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Wednesday 23 December 2020

My Top 5 Books of 2020

Top 5 books 2020

It's certainly been a strange year, yet at least lockdown has meant more time for reading! As the time for another annual reading round-up draws closer, I've put my thinking cap on to decide my top five books of 2020.

In early December, I smashed past my target goal of reading 50 books in 2020. This year has been a bumper one for my reading habits, where not only have I read more books than I've managed since 2016, but I've also read more pages across those books than I have since 2013! 

But with so many books under my belt, it's been even harder to narrow down my favourites this year. However, after a lot of deliberation, I've finally managed to come up with my top five books of 2020!

Note: These are all books I read in 2020, not necessarily books that were published during the last year. My top five are also in no particular order.

Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff

The thrilling conclusion to the Nevernight trilogy, Darkdawn has everything you want from an epic fantasy novel. The first book in the series was one of my top books of 2019, so it should come as no surprise to find Darkdawn on this year's shortlist! This series is outstanding and I simply can't recommend it enough.

Holding by Graham Norton

Captivating yet charmingly understated, Holding was a pleasant surprise and a story that has stuck with me throughout the year. It's subtle and suspenseful and undoubtedly a stand-out debut. Celebrity authors get a lot of bad press (often for good reason), but Holding is more than deserving of a spot on my shortlist.

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins

There's Someone Inside Your House seems to be a love/hate kind of book, but I adored it. It's got romance, humour, intrigue, horror, and plenty of suspense, all coming together to create an unputdownable story! What's not to love?

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

Thrilling, unexpected, and truly captivating, Then She Was Gone is a mystery thriller bound to keep you on the edge of your seat. It's tense and full of twists and turns, completely engrossing you in the story. I was hooked once I started reading and couldn't put the book down!

The Animals at Lockwood Manor by Jane Healey

If the gorgeous cover isn't enough to draw you in, let me tell you that this book is an outstanding read and a highly impressive debut. With beautifully descriptive prose and a classic Gothic feel, The Animals at Lockwood Manor is truly a delight from start to finish.

Honourable Mentions

As is the case with any shortlist, there will always be some great books that just narrowly miss out on entering the top five. With that in mind, though, I still think they deserve some recognition, so here are my 2020 honourable mentions:

  • Godsgrave (Nevernight Chronicles #2) by Jay Kristoff
  • Queens of the Conquest by Alison Weir 
  • Let the Dead Speak (Maeve Kerrigan #7) by Jane Casey 
  • Game Changer by Neal Shusterman
  • All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O'Donoghue 
Note: The only reason the latter two books above didn't make the shortlist is because I was lucky enough to enjoy ARCs of these books. Both will be published in 2021.

Giveaway

As always, I'm giving one lucky person the chance to win their book of choice from my top five. Simply enter via the Rafflecopter widget below to get your name in the draw!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and Conditions:

  1. This giveaway closes on 13th January 2021 at 11.59pm (GMT)
  2. The prize consists of a single copy of one of the books from my top five shortlist above, as chosen by the winner
  3. This giveaway is open to residents of the UK aged 18 and over
  4. The winner will be randomly generated once the giveaway has ended
  5. The winner will be informed by email once the giveaway has ended
  6. The winner will have 72 hours to claim their prize. If the winner has not responded by this time, they will forfeit their prize and a new winner will be announced

What were your top reads of 2020? Share your favourites in the comments below!

121 comments:

  1. I would choose There’s Someone Inside Your House, it definitely seems my type of book!

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  2. Theres someone inside your house sounds like a good book

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  3. I would choose Then she was gone by Lisa Jewell.

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  4. Theres someone inside your house

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  5. Victoria Minihane24 December, 2020 00:58

    There's Someone Inside Your House.

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  6. Then She Was Gone - love a good thriller and this seems to tick all the boxes

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  7. My top reads of 2020 were The Foundling by Stacey Halls, Body Language by A.K. Turner and The Cutting Place by Jane Casey.

    I'd love to read Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell from your Top 5 list!

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  8. The Animals at Lockwood Manor by Jane Healey I would pick as that sounds capitivating.

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  9. I would choose Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell, I am a huge fan of her novels

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  10. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

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  11. Heather Norrington25 December, 2020 20:00

    The Animals at Lockwood Manor sounds like a great read and just my type of book.

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  12. I would pick The Animals at Lockwood Manor. I love a good gothic novel

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  13. Thank you for the giveaway!! I would choose There's Someone Inside Your House :)
    Megan S.

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  14. The Animals at Lockwood Manor by Jane Healey

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  15. The Animals at Lockwood Manor by Jane Healey

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  16. Then she was gone by Lisa Jewell

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  17. I'd go for The Animals at Lockwood Manor, it sounds great!

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  18. l would choose 'Then She Was Gone'

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  19. There's someone inside your house sounds excellent

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  20. Therez someone inside your house .... love them all

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  21. There's someone inside your house

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  22. I would choose Then She Was Gone

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  23. I would choose Then She Was Gone. I've been eyeing this one up for a while!

