Best books of 2020

I have always been punctual with my year end best books list, and this year is no different (what was different is that I published my top books of 2020 as an Instagram guide first). But while I quite like Instagram guides, I think nothing quite beats posting my list on the blog.

So, here it is, better late than never, and in no particular order.

1. Azadi: Freedom. Fascism. Fiction by Arundhati Roy: I read this set of essays last year for non-fiction November, and I simply loved them all. Roy is a wonderfully empathetic writer, and she does her due research as well. Very thought-provoking, no matter what your political stance.
2. You are not Alone by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen: Easy fast-paced thriller. It’s not very memorable, true, but if you are looking for something to read to while away a few hours, this one is note-perfect. I loved how I couldn’t really figure out which way the story was going.
3. The Model Wife by Julia Llewellyn: Chick-lit with a twist. I picked up this book casually at the library and it’s my first book by this author. But I simply loved it! The book is not a romance at all, but it pokes fun at the main lead in an affectionate way, without condoning some of the shady things she does. Writing this post reminds me just how much I liked this book, and I definitely want to pick up more books by this author (who I have never heard of till now).
4. Fire and Blood by George R.R.Martin: I think anything George R.R.Martin writes will automatically vault into my top ten lists. I simply love his writing that much. Fire and Blood is a history of the Targaryens in Westeros, and though some parts are repetitive (if you have read Martin’s short stories), I didn’t mind it at all. A must read for lovers of the A Song of Ice and Fire series.
5. The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison: I have to admit that I didn’t think much of this book when I first read it. But there is a certain haunting quality to it, and I think it is actually much better than my rather tepid review indicates. In fact, I feel like reading it again. So, because of that, it automatically makes my top ten list.
6. The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton: I read this book in tandem with watching the Netflix show, and found the experience very enjoyable. This book is a little dense and it’s difficult to keep track of the various threads in the novel, but watching the show made it easier for me. It also made it easier to appreciate Catton’s talent for weaving a super-intricate plot like this, and doing it so impeccably!
7. Beartown by Fredrik Backman: A lot of friends recommended that I try Backman’s A Man Called Ove. I went to the bookshop to buy the book, but somehow the blurb of Beartown called out to me instead. And my gut worked! Beartown was dramatic, heartbreaking, and perfectly captures the atmosphere of a small town. Simply loved how questions of loyalty, ethics, sexuality, boundaries, and politics are combined to create this wonderfully absorbing novel.
8. Three Women by Lisa Taddeo: It’s hard for me to describe this book. It’s not quite what it’s advertised to be (a book about female sexuality), but I enjoyed this in-depth true recount of the sex/love lives of three women. Very interesting!
9. A Perfect Spy by John le Carré: This novel is considered his masterpiece, and I don’t necessarily agree. I think The spy who came in from the cold is better, but A Perfect Spy is also very good.
10. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion: Rounding off my top ten list with The Rosie Project. I have to say that this is the weakest book in my top ten list, and wouldn’t have made this list if I had finished A Suitable Boy by year end. It didn’t quite work for me, but it was a fun, light read. It’s just that I didn’t quite buy into the love story as much as I would like.

So, these are the best books I read in 2020. This was a year where I focused on some huge chunksters – The Luminaries, A Perfect Spy, a good bit of A Suitable Boy, and less on easy-reading bestsellers. So, yeah, less books, but more pages (and quality)!

I hope 2021 is just as satisfying a reading year!

Coming soon, my list of top streaming shows and movies I watched in 2020! Catching up on lost time 😀

What were your favorite 2020 books? Any you’d care to recommend to me?