2020 was the year that I read the most amount of books I have ever read in a given year. As I reflect on why that was, I realize what a comfort books have been for me. 2020 was the year of the global pandemic, of teaching online for the first time ever and not traveling or seeing my family as often as I would have liked. While everyone experienced hardships this year because of the pandemic, I am thankful for the positives in my life. Especially books. 

Out of all the books I read, there were some definite favourites, and I have separated them by genre. Here you will find lists of my favourites for each genre. If you would like to know my thoughts on each individual book, feel free to check out my Instagram page or that books review post.

Without further ado, here are my favourities of the year:

Historical Fiction:

The Light After the War by Anita Abriel
The Rebels of Ireland by Edward Rutherfurd
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
New York by Edward Rutherfurd
A Column of Fire by Ken Follett
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
The Guardian of Lies by Kate Furnivall
The Black Swan of Paris by Karen Robards
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel
The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue
The Secrets of Saffron Hall by Clare Merchant
Edge of Eternity by Ken Follett
The Woman in Red by Diana Giovimazzo
Mistress of Rome and Empress of the Seven Hills by Kate Quinn
The Lost Queen and the Forgotten Kingdom by Signe Pike
Lovely War by Julie Barry
The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson
The Enigma Game by Elizabeth Wein
The Evening and the Morning by Ken Follett
Bridgerton Series by Julia Quinn
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Circe by Madeline Miller
The Mermaid of Jeju by Sumi Hahn
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
The Hearts Invisible Furies by John Boyne
Lana’s War by Anita Abriel

Classics:

Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
Passing by Nella Larsen
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

Contemporary:

When We Were Vikings by Andrew MacDonald
Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
In Five Years by Rebecca Searle
There, There by Tommy Orange
The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo
Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Beach Read by Emily Henry
Charming as a Verb by Ben Phillipe
Mistletoe and Mr. Right by Sarah Morgenthaler
On Beauty by Zadie Smith
You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

Non-Fiction:

The Witches are Coning by Lindy West
Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga
All Our Relations by Tanya Talaga
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
Know My Name by Chantel Miller
Over the Top by Jonathan Van Ness
Hunger by Roxane Gay
How We Fight for Our Lives by Saeed Jones
High School by Tegan and Sara Quin
Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls by T Kira Madden
All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M Johnson
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
Stamped from the Beginning by Ibr X Kendi
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
Heavy by Kiese Laymon
Marley and Me by John Grogan
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

Fantasy:

Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken
Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare
House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas
The Deep by Rivers Solomon
Ever Cursed by Corey Ann Haydu
Flame in the Mist by Renee Andieh
Traitor to the Throne and Hero at the Fall by Alwyn Hamilton
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong