2020 in Books

Well, I thought this year would see fewer books than last year over here. And it did, but only 2 fewer and about 700 pages more than last year (thanks Harry Potter). When COVID-19 kept us all inside, I used every ounce of free time I had to ride my bike and read. Here’s where it took me…

Well, I thought this year would see fewer books than last year over here. And it did, but only 2 fewer and about 700 pages more than last year (thanks Harry Potter). When COVID-19 kept us all inside, I used every ounce of free time I had to ride my bike and read. While much of it was for pleasure, I did have to bend a little and sneak some (7) books in for work/small group-related things so I could count my reading/riding time as work time as well (just another way to be scrappy in 2020).

This past year, my real reading goal was to read the Harry Potter series (and watch the movies) since I never read them when they were new and exciting (now they’re just old and exciting). It took me most of the year, as I bounced in and out of the story, accommodating for book club books, books I had to read for work, etc. While the series didn’t immediately grab me, I stuck with it and absolutely loved the process and the end.

As for my reading as a whole this past year…


Books read:

52


Pages read:

17,803


Average Page Length:

342


Longest Book:

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rolwing


Shortest Book:

We Should All be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie


My Average Rating:

3.6 (But the Goodreads average rating of the books I read was 4.135 – I guess I’m a tough critic?)


My Highest Rated Books (5 stars):

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
A Good Neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
We Should All Be Feminists by Chimananda Ngozi Adichie
We Will Rise: A True Story of Tragedy and Resurrection in the American Heartland by Steve Beaven
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0) by Suzanne Collins
Educated by Tara Westover


My Lowest Rated Books:

The Magical Language of Others by E.J. Koh
When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor… And Yourself by Steve Corbett, Brian Fikkert
Circe by Madeline Miller
Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks
Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World by Bob Goff
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling


Goodreads Highest Rated Book of my 2020 Books:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (4.61 average rating)


Goodreads Lowest Rated Book of my 2020 Books:

Comfort and Joy by Kristin Hannah (3.57 average rating)


My Favorite Book of 2020:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
A Good Neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler
We Will Rise: A True Story of Tragedy and Resurrection in the American Heartland by Steve Beaven

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0) by Suzanne Collins


The Book(s) that Changed the Way I Think About Something:

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi CoatesA profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation’s history and current crisis.
We Should All be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie – A unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century—one rooted in inclusion and awareness.


The Book(s) I’m Most Likely to Recommend to Others:

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Educated by Tara Westover
Beartown by Fredrik Backman


The Book(s) I’m Least Likely to Recommend to Others:

Circe by Madeline Miller
Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks


The Scariest Book I Read:

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling


The Happiest Book I Read:

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli


The Saddest Book I Read:

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood


The Funniest Book I Read:

Crimes Against a Book Club by Kathy Cooperman


Broken Down by Genre:

Contemporary: 12
Fantasy: 9
Young Adult: 8
Self Help/Work Training: 7
Historical Fiction: 4
Memoir: 3
Nonfiction: 3
Chick Lit: 2
Sci-Fi: 1
Short Stories: 1
Thriller: 1


If you’ve made it this far, you must be a reader as well. Please comment to let me know your book recommendations!

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