Here are some VERY SHORT BOOK REVIEWS of the 54 books I read in 2020. These are in chronological order! I read a lot of nonfiction this year, but plenty of fiction too.

FYI: That fun bookshelf above is at ModernWell, the co-working space in Minneapolis where I lead writing groups. I can’t commit to a full color coded system at home. I have a hybrid color by genre thing going on there.

#1. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett: Liked it and appreciated the premise. About 3/4 in I was ready for more to happen, and I found myself picking up other books instead so it took me longer to read it than usual. But overall a very good book. I always enjoy Patchett on the sentence to sentence level.

#2. Calypso by David Sedaris: Re-listened to Calypso because it’s my favorite of Sedaris’s collections. I watched his class on MasterClass and it made me appreciate his work even more.

#3. Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid: I enjoyed the audio production of this book and was excited about the premise. One part of the plot was a struggle for me though (the massive coincidence bringing a few characters together). I found myself pretty distracted by it throughout the whole thing.

#4. The Witches are Coming by Lindy West: I listened to this one by Lindy West, and felt I was sitting in on a very intellectual conversation with a super smart and entertaining friend.

#5. When We Were Vikings by Andrew David MacDonald: I enjoyed following such a sweet, likable, and innocent main character/narrator. I was compelled to know what would happen next. Good audio production though I’m not going to say it’s an absolute must-read. Thank you to the libro.fm ALC influencer program for the early release.

#6. Wild Game by Adrienne Brodeur: I read this memoir in three sittings. I was deeply concerned about “Rennie” the entire time and wasn’t surprised to see how she struggled in her early adulthood. Very well-written book with compelling “characters,” who, of course, are real.

#7. Consider This: Moment in My Writing Life in Which Everything Was Different by Chuck Palahniuk: Entertaining and practical book about writing from the author of Fight Club and many other works, too.

#8. The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali: I listened to this one and it was SO GOOD! It’s an engrossing love story involving the history of several Iranian families. Excellent writing and such a good audio narrator. Highly recommend.

#9. Know My Name by Chanel Miller: Powerful memoir. I think everyone should read it! This was my winter pick for the ModernWell book club.

#10. Embodying Soul by Keri Mangis: A cleverly told memoir of one woman’s quest to understand what her soul is here on Earth to do. This isn’t your straight-forward “find yourself” memoir. It’s an original take on a classic hero’s journey woven in with relatable bits of memoir. Really enjoyed it, and it made me think.

#11. Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes by Kathleen West: It was fun to read a fictionalized version of a suburban Minneapolis town. Lots of drama between parents, teachers, teens, and a gossip filled Facebook group.

#12. Here For It by R. Eric Thomas: This collection of Thomas’s funny and smart essays was the right thing at the right time. (Hello, week one of the kids’ “homeschooling” and all of us home most of the time.) Discussions of race, pop culture in the 90s and today, and so much more. Loved it! Thank you netgalley.com for the book! I bought two copies already for friends and have recommended it nonstop. Here I am recommending it at the Star Tribune.

#13. In Five Years by Rebecca Serle: I read this one in three nights. I liked the premise of a woman, Dannie, who has a dream/premonition of an important piece of her life in exactly five years. Then, as a reader, watching Dannie’s life move forward towards this premonition and learning exactly what it means was a good plot device. Really liked the characters and the friendship in this story in general. Thank you, netgalley.com for the copy!

#14. Untamed by Glennon Doyle: I enjoyed reading this one a lot and understanding more about Glennon’s current life after following her (on and off) for many years. Her writing is always crystal clear and entertaining. Nonfiction is easier for me to swallow right now (mid-Covid-19 stay at home days) though I’m still attempting fiction, too.

#15. Followers by Megan Angelo: I read this one in three days and found the premise very compelling and the execution even better. What would happen if everything we ever searched on the internet, or texted, or emailed stopped being private? Angelo gives us the before and after of such a world with a nice dose of Truman Show-esque elements, too. I like to see a good “what if” and dystopian story played out to the end.

