Confession! I’ve never been a great reader. While I’ve dreamt about being one of those people who have lofty goals of reading 50+ books a year, I’m lucky if I finish one. However, this year I put a challenge out to myself that I wanted to start reading more. Of course, being stuck at-home with the pandemic has helped make that a bit easier. And I wanted to share some of my favourite books that I’ve read this year.
The Glass Castle (Jeannette Walls)
This book was a 10/10 I absolutely loved it. The Glass Castle is a memoir written by Jeannette Walls that follows her hard upbringing facing poverty, and extremely dysfunctional parents. This book had me drawn in from start to finish, but do yourself a favour, DO NOT watch the movie because it’s awful.
From The Ashes (Jesse Thistle)
This was probably one of my favourite books I’ve ever read. This book is a true story that follows the life of the author through a challenging upbringing after his parents abandon him and his brothers. His devastating childhood leads him to a rocky path into his teenage years and adulthood. This book literally had me hanging onto every word. The suspense of it at times was a lot to handle, but it was an incredible story.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (JK Rowling)
Okay, another confession, I have never read a Harry Potter book. When these books came out I was in grade 4 and they were too advanced for me. I then never tried to read them again. I decided to give them a try in isolation and I was beyond surprised how much I loved the first book. It was such a nice escape from the usual traumatic or mystery books I’m drawn too and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
Where the Crawdads Sing (Delia Owens)
This is now in my top 2 favourite books I’ve ever read. I found this tale of a young girl growing up on her own in a marsh, one with nature, to be so beautifully written. The story seriously captivated me and by the end, I was straight up in tears in the park reading it. I think everyone should have this book on their bookshelf. Highly recommend!
When the Hills Ask for your Blood (David Belton)
I picked this book up in the Kenya airport on my way back home from a whirlwind trip in East Africa. I had visited Rwanda on my trip, and picked up this book by David Belton who recounts his time as a journalist during the Rwandan genocide. This book is incredibly eye opening, and a great read for those who want to learn more about the situation that took place in Rwanda in the 90s.
The Henna Artist (Alka Joshi)
I loved this book as it transported me back to India. This book follows a strong, independent women, Lakshmi, a henna artist in Jaipur. It pivots between the struggle of modern and traditional society in India, as Lakshmi tends to the wealthy women of Jaipur with their henna needs (and beyond). I truly got lost in this book.
Currently reading:
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (JK Rowling)
Next on my list:
- American Dirt (Jeanine Cummins)
- The Tattooist of Auschwitz (Heather Morris)
- The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
What are your favourite books you’ve read in 2020? Share them below in the comments so I can add them to my reading list!
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