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The 131 Books I Read in 2020

January 21, 2021

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Are you a bookworm constantly on the lookout for new things to read?  Me too! Here's a list of the 131 books I read in 2020.

This year I got smart and I started creating this post early so we didn’t have another 2019 books post fiasco.

If you’re a listener of my podcast, or you follow me on Instagram, you KNOW that I’m a mega-bookworm. Ever since I learned how to read, I’ve devoured book after book, and after going through a dry spell where I just wasn’t feel reading, I decided to keep track of how many books I actually read in order to get back into it.

That was 2018, and my goal for the year was to read 26 books. I ended up actually reading 107 books. You can check out that list over in this blog post.

I kept it up and kept track of all the books I read in 2019 as well. My goal for 2019 was to read 120, and I didn’t quite meet it. But with a cross-country move, and living in limbo for 4 months, I was pretty satisfied to reach 113.

For 2020, I kept my goal at 120, and I far surpassed it. Thanks to COVID, and being settled finally, I reached way higher than I anticipated! At this point, I know I can read a ton of books, so I’m making my goal for 2021 a bit different. Instead of just saying I want to read a certain number of books, I’m going to reach for a certain amount of a particular genre — this year, that means 12 personal development books.

And at this point, y’all love these posts so much that I know I can’t stop tracking what I’ve read, so I joined Goodreads to make it so much easier for myself. You can follow along with me over on Goodreads if you’d like.

And yes, because I’ve been asked this before — I have in fact actually read all of these books. Like, with my eyeballs. I don’t really like audiobooks. Now, without further adieu, here are the 131 books I read in 2020!

And now, without further adieu, here are the 131 books I read in 2020!

Fiction Novels

Basic Fiction Novels

  1. Summer Island by Hannah Kristin Rating: 3 Stars
  2. Bulls Island by Dorothea Benton Frank Rating: 2 Stars
  3. The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger Rating: 3 Stars
  4. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han Rating: 5 Stars
  5. P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han Rating: 5 Stars
  6. Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han Rating: 5 Stars
  7. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon Rating: 5 Stars
  8. The Sun is Also a Star by Nicole Yoon Rating: 4 Stars
  9. Sunset Beach by Mary Kay Andrews Rating: 5 Stars
  10. Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver Rating: 5 Stars
  11. The Help by Kathryn Stockett Rating: 5 Stars
  12. Beach Town by Mary Kay Andrews Rating: 4 Stars
  13. Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult Rating: 4 Stars
  14. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han Rating: 4 Stars
  15. It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han Rating: 4 Stars
  16. We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han Rating: 4 Stars
  17. Hissy Fit by Mary Kay Andrews Rating: 3 Stars
  18. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson Rating: 5 Stars
  19. Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult Rating: 2 Stars
  20. Tweet Cute by Emma Lord Rating: 5 Stars
  21. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell Rating: 5 Stars
  22. The Things We Do For Love by Kristin Hannah Rating: 5 Stars
  23. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling Rating: 5 Stars
  24. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling Rating: 5 Stars
  25. The Lies that Bind by Emily Giffin Rating: 5 Stars
  26. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling Rating: 5 Stars
  27. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling Rating: 5 Stars
  28. The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix Rating: 4 Stars
  29. The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel Rating: 1 Star
  30. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling Rating: 5 Stars
  31. Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan Rating: 5 Stars
  32. All Summer Long by Dorothea Benton Frank Rating: 2 Stars
  33. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett Rating: 5 Stars
  34. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling Rating: 5 Stars
  35. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling Rating: 5 Stars
  36. The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews Rating: 2 Stars
  37. Stealing Home by Sherryl Woods Rating: 5 Stars
  38. A Slice of Heaven by Sherry Woods Rating: 4 Stars
  39. The Matchmaker by Elin Hilderbrand Rating: 4 Stars
  40. Virgil Wander by Leif Enger Rating: 4 Stars
  41. Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer Rating: 5 Stars
  42. Little Bitty Lies by Mary Kay Andrews Rating: 4 Stars
  43. The Betrothed by Kiera Cass Rating: 1 Star
  44. The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo Rating: 4 Stars
  45. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison Rating: 3 Stars
  46. Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert Rating: 5 Stars
  47. Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert Rating: 4 Stars
  48. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng Rating: 5 Stars
  49. The Friendship List by Susan Mallery Rating: 3 Stars
  50. Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid Rating: 5 Stars
  51. In Five Years by Rebecca Serie Rating: 3 Stars
  52. Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner Rating: 5 Stars
  53. Normal People by Sally Rooney Rating: 3 Stars
  54. Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston Rating: 5 Stars

Need-a-Good-Cry Novels

  1. Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott Rating: 4 Stars
  2. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven Rating: 4 Stars
  3. Night Road by Kristin Hannah Rating: 5 Stars
  4. 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand Rating: 5 Stars

Science-Fiction/Dystopian Novels

  1. Dry by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman Rating: 5 Stars
  2. Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer Rating: 5 Stars
  3. The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer Rating: 5 Stars
  4. The World We Live in by Susan Beth Pfeffer Rating: 3 Stars
  5. The Shade of the Moon by Susan Beth Pfeffer Rating: 4 Stars
  6. Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman Rating: 5 Stars
  7. The Toll by Neal Shusterman Rating: 5 Stars
  8. Followers by Megan Angelo Rating: 5 Stars
  9. American Royals by Katharine McGee Rating: 5 Stars
  10. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins Rating: 5 Stars
  11. The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee Rating: 5 Stars
  12. The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee Rating: 5 Stars
  13. The Towering Sky by Katharine McGee Rating: 5 Stars
  14. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley Rating: 3 Stars
  15. Majesty by Katharine McGee Rating: 5 Stars