#16. Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby: I’m a big Irby fan, and I read everything she writes. She’s incredibly funny in an original way. I bought my own copy, devoured it, then bought copies for a few friends. You need to be okay with a lot of swearing.

#17. Nobody Will Tell You This But Me by Bess Kalb: I listened to the audio version of this and it was so good. I laughed and cried. I loved how Kalb captured her grandmother’s voice so beautifully and also showed her own mother with a voice of compassion. I’ve already bought copies for one friend and one for my mom.

#18. Secret Twin Cities by Julie Jo Severson: My friend and longtime ModernWell Writing Studio participant, Julie Jo Severson, recently released Secret Twin Cities— a book with ideas for exploring the hidden gems around the Twin Cities. Some visits will need to wait for our world to open up a bit, but some places will work well now. It’s a great book to have for now and for later. I’m so impressed with all the research and hard work that went into this book!

#19. What You Wish For by Katherine Center: I really enjoyed this story about a long-time crush and love/hate relationship between the librarian of an elementary school and the principal. The little town and all the other characters in the school were a nice touch, too. Katherine Center always writes a novel that keeps me up too late. Thank you to netgalley.com and St. Martin’s Press for the review copy.

#20. My Wife Said You Might Want to Marry Me by Jason B. Rosenthal: If you are a fan of Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s work, or you remember Amy’s viral Modern Love essay that got published a few days before she passed away . . . or you read Jason’s viral Modern Love Essay in response to her words, then this memoir is an absolute must read. If you are aware of none of the above, I still recommend this memoir for a deep dive into a beautiful marriage and grief.

#21. The Lies That Bind by Emily Giffin: Thank you to netgalley.com and Ballantine Books for the early release copy. I enjoyed reading a novel that takes place in 2001 as a break from these times, though a story set in NYC in 2001 has its own national crisis in store for these characters. This novel was a compelling read with shades of gray for the characters that I appreciated. Fans of Something Borrowed and Something Blue will love some guest appearances.

#22. Save Yourself by Carmen Esposito: I found Esposito’s memoir both entertaining and refreshingly (seemingly) honest. She’s a great storyteller. I did the audio thanks to the libro.fm influencer program.

#23. Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland: I liked the historical setting, the characters, and the plot of this novel. Beanland does a great job weaving in Jewish customs without overwhelming the reader. (I’ve struggled with that balance in my own writing so I know firsthand it’s tricky.) I haven’t read a historical novel in a while, and I’m glad I chose this one. It does get a little slower in the middle, but Beanland makes up for it in the end. Thank you to netgalley.com for the review copy.

#24. Hollywood Park by Mikel Jollett: Listened thanks to the ALC influencer Libro.fm program. I was intrigued with the premise of a family that survives a cult, but I didn’t love it. I think I would have preferred the print version. The narration wasn’t my favorite.

#25. The Jane Austen Society by Nathalie Jenner: Listened thanks to the Libro.fm influencer program. I’d say you REALLY need to be an Austen superfan.

#26. White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo: I’d recommend reading and not listening to this one if you’re going to read it at all. The narration is very monotonous. There are a lot of books we can all be reading for background to this particular moment in history. I’m not sure this is the “best” one.

#27. My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell: This one was an unsettling reading experience, which makes me say the book is very well written. I felt like I could get inside Vanessa’s head and understand her attachment to Strane (having formed it so young as his student) and her disgust of him, too. She was constantly feeling both at the same time. I’d definitely recommend it, but I wouldn’t say it was “enjoyable.” It’s dark, as the name suggests.  

#28. Open Book by Jessica Simpson: Highly recommend the audio of this memoir. I was really impressed with Simpson’s storytelling, honesty, vulnerability, and self-reflection. This window into the celebrity life was fascinating and eye-opening. One of my favorite nonfictions of the year so far.

#29. 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand: Thank you to the libro.fm influencer program for my copy of 28 Summers. I enjoyed this one a lot. The audio production was great. I was frustrated that the couple in question didn’t do what needed to be done to be together, but I guess there would be no plot if they had. I do recommend it for a quick summer read, and I’d for sure read another Hilderbrand book. I know she has many!

