The Booked Mama’s Favorite Books of 2020

Happy New Year, Readers! With the enormous amount of extra time we spent at home the last 10 months I was able to reach and exceed my goal of 70 books for the year. I’m so grateful to have had these books to escape to during this strange year. In some ways 2020 has felt like it has dragged on and on yet I can’t believe it is already time to curate my “Favorite Books” list. In years past I haven’t been able to pick a “favorite” but this year is an exception. There was one book that I read very early on in 2020 that still stands out among all of the rest and I’ve highlighted it below. The other books that make up my “Favorites” list might not be for everyone but for one reason or another these titles made me sit and think, cry, laugh out loud, kept me up well past my bedtime or left me sinking into end of book depression after the last page. I would love to know if you have read any of these, what your thoughts are, if you had a “favorite” of 2020 or if you have suggestions of a book I should add to my must-read list for 2021. Once again, thank you for reading along with me and I hope your year is filled with good health, good luck and lots of good books.

2020 Book of the Year

“The Glittering Hour” by Iona Grey

In 1925, the war is over and the “Bright Young People” rule London. They are the wealthy, fashionable elite that the paparazzi adore and young socialites don’t mind giving them plenty to write about. Selina Lennox is one of their shining stars. The youngest of the Lennox children she has always been the rebel of the family much to her mother and sister’s distain. One evening the “Bright Young People” are racing around the city on one of their treasure hunts when Selina’s friends runs over a cat. When Selina gets out of the car to check on the animal her friends become impatient and decide to leave her there and continue on their hunt. From a nearby apartment a handsome stranger comes to her aid. After her encounter with Lawrence, Selina’s carefree life suddenly is filled with complicated choices. Fast-forward to 1936. Selina’s daughter, Alice is staying with her grandparents at her childhood home while Selina and her husband are away on business. To stay connected to her nine year old daughter Alice while they are apart, Selina has conspired with their maid to create a treasure hunt around the family estate which will lead Alice to little clues and stories about her mother’s past. Iona Grey as written the most beautiful dual-timeline story with rich, authentic characters that will stay with you long after the last page. (I would LOVE to see this made into a movie or tv mini-series so I could selfishly discover this story again!) I absolutely loved this book and would highly recommend adding this to your TBR list. “The Glittering Hour” isn’t one to be missed.

Purchase a copy of “The Glittering Hour” here.

Learn more about author Iona Grey here.

Memoir/Non-Fiction

“Untamed” by Glennon Doyle

If you don’t know who Glennon Doyle is, get familiar. The multi-best selling author has written another outstanding memoir in “Untamed”. So much of this book resonated with me, especially Glennon’s thoughts on parenting, motherhood and the constraints set upon women by society and more upsettingly by ourselves. In this follow up to “Love Warrior”, Glennon walks readers through her life with her wife Abby Wambach and her three teenage children through life lessons and flashback memories. Glennon’s focus on accepting who we are as women, focusing on who we are as women, remembering who we are as women (…and not just someone’s mother!) are lessons we all need to hear. I listened to the audiobook so I could hear Glennon tell the story herself and I would highly recommend it. Now I need to go back and reread my physical copy with a highlighter and post-its in hand. For all of the Cheetahs who have read “Untamed” what was your favorite bit of Glennon wisdom you picked up? For me, I loved this gem on asking others for advice on life decisions: “This life is mine alone. So I have stopped asking people for directions to places they’ve never been.”

Purchase a copy of “Untamed” here.

Learn more about author Glennon Doyle here.

Mystery/Thriller

“The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides

Runner-up for BOTY

Artist Alicia Berenson hasn’t said a word in years. Not since the night she murdered her husband. Alicia has been living in a medicated state since then for her own safety as well the employee’s safety at the hospital she’s been living in. Due to the notoriety of the case, the price of Alicia’s artwork skyrockets and she’s the talk of every journalist in London. No one has ever been able to convince Alicia to explain why she decided to commit the crime but Theo Faber thinks he has what it takes to bring Alicia out of her shell. After securing himself a job on the hospital’s psychotherapy team Theo is determined to be the one she speaks to first and he will stop at nothing in order to accomplish his goal even if it risks his own safety or possibly even his life. “The Silent Patient” completely lives up to all the hype that surrounds it. It has everything a thriller lover could possibly want. This book well and truly had me fooled. Bravo to author Alex Michaelides on a knock-out debut novel. Can’t wait to see what he does next.

