My Top 10 Reads of 2020

It’s hard to believe that 2020 is drawing to a close. It would be quite easy to sit here and focus on all of the things we didn’t do this year, the places we didn’t go to, the people we didn’t see. Instead, I’m going to write about something that consistently bought a smile to my face, even when it seemed that the world around us was falling apart. I’m talking about books. I’m certain that I am not the only one who sought comfort between the pages of stories this year. And whilst I may have fallen slightly short of my 52 books in 52 weeks challenge this time around, I did set up Beth Anne’s Book Club in June and this is one of THE best things I could’ve done. Not only did the book club encourage me to keep reading, even when my anxiety was so high that a lot of activities seemed impossible, but I found such a beautiful and supportive little community. Our Book Club zoom calls became something to look forward to and I am incredibly grateful to the women who joined and took part. So without further ado, here are my top 10 reads of 2020. Oh and these books are my own personal choices, not that of the book club.

Where The Crawdads Sing – Delia Owen

For years, Kya Clark has survived alone in the marsh that she calls home. But when two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself up to the possibility of a new life. But then one of those men is found dead.

Whilst this list of my top 10 reads of 2020 isn’t in any particular order, if it were then I’d have to rate Where the Crawdads Sing waaaaaaay up there at the top. The writing is so beautiful and I was absolutely mesmerised by the story and Kya’s life.  I got pretty invested and was actually a little sad when it ended. If you haven’t read this book then it HAS to be on your TBR list. Trust me on this one.

Normal People – Sally Rooney

Normal People is centred on two characters, Marianne and Connell, through their adolescence and in to early adulthood. We follow our protagonists from High School, where they develop a secret relationship, through to University where their social roles seem to have reversed. There are many barriers in their path including depression, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and suicide. And whilst the dynamics of the relationship between Marianne and Connell seems to constantly change; something keeps pulling them back towards each other.

For me, Normal People feels like a deep character study and it’s hard going but so incredibly beautiful. Both characters have serious flaws, which serves to make them more real and relatable. It’s actually quite an awkward and depressing tale about two people who are very different and yet they find exactly what they need in each other. I couldn’t look away. I cried. I felt frustrated and yet I loved it. I won’t be rushing to read it again though but if you haven’t already, then you definitely should 🙂 The BBC adaptation is also beyond captivating.

The Scent Keeper – Erica Bauermeister

Emmeline lives an enchanted childhood on a remote island with her father, who teaches her about the natural world through her senses. He is, however, reluctant to explain why drawers that line their cabin are filled with scents and as Emmeline grows, so does her curiosity.

The Scent Keeper was the first book that we read for Beth Anne’s Book Club and it was a firm favourite for everyone. Bauermeister’s writing is simply stunning and lyrical and the story is truly fascinating. I flew through it because I just couldn’t put it down. I also fellquite in love with Emmeline and her world. If you need a bit of escapism, this is the book for you.

The Memory Police – Yõko Ogawa

On an anonymous Island, items are disappearing on a regular basis. In the beginning they are small, perhaps unnoticeable objects but then things begin to get more serious.  As things disappear, the majority of the inhabitants of the island move on quickly but there remains a certain few who don’t forget. Enter the Memory Police, who are committed to ensuring that what has disappeared remains forgotten.

This book was first published in 1994 but was only translated in to English in 2019. It then went on to be nominated for several literary awards including the International Booker Prize 2020. It was actually the final book that I read this year but it most definitely deserves a place in my top 10. It’s a quietly devastating and haunting read with poetic yet simple prose. You will have so many questions and many of them will go unanswered. We don’t know the whos the whats or the whys but the premise is so thought provoking as is the story within the story. It’s quite possibly one of the strangest books that I’ve ever read and I’m still thinking about it many nights later.

Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race – Reni Eddo-Lodge

The book that sparked a national conversation. Written in 2014, award winning journalist Eddo-Lodge explores issues from eradicated black history to the political purpose of white dominance, whitewashed feminism to the inextricable link between class and race. This book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand race relations in Britain today.

We selected Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race as our book club read in response to the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement. I am quite ashamed to say that up until this point I really hadn’t read too many anti racist books. This was undoubtedly a very powerful one to start with. In the first chapter alone I learned more about black history in the country where I have lived my entire life, than I was ever taught in school.
It’s not an easy read and chances are you are going to feel uncomfortable and so you should. In fact if you want to be a better ally or anti racist then I think accepting that discomfort is going to be a huge part of it is important. I can’t say much more really, other than everyone should read this book.

