With last years reading challenge going reasonably well, I thought 20 books in 2020 was a great plan, but admittedly, I started a little late … April to be exact. Granted, I had started 21 Lessons for the 21st Century back in January, I thought that starting such a book at the commencement of a new decade would be perfect, but, I got half way and had to put a pause and pick up some fiction. And so I was picking up fiction for the majority of the year.
Now, 2019 seemed to be the year of Murakami, having read three of his books that year, but 2020 was a little calmer on that front, having none of his books read, against the will and recommendations of some of my friends but I don’t think I was ready for his literature this year. After having such a long break from books, I essentially powered through 21 books since I got home in July. With having so little to do and in trying to keep this blog and my bookstagram afloat, I am kind of exhausted and burn out in the reading department. Not something great considering my to-be read pile but I’m sure this feeling will pass.
As I have done in previous years, I decided to have small summaries for the books I read in one post with links to their main post (if they have one). Granted, I feel like this is my longest post yet with the sheer amount of books I managed to get through this year. So here is to the books that kept me company in 2020!
The Family Upstairs (Lisa Jewell) : It’s a little embarrassing having the full book you read be all the way out in mid-April, but alas, it happens to the best of us. I started out the year with a non-fiction book that I wasn’t all that interested in, there was something that didn’t grip me like other books had and I think that was my first mistake, trying to power through something I wasn’t all that keen on reading. This clearly showed when I read Jewell’s book in about 3 days.
Pine (Francine Toon) : Not quite what I expected. Going into it, I had some high hopes, but, was unfortunately underwhelmed when reading it, which was rather disappointing. All in all, I don’t really think this was quite my cup of tea.
The Waiter (Matias Faldbakken) : The review I published was very short and sweet, but with so many things going on in my personal life, this book was really not given enough attention, and because of that, it will definitely be getting a re-read sometime.
exciting times (Naoise Dolan) : Definitely tied for one of my favorite books of the year (so far at least). Powered through this one in two days, and realistically, had I put my mind to it, it could have probably been a day. If you enjoyed Sally Rooney’s novels, you’ll enjoy this one.
Go Set a Watchman (Harper Lee) : After having this on my to-read pile for years, I finally got through it! Though it may not have been worth the wait, it was still a good read, one that I will look back to with fond memories and even recommend to some.
The High Mountains of Portugal (Yann Martel) : I only teared up a little bit after I finished this book. All of the parts of the stories come full circle, carrying you both through time and the beautifully described settings of Portugal. Yann Martel truly has away with descriptions, and this is another book that reflects this. Great for anytime of year, or for when you feel like running away.
The Haunted Hotel (Wilkie Collins) : This was my first read on a kindle, and I don’t know if that’s why I couldn’t get into the book or whether it was the book itself that was the issue. I would say that it was one that was not as easy to read as I thought it would be, with simultaneously a lot going on, and not so much. But all the names are so similar due to the web of relations between all the characters.
My Dark Vanessa (Kate Elizabeth Russell) : This book took bookstagram like a storm, and for all the right reasons. I powered through this one in a matter of hours, not being able to put it down once I started. The plot is as turbulent as that of the protagonists life, becoming a page-turner.
Expectation (Anna Hope) : I knew starting this book that it was not one that I usually go for, but oddly enough, when I began reading it, it became harder and harder to put it down. I’m not sure if it necessarily opened my eyes to different elements of life, but there was something about it that kept me wanting to know more about the life of the characters which are threaded in the pages. A tale of friendships, struggles and growth, a perfect mix of it all sits in the 300 some pages of the novel.
The Flatshare (Beth O’Leary) : In short, this book was a whirlwind. I laughed with it, smiled while turning the pages and reading the various passages, was visibly shocked at various plot twists and turns, and left me in happy tears on numerous occasions. It follows the lives of turbulent Tiffy, and rather set in his ways Leon, and their peculiar living situation that definitely wouldn’t be up everyones alley.
Nine Perfect Strangers (Liane Moriarty) : How do you get through a book where you don’t like the protagonist of the story? Very slowly, which was a little unexpected after the hype it seemed to get. Though a psychological thriller, and though at times indeed psychologically challenging and unusual, there was just something about this one that fell a little short.
Midnight Sun (Stephenie Meyer) : Someone hand me a box of tissues and hold me I have just re-lived my teenage years and want to go back. This book gave me a serious sense of nostalgia and now more than ever I want to re-read the Twilight books to see how those compare to this one. Did I watch the films? Of course, how could I not? But back to the book, it is definitely one to read if you were into the original series back in its prime.
21 Lessons for the 21st Century (Yuval Noah Harari) : Can you believe that I finally got through this book? because I can’t. Now, let me preface this with saying that I am not one to reach for non fiction, especially ones concerning civilization and technology. I though this book was going to be a great idea for the start of the year – new year, new century, new me and all that but it turned out that that idea was kind of a flop. You live and you learn. This was definitely a challenging text to get through, but I managed, and am hoping to reach for it again in the future when I am in a different mind set with less .. life things going on.
