I’m not saying I need a mustache-twirling villain, but I need something…So, these books were good, but they weren’t great in my opinion. I didn’t even finish Royal Holiday, and I’m not sure I’ll read the next book in the series. But if you’re looking for a lighthearted romance featuring diverse characters (representation is important in ALL genres!), then the first three of these at the very least are worth picking up.
  • Fierce Heart. 4.
  • War Bound by Tara Grayce. 4. These were good, and I think the plot foundation was solid, but, like with a lot of the fantasy books I find on Kindle Unlimited, it was a little too surface-level. Like, the author will have a great idea, but they clearly don’t have the worldbuilding expertise and editorial support that they need to take the idea all the way to the finish line. That’s how this felt. But they were lovely, quick reads. I’ll probably read the third book when it comes out.
  • The Princess Trials by Cordelia K Castel. 4. Another free one on Kindle Unlimited. I really liked the general idea, even if it clearly pulled heavily from The Hunger Games and Kiera Cass. That being said, there were some problematic elements that I didn’t love. I’ll probably read at least the second book, but not until I get another free trial of Kindle Unlimited. Also, side note, the Hunger Games series is free on Kindle Unlimited right now! In case you haven’t read it or want to reread it. Now, THAT is a series that gets a top score from me.
  • Seas of Crimson Silk by Emma Hamm. 3. Good concept, average execution. I got it free with Kindle Unlimited. Probably wouldn’t pay for it. But I did like the premise. Essentially, what I said for the previous series as well, except this time I didn’t even bother reading the second book. Hence the slightly lower rating.
  • Pathways by Camille Peters. 2. It was a cute story (in the fairy-tale fantasy genre), but there were some flaws in the plot that REALLY pissed me off. Enough that I didn’t bother with the subsequent books in the series. Free on Kindle Unlimited.

Wow. That was a long blog post. I’m planning to go back to a quarterly schedule for the second half of the year…maybe. But I hope you enjoy some of these, and if you do, I’d love to hear about it! And I’m always open to recommendations for new books.

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