Favourite Books of 2020!

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And now Christmas is over, there's only a number of days left of the year, which means it's time to talk about my favourite books of the year! 

I've been seeing this more and more recently, so it's time for me to talk about my list! 

Enjoy! 

1. The Light Between Oceans, by M.L. Stedman 

I read this book in February and it's definitely the book that's made me the most emotionally distraught this year. After three miscarriages, Tom and Isabel are desperate for a child. So when a boat with a dead man and a baby arrive, approaching the secluded island they live on, to tend to the lighthouse.  Against Tom's better judgement, they adopt the baby. Years later, the cracks start to show. As well as pulling my brain and my heart in different directions, I loved the way it shows that these kind of situations aren't black and white. I was glued to this from the time that I turned the first page. 

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

I read this back in February also, and out of the adorable LGBT romances I've read this year, this was by far the best one. Dear Evan Hanson quotes, a summer romance in New York, and there's going to be another book coming out in the next couple of years! I loved all the characters, I didn't have a problem with any of them, and I can't wait to see them all again. 

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

It had been a couple of years since I'd picked up a Brandon Sanderson novel, and out of all the current Sanderson series', Skyward seemed the most intriguing, so I picked it up, and the rest is history. Honestly, I'd forgotten how easy it is to fall into one of Sanderson's stories, which is why Skyward is on this list. I loved Starsight just as much, I just thought book one was just a bit better. They were both fantastic however, and I will be continuing with book three as soon as the paperback is released!

4. The Illuminae Files trilogy, by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff 

Loved this series so much I can't choose between them! I wish I could forget everything about this series just so I could re-read it with fresh eyes, all over again. Loved the concepts for all of them, the unique printing just made them that much more addictive, and I was close to crying over some of the events that happened throughout the trilogy. I really wish there were more books in this series, so I could love them for even longer, but unfortunately it's just the three. 5 stars for all three. 

5. The Henna Wars, by Abida Jaigirdar 

Although it wasn't the reason I loved this, it was the reason I picked it up: there's so much representation in this month. Now, I've read female female relationship novels, but never from the POV of a Bengali girl, which was something I was interested in, right off the bat. Such a simple concept (for business studies, the girls at Nishat's school are given a task: to create a business and make money. The trouble starts when Nishat and Flavia (a childhood friends, and Nishat's crush) both decide to create a business for hennas whilst Nishat is constantly struggling with the pressure of being a lesbian and a Bengali girl (her parents won't allow it.) Add this to wonderful, fleshed out characters that will make you want to gasp, laugh and cry all at once, and you've got The Henna Wars. 

6. The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig 

The final book I read before I completed my Goodreads Reading Challenge this year. I got this on my birthday and I finished it three days later. Despite only being released in September, it's won the fiction category for the Goodreads Choice Awards this year. If that doesn't tell you how good it is, this book isn't for you. The Midnight Library is the place between life and death, and when Nora finds herself in this strange place, she gets the chance to look and decide: what life she could lead, if she had made a different decision along the way. Absolutely fantastic debut. 

7. Punching the Air, by Ibi Zoboi 

I wasn't even alive when the events that inspired this book began, but once I heard the premise, there was no way that was going to stop me tearing through this book as soon as I could. I was expecting this book to be amazing and I wasn't wrong. Written in verse, Punching the Air follows Amal, as he is wrongly accused and thrown in Jail, all because he was a black boy, in the wrong place at the wrong time. The language is powerful, emotional and gripping, and I will undoubtedly be picking it up again soon. 

8. Grown, by Tiffany D. Jackson 

If you think I finished The Midnight Library quickly, you haven't seen anything yet. I finished Grown in less than 24 hours. The story follows Enchanted, who wants nothing more than to be the next singing sensation. So when Korey Fields, an ultra famous singer takes her under his wing, she couldn't be more excited. Until she wakes up remembering nothing, and that's not all. Corey Fields is dead and the police is at the door. Who killed Korey Fields? I don't need to tell you guys how addictive this book is. I finished it in one day. Just, read it. 

9. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (The Montague Siblings #1), by Mackenzi Lee 

This is the most recently read book on this list, despite the fact that I've been wanting to read it the longest (out of all the books on this list.) But that doesn't matter, because I'm on the train now. And there's no way I'm getting off now. The Gentleman's Guide is a book I didn't know I needed, as it includes an LGBT romance, travel around the world, and a whole lot of trouble. Throw all of that into a world set in the Victorian era, and you have this book. Since stepping into the world of the Montague siblings, I've also read the second book, which is about Monty's sister Felicity, and I am extremely excited for the release of the third and final book in this phenomenal trilogy. 

Okay! Those are my favourite books of 2020! I hope you enjoyed this post, and feel free to comment about any of these books below in the comments! 

I hope you have a wonderful day, and I'll see you very soon with my 2020 Wrap Up! 

Byeee! 

-Abi xxxxx