My Top Reads of 2020

The Great Alone – Kristin Hannah

By far one of my favorite books of all time! The Great Alone tells the story of a young girl who’s family moves to the bush of Alaska where everything she has ever known is turned upside down. A new start should fix all of the problems in her family’s past, right? Wrong. While overcoming all new obstacles that seem insurmountable, Leni finds that the scariest part of the Alaskan wilderness still may be her family dynamic. That is until she meets a boy. Can love and a supportive community turn it all around for her? Hannah’s storytelling will have you thinking about love, loss and wilderness for days to come.

Where the Crawdads Sing – Delia Owens

This book has become hugely popular recently and for good reason. Everyone can relate to the feeling of not belonging and that is exactly what the story of the marsh girl, Kya, is about. Kya has always been the outcast and not given a chance in life because of her family and where she lives. Eventually this leads to her being all alone with only nature as her friend and the suspect in a murder investigation. This book teaches you that being different isn’t a bad thing even if it feels lonely and sad, and one day it might just be the reason for your success and happiness. If you love this book like me, you will also love The Great Alone.

We Were Liars – E. Lockhart

If you are on TikTok you have seen that this book “emotionally destroys” people. I wouldn’t go that far but maybe I am just #coldhearted, but I would definitely recommend it. This easy, young adult read tells the story of a group of family childhood friends that grow up on a private island in the summers together. There is a seemingly typical love story throughout but you know that there is something wrong, something you just haven’t figured out yet, the entire time you are reading. The plot twist is unpredictable and heartbreaking at the end and the anticipation will keep you reading through the night.

Before We Were Yours – Lisa Wingate

This novel is based on a true story which is what makes it so intriguing and honestly disturbing. It follows the story of young Rill and her sisters and present day Avery and her family who think they have nothing to hide despite being in the public eye. Rill and her sisters are growing up on a shanty boat on the Mississippi when suddenly they find themselves taken against their will to the Tennessee Children’s Home Society. Life for Rill becomes all about keeping her siblings together and safe and getting them back to the river. Meanwhile, in present day, Avery meets an elderly woman who makes her start to question her family’s past and she is driven to get to the bottom of it. You will be questioning how the stories collide and how this was ever a part of our country’s history. After you read this book and want to learn more I urge you to look up the true stories of the Tennessee Children’s Home.

Plain Truth – Jodi Picoult

This Jodi Picoult classic is about an Amish community in crisis and a lawyer that gets thrown into a case that she did not quite sign up for. It all starts when a baby is found dead, presumably murdered, in an Amish barn and all signs point to teenage Katie. Katie denies not only the murder but also the baby and the pregnancy entirely. The book explores the Amish community and plain life, how cultures collide and just how much we can learn from one another. I found learning about a community and culture to be so interesting especially when it is put into the perspective of law and justice. This book will change how you look at plain life and show you that maybe different ways of living aren’t necessarily wrong or bad.

Then She Was Gone – Lisa Jewell

Ellie was a regular teenage girl in a regular family until one day she went missing. Ellie’s mom, Laurel, will never stop searching for her and will never understand why her youngest was taken from her. Everything changes when Laurel meets a man who finally makes her somewhat happy in life and his daughter who bears an uncanny resemblance to her own missing girl. Will Laurel ever find out what happened to Ellie? You will want to keep reading this mystery to find out for yourself, trust me. Definitely an easy read that you will finish quickly because you just need to know Ellie’s fate.

This Is How It Always Is – Laurie Frankel

This book truly changed my perspective on family secrets and what it means to raise a child that isn’t the standard “normal”. It is the story of a little boy, the youngest of many brothers, who maybe doesn’t want to be a boy. The family keeps the secret for their little girl until one day it explodes and leaves them wondering if keeping the secret was the right thing to do in the first place. The concept really makes you think about how accepting we really are of one another and how it effects those around us.

The Friends We Keep – Jane Green

This book portrays the lifetime of a friendship between three people who met in college. Each individual ends up going in their own direction in life and years later are brought back together at a reunion. Despite looking happy and successful on the outside, each of them have realized they are not satisfied with their life and resolve to come back together again. But will their secrets tear them apart or is their love and friendship strong enough to withstand? The book speaks to just how important friendships can be, and how sometimes family is chosen. It is a fun and witty read that isn’t necessarily about love but friends.

The Guest List – Lucy Foley

This book is a great read for a rainy day when you just need a good mystery. It is like the game of Clue and a murder mystery dinner party in book form. Guests gather for a wedding on a small private island rumored to be haunted, a storm rolls in, the power goes out and a body is found. Every guest has a story and a motive, so who dies and who murders? All of the stories in this book come together in such a satisfying way to give the perfect mystery ending.

The Rescue – Nicholas Sparks

Who doesn’t love a good Nicholas Sparks book every now and then? You know that they will always deliver a heartwarming love story. The Rescue is no different, following the story of a single mom and young, small town firefighter who’s paths collide when her son goes missing. This book explores the fact that everyone has their own stories and past and their own burdens to bear, but leaning on someone else for support might lighten the load just a little. The book is a bit slow to start but expect some plot twists to keep you hooked. Why haven’t I moved to North Carolina yet to meet the small town hero who falls in love with me??

The Sun Is Also A Star – Nicola Yoon

You may have seen this title on the big screen recently but like they always say, read the book first! This book is so different than anything I have read as it spans only a single day in the lives of two young adults whose lives are on the precipice of change. Did they meet each other at just the perfect time or is perfect timing a scam that we all have bought into? Will they change eachother’s lives or is it too late to stop the change already in motion? Should we believe in destiny and fate or in science and facts? This book shows you that every moment matters and that there are infinite possible futures in front of us, but we never know which will come to fruition. This love story maybe isn’t even a love story but it is definitely not that cheesy, romantic one that you are used to.

Things You Save In A Fire – Katherine Center

Now this is the cheesy love story you are looking for. Female firefighter, Cassie, makes the choice to leave her beloved firehouse for a new location to be closer to her estranged mother, and she isn’t sure that it was the right decision. The old school firehouse questions her abilities and makes her work even harder for the career she adores. Then the rookie comes in and she tries so hard to deny her feelings because she doesn’t need love, she is tough and focused, but the feelings are there. The story redefines what being a tough, driven and courageous woman means and addresses some stereotypes that are all too true.

The Woman In the Window – A.J. Finn

A woman with a crippling fear of leaving her home lives her life through a window. It’s not spying or stalking if you’re just watching your neighbors routines from the comfort of your living room is it? Then a new family moves in across the street, and the woman sees something she just can’t ignore. Does she get involved despite her fears or is she just going crazy from all of the habits she has developed within her four walls? I can tell you that while this book is very slow to start the ending is not what you expect and will leave you shocked.