Featuring the best of the best this 2020!
2020 has been a very good reading year for me. Not only was I able to go beyond my original target reading goal of 60 books, I was able to discover a lot of new favorites that I’ve already placed in my “most favorite books ever” list. There might have been a couple or so hiccups of a book this year for me, but it’s the really great ones that stood out for me. While majority of these books are fantasy and romance novels, which are my go-to genres, I was able to read and enjoy mystery thrillers, poetry books, and graphic novels this year!
Majority of these books are backlog titles from my shelves, but there are a few new releases that managed to squeeze themselves into this list.
The Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson
If you’ve been following me on Bookstagram for a long time, you would know how much I absolutely love The Stormlight Archives. This has been on my tbr list for a long time but I couldn’t get to it before because of how thick it was and I had a little free time left in my hands. But upon being forcibly pushed by a good friend to get it finally started, I had no regrets, and this series is already included in my Top Favorite Books Ever list – even knocking off The Infernal Devices at the top 1 spot. Don’t let its massive size and intimidating word count scare you, because the journey through this series is so worth it!
I can’t wait to finally read Rhythm of War next year!
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
I haven’t read a ton of middle grade books lately, and being the hard-hearted person that I am, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first picked up this novel. Now that I’m finished, I just want to read it again and climb back inside the world with Linus, Arthur, and all the adorable children. And I cried – a cry of good happy tears. Until now, I still keep thinking about how wonderful this book is, and I’m always practically begging everyone to pick this up!
It’s just so sweet, fluffy, and lighthearted, but the message it conveys really packs a punch.
The Poppy War trilogy by R.F. Kuang
The Poppy War trilogy is an epic Chinese-inspired fantasy that has earned a lot of amazing praise, and it definitely deserved it. Inspired by different historical events such as the Sino-Japanese War, the Opium Wars, and the Great Famine of China, it’s a very dark and gruesome grimdark fantasy series that make you crave for more, and make you feel awful and disgusted. Not only is it a great fantasy work, but the message it wants its readers to know is exceptionally delivered.
My Reviews: Book 1, Book 2, Book 3
Jade City by Fonda Lee
The hype surrounding this book is phenomenal across the book community, but I do have to admit that it deserves it. I always enjoy epic fantasy novels more, but if it’s a very nicely done urban fantasy book, then I’m definitely going to be a fan. The premise of this series being an Asian-inspired The Godfather-like idea with a jade centered magic system is obviously something I would get excited about. I’m really excited to continue with this series in 2021, especially since Book 3 will be released by then.
The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson
2020 is without a doubt my Brandon Sanderson discovery year, and it all started out when I first picked up Mistborn way back earlier this year. After that, the rest was history. Mistborn is a great introduction to Sanderson’s works and also into the Cosmere, so I’ve always been recommending this to my friends. Before I fell in love with his Stormlight Archives, my heart was in a deep-rooted relationship with Mistborn where I laughed, cried, and agonized all at the same time.
I’m planning on continuing the Era 2 books this coming 2021, because the author just announced that book 4 of Era 2 is already in the works.
My Reviews: Book 1, Book 2, Book 3
The Lovely War by Julie Berry
I’ve always been a big fan of historical fiction novels set in World War II, and The Lovely War is no exception. I actually did not know anything about it, since this was a gift given by a friend, but I was so glad that she gave this one. It was a very fast-paced but tear-jerking read with a WWII set-up that is followed by the gods and goddesses of Olympus. Yes, there is a Greek Mythology aspect in this story that just made it much more interesting. This is definitely romance heavy, but I don’t mind it because it was just really good.
Please Pick Me by Reina Regina
Poetry is not something I often pick up, but when Reina graciously sent a copy of her first book, it definitely made me want to explore this literary format more. Please Pick Me is the book that just came at the right time for me, because my head space wasn’t in the right place that time, but this little piece of art helped me get over it. Not only did it spiked my curiosity further for poetry, but it also helped me realize a lot more things about myself that i did not know about.
I’m also very happy that my first poetry book is written by a young, budding Filipina writer! #supportfilipinoauthors
Wolf by Wolf Duology by Ryan Graudin
Another WWII historical fiction book on my list! I’ve had these books for a very long time in my shelf, so it was a good time to finally give them a chance to be read. Wolf by Wolf is an alternative WWII duology wherein it tackles the many what-ifs if Adolf Hitler and the Axis Powers prevailed during the World War 2. It’s very quick read, but tackles a lot of issues regarding the impact of skin color, religion, and political beliefs that were present not only before, but also in the current days. Plus, the amount of research the author did in this series was so spectacular that you just can’t help but imagine that things would have been like this if the Allie Powers lost the bloody and horrendous war.
The Bromance Book Club series by Lyssa Kay Adams
I always love a great romantic comedy series, and The Bromance Book Club books are part of this list. Not only does this series have a lot of swoon-worthy romance, lovable characters, and tons of comedy that made me laugh out loud many times, it also discusses the importance of abolishing the idea of toxic masculinity in men, and that guys are also capable of showing emotions.
It’s also a book about guys reading and loving romance books, so what’s not to like even more? The final book is also coming out next year, and it’s going to feature my most favorite character in the bunch – The Russian!
My Review: Book 1, Book 2, Book 3
Girl Meets Duke series by Tessa Dare
2020 is also the year I discovered a new love for historical regency romances – and I was not expecting to fall in love with it. This series is also my first time to try out Tessa Dare’s works, and I didn’t regret it at all. Despite the racy, blush-worthy covers, the Girl Meets Duke series is just full of laughter, pining, and steamy scenes. I practically read all three books in a week because it was such a ride, and I really enjoyed them.
While it may be full of your typical romance cliches, it also tackles on important topics such as mental health, any form of abuse, and women empowerment.
My review: Book 1, Book 2, Book 3
What are your favorite reads this 2020?
angele reads books 
Great wrap up! I’m keen to read more poetry, and ‘Please Pick Me’ sounds brilliant!
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OMG Yes! It’s very beginner-friendly too for poetry, since I also don’t read poetry often! I hope you’ll enjoy it!
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I was just gifted The Lovely War by a friend and I can’t wait to read it!
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Yay! I hope you enjoy it because I really love it!
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Two Sanderson books in one post. Can we see favouritism here? 😛
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