#30. Text Me When You’re Home by Kayleen Schaefer: Fun and relatable book about friendship with tons of pop culture references and analysis of friendships. 100% up my alley as I’m in the middle of year six of writing friendship advice.

#31. The Book of V by Anna Solomon: I liked the premise of this book following 3-4 women as they come in and out of power (different forms of power), including the Biblical Esther and Vashti. One thing that’s hard when there are several narrators and a big change in time is resettling with each one when it switches. I did struggle with that.

#32. Other People’s Pets by R.L. Maizes: A quirky, unusual character in a quirky, unusual situation. I appreciated the nuanced relationship here between an adult daughter and her father. I always find R.L. Maizes’s writing tight and highly readable whether in fiction or in her essays.  Thank you to Celadon Books for sending me a copy to review!

#33. Older by Pamela Redmond: Fans of the tv show YOUNGER will love diving a past the show’s timeline to see what happens to Liza, Josh, Kelsey, Maggie, Caitlin, and some new-to-me characters that were not in the show but perhaps were in the original book. I’m not sure! Thank you to netgalley.com and Gallery Books for the review copy.

#34. The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon: Listened to this one thanks to the libro.fm influencer program. I enjoyed the romance and friendship aspects of this book. The main character’s idea for a friendship app was particularly on point with the subjects I love to write about. The parts of the story that take place in the company got too jargon-esque for me.

#35. Excavation by Wendy C Ortiz: There was a lot of discussion on the internet about similarities between this memoir and the novel My Dark Vanessa. Other than the main relationship being between a teacher and his student, I didn’t see much in common with them at all. My Dark Vanessa goes much more into the aftermath of the affair in the life of adult Vanessa. I got a good understanding of teen Wendy in this well-written and highly readable memoir, but the story doesn’t go too much into her adult self.

#36. The Fixed Stars by Molly Wizenberg: Listened thanks to the libro.fm ALC program. Erin Mallon is a great narrator! She seems to own the story so much that I kept forgetting she was reading Wizenberg’s memoir, not her own. I liked but didn’t love this book about gender identity and identity in general in and out of marriage. The premise interested me, but about 70% in I was ready to wrap it up.

#37. Big Friendship by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman: I had a lot to say about this book and did so in a formal review at The HerStories Project.

#38. Becoming Duchess Goldblatt by Anonymous: I found this book about the rise of the Duchess Goldblatt Twitter account absolutely charming. It’s about the community that formed (and continues to form) around “Duchess Goldblatt” as much as it is about the author herself, who still remains anonymous, which intrigues me to no end. I’m a little in love with Lyle Lovett now after reading about his kindness in this book! I really enjoyed it all around.

#39. Shit Actually by Lindy West: I got a kick out of this one. West basically hate watches tons of popular movies and it’s hilarious. I’m on board with all of her incredulity except for her disdain for Forest Gump. Not Forest! (Though I do agree that Jenny kind of sucks.) The best review was about Love Actually, per the title. I did the audio thanks to Libro.fm and West is a great narrator of her work.

#40. Luster by Raven Leilani: I found the premise of this one intriguing enough to get me to the end, but the main character’s approach to life got wearing from page to page. The book felt longer than it is. It got excellent reviews. I liked it, but I didn’t love it.

#41. Cleo McDougal Regrets Nothing by Allison Winn Scotch: Fun one about a woman seeking the nomination to run for President. Nice escape from reality to be reading during this particular race in 2020.

#42. Nothing Like I Imagined by Mindy Kaling: Loved these classic Mindy Kaling essays on Audible. Lots of new material about being a mom, a producer, and more. I wish it was twice as long.

#43. Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come by Jessica Pan: I listened to this one and loved it. There’s no question I prefer to listen to nonfiction over fiction. I loved the premise of an extreme introvert experimenting with “extroverting” for a year. Pan has a delightful writing voice. She narrates it, too, and does an excellent job.

