Books I Loved in 2020

Hello, it's me again! 

This week I thought I'd talk you through some of my favourite books of 2020. 

I started getting back into reading in summer last year, around June/July, because I had finished all of my university work and exams which I had to do online from home during the first lockdown in the UK. 

After all the uncertainty and scary times that the summer gave us, it was nice to have something to distract me and to focus on since I had a long break from uni.

From that point through to December, I managed to read 47 books which is the most books I've ever read in a year!

So without further ado, let's get on with it. 

*I rate my books out of 5 and all the books mentioned are ones that I read and they have either 4 or 5 star ratings from me!*

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder and Good Girl, Bad Blood - Holly Jackson

This is a young adult (YA) series that follows a school girl's journey while she tries to solve a cold case. 

I really enjoyed AGGGTM, the first book, because it was so interesting to see how Pip went about solving a murder case. She was so determined to show the police and her community who the killer really was. 

The second book is all about the journey after solving the crime. Pip begins her own true-crime podcast about the case which goes viral and allows her to put an end to the crime solving journey. That is until someone she knows goes missing. The police are not doing anything about the disappearance of Jamie Reynolds so Pip is needed once again.

I rated the second book slightly lower because I think I just absolutely loved the first book and GGBB lacked something for me which I still can't really put my finger on but overall I still really enjoyed it.

I've been getting into crime and thriller books recently and would recommend these books to someone who likes a who done it kind of book with lots of twists and turns. I didn't predict the end at all which I think is always good because it keeps you guessing. 

This week I actually found out that there is a prequel out in February of this year so of course, in true bookworm style, I pre-ordered 'Kill Joy.' It's a much smaller book at 160 pages but I'm super excited to see what happens. At the time of writing, the paperback on Amazon is only £1 so how could I resist that?! The kindle version is only 75p, what a bargain!

My ratings:

• AGGGTM - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• GGBB - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor - Adam Kay

This book is written as a diary by a junior doctor. It allows you to get a great insight into the job role and makes you appreciate all of the hard work that goes into it that little bit more. 

I read this during summer and the global pandemic which helped to put into perspective the everyday struggles NHS workers are faced with which, of course, have increased hugely since COVID-19 began to cause devastation across the world. 

Adam Kay writes in a uniquely funny way and I think that really helped me get through the book. Although he was writing about his 97-hour weeks, the lack of time he had to relax at weekends because he was working a shift and how he was up against life or death situations, he finds the lighter side throughout which was a nice touch and kept me engaged. 

This genre was very different to anything I normally would read but I really enjoyed the book. Kay has also published a book about the Christmas shifts he

covered, also in diary form, called 'Twas' the Nightshift Before Christmas' - I enjoyed this read too!                                                                    

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Our Stop - Laura Jane Williams

For me, Our Stop was a very cosy and cute read. I had heard a lot about this book and was pleased that I finally got round to reading it!

It's about a woman, Nadine, who always gets the 7.30 train to work except on the days when she oversleeps or stays at her friend Emma's the night before. She sees a note in the local paper one morning which seems to have been left for her by a secret admirer. The note reads: 'To the cute girl with the coffee stains on her dress. I'm the guy who's always standing near the doors...Drink sometime?' 

The book follows Nadine as she tries to workout which man has put the message in the paper and if the note is really addressed to her. 

In places I thought the plot was a little unrealistic at times and I also wanted to speed up some sections but apart from that I really enjoyed reading it. 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thanks for reading!

Take care, 

Kate x

Where to find me: 
Instagram: @katereadsx