We’re almost done with 2020 and thanks to having a lot more time on my hands this year, I've not only finished writing my first full-length novel, I’ve also had the opportunity to read some great books.
In seven years of Goodreads Reading Challenges, this is only the second time that I’ve surpassed my goal. In fact, I hit my initial goal of 25 books back in October and increased the goal to 30. Now I’m at 32 books and will probably squeeze in one or two more before the ball drops on New Years’.
Of those 32 books, here are 8 that really impressed me in ranking order:
8. The Royal We by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan
I kicked off the year reading this book. I believe I picked it up at Lit Fest a few years ago. If you like stories about the Royal Family, this one is a romantic tale of a plain Jane and her heir-to-the-throne love interest. It’s funny, sweet, and heartbreaking at times.
7. The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn
Believe the hype. And when is that movie coming out? This mysterious tale of a recluse who witnesses a murder is reminiscent of The Girl On The Train. It’s tough telling what’s real and what’s a figment of the main character’s wine/drug-induced imagination.
6. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Dark, mysterious, a twist! The story takes place on a small island owned by a well-to-do family. It revolves around a group of friends whose friendship turns destructive. I believe this was another Lit Fest pick and I felt transported to the island every time I picked it up.
5. Lover Revealed by J. R. Ward
I highly recommend reading this series if you’re into dark Vampire romances. I don’t normally read books like this but I love these, and Lover Revealed (aka Butch’s story) is the best of the four I’ve read so far. Butch isn’t a Vampire, but he hangs with the main crew of vamps who all have their own demons. Butch just wants the woman he loves to see past his humanity and stop throwing shade at him.
The tone of this novel takes me back to the years I voraciously read Stephen King and John Saul books. There’s always a bad seed in the bunch and our main character sees right through the games the villain plays. It’s haunting and keeps you guessing. And two words: lucid dreams.
3. The Guest List by Lucy Foley
I cannot say enough about this book. Told from different points of view, Foley makes you feel the scenery and keeps you on edge until the very end. It was Goodreads Book of the Year in the mystery/thriller category for a darn good reason. It’s a page turner.
Lady pirate battles and beds the man she married and the man who captures her. And holy smokes the sex. I loved the main character, she was tough as the wood on a ship’s gangplank. I’ve never gotten through a book so quickly. I just could not put it down. And it would’ve been #1 on my list except…
1. Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Anyone that knows me, knows that I love music. And oh boy did this book speak to me. The inside story of a 1970’s rock band told from several points of view, DJATS was an epic fairy tale of rock stars in L.A. and the self-destruction of one of the most popular (albeit fictional) bands of that era. The cool thing about this book was finding music playlists devoted to the music of that time. It aligned nicely with the docuseries Laurel Canyon on Epix (watch it, it’s great). I’m a sucker for stories about rockstars and the legendary behind-the-scenes stuff. In fact, my next novel has a similar theme. This one was A+ in my book.
What have you read this year that you’d recommend as a great read? My TBR is never long enough.
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