bookish challenge › 2020 releases I read last year

As a reader, I’ve mostly read from authors’ backlists. I’ve never really paid much attention to the books coming out, or was not really aware of them much. As a goal for 2020, I decided to challenge myself to read a 2020 release for every single month of the year.

While I didn’t quite manage to do that, I would say that I made a change in my reading regardless, picking up more releases and getting around to some arcs.

I am not quite linking all of the novels I read, but rather a highlight of the ones that I adored and for me, were highlights of the year.

I want to start by shouting out some books that I feel deserve a special call out, because they either impacted me more than the other books, or they just left a lasting impression.

» the stars;

• Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson. This is the only novel from this entire post that I read, devoured, and then read again, not even all that long after. Year of the Witching is such a magical novel, in a beautiful world that just left me wanting more.
• The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinska. This novel surprised me. I thought that I would enjoy it, but I never thought that it would be this strong. I just flew through this novel, loving every single page of it.
• Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo. Elizabeth Acevedo is a new author for me in 2020. During the year, I read their entire backlist and that is only because of this novel. My partner read it first and adored it, and then I listened to the audiobook version of this and I got hooked instantly. It’s a novel with so much love and passion, but also talks so strongly on grief and love an learning things about loved ones only after they pass.

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» queer novels that stuck with me

• The Falling In Love Montage by Ciara Smyth is one of those novels that just fills you with the warm and fuzzies. Pro points for the inclusion of fat rep in this novel as it sadly is not quite widespread enough. I really enjoyed all the story lines in this novel, how all the characters felt like they had their own lives and their own stories and could live them. If you have not read it, I really suggest you pick this up if you’re ever in the mood for some fun, queer content.
• Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender. This was such a strong novel, that in the end made me check out more of their writing. It was such a beautiful story, featuring a diverse cast and I think something that many teens will find themselves in. While I was reading this, I found myself wanting to read more and more and more, and not put the book down. Maybe it also was because I buddy read this with my girlfriend, which always makes for a more special feeling, but the book had a lot to do with it.
• All Boys aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson. Normally, I am not the biggest fan of memoirs and autobiographies, but this one caught me and kept me drawn in. The audiobook for this one was fantastic, and even after all these months, I find myself thinking back to some of the things in this novel.
• King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender. This is the second Kacen Callender that I read and I have to say, even aimed at a younger audience, this is a great read. It discusses some very important topic, including grief and finding yourself and identity. If you doubted about picking this up, please do. I swear you won’t regret it.

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» disappointments

(I feel the need to mention that these are not bad books, it’s just that they really did not vibe well with me/I personally didn’t enjoy them.)

• A deadly Education by Naomi Novik. This book was sadly a dnf for me. Maybe I will pick it up at a different point in life, but right now, I do not see myself returning to it. I had quite a few problems with it, and admittedly, just did not enjoy the reading experience.
• Black Girl Unlimited by Echo Brown. Objectively, I can say that this was a good book, sadly this too was a dnf for me. Something about this novel just did not work for me. Maybe it was because I listened to the audiobook, maybe it is because it does not quite fit within what I usually read. Overall, I would still recommend it however – as there is nothing wrong with it and I think you might still enjoy it.
• The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins. I have a review up for this book, but ultimately it was a disappointment, mostly a frustrating disappointment.

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» other books

• Long Bright River by Lizz Moore. four stars, features: talk about addiction, sister/familial relationships.
• Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power. five stars, features: queer mc, familial relationships, magical realism, coming of age
• Watch Over Me by Nina Lacour. five stars, features; queer mc, grief and trauma, past abuse, found family
• The Gravity of Us by Phil Stamper. three stars. features; queer mc, social media, space, mental illness.
• Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson. three stars. features; black mc, trauma and abuse, the music industry
• Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas. four stars. features; latinx trans queer mc, magic, family relationships, mysteries
• Ghost Squad by Claribel A Ortega. three stars. features; parental loss, latinx mc, magic
• Race To The Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse. four stars. features; navajo lore, navajo mc, adventure story
• The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones. four stars. features; native mcs, horror, graphic descriptions of violence
• Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo. four stars. features; queer (nonbinary mc), asian, novella, imaginative world, beautiful writing tbh.

These were the 2020 books I ended up getting around to. I am sure that for some, this is very few of them, but it is so much more than I read over the past years. Most importantly, there were so many books that I really enjoyed in these.

Do you like reading 2020 releases? How did you enjoy them if you did?