Maryse's Book Blog

One more list just came in, and I’m thrilled at how Kelly categorized her favorites this year. While I don’t have many comment highlights for us to reflect on, she IS my frequent “reader question” helper and I’m so thankful for that. 😀

Hi Maryse,

obviously 2020 was a crazy year for everyone. As a result of Covid our kids were home for virtual school starting in March and since I have a chronic illness they have continued to be in virtual school ever since. This has been a difficult adjustment and thankfully reading has has been a wonderful reprieve from the chaos in our lives.

On average I read about 3-4 books a week, sometimes more depending on how busy life is. 2020 started out very 😞 It seemed like ever book I started ended up in my very large DNF folder in my library. I’m not sure when the tide changed but I started to get lucky with my choices and ended up finding some really good books and so my fave list for the year is long.

For whatever reason I am a huge fan of MM/MMF/MFM – okay, I know the reason and that’s because so many are HOT and STEAMY and HOT, did I mention HOT? I read a lot of them in 2020 and was SO happy to find many that were not only hot but very well written.

MM/MMF/MFM

• Work For It by Talia Hibbert
• The Remaking of Corbin Wale by Roan Parrish
• On His Knees and Secret Men by Adira August (sidenote from Maryse: On His Knees has been retitled. Here is a note from the author:

“…It now makes up Part 1 of the newly designated Book One of the Hunt&Cam4Ever series, Matchstick Men. It’s the same book (well, I found more typos and fixed them) it is just where I would have put it if I had known at the time I wrote it, it would spark the series…”

• Brothersong by T.L. Klune <— the final book in a series I loved and this one was a very ugly cry
• When You Come Back to Me by Emma Scott <— gutted me
• Sea of Ruin by Pam Godwin
• Charming Like Us and Wild Like Us by Krista and Becca Ritchie <— I am slightly obsessed with the Like Us series and their books ALWAYS deliver. I feel like I personally know these characters

PARANORMAL/FANTASY

• The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab <— so good I’ve been recommending it to everyone
• Ruins of Chaos by Amelia Hutchins
• Clayton and Dallas by Rachelle Mills
• From Blood and Ash & Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer Armentrout <— “…I LOVED LOVED LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!! My favourite book so far of 2020. I do not know how I am going to wait until the next book…”
• Allison’s Adventures in Underland Book 1 by C.M. Stunich

JUST SO GOOD

• Dear Ava by Ilsa Madden-Mills
• Homecoming by Lauren Gilley <— OY Reece and Tennyson!
• Captive by R.J. Lewis
• Broken Kingdom by Ashley Jade
• Flock and Exodus by Kate Stewart
• The Life You Stole by Jewel E. Ann
• Credence by Penelope Douglas <— this was a controversial book but I loved every page if it
• Nightfall by Penelope Douglas <— final book in the Devils Night series and although it took a while it was so worth the wait

NEW BOOK BOYFRIENDS

• Beautifully Cruel by J.T. Geissinger <— Liam!!!
• Keeping 13 and Binding 13 by Chloe Walsh <— Johnny!!!

ALPHA-HOLES

• My Darling Arrow by Saffron Kent
• Vicious by A.E. Murphy
• The Villain and Angry God by LJ Shen <— these boys! My heart hurt

RE-READS

• Single Lady Spy series by Tara Brown
• anything by Shayne McClendon especially Radiance
• American Camelot Series by Sierra Simone <— I have read and re-read this series cause it is SO good

AUDIO BOOKS

• Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid <— the book was amazing and on my best of last year but the audio blew me away. Every character is narrated by a different person and so many are well known actors like Jennifer Beals!

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

• Heartbones by Colleen Hoover
• Fast Lane by Kristen Ashley
• Feast of Sparks by Sierra Simone
• Dear Enemy by Kristen Callihan

Love Kelly’s book-taste? Check out more of her favorites:

• Reader Favorites – Kelly’s Top 30 Reads for 2015

➔➔➔  Looking for more of our favorite recommendations? Browse our “Ultimate Favorites Lists” here. Are you in the mood for a certain kind of story? Browse our favorite “genre/trope categories” here and our reader favorites lists too.