For many, 2020 was the worst year of their lives. I am fortunate that this was not the case for me. In fact, having been mostly house-bound with M.E. For many, 2020 was the worst year of their lives. I am fortunate that this was not the case for me. In fact, having been mostly house-bound with M.E. through 2018 and 2019, I actually benefitted from the adjustments society made to working and living at home. I started a part-time job and saw more of my friends on Zoom than I had done in a long time; I grew my first tomatoes and made a needlepoint cushion; and I began reviewing books, joined a Goodreads Group (SpecFic represent!) and created a book blog, Off-Planet Books. I miss travelling and seeing friends and family face-to-face, but they’ll be back and I’ll savour them all the more for the time away.
Over the course of 2020, I read 158 books, almost all of which were science fiction or fantasy. On top of this, I also read about 10 to 15 romance books that I didn’t log. This is a start contrast to 2019, when I read 272 books, almost all of which were romance. Reading SFF takes longer - especially when you review them - but they’re also better quality and I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to discuss them with others on Goodreads.
My average rating was 4.1-stars and I rated 58 books 5-stars (or 4.5-stars rounding up). I rated just two books 1-star and didn’t finish 3.
MY TOP SIX To help whittle the number down, I excluded rereads (eg The Way of Kings) and sequels.
- The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune This book was just as heart-warming as I'd be led to believe and the author gets brownie points for responding to my message on Goodreads in a matter of hours.
- House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas I was worried that I wouldn't enjoy Maas so much now that I'm a bit older but I was obsessed with the book and could barely put it down.
- Moon Called by Patricia Briggs I really didn't think I'd like this one, not having read much urban fantasy since Twilight as a young teen, but I LOVED it and read all twelve books of the series, and all five in the spin off series, within the space of a couple of months.
- The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal Goodreads had been recommending this book to me for a long time and I finally got around to it. I'm so glad I did. It's a little like Hidden Figures (the movie, at least), but stands very firmly on its own two feet.
- Lock In by John Scalzi I've read a good few Scalzi books before but this is my favourite. The concept was ingenious and the writing humorous.
RUNNERS UP
- Ender in Exile by Orson Scott Card Breaking my no-sequel rule, this is book 1.5 in the Ender's Game series. Considering that Ender's Game is my favourite book of all time, its no real surprise that this book is here. The letter Ender writes to his parents made me weep.
- Entreat Me by Grace Draven I love everything Grace Draven writes and endeavour to read all of her books. This was a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and I've never seen such a sassy heroine.
- The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater One of my best friends recommended this to me years ago and I'm only sorry I've just got around to it. I found it gloriously understated whilst also brilliantly exciting - a delicate and unusual balance.
- Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City by K. J. Parker I picked this up by complete chance at the library. It's surprisingly funny and very well written.
- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo Better than the original Grisha series, I loved Kaz and Inej and can't wait to see the TV series.
- The Hollow Kingdom by Clare B. Dunkle This was almost the last book I read in 2020 and so got left off my original 2020-highlights list. It's warm and comforting and deserves more notoriety than it has.
Honourable Mentions
- A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson I finished this book on the 1 January 2020 so it's more of a 2019 book really. The series is exceedingly slow and complicated at times, but by god is it worth the read.
- Shards of Time by Lynn Flewelling Another series I all but completed in 2019. It's one of my favourite series ever but sadly little known.
- Transporter by Laurence E. Dahners I am incredibly embarrassed by how much I love this series and yet every time Dahners brings out a new book, I read it.
- The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien The Lord of the Rings films are some of my all-time favourites and yet I haven't read the books since I was 11-years-old and carrying them around more because they looked impressive than because I actually understood them.
- Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson I said I wouldn't mention rereads but that doesn't stop me mentioning the series' newest addition. Despite huge anticipation, I enjoyed this book less than its predecessors. The series, however, remains one of my favourites.
GOALS FOR 2021
1. Continue to update my website, Off-Planet Books 2. Finish some of the many books I already own (including over 230 SFF books) 3. Finish some of the many series I've already started....more
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