2020 was … something. Now that it’s over, though, let’s take a look back on all the bookish goodness that ensued last year on this blog.

You know, to properly memorialize it and send it on its way with a viking funeral. Although, can you hold a viking funeral for something that’s already on fire? Hmmm.

Many thanks to Jamie @ The Perpetual Page Turner for starting the End of the Year Survey. This post follows her questions, so shout-outs for that.

So let’s take a look at the bookish things 2020 had in store for The Bookwyrm’s Den, shall we?

(Click any of the book covers to be taken to the Goodreads page for that book.)

2020 Reading Stats

Books Read: 178 (119 in 2019)

Pages Read: 49,387 (39,737 in 2019)

Average Book Length: 277 pages

Average Rating for 2020: 4.1

Best in Books

Best Read Of 2020

Oh gosh, choosing one favorite is super hard. In fact, I just made a post where I chose a favorite from every month of 2020. Actually, multiple favorites some months. What? Decisions are hard.

I have to choose The House in the Cerulean Sea as the best of 2020, though, because it’s constantly on my mind. I’m not one for re-reading, but I actually read this twice this year (e-book and then audiobook), which is so rare that I’ve only done that one other time and that was with Illuminae.

Biggest Flop of the Year

I was so excited for this book, which may be one of the reasons this was my most disappointing read for this year. Don’t get me wrong, Larkwood is clearly a talented author, and I’ll be interested in her upcoming work. I know several people who loved this, too, so maybe I’m in the minority. The plot here was just all over the place, though, and there were so many big time skips. Everything mentioned in the blurb happens basically in the first 25% of the book, and I was super confused about what, then, the rest of the book was supposed to be. Ultimately, I felt like the time skips really did it in, since we skipped all the meaty development and important events in the Csorwe’s life leading up to her actions in the end of the book.

Most surprising

That artwork absolutely screams Tim Burton, right?! The plot does not. I was thinking this would be almost a cozy, Nightmare Before Christmas type of book, and it’s not. But that’s okay, because it was still AWESOME. It’s actually about 1,000% more gory than I thought it would be, but it was also extremely funny, and I just couldn’t stop cracking up while reading it.

Book Most Often Recommended

You should maybe just get used to seeing this book and/or author on this blog at this point. In case you haven’t yet, though … hai. This is The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune. It’s a heartwarming, uplifting, funny queer rom com coming-of-age-for-older-protagonist story that I guarantee you need in your life.

I’ve thrown this book at pretty much everyone, and I haven’t heard anyone say they didn’t enjoy it yet, so it’s a pretty good track record.

Best series starter

This is sort of cheating, because I read both this book and the sequel, Fires of Vengeance, but I loved them both! First … DRAGONS! Yay! They don’t play a huge role, though. Luckily, the main character is fabulous and out for vengeance and also accidentally picks up a squad, like you do, so it pretty much has everything going for it.

Best Sequel

This was not only an action-packed thrill ride but also an emotional ride, which is less fun but equally important. I absolutely cannot wait for the third book, but darn it, I didn’t think it could get better than the first one and it just did. Pray for my feels when the third book comes out. I fear they won’t make it.

Best Series Ender

This duology was EVERYTHING. I loved The Merciful Crow, but The Faithless Hawk was even more amazing somehow. The characters. The dark world. The betrayal. The secrets! Everything about it was just fabulous.

Favorite new author discovered this year

SURPRISE! It’s T.J. Klune. Are you surprised?! He released both The House in the Cerulean Sea and The Extraordinaries this year, and I loved them both and have since started digging into his backlist. I’ll read pretty much anything this guy writes at this point. I even had the honor of interviewing him for The Bookwyrm’s Den in 2020! I did my best to rein in my fangirl, but, you know, it’s not easy.

Best book from an unexpected genre

Sooo … up until last year, I had basically written off epic fantasy as not my thing. I’d tried several epic fantasy series before and just hated them. Last year, I really wanted to broaden my horizons, so I tried a bunch of new genres, including epic fantasy, and I ended up absolutely loving this series. Even though it’s probably the most epic of the epic fantasy. I was surprised by how much I loved this one!

Most unputdownable book of the year

I thought the start of this was kind of slow, but once things got underway, I couldn’t put it down! So much happened. So much betrayal. Also, characters that I just couldn’t get enough of. I’m really looking forward to book two!

