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My Favorite Books of 2020

January 12 // 20 Comments // 5 Minute Read

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In a reading rut? Let go of the books holding you back in your to-read stack and reach for one of these engrossing novels instead!
 This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.
 
Reading may have been how I survived 2020. And as soon as I stumbled on this list, I found even more books to devour now that it's the New Year. But the best part? The freedom to abandon books I didn't love. SO life-changing.

I call 2020 the Year of Abandoned books.

On top of everything else, COVID-19 also affected my reading habits. At first, I could barely read at all. Then I gravitated toward easy, fluffy reads, totally abandoning nonfiction to go read a novel. I ended the year with a plethora of psychological thrillers—not my usual genre!

But in between almost every book I finished, there were a handful I let go after the first few chapters.

I suppose my patience dwindled when I thought the world was ending. Not that I thought the world was actually ending…but you know what I mean. 😉

Thankfully, every abandoned book freed up more time to discover new authors and stories.

Develop a Consistent Reading Habit

Are you ready to build the habit of reading more? Download this habit tracker bundle and let the life change begin!
 

5-Star Reads of 2020

Out of 43 books (fewer than last year), I gave a five-star rating to 5 of them–all fiction. Most fall into that psychological genre I mentioned earlier. So if reading unexpected twists is your jam, you’ll love the following recommendations.

But don’t worry, I’ve also sprinkled a delightful royal series, a couple self-help books, and historical fiction in there as well! So scan the list below and go read a novel!

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

What do a kidnapped teenager, a quirky math tutor, and a charming stranger have in common? As you read, you will spend the entire book trying to find out.

I loved how the author jumped from storyline to storyline as you work to piece the past and present together. In fact, this trend defines many of my recommended books. I think this particular structure keeps plot lines interesting and moving quickly!

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen

I had a really hard time putting down this thriller. I read it in two days. Why is this woman is so intent on stalking her ex-husband and “her replacement”!?

This chilling thriller follows a tangled web of characters…each with their own peculiar motives. You will make assumptions as you read. Assume NOTHING. Because those assumptions will be wrong no matter what.

Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney

Amber wakes up in the hospital, but she can’t move…or speak. She’s in a coma with enough brain function to realize that she’s lost her memory, and she can’t shake the uncanny feeling that someone wanted to hurt her.

Every few chapters my eyes popped wide open as the author peeled away more and more layers, with childhood diaries playing a pivotal role. This thriller is amazingly well-written with twists and turns no one can predict. Move it to the top of your TBR list STAT!

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

This book starts off slow, but you will learn to love this emotional coming-of-age story. I just adored Leni’s character. She defied the odds of a broken family while navigating the cruelty of the Alaskan wilderness.

Some say the entire book was depressing, but I prefer the terms “raw and realistic.” This is my first Kristin Hannah book, but it won’t be my last!

The Last Letter from Your Lover by JoJo Moyes

This time period is not my usual genre, but I trusted a friend’s recommendation enough to crack open the first page. She didn’t steer me wrong.

Jojo Moyes brilliantly weaves a love story that surpasses time…and timing as you bounce back and forth between the year 2003 and the 1960’s, following a woman who loses her memory and discovers old letters secreted away inside her home…written by a man who is not her husband.

4-Star Reads of 2020

  • Verity by Colleen Hoover
  • American Royals & Majesty by Katharine McGee
  • America’s First Daughter by Stephanie Dray
  • Abraham: One Nomad’s Amazing Journey of Faith by Charles Swindoll
  • Carnegie’s Maid by Marie Benedict
  • Leota’s Garden by Francine Rivers
  • How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease by Michael Greger
  • A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
  • Get Out of Your Head by Jennie Allen
  • Your Best Year Ever by Michael Hyatt

3-Star Reads of 2020

  • Shard of Glass by Emily Deady
  • Didn’t See That Coming by Rachel Hollis
  • The Winters by Lisa Gabriele
  • A Change of Heart by Jordan Kimberly Rae
  • On Writing Well by William Zinsser
  • The Princess Trials by Cordelia Castel
  • The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
  • Followers by Megan Angelo
  • All That’s Good: Recovering the Lost Art of Discernment by Hannah Anderson
  • The Betrothed by Kiera Cass
  • The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott
  • Of Fire and Lions by Mesu Andrews
  • Flipping into Amazon FBA by Wes Davis
  • The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

2-Star Reads of 2020

  • Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
  • A Sensible Arrangement by Tracie Peterson

This Year’s Abandoned Books

Like I mentioned before, there were quite a few titles I did not finish this year. I’m never afraid to stop reading a book if it doesn’t live up to the hype and isn’t worth the time I’d invest in finishing it.