#44. Peas Love & Carrots by Danielle Renov: This is a cookbook, but I read it cover to cover like an actual book and felt like I was in a full conversation with the author. I loved her intro and her long list of tips and all her directions in the recipes. I am not kidding that I read it ALL. My friend Robyn sent this one to me out of the blue. First of all, it was the loveliest gesture. Second, it inspired my cooking a lot. I’ve been using it ever since. It’s a kosher cookbook, which will also work really well for anyone who avoids dairy since almost all of the recipes are either for meat or non-meat/non-dairy meals. My full review with favorite recipes is here.

#45. Next Year For Sure by Zoey Leigh Peterson: Interesting premise about opening up a long term relationship. Enjoyed the spare writing. At first I wasn’t sure I bought how “OK” one of the characters, Kathryn, kept claiming to be about it all. Then a turn events and something she says in one of the last pages sealed the deal for me in determining that I really liked this book!

#46. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat: This is a memoir and a science lesson all in one. I did the audio, which Nosrat narrates herself. I learned SO MUCH! Now I need the book for sure. I definitely want to see the charts she referred to a few times.

#47. The Comfort Food Diaries by Emily Nunn: Another cooking and food themed memoir for me. I’m definitely having a moment with food writing. Nunn’s story is intimate and tragic but also hopeful. The way she used food to connect her with friends who could help her heal after some personal traumas was inspiring. Nice to read through her recipes, too. Not a fast read, per se. Took me a while to finish.

#48. The Best of Me by David Sedaris: This is the newest collection by Sedaris, though it’s really not new. It’s a compilation of stories and essays I’ve read or listened to before. I loved it anyway, maybe even more so because I could pay more attention to structure as I read.

#49. Here is the Beehive by Sarah Crossan: Quick read told in verse about an affair and the connection between the wife and the girlfriend after the man in the middle dies. Not sure I can say I liked it, but I did feel compelled to finish it. Thank you to netgalley for the copy!

#50. The Grace Year by Kim Liggett: One of my favorite novels of 2020. It’s been a while since I’ve stayed up until 3AM reading, but I truly could not put this book down—an expression I do not throw around unless I mean it. A book has to earn it! THE GRACE YEAR is The Handmaid’s Tale meets Hunger Games meets Lois Lowry’s Giver quartet. It’s intense and has some gruesome moments, but I was completely swept up in the story. Highly recommend!

#51. Is This Anything by Jerry Seinfeld: This one was a slow start for me and then I grew to LOVE it. Seinfeld so fairly picks on some of the ridiculous realities of human interaction and eventually as the book goes on—modern living. Actually he touches on “modern” living throughout, but his earlier material is about answering machines instead of smartphones. It’s fun to see how the technology changes through time, but the intricacies of human behavior and all its foolishness remain the same. Highly recommend for great laughs and lots of head nodding.

#52. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett: Compelling characters, language that moves rather than stalls the story, interesting structure and timeline. Checks every box for me. One of my favorite novels this year.

#53. Group by Christie Tate: I really liked this book, and I’m so impressed with the way Tate made me feel like I grew along with her as she takes us through her years of group therapy that helped her deal with bad relationships, a complicated and dangerous relationship to food, and other issues. Tate is a great storyteller and I willingly followed along from chapter to chapter rooting for her to get what she wanted. I did the audio and enjoyed listening to Tate tell her story. I’d recommend this one, and you’ll need your friends to read it too so you can discuss. My writing group is planned an informal zoom chat to discuss it because so many of us were reading it at the same time.

#54. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey: If you’re going to read this book, I definitely recommend the audio. I feel like the story requires McConaughey’s accent. It was quirky and fun. But by the 55% mark, I was ready to get to the end. I found myself pushing the “forward 15 seconds” quite a bit from that point on.

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Nina Badzin

Nina Badzin hosts the podcast Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship. She's been writing about friendship since 2014, co-leads the writing groups at ModernWell in Minneapolis, and reviews 30+ books a year on her website.

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