Dear Edward – Ann Napolitano

One summer morning, a flight takes off from New York to Los Angeles. There are 191 passengers on board. When the plane crashes in a field in Colorado, 12 year old Edward Adler is the sole survivor. The story travels back and forth in time between the events of the flight and Edward’s life in the days, weeks and years after.

My favourite thing about this book is just how much the characters took a hold of my heart. I cared so much, about all of them and I think this tells you a lot about Napolitano’s writing. This book is without a doubt, filled with sadness but it’s also a beautiful and caring story that left me feeling quite hopeful.

The Secret To Not Drowning – Colette Snowden

On the surface, Marion’s life seems fine, but she is controlled and bullied by her husband on a daily basis. Her only ‘freedom’ is her weekly visit to the local swimming pool. After a chance meeting with an old friend, Marion is reminded of the person she used to be and who she may be able to be again.

To say that this is a beautifully written book would be something of an understatement. It’s an intimate portrait of a woman in her mid 30s who has been subjected to many years of emotional abuse. Her character is so believable and at times I felt like I couldn’t breathe as I waited for the worst possible scenario to unfold. It’s stifling, yet touching and I think it’s an important read. I can’t even remember how I came to find out about this book but I’m thankful that I did and I’m grateful to Blue Moose for publishing it.

The Night Circus – Erin Morgenstern

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway.

I cannot even begin to describe how jealous I am of anyone who is about to read this book for the first time. The story simply sparkles and the writing is like nothing I have experienced before. The Night Circus is hard to summarise but it transported me in to a magical world and I didn’t want to return from it. It reminded me of how I felt as a child reading Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree – simply enchanted. Honestly, it’s such a beautiful and breathtaking read and I think it will probably remain in my list of favourite books for the rest of my life.

The Midnight Library – Matt Haig

Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality.

Matt Haig is undoubtedly, a wonderful writer. Having devoured “How to Stop Time” in 2019, I was very eager to get my hands on The Midnight Library. It didn’t disappoint. It’s beautifully written and I found myself completely mesmerised, not just by Nora’s predicament but by the concept of how different your life could be if you had made one slightly different decision. This book, for me, felt a little like the classic movie “A Wonderful Life.” I loved the idea of living out different lives and that they all played out in parallel universes, regardless. It’s a magical and touching narrative and it was easily one of my favourite books of 2020.

My Dark Vanessa – Kate Elizabeth Russell

In 2000 Vanessa is a bright and ambitious 15 year old who becomes entangled in an affair with her forty-two-year-old English teacher. In 2017 the same teacher is accused of sexual assault by another student who reaches out to Vanessa. Vanessa faces an impossible dilemma and is forced to reassess what she considered/considers to be her first experience of love. Is it possible that the truth may be far from different to what she has always believed?

Another Beth Anne’s Book Club choice and possibly the hardest book I’ve read all year. It seems a little odd to put it in to my top 10 reads of 2020 because it was not a pleasant one. The subject matter is disturbing and for many I’m sure it will be triggering, perhaps even impossible. But the reason why I have rated My Dark Vanessa so highly is because of the writing and the way Russell has handled the very delicate context. I mean there isn’t really a perfect way to address sexual abuse and/or grooming and however it was done, it would be certain to upset people. But for me, the character of Vanessa felt so real, often frustratingly so. And whilst we may have seen several films or dramatisations about the victims of sexual abuse, I can’t recall one that focuses on the aftermath and the impact on someone’s life, long after the events. And that’s why it’s important. You will not only grieve for everything that Vanessa lost as a girl, you will also be quite furious about all of the things she never got to experience as a result of what was done to her. By no means an easy read and certainly not a novel to escape with. I recommend it nonetheless.

And they all lived happily ever after……

And there we have it. That is my top 10 reads of 2020 and I hope that there’s something there that might inspire you, especially as most of the UK are now heading in to tighter restrictions. Let me know in the comments what your favourite books of this year were or if you read any of the books I’ve recommended, I would love to know what you think. Also, if you’d like to join the book club in 2021 please pop over to my Insta and drop me a message. It’s 100% free to join and we are a lovely bunch, I promise.

Stay safe friends. Thanks for being here through such a tough year. Let’s hope 2021 is going to be a better one for us all.

Beth Anne xoxo