Tuesday 5 January 2021

Top 10 Favourite Books of 2020 + Giveaway




I know I pretty much stopped posting again, but I promise that won't last long. I just fried my brain from writing so many final papers for school, and the idea of blogging sounded mind-numbing to me. That's why I didn't make any of my other Top 10 posts for the end of the year. I'm going to post this and then I'm going to take a break for maybe another week or two and then I will hopefully want to start posting again. So this is going to be the list of my favourite books of the year! As always there will be a giveaway so don't worry! Also, I know last year I had my least favourite books included but I just didn't read enough books that I disliked to make a top 10 list. 

1. Chain of Gold



I loved this book so much. I know I say this every time, but you can see so much improvement with every book Cassandra Clare writes. I've never seen an author who has managed to up her game so much with each book she writes. Honestly, you can't even know how surprised I was when this didn't win the Goodreads Choice award. I was the embodiment of the surprised Pikachu face. 


2. From Blood and Ashes



This was a complete surprise. You guys know I've loved Jennifer L. Armentrout's books a lot in the past. The first review I ever posted on my blog was for Obsidian. I've just felt in the past few years I had been outgrowing her books a little bit. But then. From Blood and Ashes came in and changed my mind. This book was New Adult and I felt so much joy when reading this one. Or rather listening. I listened to the audiobook for this one and it was so good. I finished it in maybe two days of non-stop listening.


3. Hunting Prince Dracula



I loved everything about this book from the setting to the vibes to the mystery. I also reading Escaping from Houdini this year, but I definitely liked this one better. I've said this before, and I'll say it again: I want to live in a possibly haunted castle in Romania in the middle of winter. That sounds exactly like my vibe. 


4. Nightfall



The finale to one of my favourite NA romance series' of all time. It was long as fuck but it didn't even feel that long. We had so many characters and so many different secrets and stories that it worked. There was never a part where I wished it was shorter or that I got bored reading. Everything was so intentional and it built to this crescendo. It was amazing and I would gladly wait for it all over again. 


5. A Discovery of Witches



They had me at Witches. You guys know. You know. I am who I am and I doubt I'll change. Mention witches and I'm there. I understand why they decided to make this book into a show. Not that I'm for sure going to watch the show. I mean I probably won't. There is so much going on, a lot of it we still don't understand. It's a pretty long book, but we've barely scratched the surface. It's got such a fascinating world and I can't wait to read the other books. 


6. Tunnel of Bones



This is currently the only middle-grade series I am actively invested in. Much like a lot of the previous books, this series just matches my vibe. I love what this series is doing. This series is about a, I think 12, a year-old girl travelling the world with her parents as they check out the most haunted cities for their ghost hunting show. Little do they know she can see and talk to ghosts. This series is just so much fun and every time I read a new book I find so much joy in the little adventures she has.


7. Brothersong



I still love Wolfsong the best out of all the books in this series, but this book is still one of my favourites of the year. We finally got to see a full circle moment where all the dramas from the past books were finally resolved even if they made me cry. I mean, it's not like it's very hard to make me cry. This was a very good final chapter to the story though.


8. Praying for Rain



I'm sort of including the whole trilogy in this one. This trilogy could have been one long book. I'm not really a dystopian kind of girl anymore, but this post-apocalyptic NA romance was just an A+. It had everything: The apocalypse, a sketchy but attractive love interest, the main character that has issues but is still very lovable. It was just a really enjoyable series. My mind is a little fuzzy on some of the details since I read this one at the very beginning of the year, but I still remember that I really enjoyed it. 


9. Crescent City



I was debating whether or not to put this on the list. There were a lot of things I loved about this book but also a lot of things I didn't love *cough cough* Hunt. I loved the main character and her relationships with her friends. Her friends made this book a 5 star. I was really close to giving it 4 stars because honestly, this book was heavy and sad and I really don't like Hunt. Who was unfortunately in this book a lot. However, the good won out over the bad and I would feel guilty not including this one because it did really impact me. Despite the things I didn't like I would still say this was one of my favourites. I just hope things get better in the next book.


