Top Ten Tuesday: Favourite Books of 2020

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

2020 was a topsy-turvy reading year for me, and I wouldn’t be surprised if many of you feel the same way. We’ve all been through a lot this year.

dried plants on top of a small stack of books.The Deep by Rivers Solomon

(My review of it is here).

What I Liked Most About It: The world building was well done and there were many scenes I thought would be memorable on the big or small screen.

 

Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter” by Kate Clifford Larson

What I Liked Most About It: I had a vague notion of the existence of a member of the Kennedy family who was lobotomized, but I didn’t know why that happened or what their fate was afterwards. Her tale was a sad, poignant one.

 

The Ghost Child” by Sonya Hartnett

What I Liked Most About It: The magical realism added such a nice touch to the main character’s descriptions of what life was like for her in retirement.

 

Zombies Run!: Keeping Fit and Living Well in the Current Zombie Emergency” by Naomi Alderman

What I Liked Most About It: Zombies might not be real, but there is a ton of great advice here about how to live as healthily as possible when your community is in lockdown, say, due to a worldwide pandemic.

 

The Pull of the Stars” by Emma Donoghue

What I Liked Most About It: The descriptions of the 1918 flu pandemic, the medical treatments for it, and how hard these characters worked to keep their patients alive were mesmerizing.

 

A Good Time to Be Born: How Science and Public Health Gave Children a Future” by Perri Klass

What I Liked Most About It: It gave so many reasons to be grateful to live in 2020, and it provided personal accounts from various historical eras on a topic that isn’t generally discussed in history classes. For the vast majority of human history, about half of all children died before reaching adulthood.  It took us multiple generations and the cooperation of countless scientists, politicians, and ordinary people to slowly create entire societies where the vast majority of children live.

128 Comments

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128 Responses to Top Ten Tuesday: Favourite Books of 2020

  1. Hi Lydia! I haven’t read The pull of the stars yet, but I’m quite sure that someone will most probably buy it for our Book Club in 2021. I know about Rosemary, the hidden Kennedy sister – but not the full story. Will have to check it out.

    I hope 2021 brings along some great books for you.

    Happy New Year!

    Elza Reads’ Top Ten Favorites for 2020

  2. That Donoghue book sounds good… but I wonder if I could read it while this whole new pandemic is still going on!

  3. Stefani

    The Deep was a great, great read! Definitely one I’d like to reread at some point. Happy reading! https://readwithstefani.com/top-10-books-of-2020/

  4. I bet the book about the Kennedy daughter was good. They’re such an interesting family.

  5. I did not know about Rosemary and her story sounds absolutely heartbreaking. Good on you for finding worthwhile reads this year and I hope 2021 brings you even better ones 🙂

    Natalie @ The Biblioholic

  6. I really enjoyed Pull of the Stars.

  7. The only one I’ve heard of on this list is The Deep and I still have it on my TBR but I’ve heard good things about it (especially the audiobook) so I’m definitely looking forward to checking it out!

  8. This year has not been the best of years, but I have enjoyed getting to escape into the world of books. I haven’t read any of these but they sound interesting. Hope you find some more great reads in 2021!

  9. I have read a couple of pandemic related things this year as well. The Pull of the Stars would be an interesting read right now.

  10. Ooo I need to read The Pull of the Stars! Thanks for reminding me – although like some others I’m not sure that now is the best time! These were my favourite reads of 2020 if you wanted to check them out! Have a Happy New Year!

    • I totally understand that. Feel free to leave Pull of the Stars on your TBR until the 2020 pandemic has ended. It’s a timeless read.

