I’m sure many can relate when I say that I have read significantly more than usual this year. So far, I have gotten through 31 books in 2020! I’ve fallen in love with so many new genres and grown my library in the best way possible. I actually haven’t read more than 2 or 3 books that I didn’t like in some way, so shrinking my list down to the best of the best was a little challenging. Nevertheless, below are my top 7 books of 2020 so far! They’re my across the board recommendations that I truly believe anyone can enjoy or gain something from.
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Turtles All the Way Down by John Green – This book follows a high school girl who suffers with OCD and anxiety. As someone with OCD, I feel that the representation of intrusive thoughts and compulsions was near perfect and almost beautiful in a way. There were certain points where I had to put the book down because the descriptions were so intense that it felt like I was reading my own thoughts and it started to feel uncomfortable. I’ve heard several people say that they experienced the same overwhelming sensations, so be aware of that if you decide to pick this one up! If you have someone in your life who struggles with anxiety or OCD, this book can help you gain you perspective and understanding. There are also themes of friendship, family, and mystery, so nearly anyone can find something to love. The book has a beautifully realistic and metaphoric ending. Overall, this book stands out among Green’s other works and I highly recommend.
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The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison – This one is very heavy and I’m not sure that I can sum it up in a way that does it any justice. It is about children and racism and colorism and generational trauma and abuse and so much more. It’s a super quick read and is the most beautiful prose I think I have ever read, but it is heartbreaking and can be triggering for many. This book left the biggest impact on me this year and I find myself returning to it often.
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White Teacher Talks about Race by Julie Landsman – This one follows a high school teacher through a single day of work. It talks about racial issues and how they come up in the classroom and in social settings. If you’re in education, this is a must-read. It’s written in a very readable style and was enjoyable and entertaining. The themes are not thrown down your throat in any way, and I wish this was one of the books about race that made it into the mainstream.
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Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid – The format of this book threw me off at first but I’m glad I gave it a try. Daisy Jones follows a fictional 70s band through a series of interviews. It’s very drugs, sex, and rock n roll, with a side of relationships of all kinds. Plus, it’s lightly inspired by Fleetwood Mac and knowing that made reading it really fun for me. It can’t even try to sum it up but it’s the type of book that you just immediately re-read. I’ve heard the casted audiobook is phenomenal, so that can be helpful if the interview format trips you up.
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Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston – This was the most fun and refreshing book I read this year. It’s a romance about the First Son of the United States and a Prince. It has great representation and made me laugh out loud. I think this is a great book to try if you’re in a rut and need something light and easy to read. It is a debut and I could definitely tell, but it was easy to look past any little quirks because the story is so fun!
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Becoming by Michelle Obama – I listened to this one and it was just great, especially with Michelle’s own narration. I loved hearing her story. It was entertaining, informational, and empowering – I think it’s worth the read for everyone!
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Wilder Girls by Rory Power – This one was suggested to me as a “feminist Lord of the Flies” and I have to say that statement sums it up pretty well. This book is also described as sapphic horror and focuses on quarantine, friendship, questioning authority, and strong girls and women. It takes place on an island at an all girls boarding school. Long story short, they are cut off from the rest of the world because of an insane disease that gives them mutations like scaled hands, multiple hearts, and trees growing inside of them. Experiencing the quarantine vibes of this book in the middle of 2020 was truly an experience. I think our current situation enahnced this book is ways the author never could have imagined. Anyways, it’s a mystery and it’s written beautifully! The descriptions are just perfect – creepy enough to make you cringe but not enough to lose sleep, probably. Reading it was a great journey and the ending is inconclusive in the best way.