What We Read in 2020

2020 sure was an interesting year for reading.

There were so many incredible books published this year, and with lockdowns imposed around the world, many of us turned to the comfort of stories to get us through 2020. And the folks at Kobo are no exception.

Back in January, which feels like a lifetime ago, we announced our 2020 reading challenge, an annual event we host in an effort to inspire us to read outside our comfort zone. This week we asked Kobo which books they read for our 2020 challenge and they came through with a bunch of great recommendations!

A Memoir about someone you know nothing about
Memorial Drive – Natasha Trethewey
When They Call You a Terrorist – Patrisse Khan-Cullors & asha bandele
All We Knew but Couldn’t Say – Joanne Vannicola
This is Going to Hurt – Adam Kay

A book written by a person of colour
The Vanishing Half – Brit Bennet
Girl, Woman, Other – Bernadine Evaristo
The City We Became – NK Jemisin
Such a Fun Age – Kiley Read

A book that takes place in the 1920s
King of Crows – Libba Bray

A book by an indie author
Wrapped Up in You – Talia Hibbert
Bittersweet – Sarina Bowen
A Dangerous Kind of Lady –
The Next Girl – Carla Kovach
Rafe – A Buff Male Nanny – Rebekah Weatherspoon

A work of fiction by a LGBTQ+ author
Home Stretch – Graham Norton
When Katie Met Cassidy – Camille Perri
The Unstoppable Wasp – Sam Maggs
Ash – Malinda Lo
In at the Deep End – Kate Davies
Vengeful – V.E. Schwab

A Debut Novel
Luster – Raven Leilani
My Dark Vanessa – Kate Elizabeth Russell
The Black Kids – Christina Hammonds

A retelling of a fairy tale, myth, or legend
Snow, Glass, Apples – Neil Gaiman and Colleen Doran
A Blade so Black – L.L. McKinney
Bookish and the Beast – Kate Poston

A 2019 Award Winner
The Yellow House – Sarah M. Broom
The Testaments – Margaret Atwood

A book that intimidates you
Moby Dick – Herman Melville
Exposure – Robert Bilott

A classic murder mystery
The Big Sleep – Raymond Chandler

A graphic novel
Dragon Hoops – Gene Luen Yang

Your choice!
Hamnet and Judith – Maggie O’Farrell
Untamed – Glennon Doyle
The Glass Hotel – Emily St. John Mandel
A Dutiful Boy – Mohsin Zaidi

A book by a journalist
Catch and Kill – Ronan Farrow
The Next Great Migration – Sonia Shah

A play written in the 21st century
The Book of Grace – Suzan-Lori Parks
Mr. Burns and Other Plays – Anne Washburn

A book by a trans or nonbinary author
Confessions of the Fox – Jordy Rose
Little Fish – Casey Plett
The Subtweet – Vivek Shraya

A book you own but haven’t read yet
Eat the Buddha – Barbara Demick

A book with a five-word title
The Room Where it Happened – John Bolton
A Ghost in the Throat – Doireann Ni Ghoriofa
To Be Taught, If Fortunate – Becky Chambers
The Pull of the Stars – Emma Donoghue

A classic you didn’t read in school
Beloved – Tony Morrison

A book from the Belletrist Book Club
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue – V.E. Schwab
What Red Was – Rosie Price

The first book by an author you love
Secret History – Donna Tartt

A Giller Prize Winner
How to Pronounce Knife – Souvankham Thammavongsa

A book about a road trip
South Away – Meaghan Marie Hackinen

A book by a disabled author
Rogue – Lyn Miller-Lachmann
Thank You, Mr. Falker – Patricia Polacco
The Colony – Jillian Weise

A book about social media
Follow Me – Kathleen Barber
Followers – Megan Angelo
Tweet Cute – Emma Lord

If you have any favourite books you read for the challenge this year be sure to let us know in the comments, and be sure to let us know if you have any ideas for categories to include in our challenge for 2021!

Happy new year!!