As I said earlier today when I posted my top 8 non-fiction books of the year, I’m disappointed in myself.  Considering how much time that I spent at home in 2020, I should have read more books.  I should have read every book that I have in the house.  That was certainly what I was expecting to happen but, as the lockdown went on and on, a combination of frustration and depressing kicked in and I basically totally lost focus.

So, I didn’t read as much as I should have.  But, at least I can say that I did read.  To be honest, I imagine that’s more than a lot of other people did.  Language is a wonderful thing and it’s dying.  Though I may not have read as much as I wanted to, I still read some very good novels over the course of 2020.  Listed below are eight of my favorites.

1. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia — This was a wonderfully atmospheric book, one that took all of the traditional gothic elements and imagined them through the prism of Mexican culture and history.  This was a wonderful read, both entertaining and thought-provoking.  Apparently, it’s being turned into a miniseries for Hulu and I’ll definitely be watching.
2. The Swap by Robyn Harding — Swapping partners leads to chaos!  (Well, yeah.)  This is an enjoyable thriller about a drunken night and the drama that follows. The characters are all sharply etched, especially Low, a the manipulative teenager who you’ll kind of sympathize with even when you know you shouldn’t.
3. The House on Fripp Island by Rebecca Kauffman — Two families share a vacation house on Fripp Island.  One family is rich and one family is poor and both families are full of secrets and lies.  The House on Fripp Island is the literary equivalent of a good Lifetime film and, if you know how I feel about Lifetime films, then you know that’s a huge compliment.  I will also admit that I another reason why I liked this book was because it featured a character named Lisa.
4. The Sister-in-Law by Sue Watson — Speaking of books that would make a good Lifetime film, The Sister-in-Law is another book about a family at a vacation home.  Once again, it’s all about secrets and lies and melodrama and it’s an incredibly fun read.
5. Regretting You by Colleen Hoover — This book is an examination of the relationship between a overprotective mom and a rebellious daughter.  It rang true in all the best ways.  I could relate.
6. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig — Nora is given a chance to see how her life would have turned out if she had made a few different choices.  This book made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me think.  This is a perfect read for anyone struggling with regret.
7. Wild Child by Audrey Carlan — What happens when you combine a serial killer thriller with a romance?  You get this well-written and fast-paced book about how Simone goes from nearly being a victim to falling in love with a handsome FBI agent.
8. Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth — Though this book may be a bit overlong at 640 pages, this epic and sprawling novel about love, history, and yellow jackets still held my interest.  It’s a challenging and well-written book by the author of The Miseducation of Cameron Post.

TSL Looks Back at 2020:

1. Lisa Marie’s Top 8 Non-Fiction Books of 2020 (Lisa Marie Bowman)
2. Lisa Marie’s 20 Favorite Songs of 2020 (Lisa Marie Bowman)
3. Lisa Marie’s 16 Worst Films of 2020 (Lisa Marie Bowman)
4. My Top 20 Albums of 2020 (Necromoonyeti)
5. 25 Best, Worst, and Gems That I Saw In 2020 (Valerie Troutman)
6. Top 10 Vintage Collections (Ryan C)
7. Top 10 Contemporary Collections (Ryan C)
8. Top 10 Original Graphic Novels (Ryan C)
9. Top 10 Ongoing Series (Ryan C.)
10. Top 10 Special Mentions (Ryan C.)
11. Top Ten Single Issues (Ryan C)