My Top 20 Book Recs (from my 2020 reading list)

The year 2020 was a rough one for nearly everyone (Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk excluded, perhaps). In my own life, I lost a relative (my mom’s cousin) to COVID and my Minneapolis neighborhood became defined by police clashes and fire. It was a year of divisiveness and blame, isolation and loss. What good could possibly come from such a year?

One speck of hope I found in 2020 came from the publishing industry. Over the past several years (especially with the founding of We Need Diverse Books in 2014), book publishers have been attempting to broaden their scope to include a more diverse roster of authors and subject matter. This has been successful in some areas (in the YA genre, for instance, authors of color and characters of color have drastically increased) and not so successful in other areas (romance novel authors are still overwhelmingly white; the Pulitzer and Nobel Literature prizes are most often awarded to white cis-male authors).

This past year, the publishing industry, as a whole, seemed to double-down on its commitment to publish diverse authors. One especially shining example of inclusivity can be found in the sci-fi/fantasy publisher, Tor Books. Take a look at their “most anticipated” list for 2021, and you’ll see they’ve moved beyond “tokenism” and have embraced diverse talent.

Some people, naturally, have raised a fuss about this, claiming that agents and publishers are playing favorites when it comes to authors of color, queer authors, and female-identifying authors. I don’t believe favoritism is at play. To me, these agents and publishers are finally opening their eyes to talent that has always been around.

They are broadening their view of what an accomplished author looks like. Talent doesn’t always come wrapped in white skin, wearing sweaters with elbow pads and a walrus mustache. Talent springs from many backgrounds and takes many shapes. It comes in the form of new perspectives and new voices.

Talent doesn’t always come wrapped in white skin, wearing sweaters and a walrus mustache. Click To Tweet

I would venture to say that we are on the brink of a golden age of publishing. So many bright, talented authors hailing from a variety of backgrounds have emerged on the scene, it’s impossible to keep up with them all.

Because of this, it wasn’t difficult for me to prioritize female, queer, and/or authors of color last year. Of the 55 books I read, most authors fell into those categories. And most of the books were excellent.

Did I encounter a few duds? Of course. I always read a few sub-par books in a given year (from authors of all backgrounds). But, fortunately, I discovered far more gems than lumps of coal. Below is my list of favorites in various genres. Feel free to add your own favorites of last year in the comments.

Note: I’m not much for mystery/thriller books. This list is heavy on speculative and literary fiction.

Second Note: The links below will take you to either the author’s website OR to their publisher’s page, instead of Amazon. Please consider purchasing these books from independent book stores.

Best in Literary Fiction:

First: Silver in the Wood, Emily Tesh

Brief description: A forest guardian must grapple with new changes and old secrets. Set in a world with green magic, dryads, and a humble cottage.

What I loved: This book is atmospheric, immersive, and brimming with rich imagery. The main character—Tobias, the forest guardian—is so sympathetic, you’ll want to wrap him up in a hug and tell him all will be well.

Second: All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr

Brief description: This is the tale of two very different young people (a blind French girl with a penchant for solving puzzles and an orphaned German boy with a knack for fixing and building radios), whose paths converge in Nazi-occupied France during WWII.

What I loved: This is a masterfully-told story that plumbs the depths of human emotion and empathy. The interweaving of the two young people’s tales feels effortless and natural. Though the book is filled with tragedy, it also glimmers with hope, vibrant images, and human connectedness.

Best Middle Grade (nonfiction):

Marching for Freedom, Elizabeth Partridge

Brief description: An exploration of the tumultuous path to voting equality, set in 1965 Alabama and viewed through the lens of children.

What I loved: This book lends a fresh perspective to the 1965 voting rights protests that gripped the American south. Instead of rehashing the same story, we see the struggle through the eyes of young people. We feel their fear, their courage, their hope, both through vivid storytelling and compelling B&W photographs.

Best Nonfiction:

I Contain Multitudes, Ed Yong

Brief description: The microbes within us and a grander view of life (tagline from the book’s cover)

What I loved: This book is fascinating! After reading it, I have a new respect for microbes. Though some of the text gets a tad technical, it is mostly approachable and filled with interesting (and flat-out incredible) stories. A must-read.

Best Memoir:

My Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Diodan

Brief description: Diodan’s reflection on the year that uprooted her life.

