I read forty books in 2020, not as many as I expected to read during the pandemic stay-at-home order. Instead, I often found it difficult to sit and concentrate on a story, no matter how interesting it might be. Though I did read many good books as well as “just okay” books, few of them stand out in my memory. The following do:

Educated by Tara Westover. An inspiring true story of a young woman who overcame incredibly difficult family circumstances to live a normal life.

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez. I went into this expecting light chick lit. It’s considerably more than that. It deals with the topic of infertility with sensitivity and in more depth than I would have expected.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. A fun read for those who like horror stories and spunky heroines. Very creative, with underlying issues of racism and eugenics.

These Women by Ivy Pochoda. About serial murders in South LA, this novel is not for everyone. It’s unusual in tone and style, but I found it mostly fascinating in its portrayals of women who are used, ignored, and forgotten.