Purchase a copy of “The Silent Patient” here.

Learn more about author Alex Michaelides here.

“Home Before Dark” by Riley Sager

Runner-up for BOTY

Maggie doesn’t believe in haunted houses, after all, she supposedly lived in one. At least that’s what her father’s best-selling novel led everyone to believe all those years ago. At 5 years old Maggie’s family purchased Baneberry Hall, a large Victorian estate in the Vermont woods. The home’s reputation made the property a steal but the Holt family weren’t completely aware of what they were getting themselves into. Maggie and her parents, Ewan & Jessica, last three weeks before escaping their home in the middle of the night. The world became fascinated by their ordeal when Ewan’s account of what happened at Baneberry Hall was published in his true story “House of Horrors”, a book that Maggie believes to be completely fictional considering she has no memory of what her father has written. When her father passes away 25 years later, Maggie learns that not only did her father never sell Baneberry Hall but now it belonged to her. Defying her promise to her father on his deathbed to never go back there, Maggie decides she has to see the house for herself and figure out once and for all why her family really fled that night in July. “Home Before Dark” is another smash by author Riley Sager. This page turning thriller had me seconding guessing what I thought to be true the whole way through. Definitely not one to be missed.

Purchase a copy of “Home Before Dark” here.

Learn more about author Riley Sager here.

“The Guest List” by Lucy Foley

Dear Reader, you are cordially invited to attend the wedding of Julia Keegan & Will Slater on a private island off the coast of Ireland. Guests begin to travel across choppy waters the day before the ceremony as celebrations start with the champagne flowing freely. Julia’s 19 year old half-sister, Olivia, will act as her only bridesmaid, Will’s best man and ushers are friends from his elite private school days and the evening will be MC’d by Julia’s long time best friend, Charlie. With a celebrity bride and groom no expense has been spared to make The Folly’s first wedding spectacular. Sure the cell-phone service is lacking and the weather an impending disaster but that doesn’t stop Folly Owner/Wedding Planner, Aoife, from trying to pull off the perfect event. As day turns into night the guests get drunker, the storm outside grows increasingly more angry and tightly-wound threads of secrets begin to unravel in all directions. Speeches are given, the cake is cut and then the lights go out. A scream can be heard outside the marquis, someone has found a body. Told from the POVs of Olivia, Julia, Johnno (the best man), Aoife and Hannah (Charlie’s wife) “The Guest List” is a perfect, slow-burn mystery. Just when you think author Lucy Foley has shown all the cards she comes back with yet another shocker that you didn’t see coming. Highly recommend this one for all fans of this genre.

Purchase a copy of “The Guest List” here.

Learn more about author Lucy Foley here.

“An Unwanted Guest” by Shari Lapena

The guests arriving at Mitchell’s Inn for a weekend of relaxation, connection and romance are in for an experience that they will never forget and for some…not survive. The hotel’s luxury rooms, fireplaces, gourmet food and endless activities draw ten unsuspecting guests to the Catskills during a terrible winter storm. With the blizzard raging outside and its employees unable to come to work the hotel is only staffed by its owner/head chef James and his twenty-two year old son Bradley. The two promise that their guests will still be well taken care of despite being short handed. After dinner the guests retreat to their rooms until an early morning scream draws everyone to the grand staircase where they find a guest dead. Unable to call for help due to down power lines the occupants of Mitchell’s Inn turn to a guest, a defense attorney, for advice on how to handle the accident. But soon when another guest is found dead it starts to look more and more like there is a killer hiding out in the hotel…or among them. Can the rest of the guests survive the weekend until help arrives or are more of them destined to die at Mitchell’s Inn. “An Unwanted Guest” is the second book I’ve read by author Shari Lapena (I reviewed “The Couple Next Door” back in September of 2018) and this one was far and away my favorite of the two. Once you get settled in on the number of characters and perspectives you hear from you can’t put this book down. A great read for those of you who love a good twisty who-done-it mystery.