      And I did leave a comment on your post! 🙂

  11. Great list!

    (www.evelynreads.com)

  12. I read The Deep last year and loved it😁

  13. I somehow missed mentions of the zombie run and natal books! Both sound interesting.

  14. I really want to read The Pull of the Stars, so I’m glad to see it made your top list of the year.

    -Lauren

  15. Zombies Run has the best title 🙂

  16. There was a hidden/ lobotomized Kennedy? :O Had no idea, and somehow this is the book that I want to read the most from this list. Probably because it reminds me of Dumas’s The Man in the Iron Mask?
    And as another commenter said above, Zombies Run has the best title. And from zombies we learn so much more about containment of viral outbreaks. There are two Asian/ Korean shows that I’d recommend if you’re interested in Zombielore: Train to Busan and Kingdom.

    • Yes there is. I highly recommend reading the story of her life. It’s quite sad, but it’s filled with important lessons about the past (as well as how people with disabilities should be treated right this very moment) .

      I’m looking up Train to Busan and Kingdom now. They sound awesome!

  17. I’ve been meaning to pick up some more nonfiction, and you have some great recommendations here! I’m especially interested in Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter and A Good Time to be Born.

    Thank you for sharing! 🙂

  18. Oh, I didn’t know that about the Kennedy family! How awful! Zombies Run sounds like a great read for the times we live in. Fab list and thanks for visiting my post! 🙂

  19. I really want to read The Deep! I’m glad you loved it! 😀

  20. I really want to read The Deep! It sounds so interesting!

  21. Sounds like a good list! We do need more reminders of reasons why we should be grateful to live in this era, even if 2020 has sometimes made it hard to remember that.

  22. Zombie Run sounds fun and very timely. I’m not sure I could handle The Pull of the Stars right now, though.

  23. I’ve not read any of these, but The Deep sounds great! Happy New Year! 🙂

  24. Rosemary Kennedy was such a tragic figure (I haven’t read the book but I know a little about her). Zombies Run is kinda perfect for this year. It seems like 2020 was a year where my main focus was on survival (exercising, taking vitamins, wearing a mask so hopefully I don’t get the coronavirus, and if I do, that I’m more likely to survive).

    • Yes, she absolutely was. Her life would have turned out so differently if she were a young woman today.

      I hope you like Zombie Run. It was a fun but also very practical and informative read.

  25. The Pull of the Stars would probably be very interesting considering the times we’re living through right now.

  26. Zombies Run sounds really interesting! I may have to take a look at that one. Great list!

  27. Zombies Run! is one I really want to read. Hope you have a Happy New Year, Lydia! 😀

  28. The Pull of the Stars is on my TBR list. It had so many great reviews and the topic really interests me.

  29. I keep coming across The Pull of the Stars, so I may add that to my TBR. I definitely want to read Zombies Run! sounds fun and helpful.

  30. I loved The Deep as well. I do want to read The Pull of the Stars too. So many great books in 2020!

  31. I’ve heard wonderful things about The Deep. I keep looking it but never seem to be able to commit to buying it!

  32. A Good Time to Be Born sounds worth it. I read one of the two bios of Rosemary Kennedy that came out about the same time–I collect books on the Kennedys and have been reading about them since I was about 10!

  33. Great list! The only pandemic related book I’ve read is As Bright As Heaven by Susan Meissner. I’m glad I read it pre 2020. I’ll need to wait a bit to read Pull of Stars!

    • That’s totally understandable. I hope you enjoy Pull of Stars whenever you’re emotionally ready to read it.

      Now I’m curious about As Bright As Heaven.

  34. Great list! Rosemary sounds really interesting.

  35. I have not read The Pull of the Stars but it sounds really interesting. You might like Outbreak! by Mary Skwarecki. Great TTT!

  36. The Pull of the Stars was a great book. The books about children’s health and the Kennedy family sound interesting. Hope 2021 is a better year!

  37. I got an e-ARC of THE PULL OF THE STARS, but I still haven’t read it. It sounds fascinating. I love pandemic novels for some reason, so it’s right up my alley. Glad you enjoyed it and all these others!

    Happy TTT!

    Susan
    http://www.blogginboutbooks.com

  38. I had a very rough reading year until October. Then I became a judge for the Cybils Awards, which definitely kicked my reading into high gear!

