My Favourite Reads of 2020

2020 was the year I reignited my love for reading. These past twelve months have been strange and difficult and books have provided the perfect escapism for me. Here are my absolute favourite titles from my 2020 reading list.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

“It’s always been fascinating to me how things can be simultaneously true and false, how people can be good and bad all in one, how someone can love you in a way that is beautifully selfless while serving themselves ruthlessly.”

Evelyn Hugo was once the most glamorous and sought-after star in Hollywood. At the age of 79, she is finally ready to reveal the secrets of her life and career in a heartbreakingly raw interview.

This was without a doubt my favourite book of the year. It was flawless – the characters, the writing, the plot; I was stunned. Evelyn is such a fabulous protagonist and I adored following her story.

Read my full review here

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

“There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot.”

I have fond memories of sitting in the garden for hours on end with a copy of this in my hands (ahh, lockdown no.1). Where the Crawdads Sing is a stunning tale that certainly lives up to its rave reviews – it follows the life of Kya, a young girl who is neglected by her family and left alone to fend for herself. Rumours of a ‘Feral Marsh Girl’ are rampant amongst the locals and when the town’s Golden Boy is found dead, fingers are pointed at Kya. A thrilling murder mystery intertwined with a beautiful coming-of-age story, this was one I couldn’t put down.

Read my full review here

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

“I had forgotten how gently time passes in Paris. As lively as the city is, there’s a stillness to it, a peace that lures you in. In Paris, with a glass of wine in your hand, you can just be.”

The Nightingale centres around Vianne and Isabelle; two sisters who are struggling for survival in Nazi-occupied France. When I first started this I was expecting a fluffy romance novel but what I got was so much more. It was very dark in places but so powerful and beautifully written. It blew me away!

Read my full review here

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

“Let us not become so cautious that we forget to live.”

This was a fun one! City of Girls story follows Vivian Morris, who after being kicked out of college moves to Manhattan to live in a theatre with her aunt. Exploring themes of sexuality, freedom and female friendships, it’s such an empowering read. From the majority of reviews I’ve read, I’ve gathered it’s a real ‘love or hate,’ kind of book, but personally I adored it. The glitzy, pre-war New York setting was pure escapism for me.

Read my full review here

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

“We weren’t ourselves when we fell in love, and when we became ourselves – surprise! – we were poison. We complete each other in the nastiest, ugliest possible way.”

I put off reading this for so long as I’d already seen the film and therefore knew what happened. However, this didn’t take away from my enjoyment – I loved this book. I wasn’t a big fan of the writing style but the story is so clever and one of the best in true crime (in my opinion).

Read my full review here

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

“Ever morning, until you dead in the ground, you gone have to make this decision. You gone have to ask yourself, “Am I gone believe what them fools say about me today?”

The Help is another book I was incredibly late to the party for. This was technically a 2021 read but I enjoyed it so much I had to add it to the list. It took a little while for me to get into it but once I did I couldn’t put it down – the writing was beautiful, the characters were fabulous and the story had me in tears. Five glorious stars! My only regret is I didn’t read it sooner.

Did you read much in 2020? What were your favourite books?

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