Breathe by Imani Perry: This deeply personal and evocative book brings up many questions that we grapple with around Black identity and family.

Untamed by Glennon Doyle was easily one of my favorite books of 2020! Glennon writes with such honesty and her perspectives are so fascinating. This book is one I will read and re-read every few years and it will likely resonate differently each time. There is a reason it has sold over a million copies and the hype is real. 

Wow, No Thank You. by Samantha Irby is raw, hilarious, and so relatable. My favorite part about this book is Samantha’s voice. Upon finishing this collection of essays I wanted to immediately read her backlist.

The Boyfriend Project by Farrar Rochon: Any time someone tells me about a book about female friendship, I’m all in—but make the protagonist a Woman of Color in STEM and throw in a steamy romance with a coworker who’s actually undercover trying to expose her company? How could you possibly pass that up?

You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen: To be totally honest, thriller isn’t normally my genre. But something about this story of a woman who witnesses another woman committing suicide and becoming fascinated with her and slowly falling into her life intrigued me. Unputdownable.

Have You Seen These Children? by Veronica Slaughter is a memoir that reads like a novel and will have you rooting for kids everywhere that are taken from their loving homes. The resiliency that the kids show after their father kidnaps them and takes them over 8,000 miles away for a four year ordeal is unwavering. This book will have you flipping the pages to make sure they make it through their many trials safely as they struggle to find their way back to the security and love they once knew.

The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré: Daré’s heartbreaking story had me up all hours of the night rooting for young, courageous Adunni on her journey to build a better life for herself despite the insurmountable obstacles in her way. This book is truly unforgettable!

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd: This book truly changed my perspective on religion. Not only is it a page-turner, but this beautiful work of historical fiction sheds a new light on the life of Jesus, following your passions despite trying circumstances, and the true power women hold.

Children of the Land by Marcelo Hernandez Castillo: A gorgeously rendered and poetic memoir about the push and pull of being between two lands, of never quite belonging to either, and of the unsteady and uncertain lived experience of growing up undocumented.

Paris in Perestrokia by Jane Smiley: A tale of three extraordinary animals, and a young boy, whose lives intersect in Paris. This is a book about being open to the wonders of the world, and is joyously positive and upbeat—a sweet relief for these hard times.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah: This book was recommended by a friend and I’m so glad I picked it up. It had me in tears. It is so beautifully written.

Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline: This book was different from the books I usually pick up. It was a fun read and completely addictive. The action kept me on the edge of my seat from the beginning to the end.

Toward That Which is Beautiful by Marian Wernicke: This book took me on an adventure to Peru, following a young runaway nun’s forbidden romance and search for personal identity. Sister Mary Katherine’s story has stayed with me since!

Charming Falls Apart by Angela Terry: Since this was the year of everything not going according to plan, this book is the perfect one to fall into. Allison James’s life is turned upside-down in just one day, and she has to spend time finding herself again and discovering how she can move forward toward a happily-ever-after when everything she thought she wanted is stripped away. Sounds a lot like 2020, right?

Perfect Distraction by Allison Ashley: I’ve always had a special place in my heart for love found in the most unlikely places! As a long-time fan of Grey’s Anatomy, I loved this sweet romance that brought together the most unsuspecting characters. I swooned over the “McDreamy” similarities and couldn’t put the book down until the final page.

Kiss My Cupcake by Helena Hunting: Not only is this book the most darling book to decorate my coffee table, it’s such a darling and charming read. For those of us who love a warm and witty rom-com, it’s a great escape!

Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner: This book was all over bookstagram back in June/July but I finally picked it up at the end of September thanks to those random Target book deals! I was HOOKED after the first chapter thanks to Weiner’s realistic yet casual way of writing about body image, friendships, and the facade of social media.

Ingredients: The Strange Chemistry of What We Put in Us and on Us by George Zaidan: This title is a mouthful, much like the ingredients of the food we eat— but just because there are chemicals in your food doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad for you. I’ll be honest, the main reason I picked this up was because of the cover and I assumed it was going to scare me into being healthier, but I thoroughly enjoyed Zaidan’s connections between seemingly unrelated topics like food and the bacteria on your shower curtain.

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse: Every chance I got this year I escaped into fantasy worlds like Middle Earth, and in Black Sun, Roanhorse introduces a world I did NOT want to leave. This book had all my favorite elements in a fantasy novel: compelling, powerful characters; intricate world-building; epic adventure; and references to mythology (in this case of indigenous cultures of the Americas). I can’t recommend this book enough!

The Beauty in the Breaking by Michele Harper: I’m not usually a memoir reader, but Harper’s philosophy reminded me of my therapist’s, which is based on the Japanese art of Kintsugi, where you repair broken pottery with gold so that it becomes more beautiful for having been broken. The state of the world today made this story about the power of healing, told by a Black ER doctor, all the more potent and vital.

Please Look After Mom by Kyung-Sook Shin: This book is a haunting and heartbreaking read that stuck with me. On the outside, it’s a story of an elderly mother that goes missing in a busy Korean subway station on her way to visit her grown children from her home in the countryside. But it’s less about the finding of her and more about the family dynamics, the difference in generations and perspectives, the ache, loneliness and longing one can feel despite having a large family.

How to Catch a Mole by Marc Hamer: Recommended by my uncle-in-law, this is a unique gem of a book unlike any other I’ve ever read. Short chapters flow from the narrator’s current day at work as a mole catcher in the British countryside to memories of his homeless youth to the history of mole catching as an art to meditations on old age. It’s philosophical and lyrical and poetic – three things I generally shy away from, honestly. But this book provided the calming comfort of a favorite cup of tea at the busy of an exhausting day.

Writers and Lovers by Lily King: As a writer it was my instinct to pick up a coming-of-age novel based on the profession. But the beautiful writing, achingly real protagonist, and struggle to balance art, love, and following one’s heart versus what we know is right, had me read through this book in one sitting.

The Way You Burn by Christine Meade: Told through an introspective young man’s eyes who reveals the reverent sacrifices women in his life have had to make over the course of generations, this book delicately walks the line between thriller/mystery and romance, and the unexpected twist at the end had me thinking for days.

The Goddess Twins by Yodassa Williams: This book is a refreshing feminist YA fantasy tackling contemporary issues, celebrating female superheroes, family bonds, mystical birthrights, and a supernatural plot to save the world. Plus, it brings a well-written diverse cast of characters, all embodying powerful black girl magic.

One by One by Ruth Ware: I’ll admit it’s the snowy cover and ski vibe that made me pick up this book initially (hello, missing travel this year!). It’s been awhile since I read a book I literally could not put down and I simply couldn’t read through it fast enough to piece together the unfolding mystery.