What I loved: Through the tragedy and angst, Diodan writes with clarity and profound insight. This book brims with poignant moments, vivid imagery, and plenty of heart (and heartbreak). It’s an honest look at how one woman, in one specific place and time, processes grief.

Best Sci-fi:

A Memory Called Empire, Arkady Martine

Brief description: After arriving at her new post at the Teixcalaanli Empire’s capital, Ambassador Mahit Dzmare discovers her predecessor has died…and she might be next.

What I loved: Confession: There’s a huge swath of sci-fi that bores me to death, but this novel is anything but boring. Yes, it shares elements of traditional sci-fi (space ships, foreign worlds, interplanetary conquest), but it is character-centric, filled with sensory goodies, and beautifully inventive. Not only that, this story manages to tell a huge, sprawling tale of conquest and politics through the lens of one, compelling character. It is also an interesting exploration of “otherness” and immigration. Add in a compelling queer love story, a cast of dangerous and untrustworthy characters, and implanted (talkative!) memories, and it’s easy to see why this book won 2020’s Hugo Award for Best Novel.

Gideon the Ninth*, Tamsyn Muir

Brief description: Queer necromancers in space.

What I loved: This is a bizarre, mouthy book with a heart. It has a distinctly gothic feel, which is surprising, given that it’s set in the far future in outer space. I guarantee you haven’t read anything like it.

* The genre is technically listed as “epic science fantasy,” not science fiction

Best YA Fantasy:

Scythe, Neal Schusterman

Brief description: In a world that has eradicated natural death, two teens must master the “art” of taking life.

What I loved: I enjoyed it. That’s the review. Okay, fine…

I thought the strength of this book was the immersive world. It (and the characters) felt believable, and I was immediately along for the ride. In Scythe, Neal Schusterman delivers a fun adventure, wrapped inside an interesting world.

Best Fantasy Fiction:

This is How You Lose the Time War, Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar

Brief description: Time-traveling spies working for two competing agencies (tech-centered Red and nature-oriented Blue) begin leaving each other elaborate notes in different places and time (spanning centuries).

What I loved: This was, perhaps, my favorite book of the year—definitely top three. The premise is clever and engaging, and the love story (a queer love story, at that) is visceral and oh-so-lovely. Although it took me a minute to understand the whole “sending notes through space and time” thing, that ended up being one of the most interesting aspects of the book. By the end, I was rooting for both Red and Blue equally, and had no idea how the story would wrap up. But, wrap up it did…in a way I didn’t see coming.

Second: Down Among the Sticks and Bones, Seanan McGuire

Brief description: Part of the Wayward Children series, this book describes the adventures of twin girls Jack and Jill as they step down a mysterious staircase and into a fantasy land with a power-hungry vampire and a mad scientist living in a windmill.

What I loved: I instantly fell in love with Seanan McGuire’s writing. Her voice is rich and rhythmic, and her characters are nothing close to cookie-cutter. In this book, she expertly rides the line between caricature, satire, and originality. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

Best Mythological Fantasy:

Gods of Jade and Shadow, Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Brief description: A young Mexican woman who is treated like a servant by her wealthy relatives becomes linked to a god of Xibalba, the Mayan underworld, and must accompany him on a quest.

What I loved: Okay, tell me you don’t want to read this book after reading the description! Not only is the premise of GoJaS compelling and original, the prose is just as masterful. Moreno-Garcia takes us into the rich world of 1920s Mexico City, into Xibalba, and into the lush Yucatán jungles on an epic, monster-filled journey.

The Bear and the Nightingale, Katherine Arden

Brief description: Vasya can see and communicate with creatures and household guardians from Russian folklore, but a new religion is taking over the land and weakening the creatures that have long protected Vasya’s village from evil forces.

What I loved: Eastern European folklore? Mythological creatures woven into everyday life? A frost demon with a kind heart? Yes, please. Though this tale is rooted in actual mythology, the story springs from the imagination of Katherine Arden. She spins an expert tale around a brave heroine, a clash of old and new traditions, and otherworldly danger.

Note: Unfortunately, the sequel isn’t as compelling as book #1 in the series.

Best Fantasy Series:

Broken Earth Series, N.K. Jemisin

Brief description: How to summarize a three-book, epic fantasy series? How about: A great rift in the earth has started yet another “season,” during which most of humanity and earth’s other creatures will perish. In the middle of it all, Essun must use her long-concealed powers to track down her kidnapped daughter. But Essun is not allowed to pursue her daughter with singular focus. Soon, she becomes aware of a larger purpose she is meant to serve—to appease the angry earth and end the seasons, for good.

