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Dec 31, 2020 7 min read Books & Audiobooks

Books That Carried Me Through 2020

Photo by Matias North / Unsplash

Zikora – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2020)

Set in the USA and rooted in Nigerian culture
It’s a short story – unfortunately because I wanted more!
Gladly, you can now know more about Zikora in Dream Count, published in 2025
Deals with shame and societal expectations upon women

The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole (Adrian Mole #2) – Sue Townsend

Second book from the saga, out of 8
Deals with the awkwardness of growing up in the midst of family drama
It’s so nice to see and follow Adrian as he is growing up

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ (Adrian Mole #1) – Sue Townsend

Set in England in the 1980s, in the Margaret Thatcher years
A coming of age diary style, great for teenagers
Delivers great British culture classics such as the first one

Skincare: the Ultimate No-Nonsense Guide – Caroline Hirons

Discovered Caroline Hirons on social media whilst an independent workers advocate during the pandemic, didn't know her prior to that and the legend that she was
Tackles skincare with experience based storytelling
Caroline has a very witty and sharp way of writing and talking

Party of Two (The Wedding Date #5) – Jasmine Guillory

Olivia (Alexa’s sister, from book #1) gets involved with Max, a US senator
They have to hide their relationship from the spotlight
Deals with politics and interracial relationships
I gather this was my favourite book from the series

Royal Holiday (The Wedding Date #4) – Jasmine Guillory

A more mature love story, involving Maddie’s mom Vivian (from book #3)
Set in the United Kingdom mostly, as Maddie is styling an American duchess (who might it be?!)
Set in a cosy and festive Christmas setting
If you want another book set in the UK during Christmas time, I have read The Wake Up Call in 2025

The Wedding Party (The Wedding Date #3) – Jasmine Guillory

Here we have a romance brewing between Maddie (Alexa's best friend from book #1) and Theo
It’s a “enemies to lovers” kind of story – this trope is usually not a favourite of mine
Deals with a fashion environment as the main character is a stylist

The Proposal (The Wedding Date #2) – Jasmine Guillory

A Reese’s Book Club pick
Here we meet Carlos, Drew’s best friend from the first book of the series
Deals with independence, growth, lots of food too and the importance of female friendships
Honestly, it is the book I liked the least in the saga but it did not demote me in reading the following publications

The Wedding Date (The Wedding Date #1) – Jasmine Guillory

First of a 6-book series
Set in the United States
Very sexy and flirty romance between Alexa & Drew, with lots of food
Deals with an interracial relationship

Everything I Never Told You – Celeste Ng (2014)

From the author of Little Fires Everywhere which I read in 2019
Set in Ohio, United States in the 1970s
Deals with family loss, death, immigrant families and parental expections upon their children
A stunning book. I like anything written from this woman

Nine Perfect Strangers - Liane Moriarty (2018)

Even though this book was not picked by Reese's book club, the author has written two books which were, such as Big Little Lies
Set in a wellness retreat in Australia
Around Masha, a Russian former executive that creates the retreat
Deals with brainwashing loss, trauma and family relationships
Was adapted into a miniseries I have already reviewed

The House of the Spirits (La Casa de los Espíritus) – Isabel Allende

Set in Chile
Follows a family for three generations under intense economical and political turmoils
Has magical realism, usual in Allende's books
I was obsessed about this story ever since watching the movie adaptation with Jeremy Irons, Meryl Streep, Wynona Ryder and Antonio Banderas as a child in the 1990s

The Mother-in-Law – Sally Hepworth (2019)

Set in Australia
Great thriller with family drama
Dual POV in different timelines

Raparigas como Nós - Helena Magalhães (2019)

Takes place in Portugal (and a few bits in Spain)
Read this one in Portuguese, doesn't have an English version yet
Bought the book twice to offer it to a family member

Whisper Network – Chandler Baker (2019)

A Reese’s Book Club pick
Set in the corporate world in Dallas, United States
Multiple POV - which is delicious, to have all the different perspectives
Deals with a toxic environment at work, (lack of) consent and the MeToo movement

Rich People Problems (Crazy Rich Asians #3) – Kevin Kwan

I read this book really sad about it being the last in the series
It brings the whole clan back to set deep seethed feuds
As you are just in love with the character, you can’t get enough about their obsessions and sharpness

China Rich Girlfriend (Crazy Rich Asians #2) – Kevin Kwan

Second book of the Crazy Rich Asians saga, which I started reading in 2019
Explores the rise of the mainland China elite
Deals with glamourous Asian families (and it reminded me of rich Angolan families drama and expectations. Same same!)
I just love Kevin Kwan’s smart and witty writing

Silver Sparrow – Tayari Jones

Same author as An American Marriage, a book I read in 2019 and loved
Set in Atlanta, United States
Deals with bigamy, shame and family loyalty beyond all

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler – Kelly Harms

"Mom had enough" kind of storyline
A journey of self discovery
Deals with the bookish world, with several literature references
If you liked this one, read The Bookish Life of Nina Hill which I read in 2025

Becoming – Michelle Obama

Great memoir and storytelling
Deals with US politics, family and overcoming structural prejudice
If you liked this one for the US politics backstage, I recommend Both/And that I read in 2024

The Cactus – Sarah Haywood (2018)

A Reese’s Book Club pick
Set in the United Kingdom
Deals with Susan, a quirky woman with a strict routine who has to question it all
Has some similarities with Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, also read prior in 2020

The Flatshare – Beth O’Leary

Set in England
From strangers to flatmates type of story
One of my favourite books ever
Was adapted into a cute miniseries on Paramount+

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman

One of my favourite books in 2020
The first Reese's Book Club pick ever
I have been waiting for it to become a movie or a miniseries ever since
Female centered
Set in Scotland

Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets & Advice for living your Best Life – Ali Wong (2019)

Great storytelling
Sharp witty humour
Deals with acceptance, prejudice and societal expectations

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