Purchase a copy of “An Unwanted Guest” here.

Learn more about author Shari Lapena here.

“A Murder in Time” by Julie McElwain (Series)

Kendra Donovan, a young stand-out agent with the FBI, is working on a task force to bring down two of the most wanted players in an international drug ring. When things don’t go as planned on their raid Kendra decides to take matters into her own hands traveling all the way to England to continue her search. Kendra arrives at Aldrich Castle to take out her target but when she finds herself in a dangerous situation she takes cover in a stairwell. Opening the door she has been hiding behind, Kendra steps into 1815. She first encounters the Duke who mistakes her for a lady’s maid. Convinced she has hit her head or hallucinating Kendra decides to go along with what is being asked of her to hopefully get some questions answered. Soon Kendra’s FBI skills are put to the test when a woman’s body is found on the castle grounds. Without modern day technology Kendra must find a way to solve this mystery while not raising too many questions as to who she really is all while trying to find a way back to her time. The first in a multi-book series starring Donovan, “A Murder in Time” was an absolute page-turner! This CSI meets Outlander tale is the perfect book for a weekend escape.

Purchase a copy of “A Murder in Time” here.

Learn more about author Julie McElwain here.

Fiction/Contemporary Fiction/Romance

“Beach Read” by Emily Henry

Don’t let the title fool you, this is not a book about a vacation set on some tropical beach. “Beach Read” by author Emily Henry is set on the shores of Lake Michigan as January rolls into town after inheriting her father’s beach house upon his death. After discovering that her father was living in the house with his mistress, January decides to spend the next few months clearing it of its belongings and getting it ready to sell while hopefully tackling her writer’s block and finishing her next book. If having to live in a house that brings up confusing emotions wasn’t bad enough January discovers that her college nemesis and fellow author is her next door neighbor. Augustus Everett is the extreme opposite of January. She writes love stories and happy endings and he can only conjure up the dark aspects of life. When tensions come to a head between the two a challenge is proposed. Both authors would drop their current genres and adopt the other’s for their next books. In order to do this they would take each other on a series of research trips and whichever author’s book sold first determined the winner. Helping each other through writer’s block as well as complicated past traumas the two begin to navigate a friendship that neither saw coming. If you love yourself a good rom com you should add this to your TBR list immediately. “Beach Read” is a perfect, feel good (and slightly steamy at times) book to dial out from life’s current stresses.

Purchase a copy of “Beach Read” here.

Learn more about author Emily Henry here.

“In Five Years” by Rebecca Serle

“Where do you see yourself in five years?” Dannie is having the best day of her life. She nailed her interview at a company she has always dreamed of working for and that evening her boyfriend turned into her fiancé. Dannie falls asleep that night high on life after going through champagne and bottles of wine to celebrate their carefully laid, type-a plans coming to fruition. When she opens her eyes, however, she finds herself in a different apartment, with a man she has never met who seems to know her very well, in fact it would seem they are very much in love. Getting a glance at the TV she notices the date – December 15, 2025 – five years into the future. After stumbling through this new world for an hour, Dannie wakes again to find herself back in her apartment, back in 2020. Unable to shake off what she just saw Dannie questions what it could all mean. Was that just a very vivid dream or was it something more like her therapist suggests? Pushing it to the back of her mind Dannie goes on with her life until one day four and a half years in the future when she comes face to face with the man from that night. “In Five Years” is a heartbreakingly beautiful book filled with love, friendship and the lessons in life only we can take on by ourselves.

Purchase a copy of “In Five Years” here.

Learn more about author Rebecca Serle here.