What I loved: Not all epic fantasy involves sword fights, knights, and elves. The Broken Earth Series falls squarely outside of that box, and is a breath of fresh air in epic fantasy. Inventive at every turn, it will keep you on the edge of your seat from page one. One of the aspects of the BES I enjoyed most was the unique magic system, which involved a good deal of geology- and climate-related magic. Jemisin is a skilled storyteller who delivers an excellent cast of characters (most human, some not) with believable and profound relationships. No character or action is wasted—they all have a part to play as the tale unrolls at the reader’s feet. Necessary reading for any fantasy fiction fan—this will soon be canon.

Best Standalone Epic Fantasy:

The Priory of the Orange Tree, Samantha Shannon

Brief description: (Full credit to Book Reporter for this description) political intrigue set against the backdrop of a fantasy world full of magic, mages, and dragons.

What I loved: It is tough to write a standalone epic fantasy novel. All that world-building usually necessitates at least a three-book series. Not so for Samantha Shannon. Somehow, she builds a cohesive, rich, in-depth world in a single volume. I enjoyed exploring the different settings and societies—from the dragon-riding peoples of the east, to the Queendom of Inys, to the magic-steeped haven of the Priory. This is a complex story, packed with complex, sympathetic characters. This was definitely one of my top three books of last year.

Best Novella:

The Only Great Harmless Thing, Brooke Bolander

Brief description: Radium Girls, elephants, and an alternative (beautifully dark) history of early 20^th century America

What I loved: This book lingers. You’ll end up feeling equally sad/outraged/stricken at the treatment of the “radium girl” and the elephant whom she’s tasked to train as her work replacement.

Prosper’s Demon, K.J. Parker

Brief description: A morally-gray holy man must perform his trickiest exorcism yet…and if he fails, the king-to-be will perish.

What I loved: I enjoy a protagonist with questionable morals and a saucy streak, and that’s precisely what this book delivers. Even though we’re dealing with demons and exorcisms, this book is funny. The narrator/protagonist is mouthy, but loveable, and the situation he finds himself in is both high-stakes and bizarre. A quick read, and well worth it.

Best Dark Comedy*:

My Sister, the Serial Killer, Oyinkan Braithwaite

Brief description: After Korede’s sister, Ayoola, kills yet another boyfriend, she suspects it wasn’t just self-defense (as Ayoola claims). Toeing the line between sisterhood loyalty and ethics, Korede must come to terms with what she knows and make a decision that could seal her sister’s fate.

What I loved: This is a fast-paced book, comprised of complex, morally-ambiguous characters. From page one, I was along for the ride. Set in Lagos, Nigeria, Braithwaite delivers a rich backdrop to match her equally rich characters. The relationship between Korede and Ayoola is intricate and multi-layered, as is their family history. I’ve been recommending this one all year to anyone who enjoys true crime, thrillers, or subverted tropes.

*I labeled this dark comedy, but it could just as easily be called a satiric thriller or modern noir…basically, it defies description.

Best Historical Fiction:

Pachinko, Min Jin Lee

Brief description: A family saga, following generations of a Korean family through the 1900s and beyond, as they are eventually displaced to Japan.

What I loved: Exquisitely written, Min Jin Lee transports readers to a series of different places and times. Each era is immersive, believable, and lovingly described. Just when you think you know where the book is heading, Lee swoops in and tweaks the characters’ fates. It’s a reminder that life is not so neat and orderly as a standard character arc. Instead, it’s messy and complex, and at any given point, a person’s story might careen off the rails. A lovely, visceral book.

Best Children’s Book:

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tullane, Kate DiCamillo

Brief description: A vain toy rabbit is ripped from his little girl’s arms and tossed overboard into the ocean…and that’s when his miraculous journey—and road to humility—begins.

What I loved: Who knew anyone could experience such a depth of feeling for a toy rabbit? Edward Tullane is a vain and prim rabbit at first, but is tossed around like a dingy at sea from person to person, and place to place. His story is a lesson in love, humility, and second chances. It’s an epic tale, stitched inside a simple doll. DiCamillo is a skilled storyteller, and this story will likely make you laugh and weep and continue thinking about it long after you read the final word on the final page.

 

Did you read any stand-out books last year? What are you looking forward to reading this year? I’m always looking for new books to add to my to-read list.

Happy reading!