My Top 10 Reads in 2020

Wild by Cheryl Strayed

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

Dragon Teeth by Michael Crichton

Lab Girl by Hope Jahren

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula Leguin

Sooner or Later Everything Falls Into the Sea by Sarah Pinsker

Every book on this list was an exceptional read for me in 2020: Beautiful Ruins and Prodigal Summer both had lush, lovely descriptions that put the reader right there in the middle of everything. Wild and Lab Girl were honest, brave, and interesting. Where the Crawdads Sing had that focus on the natural world that I crave. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous pushed the boundaries of the form. The Lathe of Heaven - Ursula LeGuin, you are amazing; this was a timely read for me and the main character's perspective on life balance was relatable.

The standout for me, though, was Sooner or Later Everything Falls Into the Sea by Sarah Pinsker. It is fresh, futuristic, and smart. This collection of short stories knocked me out. I look forward to reading Pinsker's 2019 A Song for a New Day and her forthcoming novel, We Are Satellites, out in May. I feel like she's showing us what fiction will look like going forward.

Look for reviews for each of the above at this site soon.