Book MOST Likely To Be Re-Read Next Year

The artwork in this graphic novel was absolutely GORGEOUS! The story was really funny and a quirky adventure, too. It’s a short, fun read with beautiful pictures, and apparently, the third one is coming out in 2021? I somehow missed the second one, and I’ll be watching Amazon hoping it goes on sale, and I’ll probably reread the first one once I get my hands on the second.

Favorite cover

I’m a fan of creepy covers, in general. They’re some of my favorites. This cover has got pretty much everything, and it’s what first drew me to this book (which is a fabulous book in general, cover aside). There’s the spooky woods backdrop, our protagonist duo, but also a ghost hand and a missing glowy eye. It just all works together well for me to create a super creepy middle grade cover that grabs my attention every time!

Most memorable character

I’ve read a lot of memorable characters this year, but I have to say that Henry Silver is one of my favorites. He’s utterly and entirely a drama queen, prone to dramatic fits, and I absolutely love it. This is another coming-of-age book for a slightly older protagonist, which I also enjoy. I loved Silver at the beginning of the book, and I loved the growth he undergoes throughout the course of it.

Most beautifully written

Is this cheating because it’s half written, half drawn? Maybe. That just makes it doubly beautiful. The artwork in this manga series is absolutely stunning, and there are spreads that just take my breath away. On top of that, the story is just utterly charming in its own right. It feels like a mix between Harry Potter and Nevermoor turned into a manga. It’s got the charm and character appeal of Fruits Basket with the magic and danger of … ummm … a magical and dangerous manga? I’m bad at this, and it’s been a long time since I’ve read manga. Naruto? Let’s say Naruto. It’s got similar character types to Naruto, along with the squad vibes and adventure! Just magic instead of ninja skills, of course.

Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing

I was not expecting to feel so many feels when I picked up a spooky mid-grade book set in Chicago and based on the city’s folklore and paranormal legends. Yet, here we are. I loved this so much that I picked up another of Currie’s books. This hit my emotions in all the right spots, but also really twisted the ghost hunter/paranormal thing in a way that I don’t see very often, especially in mid-grade, and I loved how thoughtful it was with regards to the dead.

Book I can’t believe I waited UNTIL 2020 to finally read

I bought this right after it came out in 2018, and I’d been anticipating its release even before that. So what took me so long to finally read it? I can’t even honestly tell you. I loved it, though. Incredibly so. I went out and bought a paperback, even though I owned the Kindle, just so I can re-read it whenever I want and gaze at it upon my shelf. Which is probably weird now that I say it “out loud,” but hey, we’re all bookwyrms here, right?

Favorite Passage/Quote

This sums up my life, and ultimately 2020, too well not to include here.

Shortest & Longest Book Read In 2020

Book That Shocked Me The Most

I had no idea what to expect going into this book, so I was surprised to find out how much I enjoyed it! There’s a focus on STEM, especially in contrast to just using magic, and the humor kept me laughing through the entire thing.

OTP OF THE YEAR

I’m going to go with Nick Bell x Seth Gray here, even though this romance is really so sickly sweet that I can’t even. Are you surprised there isn’t a stabby, problematic romance here? Yeah, me too. Nick and Seth remind me so much of hubby and I, though, except cuter and less stabby. I absolutely love Nick’s adorable cluelessness and the way their friendship develops into maybe, hopefully, something more?! Friends-to-lovers is gonna be a big yes for me.

Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

Everyone in this book? This squad is just *chef’s kiss*. I love them all so much separately. Enrique and Severin are absolutely brilliant, but I really like the super complicated relationship between Hypnos and Severin, too. Not gonna lie, I almost used that as my OTP of the year, even though that’s clearly not going to happen. It’s a ship I’m still more than happy to go down with.

Favorite Book Read in 2020 From A Previously Read Author

I actually had trouble with this one and was surprised to find that I read almost entirely new-to-me authors in 2020! I don’t know if that’s a win or a fail at this point. I’ve talked about the Warlock Holmes books before, though, so I was super excited that we got a book five this year (unfortunately, it’s also the last book before the author takes a hiatus). It definitely didn’t disappoint and was a high note for the author to leave it on.

Best Read Based On A Recommendation

This was another contender for the “What took me so long?!” award. Literally everyone recommended this series, to the point where I eventually threw my hands up and started reading it. Well, no surprise, I also love Murderbot, just like everyone else.

