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#TopTenTuesday: Favourite 2020 Reads!

Dini @ dinipandareads33 Comments

So, we’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s prompt is: Favourite Books of 2020.

I can’t believe that it’s already time to make this list because wow, what a year 2020 has been, eh? I mean, we all know what kind of year it was and although not all of us had the worst one, I think the general mood of 2020 has been pretty despondent. I’m definitely not expecting things to magically turn around in 2021 but I am hoping that it’ll at least be marginally better than this one (I’m keeping my expectations low though so that I might be pleasantly surprised)! 😂

That said, it was a pretty great year for books/reading and I’m sure many of you will agree! Although it actually wasn’t my best year, I did get to some pretty fantastic titles that I’m sure will stick with me for a while to come. Unsurprisingly, I’m notoriously bad at picking ‘favourites’ so this list was a bit of a struggle 😂 It took me way too long to narrow it down and definitely don’t be surprised by the few honorary mentions at the end! I’m really keen to see what 2021 brings in terms of reading and I’m hoping that I’ll get to even more of my backlist because let’s face it, it gets bigger with each year that passes! Now without further ado, here are my favourites for the year…

THE HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA

Of this whole list, this was without question the only easy choice for me. And with how much and how often I’ve been raving about this book and everything it made me feel, it should come as no surprise! This was the most feel-good, heartwarming, and emotional read. I will never stop singing its praises!

NEVERMOOR

Okay, I’m cheating a bit with this as I’m only mentioning the first book BUT the first two books of this middle-grade fantasy series have very quickly risen to the top of my all-time favourites. It’s whimsical, magical, heartwarming, and just so much fun. Nevermoor is an absolute treat to read!

THE POPPY WAR

This was an unexpected favourite but it absolutely blew my mind. Every amazing thing you hear about this book is justified. It’s so extremely well-deserved because wow (yeah, I’m good with words). It’s definitely on the darker side of fantasy and Kuang doesn’t gloss over the brutality of war but it was extremely gripping and I became so invested in Rin’s journey. I can’t wait to read on!

WITH THE FIRE ON HIGH

This book was everywhere last year and I’m so mad at myself for sleeping on it until 2020 but I’m beyond glad that I finally picked it up because it was perfection. I still haven’t written my review because words failed me big time–I was so lost in my feels after reading this! Acevedo’s prose was *chefs kiss*, the characters stole my heart, and the food? THE FOOD!!!

WORDS IN DEEP BLUE

Even despite finding one of the main characters incredibly irritating, this book made me an emotional hot mess. I was crying the ugly (silent) cry because of all the feels! It was a love story not just between people but for books. It wasn’t perfect but it was so full of heart that you can’t help loving it.

AMARI AND THE NIGHT BROTHERS

This was one of my more recent reads and what I felt while reading this is what I strive to feel every time I pick up a book. It filled me with pure excitement and joy, and gave me such a heady rush of emotions that it made me so sad to reach the end. This middle-grade fantasy is out in January 2021 and I absolutely cannot wait for the world to experience all the black girl magic!

SPIN THE DAWN

This was another book that I’m annoyed to have put off reading until this year! This Asian inspired fantasy was pitched as Mulan meets Project Runway and not to be cheesy but Lim’s writing was enchanting! I loved the Asian setting, the political intrigue, the magic and oh, the romance! *swoon*

BAD BLOOD

This was one of three non-fiction titles I read this year and it really had me questioning whether I was reading NF or some crazy ass sci-fi thriller because wow. Even though its been a few years since it actually happened, reading about Theranos and the sociopaths/megalomaniacs that ran the company was utterly terrifying. It blew my mind that they got away with so much for so long!

tHE BLACK KIDS

This was an important and extremely relevant read that makes you critically examine our society and ourselves. It was unsettling and it certainly made me uncomfortable. It was shocking and eye-opening. It was infuriating and honestly, the character’s flaws were often irritating. At the same time, it was also one of the best coming-of-age stories I’ve read in a very long time!

The mountains sing

This was one of those books where you can really feel the author’s heart in the story. It’s a sweeping historical family saga that paints an evocative picture of Vietnam’s history. It was a very unique perspective and not only was it education, it’s beautifully written and broke my heart!

HONORARY MENTIONS BECAUSE I COULDN’T NOT DO THIS…

Okay, okay, okay… I really need to stop here otherwise I’ll end up listing most of the books that I read this year because there were really so many good ones and more that deserve attention! 😂

What are some of your favourite books of 2020? Did any of these make your list or are they on your TBR?

33 thoughts on “#TopTenTuesday: Favourite 2020 Reads!”

  5. So many of these books are on my TBR. I just got Spin the Dawn last week and can’t wait to get to it. And Love Lettering was so sweet and amazing! One of the best reads ever for sure. I hope the coming new brings you many great vibes full of joy and health. 😊Here’s the LINK to my post in case you want to drop by later. Have an amazing week!❤️️

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  6. Like you, Cerulean Sea was an easy pick for me this year! I loved it so much. I read Fire on High and Poppy War last year and both were fantastic. I’ll read everything Acevedo comes out with, Poet X and Clap When You Land are also beautifully written. Happy 2021!

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  7. What I learnt from this post is that you cannot resist a blue cover 😂

    I cannot wait for 2021, 2020 brought some great reads but I’m so ready for it be over, even though there’s still a long way to go, pandemic wise.

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  11. What a great list! I absolutely loved The House in the Cerulean Sea (thanks for the rec), Spin the Dawn, and The Henna Wars too – we truly are book twins 👯‍♀️ It was honestly super tough to pic just 10! But you picked some truly awesome books.

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  14. Great list, Dini! I really need to cross The House in the Cerulean Sea off my TBR, I’ve heard so many good things about it and it sounds like such a cosy, hopeful story. You’ve got me so excited for Amari and the Night Brothers too – I can’t wait to read it!

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  16. Ok so I really need to pick up The House on the Cerulean Sea because everybody raves about it! Also so happy Amari made your list, I absolutely loved it but had already scheduled my debuts list 🙈. Looks like you read some amazing books this year.

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  20. I have seen The House In The Cerulean Sea on so many lists today. I bought a copy of it but just ran out of time and didn’t get to read it this year. Definitely planning to read it in January though. I also really want to read The Poppy War.

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  24. So many amazing books on this list! Yes, to the Poppy War.. I have Dragon Republic on another list. I think I kept it on there.. haha. It’s just SO hard to choose when I read so many amazing books!! Let’s hope for an amazing 2021!!

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  26. Not surprised to see The House in the Cerulean Sea on this list, and it makes my little heart sing. I love seeing people love that book! Made my list, too. 😀 I’m so glad you got to read Nevermoor and ended up loving it, too! Now you just need to catch up on the series. 😉 Amari and the Night Brothers was soooo good, too! 2021 is going to have to up its game in order to top 2020’s middle grade releases. Just saying.

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