  39. I read a similar book about surviving the zombie apocalypse which was a lot of fun. Zombies Run sounds like it is both fun and informative. Happy New Year!

  40. Ooh I haven’t read any of these. I’m going to have to add some to my TBR! Especially The Pull of the Stars – that sounds good and super relevant.

  41. Sonya Hartnett is excellent, glad you enjoyed that one.

  42. Zombies sounds like a fun (and timely) read! And the last one as well. Makes sense- I often think, as bad as things are now, we are so blessed with technology and medicine, it IS a good time to be alive??

    Happy NY!!

  43. My “favorites” of 2020 felt more like books that help me escape for a time from the awfulness of the year. Thanks for sharing. Some books I liked in 2020

  44. That zombie one sounds fun, this year has definitely had beginning of a zombie film vibes

  45. The Pull of the Stars sounds fascinating. Adding it to my TBR pile.

  46. I haven’t read any of these! I need to update my TBR list…

  47. Nice list. The Ghost Child and The Pull of the Stars need to go on my wish list.

    Thanks for sharing and for visiting my blog. Wishing you health and happiness in 2021.

  48. I definitely want to read Pull of the Stars and I hadn’t heard of the Zombies Run book, but Naomi Alderman’s The Power was an amazing audiobook, so I definitely want to get to that one now, too. Thanks for stopping by my blog!

  49. Great list! The Pull of the Stars sounds so interesting

  50. I didn’t put it on my list since I had already gone way over 10 books, but I did love The Pull of the Stars. I never would have thought I’d be so captivated by a book about a pandemic, especially this year lol, but it was a fantastic read.

  51. Excellent list, very versatile. I want to read ‘The Deep’ and ‘An Unkindness of Ghosts,’ by the same author. I’ve heard really good things about both of them. I’ve never heard of a few of these books.

  52. I can’t believe you could limit your list even further than ten. I had a problem with that already. LOL. Well done.

    Thanks for visiting my TTT earlier.

  53. Louise

    I thought that the world building in The Deep was really unique.

  54. I haven’t read any of these yet but I really want to read The Deep.

  55. I haven’t read any of these! 😲 But they all sound good. I hope 2021 is a great reading year for you!

    Thanks for visiting Shell’s Stories!

  56. Lydia, you have read a real spread there. I particular like how you have read some books on health, which is perhaps even more relevant with the year we’ve had! Here’s to a happier, healthier and easier 2021!

  57. I hope 2021 is better for all of us! I’ve had my eye on The Deep!

  58. I never read that many books in a year, so sometimes I think that’s why it’s tough for me to find ten TRULY good (to me) reads. Or maybe it’s more because I know what I like and so that makes it more confining. Either way, it’s a challenge to create a best of list, but at least it’s also creatively fun! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed some good reads, Lydia.

  59. I haven’t heard of a lot of these books, but I did read The Deep and also enjoyed it! I’d love to see it turned into a movie. Daveed Diggs should have a part. Mostly because I just love him. But also, he did marvelous on the audiobook.

    I’d never heard of it before, but I love the sound of Zombies Run! It sounds like a really cute way to give legit advice, but in a way that’s maybe not as dry as normal nonfiction. I might have to check that one out!

    • Now I must listen to the audiobook version of The Deep. Wow, it sounds good!

      I think you’d really like Zombies Run! It was super unique and not dry at all.

  60. I’ve seen The Pull Of The Stars on a few list. I haven’t loved the past Emma Donoghue books I’ve read, but that one sounds really interesting. Happy 2021!

  61. The Pull of the Stars looks like an intriguing read. Happy New Year

  62. The Deep is on my tbr. Happy reading in 2021!

  63. I am really looking forward to reading The Deep so I am glad to see it here! The Pull of the Stars sounds really good too, I think I will need to add that one to my list. So glad you found these lovely books to get you through 2020!

  64. the last one sounds super interesting!

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