Top 10 Reads in 2020
You’d think being in quarantine for the past year, I would have read double the books than I intended. In fact, I didn’t even reach my goal for the year. That’s okay. I suppose I needed adjustment, as I’m sure most others needed as well. Nonetheless, I still offer you my Top 10 reads of the year:
10. ”Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass” by Lana Del Rey
Poetry. When I first heard about this book, my initial impression was “Oh god, another singer trying to make more money.” This was followed shortly thereafter with giving them my money. Yes, I am a bit embarrassed about it. But guys, these poems were actually really good. A lot of poetry these days are formatted more like sayings, which can be nice when you’re in the mood to read quick snippets of an emotion. It’s fleeting though. I appreciated that Lana Del Ray’s poems were more than 10 lines long - she gave you a chance to settle in and actually feel the feelings. If you’re looking for that experience, I recommend this book.
9. “Spellbreaker” by Charlie N. Holberg
Fantasy. I downloaded this for free with no expectations, so I was pleasantly surprised getting into it just after a few pages. It’s a period piece that takes place in a world where there are Spell Makers - they learn to make spells. Then there are also Spell Breakers - they are born to break spells. This had a very Sherlock Holmes feel to it, where the main detective is a woman who happens to be a Spell Breaker. Quick read and would be fun for all ages.
8. ”You’re Never Weird on the Internet” by Felicia Day
Memoir. I read this as an audio book. I don’t typically use audiobooks, but I needed something to pass my time on walks to work. Let me just say, this was perfect for that purpose. Felicia Day narrated it, and I found myself laughing outside in public throughout her story. You don’t need to know a lot about her to get into the book - I only knew her as that girl on Supernatural and Dr. Horrible’s Singalong-Blog. Well, now I obviously know a lot more about Felicia Day, and I’m glad it was through her words.
7. “The Jane Austen Society” by Natalie Jenner
Fiction. Great book for Jane Austen fans. The characters reveal secrets and critiques I hadn't thought of myself when reading Jane. At the same time, this storyline has many parallels to her plots- it was fun trying to pair them together.
6. ”Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow” by Yuval Noah Harari
Non-fiction.
People are usually afraid of change because they fear the unknown. But the single greatest constant of history is that everything changes.
Harari’s books are so amazing. This book took an unexpected turn and delved into the future of religion - it was incredibly insightful and he brought up so many great questions that I still find myself pondering today.
5. “Poetry of William Wordsworth” by William Wordsworth
Poetry. Yes, another poetry book. If you aren’t already reading poetry, you should start reading a poem a week. I would start with a classic like William Wordsworth. His poetry is very romantic and emphasized with a lot of scenic imagery. His writing is “old” (late 1700s), and I know some people are intimidated by that kind of writing, but his poetry surprisingly reads pretty easy. Give it a go!
4. ”Sin City, Vol. 4: That Yellow Bastard” by Frank Miller
Graphic Novel. Gruesome, deep, kick-ass. I’ve been reading the series and this is so far, my favorite volume. If you’ve seen the movie, the part with Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba, and that gross yellow guy is based on this story. Let me tell you, the movie was spot-on. They hardly changed anything, so I love both movie and graphic novel just as equally. However, I do have to say that reading the dialogue made me realize how absolutely amazing it is. The movie was obviously more visually appealing, but the illustrations in the book should not be ignored. The next time you’re in a book shop, just flip through some of these pages and you’ll see what I mean.
3. “Fangs” by Sarah Anderson
Comic. Oh. Em. Gee. This was adorable. Girl vampire meets boy werewolf and they start dating. The comic goes through moments of their relationship - the advantages and disadvantages of a vampire and werewolf falling in love, which are hilarious. I’d recommend this for anyone that has actually dated, so they actually get the jokes!
2. “Dune” by Frank Herbert
Science Fiction. WHOA. Where has Dune been all my life? Right in front of me actually, downloaded on my Kindle or on every bookshelf of every person I’ve ever visited. I think I had avoided it because it seemed like “hard” science fiction. After reading Asimov’s “The Foundation” series, I was a bit confused and not into deep space and other world politics as much. Thanks to a book club I’m in, I was forced to read Dune. But hey! It was one of my favorite books last year and I’m back in the old school science fiction gang. I’m starting the second book soon and I honestly can’t wait. It helped to jot down groups, names, and planets throughout the story so I could keep track of who was actually bad, who was good, or who was good pretending to be bad… yeah, definitely take notes. But it’s very much worth it.
1. “Can you Forgive Her?” by Anthony Trollope
Fiction. I will be reading this again, and again, and again (who cares if it’s 800 pages!). I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Who’s Anthony Trollope? I had googled “authors like Jane Austen” and his name popped up. Then I found myself purchasing this book at a used book store in Boston. I'm used to reading female Victorian authors, so with Trollope I was prepared for some sexist content. What I read was far from that (at least initially). There were multiple times throughout the novel, where I felt like Trollope understood me better than I understood myself. How did he know what women were thinking? I still don't understand.
With that said, I'm not saying Trollope was a feminist. He captures female characters almost perfectly - moreso than any female Victorian novel I've read (or maybe it was that he wasn't timid or socially restricted to express hard truths for the female sex). However, at times I would be pumping my triumphant fist in the air, it was quickly dampened by his momentary, extremely chauvinistic viewpoints. There you go - some disappointments, but still an extremely thoughtful story enough to be my #1 pick for 2020.
If you want to see the full list and my ratings, you can view them on my Goodreads profile: My Year in Books. Additionally, although I’m glad you are reading my blog, I encourage you to take the time to step away from your computers or phones, to read a book or write a poem! Happy reading!
“The internet is amazing because it connects us with one another. But it’s also horrific because . . . it connects us with one another.”
― Felicia Day, You're Never Weird on the Internet