2020 was a year we all wish never happened. Between the pandemic and a myriad of other problems, 2020 was a year from hell. And you would think that with as much time as I spent in lockdown, I would have read over a 100 books. For plenty of reasons, that was not the case. I didn’t read nearly as many books as I would have wanted to.
That doesn’t mean that I didn’t read several books over the course of the last year. 2020 did provide me with plenty of excellent reading material. And that is the focus of this particular blog post. I will be looking at the best books that I read in 2020. As a disclaimer, a few of these books I have already fully reviewed in previous posts. I will post the links those reviews in the relevant sections.
5. The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson.
We start with Erik Larson’s story of the Blitz and how it affected the people of Great Britain. Larson’s blend of history and fiction sometimes draws criticism, but for me, his books always have an amazing appeal.
His narrative style allows for a new style of history storytelling and makes it seem like you are reading a novel and not a historical commentary. Larson’s books aim to tell a more personal story in his books, set against the backdrop of the bigger historical theme. This style allows you to become more invested in the real life people, while also learning about the subject that Larson weaves throughout the story.
With this particular narrative, Larson aims to the tell the story of Winston Churchill, his immediate family and those in and around London during the time of the Blitz. The Blitz was a period during World War 2 where the Germany incessantly bombed Great Britain, particularly London, in an attempt to force them to the negotiating table.
The beauty of this book is not just the historical accuracy and attention to detail that Larson uses, but the way he tells the story of the PEOPLE. The story feels personal and you start to feel like you are a part of these people’s lives and you begin to feel like you are a part of the Blitz. And that is the beauty of Larson’s writing. You always feel like you are a part of the historical narrative.
4. Katheryn Howard: The Scandalous Queen by Alison Weir.
Alison Weir’s fantastic Six Tudor Queens series delivers the finest book in the set to date as she dives into the story of Henry’s fifth wife, Katheryn Howard. The series has been marked by a truthful look at the women who were in Henry’s massive shadow and Katheryn’s is the crowning achievement so far.
Katheryn’s story is a tragic one and Weir makes that painfully clear throughout the book. The constant scandals that plague Katheryn come back to haunt her in a fatal way. And yet, like most of Henry’s wives, Katheryn doesn’t initially want to be Queen. And yet, like other of the wives, she is forced into being a Queen and hoping that her scandal don’t come back to bite her.
Of all of the wives, Katheryn is the one you most feel for. Yes, her downfall was of her own doing, but the fate that befell her was a tragic one. And Weir does an outstanding job of showing that. Not only that, she shows what Katheryn was really like. She was independent, though that could get her in massive trouble and she wasn’t afraid to challenge the norms of the time.
There is one book to go in this set and I truly hope that the finale lives up to the rest of the series.
3. Lightbringer by Claire Legrand
We now come to the part of this post that will not only surprise people, but that was the hardest to write. The last three books could all have been number, but alas only one can be number 1.
At number 3 we have the conclusion to the excellent Empirium Trilogy. This trilogy rocketed to the top of my series recommendations. Everything about this trilogy is excellent, from the characters and story, the world that the series is set in.
The finale of this excellent series is worthy of plenty of praise. the story surprises you every step of the way, the characters and world are top notch. As much as I want to elaborate on this excellent piece of literature, I have already done that in another one of blog posts(link to follow). If you want to full review of this excellent, feel free to check out the following link. https://thereaderscorner.blog/2020/10/31/may-the-queens-light-guide-us/
2. House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas
Annnnnnnnd we have the biggest surprise of all here. Those who know me know that I adore the writing of Sarah J. Maas. She is by far my favorite author and whenever she releases a new book, I rush out to buy it. Her books usually end up as my number 1s at years end. And trust me, this book is so worth it.
House of Earth and Blood is Maas’s first foray into the pure adult fantasy genre and she delivers in style. A magnificent book that beautifully sets up her next epic fantasy series, House of Earth and Blood is classic Mass.
An excellent, luxurious and full bodied world, wonderfully written and complex characters and a story that leaves you on the edge of your seat. Maas’s writing has always toed the line of being adult fantasy and her writing beautifully transitions into the genre.
Again, I could talk about this book for ages but I have already done that as well in a previous blog post. I encourage everyone to read the full review at the following link. https://thereaderscorner.blog/2020/03/24/back-in-the-swing-of-things/
So, if an SJM book is not my number one book of 2020, what is? Well it took till the very end of the year for my number one to emerge and it is truly a special book.
- A Promised Land by President Barack Obama
Surprise, surprise, it’s a memoir. Volume one of former President Obama’s memoirs is truly an one of a kind read. I have always admired Obama for his honesty and the articulate way in which he has always spoken. And much like his speaking, his writing is superb.
The way the memoir weaves through his early days and up till the assassination Osama Bin Laden is pure poetry. He truthfully talks about growing up, his early days in politics and his presidential campaign.
He is honest about a great many things. He admits when he made mistakes, but goes out of his way to explain why in the moment, it seemed like a good idea. He walks you through every decision, every debate and every piece of legislation. His honesty is refreshing and he evens relates current events and decisions to how things looked in his time in the White House.
A Promised Land is wonderful piece of fresh air that is sorely needed in this current time period. I eagerly await volume 2 of his memoirs and I have full confidence that that book will reach my number 1 of that year when it’s released.
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