In no particular order (mind you), these are in fact the best books I read this year. I read a grand total of 37 books this year. More than average, I grant you. But less than all the avid readers and authors I am friends with in the ~book~ world.
Every year, I declare that I will read 50 books. Which is, in fact, a pretty substantial number of books to read in one calendar year. Approximately, a book a week. According to Google, a person reads about twelve books a year. So I’m effectively quadrupling that number. But the average is, of course, inflated by the number of avid readers who read a ton of books a year. (Now, if only I could write a ton of books a year…)
This (50) is a pretty reasonable and achievable number of books I can read in a year. If you are friends with me on Goodreads, then you know. OR you know that I am an official Goodreads author , follow me to see what I’ll be reading in 2020.
Here are the best/most memorable books I read this year:
All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater
I mean. MAGGIE. She is one of my all-time favorite and most admired authors of the 21st century. I think it is especially impressive that she wrote this wondrous book while she was seriously sick. I mean PLEASE read this blog post she wrote called, “The Year Without Words.” I admire this woman so much.
Okay, but her book is about a family in rural Colorado who can perform miracles. Pilgrims travel to Bicho Raro wanting to change their life but miracles never take the form one expects. Vivid. Memorable. Clever.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
I am still thinking about this book. The imagery and haunting repetition have stayed with me all year. Whenever I see a rhododendron I immediately think of Manderly and the long drive lined with tangled, overgrown rhododendron. And I want to have tea under the great chestnut tree in the summer with the rose-garden in bloom and the sound of the sea from across the way.
This book is smartly crafted and plotted; I never saw any of the twists coming! It’s a classic, and for any lover of gothic literature, this is a must-read.
All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Through the Ages edited by Saundra Mitchell
Damn, this book. It was everything! I loved the exploration of different time periods and places. It was compelling and sweet and full of romance.
Okay, so some have complained about the lack of diversity in this book. Maybe fair? It feels very Eurocentric/western. All the stories take place in Europe and America. There were 2 trans, 1 ace, 4 gay, and 10 lesbian characters. Most of the characters were white, some POC, and 1 disabled character. But a book of short stories that wasn’t about white heterosexual characters is what we need more of!
Overall, the writing of every story was beautiful done and the stories were imaginative. And the point is, queer teens were around all the time and this was a start to having some of those stories told.
All of these books happened to find me at the right time. Which is not to say the other books I read this year weren’t great either. These are just the ones that stick out to me this year. And what makes these books just ugh-squeeze-my-heart is the fact that I want to read these books again. Immediately.
Happy Reading-
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