10. Beyond the Sea


This was a last-minute favourite. I originally had another book in this spot, but after reading this one I had to include it. If you want a good gothic romance this is it. I love a good gothic, I especially love a good gothic romance. This book takes place in a seaside town in Ireland. There's a creepy house and a lot of mystery. So good. It's so good. I listened to the audiobook and I had a great time. Have I mentioned I love Irish accents? If you would like to listen to a nice Irish lady read this book to you I would highly suggest listening to the audiobook. 

Now onto the part that everyone is probably the most excited for: The Giveaway!



Rules:
  • The giveaway is international as long as The Book Depository ships to you
  • You have to be following my blog
  • You have to be 18 or have parental permission
  • There will be two winners who will receive their choice of one of the books off my favourites list or a book that is in the same series as one of the books.
  • This giveaway will run from January 5th, 2021 to February 5th, 2021.

Enter:


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26 comments:

  1. "Which book would you choose if you won? Doesn't have to be your final choice." I followed the wrong link to the wrong year's contest at first, so I was going to say I saw several Caryl Churchill plays back in the day, and that of the books shown I would choose hers, but now looking at the correct blog post with the correct choices for this year, I will tentatively say: "A Discovery of Witches" by Deborah Harkness, which sounds like a swell book!

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    1. That's a good one, the audiobook is a great one to listen to if you ever get the chance. Good luck!

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  2. If I would win, I would like the Chain of Gold by CC!I'm new to the Shadowhunter world and I've only read her past series, TID, TMI and TDA. I would really want to read her new series The Last Hours because one of my all time fave fictional character is present in that series. I love this blog and thanks for the giveaway!

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    1. It's a really fun book and we get to see a lot of those beloved characters. I really appreciate the support. Good luck!

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  3. I'd like to win Tunnel of bones! it seems very intriguing! thanks for the chance!

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    1. It's a really fun book to read. Good luck!

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    1. A great novel if you're interested in gothic romances. Good luck!

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  5. Replies
    1. It's a long one but it really pays off. Good luck!

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    1. It's a really detail heavy book, but it's worth it if you love witch books. Good luck!

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  7. You Made brothersong sound so good, so I'm gonna start from the beginning and pick Wolfsong

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    1. I'm glad i could hook get someone interested in this series! Wolfsong is one of my favourite books of all time. I really hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Good luck!

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  8. Hunting prince Dracula seems really interesting and like something I'd enjoy so I'd choose it!

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    1. That one was probably my favourite out of the entire series. It had such a great atmosphere and storyline. Good luck!

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  9. I loved Chain of Gold as well!!
    From Blood and Ash was my first Jennifer L. Armentrout book and I enjoyed it quite a lot though the ending could have been better....
    If I won I would want the Crescent City by SJM. Though I didn't like it as much as I did her other books, I don't currently own any SJM books, so I thought this book could be a good start

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    1. Yeah I understand that, I have high hopes for the next book. I think the series can get better. Fingers crossed. Good luck!

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  10. If I win I would like Chain of gold

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    1. That's a great choice. Obviously it was also my personal favourite:) Good luck!

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  11. Hi there! If I won,I'd love Beyond the Sea,with Tunnel of Bones a close runner up,please & thank you! =^_^=

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  12. If I was one of the lucky winners, I'd definitely pick BRIDGE OF SOULS, by Victoria Schwab. Tunnel of Bones was one of my favorite books of 2020 as well, and I can't wait for the next installment in the series! Thank you for the kind giveaway, Jessie, and I hope you're feeling better now, all relaxed and ready to blog again! ♥

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    1. It is such a fun series. I love it. Also thank you, I'm only taking one writing intensive class this semester so I should hopefully feel like blogging more than last semester:) Good luck!

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  13. I would most likely pick From Blood and Ash. Thank you for the chance!! :)

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  14. If I win, I would love to get Chain of Gold :).

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