What Makes A Good Book: 11-20 Books of 2020

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And today I will be doing a recap of some of the books I've read recently.

It was just over a week ago that I reached 20 books, so it's definitely the right time to post this.

11. What If It's Us, by Becki Albertalli & Adam Silvera

This god damn book was so CUTE. I love the characters, the humour, the setting, the romance. It was just the perfect new York romance with wonderful, lovable, interesting characters. I really hope there's a sequel because these authors create magic together in a book. And I'm not ready to say goodbye to these characters because of how much I love them.

12. Solitaire, by Alice Oseman

This was one heck of a debut novel. Bang on writing wise, these characters, especially Tori, felt so real it felt like I could reach through the page and meet them. It was so easy to see myself in her character, which might be the best thing honestly but I'm going with it. (Trigger warning: mental health.) This was my first book by Alice Oseman (other than Heartstopper) that I picked up, and I was blown away. I can't wait to see what she writes next so I can devour it.

13. A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1), by V.E Schwab

The first book in the Shades of Magic trilogy. Another book I was blown away by. I can see why this series has the hype it is, because it deserves all the recognition it's gotten. I've since read the second book as well and I'm nervous as for how this trilogy is going to end. But none of these books would have been half the success they were if it wasn't for this first book. It was wonderful to get to meet Kell and Lila, and even before the second book I knew I'd only scratched with these characters.

14. Radio Silence, by Alice Oseman

What I liked about this book the most was that it showed that when it comes to your future, university isn't the only direction you can go in. When you're at school, schools put university on a pedestal, as the only thing worth pursuing after A Levels. But I like how this book suggests the opposite, without making it obvious. This was even better than Solitaire in my opinion, and I doubt it's an unpopular one, as I remember how much hype this book got when it was first released. If I haven't already said it 100 times, I highly recommend Alice Oseman's novels, whether it be Heartstopper, Solitaire, this, or anything else she's written.

15. The Mercies, by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

If you are a fan of The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton then I highly recommend this. It's a historical fiction, based around the Vardo Storm and the Witch Trials of 1617. It weaves a story of what it's like when the men of an island are thrown to the waves, never to be seen again. The women have to take charge, learn to work the lands when, 18 months later, the Sherriff arrives with his wife, determined to bring the woman of the island to their knees. It was a very engaging read, and one that I would gladly pick up again. If anyone has read this and knows something similar, let me know in the comments.

16. Twin Ambitions: Mo Farah Autobiography

Although this wasn't recorded by Mo himself, it was so wonderful to get to listen to Mo's journey from an unknown to an Olympic Medalist. There's something about hearing a voice telling the story, when you know it's a real life one, that makes it that much better. This was another of the TBR Jar Challenges that I set out to read this year that I can now tick off, and I'm happy to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. Which runner autobiography should I read next? Comment down below.

17. Only Mostly Devastated, by Sophie Gonzales

This was the first book I finished after being told that I couldn't see my partner for three months. It's 277 pages and it took me a week to finish it, when it should have been read in 2-3 days. It got me back into wanting to read, so I highly recommend it if you're entering or currently in a reading slump. Only Mostly Devastated is basically an LGBT version of Grease. It's a read full of laughter, love, relationships and loss, and even though it's not an exact copy of the popular musical, it's an engaging loose adaptation that's easy to easy to fall into.

18. Educated, by Tara Westover

This is a book I picked up, purely because of the hype and the title. I knew as much as it said on the blurb. This book was so much more than that. I don't want to disclose too much information as for what happens in this novel, but I would recommend taking a second to think about picking this book, particularly if parental abuse is a trigger for you. But difficult scenes aside, this is an incredibly powerful book. It shows that you can achieve your dreams regardless of where you came from, if you work hard enough and are determined.

19. Skyward (Skyward #1), by Brandon Sanderson

Skyward will definitely be making my favourites list this year. If it wasn't for the 2nd book not being in paperback yet, I'd have already finished Starsight. I genuinely forgot how well Brandon Sanderson can weave a story together, but I won't be forgetting in a while, believe me. As soon as I know when the paperback is out, my eyes will be scouring the pages, because I'm hungry to find out what happens next to Spensa, in her quest for the truth.

20. Unbecoming, by Jenny Downham

I read this book for the first time maybe 6 years ago, and I love it so much that I've read it once every 2 years, without even realising I was doing so. I love books about family, especially when they're all females. (I like reading about independent females, especially when they're trying to figure themselves out- I love a character arc like that.) I think that's what appealed to me about this book, and even after all these years I still love to relive this story. And the cover's beautiful too.