Historical Fiction Novels

  1. Brooklyn by Colm Toibin Rating: 3 Stars
  2. The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas Rating: 5 Stars
  3. The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams Rating: 4 Stars
  4. The Great Pretenders by Laura Kalpakian Rating: 4 Stars
  5. The Giver of Stars by Jojo Mayes Rating: 5 Stars
  6. Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly Rating: 5 Stars
  7. Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly Rating: 4 Stars
  8. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell Rating: 5 Stars

Un-Reliable Narrator/Psychological Thriller Novels

  1. The Wives by Tarryn Fisher Rating: 2 Stars
  2. The Other Woman by Sandie Jones Rating: 4 Stars
  3. One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus Rating: 5 Stars
  4. One of Us is Next by Karen M. McManus Rating: 5 Stars
  5. The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware Rating: 5 Stars
  6. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides Rating: 4 Stars
  7. The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware Rating: 5 Stars
  8. One by One by Ruth Ware Rating: 5 Stars
  9. The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn Rating: 5 Stars
  10. The Guest List by Lucy Foley Rating: 5 Stars
  11. The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell Rating: 4 Stars

Make-You-Think Novels

  1. Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult Rating: 5 Stars
  2. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Rating: 5 Stars
  3. An American Marriage by Tayari Jones Rating: 4 Stars

Non-Fiction Books

Intentional Living Books

  1. A Simplified Life: Tactical Tools for Intentional Living by Emily Ley Rating: 4 Stars
  2. Cultivate: A Grace-Filled Guide to Growing an Intentional Life by Lara Casey Rating: 5 Stars
  3. Cozy Minimalist Home: More Style, Less Stuff by Myquillyn Smith Rating: 5 Stars
  4. The Lifegiving Table: Nurturing Faith through Feasting, One Meal at a Time by Sally Clarkson Rating: 4 Stars

Christian Books

  1. Embraced: 100 Devotions to Know God is Holding You Close by Lysa TerKeurst Rating: 4 Stars
  2. Letters to the Church by Francis Chan Rating: 5 Stars
  3. The Promise of Lent Devotional: A 40-Day Journey Towards the Miracle of Easter by Chris Tiegreen Rating: 5 Stars
  4. How Happiness Happens: Finding Lasting Joy in a World of Comparison, Disappointment, and Unmet Expectations by Max Lucado Rating: 5 Stars
  5. Everybody, Always by Bob Goff Rating: 5 Stars
  6. Always Enough, Never Too Much: 100 Devotions to Quit Comparing, Stop Hiding, and Star Living Wild and Free by Jess Connolly and Hayley Morgan Rating: 5 Stars
  7. Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts by Jennie Allen Rating: 4 Stars
  8. Chasing Slow: Courage to Journey Off the Beaten Path by Erin Loechner Rating: 4 Stars

Finance Books

  1. I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi Rating: 5 Stars

Productivity Books

  1. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen Rating: 4 Stars
  2. Do Less: The Unexpected Strategy for Women to Get More of What They Want in Work and Life by Kate Northrup Rating: 3 Stars
  3. The Lazy Genius Way: Embrace What Matters, Ditch What Doesn’t, and Get Stuff Done by Kendra Adachi Rating: 4 Stars
  4. The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gwande Rating: 5 Stars

Business Books

  1. Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days by Chris Guillebeau Rating: 4 Stars
  2. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini Rating: 5 Stars
  3. Marketing Made Simple: A Step-By-Step Storybrand Guide for Any Business by Donald Miller Rating: 3 Stars
  4. The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company by Robert Iger Rating: 5 Stars
  5. Traction by Gino Wickman Rating: 5 Stars

Personal Development

  1. Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown Rating: 5 Stars
  2. The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile Rating: 5 Stars
  3. Find Your Path: Honor Your Body, Fuel Your Soul, and Get Strong with the Fit52 Life by Carrie Underwood Rating: 4 Stars
  4. The Path Between Us: An Enneagram Journey to Healthy Relationships by Suzanne Stabile Rating: 5 Stars
  5. Designing Your Work Life: How to Thrive and Change and Find Happiness at Work by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans Rating: 4 Stars
  6. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perserverance by Angela Duckworth Rating: 5 Stars

Anti-Racism Readings

  1. I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown Rating: 4 Stars
  2. Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Layla F. Saad Rating: 5 Stars
  3. White Fragility: Why it’s So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism by Robin DiAngelo Rating: 5 Stars
  4. How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi Rating: 5 Stars

Essays

  1. Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit Rating: 3 Stars

Memoirs/Biographies/Autobiographies

  1. Grace, Gold, and Glory: My Leap of Faith by Gabrielle Douglas and Michelle Burford Rating: 2 Stars
  2. Untamed by Glennon Doyle Rating: 4 Stars

2020 Book Superlatives

Best Read: The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company by Robert Iger

Best Series: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

Don’t Waste Your Time With: The Betrothed by Kiera Cass

Biggest Surprise: The Betrothed by Kiera Cass (I’ve LOVED all of her other books. But this one was painful.)

Couldn’t Put it Down: Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly

Weirdest Read: The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix


What was the number 1 book that you read in 2020? I’d love to hear it, and add it to my list if I haven’t already! Be sure to tune into the Chasing Simple Podcast each week to hear my weekly recommendations!

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