So this is me giving you permission to do the same!

  • The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
  • Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin
  • Accidental Presidents by Jared Cohen
  • Point of View by Elizabeth Hasselback
  • The Radium Girls by Kate Moore
  • The Lakotas and the Black Hills by Jeffery Ostler

Plus a few others that I didn’t write down because, obviously, they were not that memorable!

Side Note: I was disappointed to find that whenever I started a historical non-fiction book, I could not read it without falling asleep. If you have any recommendations for historical books that don’t read like actual history textbooks, I’d love to try them! Comment below!

Is one of your goals this year to read more (or more intentionally?)? You also might be interested in How to Know What to Read Next (Every Time).

How I Track My Reading

I track all of my books on Goodreads so I can see my progress toward my reading goal (and house all of my many lists!), but this year I also added a page in my bullet journal called “Books By Month.”

I wanted to know which months were my best reading months, as well as how many books I read via various mediums:

  • Borrowed from the library via Overdrive
  • Read through Kindle Unlimited
  • Owned myself
  • Borrowed from a friend

This Books by Month layout became very popular on Instagram, so this year, I created a printable version to add to The Brainbook Printable Library. Grab yourself a membership if you’d like this printable and over one hundred more!

If you’re looking to read a novel soon, I hope you enjoy picking up some of these books yourselves, especially if our literary styles are a match made in heaven.

Happy Reading!

What was your favorite book from 2020?

Did you struggle with reading this year like I did?

Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Read my full disclosure policy here.

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Comments

  1. Karen Mary says

    January 9 at 10:22 am

    I’d recommend The Giver of Stars for historical fiction. (I love historical fiction and found this one especially accessible.) Thanks for your suggestions, Abby!

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      January 11 at 3:32 pm

      Thanks for the recommendation!

      Reply
  2. Deanna says

    January 9 at 10:27 am

    I really struggled with reading this last year – my ADHD was in overdrive – I think because of the pandemic, and what that meant for me and my church community (I’m a minister) my own brain was in overdrive all the time. So reading non-fiction was nearly impossible (and I love non-fiction too – so that made me so sad!)! So I did myself a favor and re-read all the Harry Potter books LOL! That felt good.

    I love your list – and appreciate your sharing what you decided to put down – a couple “possibilities” were in your list, and I think I may just bypass them for now 🙂 Thanks Kalyn!

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      January 11 at 3:33 pm

      Sometimes it is hard to focus when there’s so much going on! I’m glad you could find something to enjoy in spite of the chaos 🙂

      Reply
  3. Janie says

    January 9 at 11:57 am

    Thanks for the suggestions! Like you, I love historical fiction but have not found any recently. Here are a few of my 5 star reads.
    Winter Garden, Kristen Hannah
    The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, Kim Michele Richardson (a MUST read)
    The Silent Patient, Alex Michaelides
    Educated, Tara Westover
    Spilled Milk, K.L.Randis
    No Time on My Hands, Grace Snyder
    There’s nothing like a good book to escape with.
    ~Janie

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      January 11 at 3:35 pm

      I loved Educated!! So fascinating.

      Reply
  4. Alisa May says

    January 9 at 12:29 pm

    Thank you for posting as I am always looking for books to read

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      January 11 at 3:35 pm

      You are most welcome!

      Reply
  5. Maryann says

    January 9 at 1:46 pm

    I picked up Chanel Cleeton’s “Next Year in Havana” and ended up enjoying it so much that I read the other two books in that series – “When We Left Cuba” and “Last Train to Key West.” Historical fiction is not a genre that I typically read, but these books were so good!

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      January 11 at 3:37 pm

      I’ll have to check her out!