“The Two Lives of Lydia Bird” by Josie Silver

On Lydia Bird’s twenty-eighth birthday her fiancé, Freddie, is killed in a car accident. As anyone would be, Lydia is devastated, locking herself away to be numb and cry endlessly. She plasters on a facade when around her family so they won’t know how truly alone she feels. “I am just going through the motions, of course, but for her sake I try to fake it till I make it. Though what happens if you never make it?” Then something unexplainable happens and Lydia is given the chance to step back into a world where the accident never existed. One where life went on past her birthday, one where she gets to experience life with Freddie. Stepping out of her world and into this one becomes an addiction but makes living in the here and now all that more difficult when she can’t be there. Splitting herself between two lives is a juggling act that Lydia isn’t fully equipped to handle. How long can she go on like this before being forced to decide where her heart should stay? Josie Silver has written another beautiful love story in which Lydia gets to see what her life would look like if that pivotal incident didn’t happen. Each chapter is beautifully decorated and I just loved the font that gave this book a fresh, modern look. I loved Silver’s “One Day in December” and “…Lydia Bird” doesn’t disappoint.

Purchase a copy of “The Two Lives of Lydia Bird” here.

Learn more about author Josie Silver here.

“One in a Million” by Lindsey Kelk

Annie Higgins is much too busy to think about love. Her new start-up company Content London keeps her schedule full. Luckily she is in it with her best friend since childhood, Miranda. The two, along with their friend Brian, are taking over the social media world one account at a time. Even with recently being nominated for three major business awards, Annie & Miranda are constantly teased by two other marketing agents in the building. When one pushes Annie too far she challenges them to a bet – she can make the next person to walk through the door Insta-famous in 30 days. If Content wins, Charlie needs to pay their rent for the month. If Charlie wins, Content helps with his company’s social media for free. Competitive Annie isn’t deterred even when the subject of their bet becomes anti-social, historian Dr. Samuel Page, another occupant of their office building. Even if the odds are stacked against her (the man doesn’t even have a single social account, yet!) Annie’s bank account (or lack thereof) makes winning that much more crucial – well that and shutting up Martin & Charlie for good. Getting Dr. Page 20,000 followers in 30 days might seem attainable to Annie at the start but breaking into the fortress that Dr. Page has built around himself looks like it might just be mission: impossible. You guys, “One in a Million” is a smash. For those of you who love a good “feel good” read this is an absolute must. While reading I kept imagining Annie as if she was being played by Emilia Clarke. (Anyone else see this?) Crossing my fingers that someone turns this into a movie. I hadn’t heard of author Lindsey Kelk work before but her catalog has 15 other titles and one children’s book!

Purchase a copy of “One in a Million” here.

Learn more about author Lindsey Kelk here.

“Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” by Gail Honeyman

Simple social skills, casual friendships and the support of a family are all things we take for granted in day to day life but for Eleanor Oliphant these things are Mission: Impossible. For as long as she can remember she has been on her own. Bouncing from foster families every 18 months since she was 10, her carefully organized life is one of simplicity. Wednesday night phone calls with Mummy, frozen pizza and vodka from Tescos on the weekends and she is set. Eleanor doesn’t covet material things, human contact or corporate ladder climbing, she is fine as she is. Completely by chance, Eleanor makes her first friend when she and Raymond from IT are bonded over an emergency situation. Edging her way out of isolation, Eleanor begins to slowly uncover what life is like outside of the 4 walls of her apartment all while turning over stones that weigh down the buried memories of her past. “Eleanor Oliphant…” was such a pleasant surprise for me. This has been on my shelf for sometime and I’m regretting not reading it sooner. This was such a beautiful story mixed with compassion, kindness, heartbreak and survival. A quick read that will remind you that you never know what is going on inside another person, not to judge others and to always live with an open heart. If you have yet to be introduced to Eleanor Oliphant be sure to pick up a copy of this book ASAP.

Purchase a copy of “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” here.

Learn more about author Gail Honeyman here.