Newest fictional crush

Serefin is absolutely a freaking treasure, okay? I didn’t love the second book of this series, but I read it and will continue to read the third book just for Serefin, who deserves all the love and attention. He’s absolutely frustrating and unbearable, but in the endearing way that’s more like a dumpster fire you just want to put out and give a hug or something.

Best 2020 debut

I’m sure this book will make many people’s lists, and mine is no exception! Everything about this book was just exceptional. I tore through this book, enjoying every moment, and I can’t wait for the next book now!

Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting

I read this in the beginning of the year and then spent the rest of the year wondering why I can’t just live in this world. This is Moby Dick with dragons. Everything in this world is based around dragons, including their economy, and the biggest behemoths are hunted for materials. While I don’t condone the hunting of dragons, this world was just so amazing and lush and full of dragons that I still want to move here, please. Someone make it happen!

Book That Made Me Smile

It might seem weird that I’m putting a book that tackles grief and healing as a book that made me smile, but … maybe you haven’t met Gum Baby yet? Because you need to. Between Tristan and Gum Baby, there were so many moments that absolutely cracked me up. Also, Tristan’s narrative and thoughts were funny in general. You know, except when they weren’t.

Book That Made Me Cry

I cried. I laughed. I choked on all my emotions rising to the surface at once. I was so confused about what I was feeling during this book, but in a good way. I’m not gonna lie, though, the ending of this definitely made me cry. Just a little. Totally worth it.

Hidden Gem Of The Year

I read this book as part of TheWriteReads tour, and I’d heard of it before in passing mentioned by Susan @ Novel Lives but I hadn’t really given it much thought. That cover, though, is stunning, and it sounded interesting. I absolutely loved it, though! I can’t wait to continue with the series, because this was just *chef’s kiss*. I expected to enjoy it, but I wasn’t prepared to love it as much as I did.

Book That Crushed My Soul

I’m not even sure what this book did to me. First, it’s set after World War II, which is an interesting, not often explored perspective in general, where people from the internment camps are trying to find their families and reestablish their lives. That alone is enough to destroy your soul, right? Yet, part of what crushed my soul was the resiliency of the characters, the things they find that bring them joy, and just the overall beautiful moments that I wasn’t prepared for. I knew going in that it would be emotional (Holocaust, duh), so I was prepared for that, but not the other side of the coin, where these people have been through absolutely horrendous things and can still laugh and find joy in life.

Most Unique Book

There’s a trend in middle grade with books that are half-illustrated, half-written text, so maybe that doesn’t make this book entirely unique. I think when you combine that with the superhero/superpower plot of this book, the humor, and the illustrations, it makes it a really unique series. I rushed through this series because I just couldn’t put it down, and I laughed so hard through it all. It turns the idea of superpowers and superheroes on its head and subverts expectations all over the place!

Book That Made Me Mad

I absolutely loved A Curse So Dark and Lonely, so I was a bit disappointed when I read the sequel. I just felt like this book basically negated everything that happened in book one. All the characters felt changed and different, and I kept shouting at the characters for all the silly, ridiculous things they did that made no sense! It seems like a lot of people loved this book, so maybe it was just me, but ugh. Everyone’s decisions in this book made me angry.

Blogging/Bookish Life

New favorite book blog/Bookstagram/Youtube channel

I actually have no idea what I started following in 2020 versus any other years. I’m really bad at that.

I did totally make a post called How to Decide Which Blogs to Follow (Ft. Bloggers You Should Definitely Follow), and a lot of those I think are new to me in 2020? Maybe? (*whispers* I have no idea when 2019 ended and 2020 started, it was so many years ago.)

Favorite post

Am I cheating by giving three instead of one? Maybe. I like to think of it as more bang for your buck. 2020 was the first year I did author interviews. I unfortunately had several authors agree to interviews and then not follow-through, which is unfortunate, but I’m super thankful for the ones who answered my questions! I thoroughly enjoyed these interviews so much and definitely want to shout them out! Unfortunately, time being what it is lately, I doubt I’ll get a chance for author interviews in 2021, but it was fun while it lasted!

Favorite bookish photo

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Best moment of bookish/blogging life

As far as blogging goes, I hit 500 followers! I cannot impress upon you how surreal that feels, as when I started this blog, I didn’t imagine I’d get 50. So 500?! I don’t understand. Do you guys hate yourself that much that you’d subject yourself to me rambling on endlessly about books? xD

In terms of bookish things in general, I was signed with a publisher, and my debut novel will be released in 2021! The title is The Gathering Force, and it’s a YA contemporary fantasy. I can’t wait to share more about it with y’all!

