I have already shared my top ten reads of the year, but I wanted to take the time to highlight all of the books that I gave five stars to in 2020. I read 112 books in 2020, and 27 of them were five star reads, which is just under 25%. I am quite happy with that number!
These seven books are my top nonfiction reads of the year! Click here if you want to read more about why I loved them. The fact that seven of my 27 five stars are nonfiction tells me I need to prioritize nonfiction in 2021.
Once Upon an Eid is my favourite anthology collection. Each and every story is beautiful and touching. I took so much away from these stories and learned about some of the ways that Eid is celebrated. It is something I would recommend to everyone and anyone.
I always say that Tiffany D. Jackson was my greatest discovery of 2020, and Let Me Hear a Rhyme was the book that started me on this journey with her books. The fact that this book is set in the 90s makes it feel nostalgic, but it is also such a heartbreaking story about grief and the power of music. I loved the friendships in this!
I read The Mothers after reading and loving The Vanishing Half (I gave it 4.5 stars!) earlier in the year. I didn’t expect to rate The Mothers even higher, but there is something about the slice of life element to this story that I connected with. It is a quieter story, and I found myself deeply invested in Nadia. I distinctly remember reading this through tears. It was incredible, and I cannot wait to see what Brit Bennett publishes next!
I have rated every volume of the Heartstopper graphic novels five stars! Nick and Charlie are the best and I love seeing how their connection grows throughout each volume. I always turn to this when I need to read something I know will warm my heart, and they never let me down.
On another day, Cemetery Boys could have been in my top ten. As I am typing this, I am questioning why I didn’t include it! This book completely blew me away and Yadriel and Julian are two of my favourite characters. I loved their banter so much! I cannot wait to read more from Aiden Thomas, who has a new book coming out in 2021!
I feel like people are sleeping on The Subtweet, and it is such a shame! It is just over 200 pages, extremely fast-paced, and is an interesting commentary on social media- something that I have been fascinated about in fiction lately. It is also an honest look at female friendship and on how women, particularly women of colour, are often pitted against one another. A book I need to reread at some point!
Even though the title prepares you for what is going to happen, The Death of Vivek Oji absolutely shattered me! I think it is the book that has haunted me the most this year and is one of the most incredible books about grief- and as you may know, I have read many. Akwaeke Emezi is truly a genuis.
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I finally finished The Illuminae Files this year, and Gemina was definitely the standout in the series. It was action-packed, and the connection between Hanna and Nik was my favourite- they had great tension and banter. Just talking about this book makes me want to reread it. I need to read more books told in this format.
Aphrodite Made Me Do It was my first read of 2020, and what a way to start the year! I am not someone who is drawn to poetry, but this collection has stayed with me. I loved how Aphrodite was weaved into the collection, and the artwork throughout is also really beautiful. I highly recommend this even if you are not a poetry lover!
Anxious People was not at all what expected, and I think I loved it for that reason. No one writes a book quite in the same way as Fredrik Backman, and that is why he continues to be one of my favourite authors. This book ended up being quirky and funny while also being moving and touching on some difficult themes. Loved it!
What were some of your five star reads of 2020?
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