Although 2020 was not my best reading year numbers-wise. It has definitely been my best enjoyment wise. I read so many great books this year, and I even started receiving ARCs near the end which is so exciting. Choosing my top 2020 reads was actually quite difficult, so I decided to just talk about the books that were released during the year. Just to make things a little easier for myself.

Before getting into the main part of the post I want to give a special shoutout to Influence by Sara Shepard and Lilia Buckingham. It was not included in this post as it isn’t actually out yet, however it was definitely up there with some of my top reads of 2020. 

Chain of Gold (the last hours #1) by Cassandra Clare

The first of my top 2020 reads is Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare. It will come as no surprise to many of you that Chain on Gold has made it onto this list. This was definitely my most anticipated release of the year and it did not disappoint. 

I loved everything about this book and as I said in my full review of (read it here) Chain of Gold is my favourite cast of characters. Cordelia is most definitely sitting at the top of my favourite characters ever list and it’s going to take someone incredible to knock her from that position. 

Cassandra Clare is so good at writing great female characters and Chain of Gold is some of her best work. Not only was Cordelia totally cool and fiery, but Lucie was also no damsel in distress. I adore their friendship and I can’t wait for them to officially become parabatai in Chain of Iron. 

Seriously if you have not checked out the first instalment of The Last Hours series yet, do so before Chain of Iron is released March 2021. I promise you won’t regret it. 

Goodreads synopsis: “Cordelia Carstairs is a Shadowhunter, a warrior trained since childhood to battle demons. When her father is accused of a terrible crime, she and her brother travel to London in hopes of preventing the family’s ruin. Cordelia’s mother wants to marry her off, but Cordelia is determined to be a hero rather than a bride. Soon Cordelia encounters childhood friends James and Lucie Herondale and is drawn into their world of glittering ballrooms, secret assignations, and supernatural salons, where vampires and warlocks mingle with mermaids and magicians. All the while, she must hide her secret love for James, who is sworn to marry someone else.”

The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the air #3) by Holly Black 

The second book in my top 2020 reads is The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black. I have talked about this series quite a lot at this point. I am completely in love with Cardan and that’s that. He isn’t even a nice person so I don’t know why I love his character so much but there’s just something about him. I think a lot of you will agree with me on that. 

I hadn’t read any of this series until later on this year and I’m actually glad I left it until every book was out because I would not be able to stand the torture of not knowing how everything was going to end. 

The cutthroat world of Faerie in this series is possibly one of my favourites ever. I loved learning about all of the strange customs and traditions and I especially loved the clothing descriptions. 

It saddens me to think that it is all over. The Folk of The Air series is definitely one that I would like to have erased from my memory so I can read it for the first time again. 

Goodreads synopsis: “He will be destruction of the crown and the ruination of the throne.

Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold onto. Jude learned this lesson when she released her control over the wicked king, Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power.

Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan’s betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her deceptive twin sister, Taryn, whose mortal life is in peril.

Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan, if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines she becomes ensnared in the conflict’s bloody politics.

And, when a dormant yet powerful curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity…”

Majesty (American Royals #2) by Katharine McGee

The third book in my top 2020 reads is Majesty by Katharine McGee. I actually shocked myself a bit with this choice. If you asked me at the start of 2020 whether I would put a contemporary into my top reads of the year I would have said no. I will always be a fantasy girl at heart, but this year I really enjoyed contemporaries. 

The whole idea of this book was fascinating to me. It shouldn’t be because I’m British and already have a royal family. However, the idea of a modernised American royal family who are basically just influencers was exciting. 

Majesty was a great sequel to the very much beloved by many American Royals. It had everything romance, drama, family. If you are looking for a read with swoon-worthy romance and droves of drama then you should definitely check out this series. 

Read my full review of Majesty here

Goodreads synopsis: “Is America ready for its first queen?

Power is intoxicating. Like first love, it can leave you breathless. Princess Beatrice was born with it. Princess Samantha was born with less. Some, like Nina Gonzalez, are pulled into it. And a few will claw their way in. Ahem, we’re looking at you Daphne Deighton.

As America adjusts to the idea of a queen on the throne, Beatrice grapples with everything she lost when she gained the ultimate crown. Samantha is busy living up to her “party princess” persona…and maybe adding a party prince by her side. Nina is trying to avoid the palace–and Prince Jefferson–at all costs. And a dangerous secret threatens to undo all of Daphne’s carefully laid “marry Prince Jefferson” plans.

A new reign has begun….”

The Magpie Society: one for sorrow (the magpie society #1) by Zoe Sugg & Amy McCulloch 

The fourth book in my top 2020 reads is The Magpie Society by Zoe Sugg and Amy McCulloch. The Magpie Society was my second most anticipated release of the year. I have been watching Zoe on Youtube since I was 13 (almost 10 years ago), and it was really exciting getting to watch the entire process of this book being written. 

I completely devoured this book. It took me under four hours to read. I am an extremely quick reader when I’m really into a book. The mystery was exciting, the characters endearing in their own special way and I have a feeling that this series is only about to get darker. 

The first book has set up the sequel really well. You have no idea who could be behind the ‘murder’ and it leaves you desperately trying to piece the clues together. Nothing about this storyline was obvious, other than a small point which does affect anything massively.

I genuinely enjoyed The Magpie Society and I cannot wait for book two. 

Read my full review of The Magpie Society here

Goodreads synopsis: “Illumen Hall is an elite boarding school. Tragedy strikes when the body of a student is discovered at their exclusive summer party – on her back is an elaborate tattoo of a magpie.

When new girl Audrey arrives the following term, running from her own secrets back home in America, she is thrown into solving the case. Despite her best efforts to avoid any drama, her new roommate Ivy was close to the murdered girl, and the two of them can’t help but get pulled in.

The two can’t stand each other, but as they are drawn deeper into the mystery of this strange and terrible murder, they will discover that something dangerous is at the heart of their superficially perfect school.

Welcome to The Magpie Society.”

All This Time by Mikki Daughtry and Rachael Lippincott

The final book in my top 2020 reads is All This Time by Mikki Daughtry and Rachael Lippincott. This book was both heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. When I say rollercoaster of emotion, I mean it. 

All This Time was also a speedy read for me and I honestly could not put it down. I needed to know that Kyle was going to be ok and I really needed to know how he was going to move forward with his life. 

You can’t help but love the characters in this book and also feel every heartbreak or happy emotions they go through. It did at times become a tough read but I think that’s what made it so great. It makes you feel something. 

If you love a good emotion-packed read then this book is the one for you. 

Read my full review of All This Time here

Goodreads synopsis: “Kyle and Kimberly have been the perfect couple all through high school, but when Kimberly breaks up with him on the night of their graduation party, Kyle’s entire world upends—literally. Their car crashes and when he awakes, he has a brain injury. Kimberly is dead. And no one in his life could possibly understand.

Until Marley. Marley is suffering from her own loss, a loss she thinks was her fault. And when their paths cross, Kyle sees in her all the unspoken things he’s feeling.

As Kyle and Marley work to heal each other’s wounds, their feelings for each other grow stronger. But Kyle can’t shake the sense that he’s headed for another crashing moment that will blow up his life as soon as he’s started to put it back together.

And he’s right.”

Let me know your top 5 2020 reads in the comments!

WANT TO SEE WHAT I’VE BEEN READING LATELY? CHECK OUT MY GOODREADS HERE

DON’T FORGET TO LIKE AND FOLLOW YOUNG CREATIVE PRESS ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER

Like this post? Why not read this one too? Monthly Wrap-Up: December 2020