
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted at That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week’s theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!
This week’s theme is ‘Favourite Books of 2020’ and to be honest I’m not usually a fan of discussing favourites and least favourites until the year has officially come to an end, but I simply haven’t read very often this month so I’ll be very, very surprised if I managed to sneak in a new favourite between now and 2021.
I’d say 2020 has been a very good reading year for me – considering it’s been the hell year, I’m glad I’ve at least been able to rely on good books – and it’s particularly been a good series and sequel year for me. Considering I was someone who never read sequels a few years ago, or read them and was disappointed, this feels like a real win. So, in the order I read them, here are the best books I read in 2020!

The Kingdom of Copper by S.A Chakraborty: For me, second books in trilogies are either filler which feel a bit pointless or they’re fantastic and potentially the best book in the series. Luckily for me, The Kingdom of Copper was the latter. This book is so political and juicy and I loved it.
The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang: This is such a fantastic piece of Asian-inspired fantasy. Military fantasies are hit-and-miss for me, but this Japanese-inspired fantasy had everything I want to see in a military novel and one of the best fantasy heroines out there.
Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray: Another second book in a series, and my favourite book in this series so far! Everything about this book – the plot, the pacing, the character development, the friendship between Henry and Ling – was *chef’s kiss* and I was so swept up in it while I was reading.
The Empire of Gold by S.A Chakraborty: Chakraborty isn’t the only author appearing twice on this list, and I’m so pleased that I ended up loving the finale to this trilogy just as much, if not more, than the second book. This entire novel was such an adventure and the perfect summer read. I can’t wait to read whatever Chakraborty releases next!
Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland: I love the concept of this duology and I loved Dread Nation, but Deathless Divide has a very special place in my heart for its aroace representation and for the fact that the most important relationship is the friendship between Jane and Katherine. I very rarely see friendship take precedence over romance in YA and I loved that Ireland prioritised it here, and did so without reducing the importance of any of Jane’s romantic relationships.

Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson: Speaking of friendship, this YA thriller absolutely broke me. I read it back in September, I believe – listening to the audiobook, which I highly recommend – and I still think about it all the time.
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow: I loved The Ten Thousand Doors of January and I’ve loved the short fiction I’ve read by Harrow, and with this novel she’s cemented herself as one of my favourite authors. I loved everything about this book – it’s the witch novel I’ve been yearning for – and it’s another one I find myself thinking about often.
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir: I hoped I’d love this absolutely batshit novel, and I’m so pleased I did. Lesbian necromancers in space with a crass sense of humour are all I want from my reading going forward.
Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend: You know that Middle Grade series that everyone’s been raving about? Turns out they’ve been raving about it because it’s really, really, really good. I fell in love with this world and its characters, and this novel is particularly special to me because it’s reignited my love for Middle Grade.
Wundersmith by Jessica Townsend: For me this novel was just as brilliant as the first book in the series and it’s another one I absolutely adored. I love that giddy feeling that comes with discovering a new favourite series.
Great list! I can’t wait to read The Once And Future Witches.
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I still need to read Lair of Dreams, but it’s been so long since I read the first one, I think I’ll need to do a reread. 😉 Congrats on a great reading year!
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Nevermoor made my list! I’m looking forward to the third book. I got Lair of Dreams for Christmas, so I’ll read it eventually. Happy 2021!
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I’m so glad 2020 has been a good reading year for you! Need to take the wins where we can, especially when it comes to 2020. xD I loved Dread Nation, but I think I enjoyed Deathless Divide even more, too! Both of those are definitely great reads from 2020, though. Kind of puts the year in perspective, too, because heeeey, at least it’s not zombies? … yet? I absolutely LOVED Gideon the Ninth, and I can’t wait to read Harrow, too! I need more of those characters in my life.
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I loved Deathless Divide, it made my list too! I also really must get to Gideon, and I have seen Monday’s Not Coming on soooo many lists but I am so scared it will break me too! I need to be in the right mindspace I think. Great list!
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Great list. This is a reminder that I really need to get to that Justina Ireland series. I have no excuse anymore either since I have them in my TBR pile now. 🙂
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I love this list. I still need to read The Diviners series!
My TTT: https://memorymeetsimagination.wordpress.com/2020/12/29/top-ten-tuesday-standout-books-of-2020/
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I love your list!! So many that I have read and loved. There’s also a lot that I want to read and I’m excited to see here. I’m hoping to get to Empire of Gold soon. Also, I really need to read the sequel to Dread Nation because I loved that one. I just got Harrow for 2.99 on Kindle, so need to read Gideon!!
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2021 will be the year when I finally read Gideon the Ninth!!
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I can’t wait to read The Once and Future Witches. It sounds so good!
Lauren @ Always Me
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I LOVED Nevermoor and Wundersmith, and they made it into my Top Ten List last year. I’m really excited for the new one although I made the (now unfathomable decision) to wait until the paperback came out so it matched my other copies!
I really liked the City of Brass series too, although I was a bit disappointed by the final book.
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I agree completely with what you said about second books in trilogies, they are either my favorite or they just feel like fillers.
