Top 10 Books of 2020

Hey readers! As many of you know, I am an avid reader. I read 64 books (!!) totaling over 20,000 pages this year. I post Reading List blog posts regularly, so I have mentioned all of these books already. Today I am sharing the top 10 books that I read this year. This list was so hard but so much fun to compile! In 2021, I am keeping my reading goal at 52 books for an average of 1 book per week. Hopefully, I will surpass that goal again! You can check out my 2020 Reading Challenge and keep up with my current reads on Goodreads.

One of my goals for 2020 was to read more books by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) authors and books that tell BIPOC stories — both fiction and nonfiction. I set this goal for myself in June, and I have read so many great books in these categories since then. I will make a note of any book in these categories below! In 2021, this will definitely continue to be a goal of mine. Alright, here are the top 10 books that I read in 2020!

One

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson

This is the best book I read this year. I listened to the audio version in August and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. This book is written by lawyer Bryan Stevenson and tells the stories of the people he has represented — some of whom were falsely accused and sentenced to death row. Throughout the book, he weaves in facts about the justice system, specifically as it relates to BIPOC. This is a heartbreaking and enlightening book that I cannot recommend more. Once you read it, you can watch the documentary!

Nonfiction; Written by a BIPOC author

Two

The Truths We Hold: An American Journey by Kamala Harris

An inspiring read written by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. I listened to this as an audiobook and loved learning about Kamala’s perspective on so many important topics. It gave me more insight into who she is and what she stands for.

Nonfiction; Written by a BIPOC author

Three

The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, & Karen White

I read this book back in March, and it’s another that I haven’t stopped thinking about. I absolutely loved it. This book is set back in time and tells the story of the Lusitania, a ship that sunk in 1915 due to a German U-boat. The authors tell a fictional story that switches between time periods, weaves in multiple perspectives, and includes a compelling mystery and love story.

Four

Beach Read by Emily Henry

Another book that I loved and haven’t stopped raving about since May. This book is unique in that it is a book about a book! This is about two authors who go from enemies to more-than-friends. Such a cute romance for book lovers.

Five

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory

This is part of a 5-book series, but each book can be read on its own without reading the previous books in the series. I read a lot of nonfiction books by BIPOC authors this year, so I was thrilled to find this fictional series. The author does a wonderful job of writing fun, witty romance novels while weaving in important issues regarding race and equality. I loved this entire series, but this one was my favorite!

Fiction; Written by a BIPOC author

Six

28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand

Of course there had to be an Elin Hilderbrand book on this list. I’m her biggest fan! (LOL) This was Elin’s new book that came out in June, and it totally met the high expectations that I set for her novels. This book tells a love story over the course of, you guessed it, 28 summers. This is my favorite book by Elin Hilderbrand that I read this year.

Seven

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

This book had me laughing out loud on multiple occasions. It tells the story of two enemies who are forced on a honeymoon together because the bride and groom got sick and they didn’t want the trip to go to waste. Such a fun read! These authors were recommended by my friend, and I can’t wait to read more books by them. (Christina Lauren is actually a pair! I was shocked when I found that out last week.)

Eight

Friends and Strangers by J. Courtney Sullivan

I loved reading about the complicated friendship between a college student and young mom who hires her to be her babysitter. So much changed for each of them in the course of 1 year! I found myself wanting to read it all the time.

Nine

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

This is such an incredible book. This tells the fictional story of Alice, a successful college professor who develops early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. It is a heartbreaking story that chronicles the progression of Alzheimer’s disease from the patient’s perspective.

Ten

This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens

Another book that had me laughing out loud! The way it was written also had a way of giving me butterflies as if I was part of the love story. So cute and such a fun read.

Honorable Mentions (because it was too hard to pick just 10)

• So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo (Nonfiction; Written by a BIPOC author)
• Every Note Played by Lisa Genova
• Troubles in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand
• The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
• The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory (Fiction; Written by a BIPOC author)
• One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London
• The Beauty in Breaking by Michele Harper (Nonfiction; Written by a BIPOC author)
• Tomorrow will be Different: Love, Loss, and the Right for Trans Equality by Sarah McBride (Nonfiction; Written by a transgender author)
• One Day in December by Josie Silver

Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think of them? Comment your favorite book from 2020 below!