Pizza Yeti’s 2020 Top 5: Books
Hey yall! To close off 2020, I wanted to recap on some of the things that helped me get through the year. I ended up reading 40 books this year. I’m really not sure how I did it, to be honest. 2020 frequently made it hard to focus, so I’m glad that I could get even a little close to my goal of 45 books this year. Today, we’re going to talk about the top 5 books that I read this year. Now, I do re-read books kinda frequently, so the only stipulation for this list was that the book had to be new to me this year! Let’s get to it.
5. Mooncakes
Mooncakes is a graphic novel written by Suzanne Walker with illustrations by Wendy Xu. I read it in early 2020 and actually got to meet Wendy Xu at C2E2 before Covid-19 restrictions took place. It follows the story of Nova Huang, a queer witch, and her childhood friend Tam, a nonbinary werewolf. They meet up after Nova follows a white wolf into the forest and battles a demon horse alongside it. She finds out that it’s her old friend Tam. They’ve left home because it was an unsafe space for them, and they have been roaming since they left their home.
Honestly, I love this book. The fact that the characters get to be themselves is a breath of fresh air. Nova’s hearing aids are seen as a different way for her to express her magic. Tam is accepted into the family right away for who they say they are. Nova’s two grandmothers are in a relationship with one another and it’s celebrated. Honestly, just go read this. The art is beautiful, the story will keep you engaged, and you’ll get to see why it’s so great for yourself. Would 100% recommend.
4. Notes from a Young Black Chef
This book was how I started my book reading for 2020. I actually picked it up as an audiobook and got to listen to Chef Kwame Onwuachi narrate the book about his life. Onwuachi grew up in the Bronx and Nigeria and through it all, he fostered a love of food. Starting as a caterer, using money he made selling candy on the subway, he grew to work in some of the most prestigious restaurants in the country.
What captured me here was the way that Onwuachi told his story. He didn’t shy away from the hardships that he endured growing up. Onwuachi was committed to sharing his experiences and the shortcomings of the how kitchens can operate. Once he got his first restaurant, I appreciated his commitment to running a kitchen with a fierce kindness. It was dope to read the story of how he got to where he is. I also follow him on social media now and it’s been awesome to watch the ways he continues to grow. Check this out if you also really love food, Onwuachi cares deeply about it and it shows through his writing.
3. Shadowshaper Legacy
Admittedly, I feel like I had been waiting for this book for a while. I picked up the first book, Shadowshaper in 2018 (it was published in 2015) and fell in love with the world. The series follows Sierra, a shadowshaper who can channel spirits through the art she creates. Daniel José Older sets the shadowshapers in Booklyn and has filled it with magic. In the final of the series, Sierra has had to grow up fairly quickly to make sure that her shadowshapers can make it through the fight that’s coming.
I’ve loved the Shadowshaper Cyper since I read the first book. The characters feel full to me and it was a great adventure getting to follow them as they have grown through the trilogy. In the end, the story is about our families, the ones we make and the ones that we were born into. Sierra had to learn about her family’s past in order to figure out how to move forward in the future. Also, this book sees white supremacists lose their power and that was pretty dope to see. I would definitely recommend this series and this book was a great way to send off Sierra and her family.
2. Parable of the Sower
This was my introduction to Octavia Butler’s writing. I read it as part of the Life’s Library book club since I was trying that out at the beginning of the year. Man, was I not ready for how this book would impact my 2020. I finished this book in February of this year, right before the pandemic started becoming more widespread in the US. Butler was an excellent student of our culture and society, and so, even though Parable of the Sower was originally published in 1993, it feels like it could have been the preface for 2020. The book contains phrases like “Make America Great Again” which was jarring to read in 2020 after being terrorized by that phrase.
This book lowkey messed me up, I’m not gonna lie. But it’s an important read. Like I mention before, Butler studied our culture and society and used her observations to write the novels she wrote. It’s a look into what we could become if we continue on a path of not caring for anyone outside of our immediate circle. There are definite content warnings for this, but I would recommend. This is important, pick up a copy when you can.
1. A Sky Beyond the Storm
This was a hard decision to put it at the top spot. Parable of the Sower is excellent and had a huge impact on how I looked at 2020. But, I’ve been waiting for the conclusion of the Ember series since the first book came our. Sabaa Tahir’s first book in the Ember series came out in 2016. It tells the story of Laia and Elias. Two people who have faced incredible hardship and must adapt to new lives in order to have a chance at survival. Honestly, I love this series. I’ve read the books a couple times and was so excited to read the finale this year. I’m always a little scared at the ending of a series. I never know if I’m going to like how the author ends the work that they’ve been writing over the course of the last few years.
But dang, did Tahir blow me out of the water. I read Sky in two days. Some of it was heartbreaking, all of it was beautiful, and the characters shone throughout the entire story. I don’t want to say too much and ruin the story, but it was excellent. Tahir wrote one of the best series endings that I’ve read in a long time and I look forward to revisiting this series in the future. I can’t wait to return to the beginning and watch Laia, Elias, and Helen grow again.
Those are my top five books from this year! What did you read? What are you looking forward to for next year? If you’re interested in seeing the other books that I read this year, hit me up on social media or in the comments below! I’m thinking that I’ll have a smaller goal next year. I look forward to seeing your favorite books in the comments below or around the internet!