Historical Fiction

“The Summer Wives” by Beatriz Williams

In the summer of 1951 Miranda’s mother married the wealthy Hugh Fisher at his estate on Winthrop Island overlooking the Long Island Sound lighthouse. While the newlyweds are away on their honeymoon Miranda is dragged into the island’s elite social scene by her new step-sister, Isobel. Across the sound, Joseph lives in the lighthouse with his parents and helps his father on their lobster boat during his summer breaks from Brown. When Miranda observes Joseph saving a man’s life one morning she falls instantly for him, however, her newly minted sister reminds Miranda that Joseph will always be hers. Miranda can’t seem to understand Isobel’s relationship with Joseph considering she is engaged to be married to one of the island’s most eligible bachelors, Clay Monk. When misunderstandings come to a head, Miranda finds herself knee-deep in scandal causing her to flee the island for close to two decades. When she returns again in 1969 Miranda discovers not much changes on Winthrop Island and the place she once used to call home has a long memory and holds strong to a grudge. “The Summer Wives” is a multi-POV/multi-timeline historical fiction read that will require its reader to juggle quite a few jumps back and forth along the way. I fell in love with Beatriz Williams’ writing when I read “A Hundred Summers” last year and “The Summer Wives” is just as well crafted. Historical Fiction fans do yourself a favor and add this to your TBR list.

Purchase a copy of “The Summer Wives” here.

Learn more about author Beatriz Williams here.

“The Address” by Fiona Davis

After a chance encounter at the Langham Hotel with American architect Theodore Camden, Sara Smythe finds herself sailing from London to be the first lady managerette at a new luxury concept apartment building in New York City. She can’t believe this opportunity has fallen into her hands. Moving across the sea meant Sara had a world of possibility in front of her. During the fall of 1884, The Dakota’s residents were busy moving into their new homes and when Sara could steal a few minutes to herself she found solace in Theo’s arms…until his wife and children arrived from England. A series of misunderstandings brings all of Sara’s dreams to a halt and she finds herself at rock bottom. Bailey Camden is on the other side of her rock bottom. Leaving rehab behind a month ago she is attempting to rebuild her life. 1984 has been an awful year and Bailey is ready to get back to work overseeing the renovations of her cousin’s apartment in The Dakota. Though they share a last name her cousin wasn’t family by blood. Bailey’s grandfather, Christopher, was raised as a Camden after Minnie Camden took him in as her ward. While the last name was nice, the Camden trust fund would have solved a lot of Bailey’s current issues. With nowhere to live, she is staying amongst the construction for the time being thanks to her cousin taking pity on her. Hidden in the basement storage area Bailey comes across three trunks filled with the personal items of Theodore & Minnie Camden as well as someone named Sara Smythe – two of the most intriguing items was a picture of Sara with the Camden children along with a note claiming that Christopher’s father was really Theodore Camden signed with a smudged S. Bailey’s resemblance to Sara was uncanny. Did this prove that Bailey was actually a Camden by blood? With the new DNA technology of the 80’s secrets that were easily buried 100 years ago begin to find their way up to the surface.

Purchase a copy of “The Address” here.

Learn more about author Fiona Davis here.

Young Adult

“American Royals” by Katharine McGee

What if instead of becoming America’s first President George Washington became King? In “American Royals” by author Katharine McGee that’s exactly what happened. Fast-forward centuries later, the Washingtons are still ruling the United States. The throne is currently held by King George IV who is training his oldest daughter, Princess Beatrice, for the role when her time comes. Beatrice’s younger twin siblings, however, don’t have a care in the world. Having just returned from a six month trip around the world, Princess Sam and Prince Jefferson, need to figure out how they fit into their family now. If Jeff had been born a generation sooner it would be him next in line for the throne and Sam has never been anything but the “spare”. When rules and laws keep the three youngest Washingtons from the things they desire most, what will the trio be willing to risk for the life they dream of? “American Royals” is the first in a series by author Katharine McGee and is a fun, quick YA read that would be a great addition to any teen/YA reader’s library.