My Favorite Books of 2020 pt. 1! // aka books i didn’t 5 star but are still my favorites???

Hi friends! I’m here for the penultimate list of 2020 that is not being posted in 2020! However, I really wanted to start off 2021 with a sense of hope and positivity, because as hard as the year was, some true blessings came out of it. With that being said, let’s talk about my favorite books!

honorary mentions!

Shine was probably my favorite contemporary of the year, with Super Fake Love Song coming up close. Was it the best? No. However, the main theme of Kpop training held my attention, and was a very much different setting from the contemporaries I normally read. It was such a great read that wasn’t too heavy and I’m excited for a sequel!

the confusion is real with this one.

Having read this over the course of two years, I don’t feel right putting it as a favorite. Heck, I still don’t even know how I’m going to review it. Some of (okay, most of) the early part of the book I’ve pretty much forgotten. But generally this was a great sequel that expanded the world more than I could have imagined, and packed some (EXTREMELY HEARTBREAKING MIGHT I ADD) twists! And of course, I adore all the characters with everything I am* so that’s a definite plus. Queen of Air and Darkness, I’m coming for you!

*julian and ty are everything and i will fight you if you disagree. don’t laugh. i! am! serious!

My Official Favorite Books of 2020!

I might not have five-starred this, but I can’t deny the impact of this book on me. In the past three years I’ve been logging what I’ve read, the only other YA mystery/thriller that overcame the limits of the genre is Sadie by Courtney Summers. A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder is an absolute triumph in the sense that it doesn’t rely on overused tropes, bratty main characters, and teenage drama to propel it forward. Sure, it has flaws. But the sheer effort put into crafting a solid mystery-thriller really did impress me.

This is another read I only four-starred*. However, out of all the Wayward Children books I’ve read (yes, even Down Among the Sticks and Bones), In An Absent Dream is the one that sticks out to me the most. It reads as a fairy-tale, both tragic and strange. Despite taking place in a world of logic and rules, there’s a sense of dark whimsy that is terrifyingly captivating. The pacing of the plot is perfect, the worldbuilding is fantastic, and the themes that are presented in this book only serve to drive home the signature Wayward Children vibe.

*why do i even rate books as soon as i read them i swear-

Going off of the last book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a story I absolutely adored for its lack of rules. Sure, it’s not the best book I’ve read. But it is for sure one of the most enjoyable, familar, and unpredictable stories I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Its whimsy is full of heart, with surprisingly adult themes scattered around. I really loved this a lot.

Creativity is an element in mystery/thrillers that is slowly being lost. However, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is not lacking creativity in any shape or form. This is a novel that revels in questions, both for the main character and the reader. The plotting of this book is nothing short of genius. Achieving a brilliant balancing between a complex timeloop, a vast set of multi-dimensional characters, and high stakes detective work, the author pulls off what can only be described as a modern masterpiece. However, Turton’s fatshaming during one point, and certain aspects to this book that are relatively unpolished lead me to give this a lower spot and rating than it might have gotten.

So that’s it! Halfway through this list I decided to split this up into two parts because this is honestly way too much typing and reading for everyone involved. But I hope you all enjoyed! Share with me your thoughts on these books, or some of your favorites!