      Reply
  6. Debbie says

    January 9 at 2:48 pm

    Thank you for this review. I also read the Chanel Cleeton books that Maryanne suggested. I highly recommend them. They are on my favorites list, which I will reread (actually, I will listen) at some point. Another recommendation I have is Chilka’s Journey by Heather Morris. This is about a 16-year old girl’s survival in a concentration camp.

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      January 11 at 3:37 pm

      Thanks so much for the suggestion!

      Reply
  7. Kristen @ Joyfully Thriving says

    January 9 at 10:44 pm

    My year was spent escaping with fiction. Normally I read a healthy dose of nonfiction but not this year! I needed the escape. I read a lot of Colleen Coble (mysteries without being too scary because I’m a wimp) and dove head first into Kristin Hannah too! I really enjoyed The Great Alone but a Winter Garden is my favorite book by her so far! Also, just finished Majesty and you were right. The second book was even better than the first!

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      January 11 at 3:39 pm

      You aren’t the first person to recommend a Winter Garden! I’ll definitely have to put that one on my list.

      Reply
  8. Jeanne Tepper says

    January 10 at 11:44 am

    I have had a hard time reading since my divorce 5 years ago and the pandemic didn’t help. One book I did read this year and loved was “They Both Die at the End” by Adam Silvera. It’s a coming of age story – a little dark and also uplifting. It was great.

    Recommendation for historical nonfiction would be Empire of the Summer Moon by S C Gwynn. Interesting history of the Comanches wrapped with an unusual story about a white woman who was captured by the Comanches and her life. I don’t love historical non-fiction, but I liked this one.

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      January 11 at 3:56 pm

      Thanks so much for the suggestions!

      Reply
  9. Sara Youngblood-Ochoa says

    January 11 at 1:41 pm

    Since you like thrillers, you need to read A Good Marriage by Kimberly McCreight. I literally stayed up all night to finish it. SO! GOOD!

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      January 11 at 3:58 pm

      Thank you, I’ll check it out!!

      Reply
  10. Michelle says

    January 14 at 8:49 pm

    Plus one to Kristin Hannah’s The Great Alone. I used to read voraciously (English Major and child of theologian here), but once I went to law school, the whole process of reading became more …. difficult. I joined book clubs to reconnect with fiction, and then Audible basically changed my life! Being able to listen (and sync with Kindle) while stuck in the car (and now home with an earbud) is GENIUS.

    And you MUST read Winter Garden. I will say that it took a minute to engage, but holy cow once I did … it almost is a story within a story. Weeks later I am STILL affected by it.

    If you haven’t read All the Light We Cannot See, speaking of historical fiction, do it right now. I also loved Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, It’s.Nice.Outside by Jim Kokoris, and if you do YA, the Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is a must read. I’m determined to read two books a month in 2021, starting with the Murmur of Bees!

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      January 15 at 2:54 pm

      Those are some great recommendations, thank you!

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Kalyn—a recovering perfectionist who nerds out about organizing systems, personal productivity, and helping you prioritize what matters over the pressure to do it all. I have a feeling we’re about to become the best of friends! Learn more >>

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Minimalism ≠ Deprivation.⁣
⁣
Sadly, I find m

Minimalism ≠ Deprivation.⁣
⁣
Sadly, I find most people resist minimalism because they can't wrap their head around "having less." People tend to equate this movement with blank walls, white IKEA furniture, and decluttering everything in your home down to practically nothing so you can live full-time in an RV. Like me. 😉⁣
⁣
But, while minimalism could be all that, this mindset misses the point. Minimalism is not only about “having less.” 🚫⁣
⁣
It’s so much more than that.⁣
⁣
This week on the blog, I'm sharing the REAL definition of minimalism (that people who love their stuff can totally get behind!) as well as practical ways to incorporate minimalism into your life. 🎉⁣
⁣
Drop a heart emoji in the comments below and I'll send the link to your DM's! 💖

I love lazy Saturday mornings…as long as I have
I love lazy Saturday mornings...as long as I have a book and a cozy blanket! 😍