The Testaments (Margaret Atwood) : Another fantastic novel by Atwood. I forgot how good her writing was, and this novel proved to me that there are definitely more of her texts that I should read. It is a book that is worth the read, even if just as a stand alone or as a taste of what the author herself has to offer.
Franny and Zooey (J.D. Salinger) : An unplanned read of the year. This was not on my to-read list when I first started creating this post, but, after some browsing on Goodreads, I stumbled upon some post that labeled this book as one of those must reads, so after some searching, I saw that it was at my old schools library, and as I graduated a fair few years ago, I got my mom to check it out (felt she was more reliable than my brother in this case). It has a similar air to The Catcher in the Rye, focusing on two young adults and various relationships they get into as well as their various troubles.
The Goldfinch (Donna Tartt) : Hm.. a book that I was keen on and thoroughly enjoyed, though there were moments that dragged on which dampened the admiration that I had for the text in the beginning. It’s a good book, but it is a long one. The film is out which, despite the slight lackluster reviews, I thought it was really good and represented the intricacies of the plot well. Of course, like with any film the text goes into more depth on characters, their personalities, even moments of their lives. It’s not a replacement by all means, but if you’re not keen on 800+ pages, it gets the message across, but together, they compliment each other very nicely.
The Starless Sea (Erin Morgenstern) : I love a book that you pick up unexpectedly, and after reading the blurb you immediately fall deep into the tale and what’s to come. This is one of those books. Picture this, you’re taken into a story where you are able to read the same tales as the protagonists. You experience the words on a page just as those you are reading about; you are almost part of the story which you are reading about. It is a magical tale filled with twists and turns down to the very last pages. There are ambiguities in the tale that urge the reader to expect more, and so we wait in hopes for a sequel because, I need more time with these characters.
Here is the Beehive (Sarah Crossnan) : It’s hard to sum up a book as intricate as this one, with its poetic structure of a tale that you would associate with structured prose. It is definitely not your run of the mill book, and will leave an imprint on you once you’ve finished and look back on the life of the protagonist and see the struggles that they went through. Who was in the wrong? Who’s to tell, one, after all, is gone.
I am Pilgrim (Terry Hayes) : This book is a trek. It is long book, and it’s hard to place a coherent thought about it, there is a lot to it and a lot to process through it. The tension in it is almost tangible as you turn the pages, it really is a thriller. It’s an interesting title that can be interpreted in many ways; who really is the pilgrim at the end of it all? Or does the role change depending on the point of the book? I will say that it is at times a stressful read, filled with dramatic ironies I never knew where the plot would take me after I turned the page, and nothing can really prepare you for what happens over the course of the tale.
Eight Detectives (Alex Pavesi) : Will I ever learn to not buy a book simply because the cover is pretty? Probably not, but I sure am glad I got this one. Linking eight, arguably nine, mysteries with mathematical nuances is not something that I have seen much, if ever, in this genre – but I am here for it. This was definitely a good read, filled with twists and turns and not knowing what was coming next. A quick read that is easy to separate into manageable parts for reading, and good for any time of the year, be that the autumnal seasonal chill that fits in with the motifs of thrillers, or the scorching summer sun that lets you read for hours on end.
The Devil and the Dark Water (Stuart Turton) : I will say that this was an enjoyable read despite being quite a packed book. The shortness of the chapters definitely helps with driving the plot forward, having such small sections definitely made it easier for me to keep on top of what was going on. A different tale to his previous text, which is something to keep in mind when picking it up, but still in the same genre pool and with his quirky elements such as providing a characters list and drawings of the setting.
Girl, Woman, Other (Bernardine Evaristo) : It took me some time to get to this book, but I was glad once I did. It wasn’t the quickest read but definitely worth it. This book is unique, and deserving of its nominations and the time it takes to read it. An interesting piece written in an interesting and refreshing way, breaking away from traditional structures and demonstrating new ways of viewing people and their circumstances.
Catching Fire (Suzanne Collins) : I think this is my final read of the year. There are only a few days left of 2020 and the likelihood of me getting through another book is slim, I may have given myself book burn out… but real quick about this book! I read it as a read-along with some book (and non-book) Instagrammers which was quite fun and made me reach for a book that I haven’t even thought about in, if my math is correct, eight years. I powered through it the first time I read it, and it definitely took me longer to get through it this time around. Not really due to the plot but more relating to life things going on and putting reading on second place. A series that I have always considered as a great read and recommended to many, it’s engaging, easy to read and follow, event at times hard to put down because of the rapid unfolding of the action that goes on.
I don’t know about anyone else but I am exhausted after this year and cannot wait to see what 2021 will bring in terms of all aspects of life. I’m excited for things to change in the upcoming year, around the world and in my life. For many this year was faced with ups and downs and challenges, but with that also come achievements.
aga is reading 