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  24. Then She was Gone sounds like my kind of book!

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  25. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell sounds like a good read

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  26. I would pick Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

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  27. I would love to read "then she was gone" love a good read that keeps me engaged for hours x

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  28. I would Choose Holding by Graham Norton

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  29. I would choose The Animals at Lockwood Manor

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  30. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell- I do like a good thriller

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  31. I would choose Holding by Graham Norton. I've only heart good things.

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  32. I'd pick Holding by Graham Norton. I've heard a lot of good comments about Graham's writing so would love to read this.

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  33. There's someone inside your house sounds like a book I would enjoy

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  34. It would have to be The Animals of Lockwood Manor, sounds like it's close to my usual genre!

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  35. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell would be my first choice

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  36. I would choose Then She was Gone

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  37. I would choose Graham Norton - he always brings a smile to my face!

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  38. There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins, the cover is pulling me towards it!

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  39. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell. I love suspense and a thriller so this is right up my street.

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  40. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

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  41. If I won I would choose then she was gone

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  42. i would choose theres someone inside your house

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  43. Holding by Graham Norton !

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  44. Some great picks here, I think they're all going to go on my TBR list! I'd love to choose The Animals at Lockwood Manor by Jane Healey.

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  45. Holding by Grahan Norton. It wouldn't have been one that I would pick but I am intrigued now from your recommendation.

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  46. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

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  47. The Animals of Lockwood Manor :)

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  48. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell, many thanks

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  49. Then She Was Gone would be my choice

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  50. Holding by Graham Norton. I’ve heard good things about it.

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  51. I'd love Darkdawn - I think the cover looks so magical!

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  52. There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins

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  53. The animals at Lockwood manor :)

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  54. The Animals at Lockwood Manor

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  55. I would choose Then She Was Gone. I do like a mystery thriller and a whodunnit.

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  56. I would choose Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell as it is my kind of book

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  57. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

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  58. I'd go for Then She Was Gone - I've got a few of Lisa Jewell's other books and love them!

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  59. There's Someone Inside Your House - I love a good thriller

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  60. I would choose The Animals at Lockwood Manor

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  61. I would choose The Animals at Lockwood Manor

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  62. and then she was gone - its on my reading list for this year

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  63. They all sound excellent but my first choice would be Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

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  64. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

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  65. There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins

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  66. Theres someone inside your house sounds like a good book

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  67. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell sounds amazing.

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  68. I would like Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

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  69. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

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  70. My pick would be Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewel, read her other books but not this one yet

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  71. Then she was gone, looks a great read x

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  72. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell sounds like the type of book I would enjoy.

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  73. The animals at lock wood Manor 👍

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  74. The Animals at Lockwood Manor, it sounds intriguing and that cover is gorgeous!

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  75. I would love darkdawn for my sister!

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  76. The Animals at Lockwood Manor by Jane Healey

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  77. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell - I love a good thriller!

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  78. I'd choose Then she was gone. I've read others by Lisa Jewell and shes a greag author

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  79. I would pick Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell as it sounds like a really gripping read

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  80. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell would be my choice as I've previously enjoyed several other books by the same author

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  81. I'd choose Holding by Graham Norton

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  82. I would choose There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins. Thank you!

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  83. I would choose The Animals At Lockwood Manor

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  84. There's someone in your house sounds really good!

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  85. I'd love to read The Animals at Lockwood Manor

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  86. THE ANIMALS OF LOCKWOOD MANOR - really does sound like my sort of thing. I love the cover too. Gothic suspense is one of my favourite genres.

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  87. I would choose Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell as I enjoyed her other books!

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  88. I love lisa Jewell so I'd love to read then she was gone

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  89. There's Someone Inside Your House

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  90. I'd like to read Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell, I love her mystery thrillers.

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  91. I love lisa Jewell so I'd love to read Then she was gone

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  92. Then she was gone by Lisa Jewell

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  93. Theres someone inside your house

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  94. The Animals at Lockwood Manor by Jane Healey sounds enthralling.

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  95. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

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  96. I’ve heard great things about the animals of Lockwood manor so would love a copy.

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  97. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell (one of my favourite authors).

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  98. Then She Was Gone - love a thriller.

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  99. There's someone inside your house, a mix of thriller and romance is my go to genre

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  100. There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins - Nothing like a good thriller to get you through Lockdown

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  101. Fiona Johnstone13 January, 2021 20:38

    The Animals of Lockwood Manor would be my choice. I would have chosen Then She was Gone But I realised I'd read it. My goodness that is a brilliant book. This one, though, sounds just as good.

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  102. I would love Then She Was Gone!

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  103. The Animals at Lockwood Manor - sound right up my street. Thanks for the chance.

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  104. I,d choose ‘Then She Was Gone’,can,t resist a good thriller👍

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  105. I'd love to read Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

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