I wrote this in my journal the other day: 📓⁣

I wrote this in my journal the other day: 📓⁣
⁣
“I’ve been thinking about what tech boundaries I want to instill, including boundaries related to work and productivity. I’ve become less careful about my media consumption, and it’s having a negative affect on my mental health.” 💞⁣
⁣
Have you ever felt a similar tug? ⁣
⁣
I can’t begin to tell you how many times I pick up my phone because I’m bored or lonely or jealous or unhappy. It almost always makes me feel worse. And yet...I struggle to stop. 😝⁣
⁣
Here are the ideas I’ve been trying this month and I’m already seeing a positive effect:⁣
⁣
➕ No logging into social media after 8pm. I need to wind down for the night, not get lost in my phone! 📲⁣
➕ Open Instagram with a purpose—either to post or to interact. Stop endlessly scrolling.⁣
➕ My only screen time before 9am should be for Bible Study apps or News. 🗞⁣
➕ Turn my phone on Do Not Disturb during Tiger Time (when I need the most focus for work) 💪⁣
➕ Work no more than 4 hours on my business per day. If a task isn’t complete, push it to the next day. This time frame has really helped me prioritize! 💻⁣
➕ Watch one show per day (or two if they are short!) and leave movies for the weekend. 📺⁣
⁣
What tech boundaries have you set up? Are any new as of this year? I’d love to hear your ideas! 😃

What’s one thing you budget for that other peopl
What’s one thing you budget for that other people might not? I always find those interesting. 😃⁣
⁣
You might have a mortgage. I budget for campgrounds. You might want a separate clothing budget, while I’m fine combining it under “Beauty and Style.” Recently, we also added a new line item for our motorcycle—something I NEVER thought would appear in our budget. ⁣
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See, we’re all different! ⁣
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Recently, I rearranged my budget categories and created this “cheat sheet.” Sometimes I forget where things go, like picking up new wall art for the living room. Does this item belong in the categories of Household Items or Home Maintenance? 🤔⁣
⁣
Now I know! And I save time processing receipts each Friday. 🧾⁣
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What budgeting categories do you use? Share one of your random budget line items with me in the comments below! 😃

I call 2020 the Year of Abandoned Books. ⁣
⁣
I

I call 2020 the Year of Abandoned Books. ⁣
⁣
I’m never afraid to stop reading a book if it doesn’t live up to the hype. Why invest more time in a book I’m not all that excited about when I could be exploring new authors and storylines where I can’t wait to turn the page? 🤷⁣
⁣
But in 2020, I let more books go than I normally do. I suppose my patience dwindled when I thought the world was ending. Not that I thought the world was actually ending…but you know what I mean. 😉⁣
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As an Enneagram 1, I hate giving up on a book. I’m prone to the all-or-nothing mentality, even in my reading habits. My eyes could glaze over boring prose and I’d still repeat to myself: “You MUST finish this book!” 😫⁣
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Why? ⁣
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No one is adding a plastic star to your Book-It pin, (Remember those?) This isn’t assigned reading from your high school English class. This is YOUR reading life. ⁣
⁣
And YOU should choose what books deserve your attention. 📚⁣
⁣
There are too many good ones out there anyway.  Like one of my favorite reads from 2020. 😍⁣
⁣
This week’s newest blog post rounds up everything I read last year (43 books total!) including 5-star psychological thrillers, a delightful royal series, a couple self-help books, and of course, historical fiction.⁣
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Click the link in my bio to read it! ☝⁣
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What were your favorite books in 2020? Our literary styles might be a match made in heaven! ✨

My planner/journal lineup for 2021. 👆 ⁣
⁣
T

My planner/journal lineup for 2021. 👆 ⁣
⁣
These small but mighty sidekicks will be my saving grace this year. 📚⁣
⁣
1️⃣ Bullet Journal (Blue) - for everyday planning and goal setting⁣
2️⃣ Regular Journal (Yellow) - to track gratitude (5 things a day!) and to process ALL the feelings⁣
3️⃣ Growth Journal (Sand) - a space for me to brain dump everything I learn from books, podcasts, sermons, etc ⁣
⁣
That last one is new to me as of this year and I can't wait to flip back through all my notes come December! 📆⁣
⁣
What planners/journals are you using for 2021?


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