Most challenging thing about blogging or reading life this year

2020. Just as a year, it was challenging. I know I’m not alone in that. I found it really hard to read while I was stressed about everything in general and felt like everything was up in the air and unsure.

Most Popular Post

In case the image/branding/blog name throws anyone off … my most popular post of this year actually took place before did my big site rebrand in … April? I think? I’m a little surprised that this was the most popular, of all the posts I’ve made this year, but I had fun writing it, at least!

Post You Wished Got A Little More Love

I’m going to cheat and put two here, as well. Ahhhh old graphics. Am I too lazy to go update these images? Yes. At least they have the correct blog name on them this time, so I’ve got that going for me.

I love Fantasy for Beginners because fantasy is sort of my thing. It’s what I do. I try to branch out into other genres, but I’ve realized this year that I tend to branch out into books that are crossed with fantasy or the paranormal, so it’s not really a break from fantasy. In other words, I’m looking for converts. We’re accepting recruits to the dark side. Everyone who rides the fantasy train gets a dragon!

I also want to shout out Sometimes Heroes Are Sick, Too, which was part book review of a fabulous book about chronic illness and part list of books that feature characters with a chronic illness or disability. I’ve added to it little by little as the year’s gone by, but I love reading books with more diverse characters, so this list was a joy to make!

Best bookish discovery

Etsy! I know, I know, I’m probably late to the party here, but I never realized Etsy had all sorts of really cute bookish things. Oops?

Also book boxes! I bought Minion quite a few OwlCrate Junior boxes, and we loved them! I’d highly recommend them for adults and kiddos alike, because honestly, while the boxes are geared towards kids, the things in them tend to be universal (and I’ve threatened to steal many of Minion’s goodies!).

Looking Ahead

Book I Didn’t Get To In 2020 But Will Be My Number 1 Priority in 2021

This book sounds absolutely amazing, and the cover is stunning! I received this towards the end of last year from the wonderful Susan @ Novel Lives as a birthday gift! The end of the year was just craazy, so I didn’t get a chance to pick it up, but I definitely want to get to it ASAP this year!

Most Anticipated 2021 Release (non-debut)

If you’ve read any part of the beginning of this post, this should come as absolutely no surprise. I will be reading anything and everything T.J. Klune writes from here on in, thanks, and I will look forward to it. Because I’m a masochist who loves having my emotions toyed with and then shattered, obviously.

Most Anticipated 2021 Debut

Surprise! Bet this isn’t what you expected, is it? I was super excited when I saw this. First of all, the whole book in general is focused on characters with chronic illnesses, which I love. But to make lycanthropy a chronic illness along with everything else? I love it! Sounds super unique and fun.

Most Anticipated Series Ending

Nothing that has covers yet, which makes me fearful. Will they come out in 2021?! What happens if they don’t?! Will I just melt into a suspenseful goo filled with disappointment?

I’m particularly looking forward to Tristan Strong #3 as well as The Gilded Wolves #3. I think those will be the ends of the series, as I believe they’re both trilogies. I mean, I don’t want either to end, honestly, but I’m still looking forward to the next book. It just happens to also be the last book, which is sad. Emotions are confusing.

Most Anticipated Sequel

This is book four out of … five? I think? Yes, I need to know what happens to my poor babiesssss! Also, given what the previous titles and covers have meant … I’m all sorts of curious about this title and cover. I will continue to speculate until I can get my hands on this book!

One Thing I Hope To Accomplish Or Do In My Reading/Blogging Life In 2021

Catch up on overdue books! 2020 threw me some big curveballs (like it did almost everyone), which meant I had way less time than I expected. I had planned for X amount of reading/blogging time and ended up with Y, which means I have many outstanding ARCs that I plan on reading and reviewing regardless.

… maybe I should also say I hope to accomplish some sort of work/life balance to make reading/blogging feasible with my new responsibilities, too. Yeah, that.

A 2021 Release I’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone

This is Men in Black meets Harry Potter with black girl magic, and everyone should read it right now. Seriously. I’m already calling this as one of my favorite 2021 releases! This book was absolutely amazing, and I can’t wait for more books in this series! If you’re curious, you can read my review here.

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