Nice selection of books! 🙂
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Definitely agree that The Kingdom of Copper wasn’t a disappointing second book 😀
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I’m always so behind! I haven’t read any of these yet, but am adding almost all of them to my TBR! (Some were already there.) I haven’t read much YA this year, but Libba Bray was a favorite of mine.
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The Once and Future Witches made my list this week too. I really loved that one. I’m also hoping to start The City of Brass sometime next month so hopefully I’ll love that series as much as you do. 🙂
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I loved the first two Diviners books. I’m hoping to read the third in January, as well as Wundersmith because I read Nevermoor this year and LOVED it.
-lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
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Will have to give Dread Nation and Deathless Divide a go, love a properly written female friendship 🙂
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I need to read Harrow, have been meaning to, and The Sword of Kaigen has been popping up on a few lists. I’m not usually into military fantasy either, but the Japanese setting appeals to me.
Happy new Year!!!
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Tiffany D. Jackson’s books always break me a little. I hope you have a great new year’s!
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Wundersmith looks brilliant. Definitely adding that one to my TBR pile.
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It’s such a good series!
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2020 was a good reading year for me, too. It made picking the top books hard. I’m glad we both had that “tough” time.
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Haha there are definitely worse problems to have!
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I read all the Daevabad books this year and LOVED THEM, though the first book was actually my favourite. I also really loved The Diviners series, the last book in the series was on my list this week (I read the rest in the series last year).
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2020/12/29/top-ten-tuesday-296/
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It’s such a good trilogy!
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It really is!
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I haven’t read any of these, but I do have The Ten Thousand Doors of January on my TBR and I hope I will love Alix E. Harrow as much as you do!
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Her writing is beautiful, I hope you enjoy it!
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I haven’t read any of these yet, but most are on my TBR so I’m happy to hear you loved them so much, like the Daevabad Trilogy, the Diviners series and Gideon the Ninth! Already wishing you a Happy New Year!
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Happy New Year, Lindsey!
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I just bought The Sword of Kaigen this week so I’m excited to see it on your list.
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It’s so good, I hope you enjoy it!
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Yesss, Deathless Divide is so good! I so agree with you about loving the emphasis on friendship. Jane and Katherine are the best!
Nevermoor sounds so cute and special; I need to read those books soon too.
Thank you for sharing!! I love seeing everyone’s end-of-the-year faves 🙂
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It’s so good, isn’t it? Definitely a duology that deserves more love! Nevermoor is fantastic, I hope you enjoy it if you pick it up. 🙂
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The Once and Future Witches made my list too!
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Hooray!
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Awesome list, Jess! The only ones I’ve read are the Nevermoor books but you already know how much I loved those! They made it onto my list this year too 😉 I’ve heard so many amazing things about all of these books/series though, so I’m glad to hear you enjoyed them so much!
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Thanks Dini! 😀 Nevermoor is SO good, I need a book 4 announcement asap please!
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Glad you had so many great reads! I’ve heard amazing things about that Libba Bray series.
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It’s so good, I definitely recommend it!
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I’ve heard so many good things about The Once and Future Witches! Definitely want to give it a try. Great list! 🙂
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It’s such a good book, I hope you enjoy it!
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I’m currently listening to The City of Brass on audiobook and it’s quite good so far 😀 Happy reading! https://readwithstefani.com/top-10-books-of-2020/
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I hope you enjoy the rest of the trilogy; it gets better with each book!
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I’m glad 2020 was such a good reading year for you. Hope 2021 is better for you in your personal life. 🙂
My post.
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Thanks Lydia!
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At least we could rely on books this year!
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Definitely!
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I wanna read The Once and Future Witches so badly! Definitely gotta be a must-read in 2021.
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It’s SO good, I hope you enjoy it!
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Ah Gideon! I loved that book – so much fun and joy, yet also so moving at the same time!! These were my favourite reads of 2020 if you wanted to check them out! Have a Happy New Year!
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It’s so good! 🙂 Happy New Year!
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The Daevabad trilogy is also on my list! And I really need to pick up Sword of Kaigen!
(www.evelynreads.com)
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I hope you enjoy them both!
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I’ve seen Deathless Divide quite a few times today already. Guess I will have to check it out!
Nevermoor has been on my TBR for way too long now. It’s been translated into Afrikaans (my home language) by one of my favorite authors. Maybe I should go and buy it for the school library and just read it!
I hope that 2021 will bring some great books for you.
Happy New Year!
Elza Reads Favorite Top Top Ten for 2020
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The duology is so good, I hope you enjoy it if you pick it up! I can’t recommend Nevermoor enough either. 🙂 Happy New Year!
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The Once and Future Witches and The Sword of Kaigen are high up my list of books I need to get to (Sword is actually on my shelf, so maybe by Wyrd & Wonder..?)
Glad 2020 at least had good reading given everything else it threw at you. Thank you for another year of sharing book thoughts and reads!
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I can’t recommend both enough, I hope you enjoy them! 😀
Thank you, and the same to you! Yours is definitely one of the blogs I’ve most enjoyed escaping into this year.
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