3 Books You Need to Read In 2020

By
Beth T
-

Winter is the perfect time to curl up under a warm blanket and read a good book. If you’re ready to update your reading list for 2020, look no more because we have three suggestions that are a must-read this year.

We Wish You Luck by Caroline Zancan

We Wish You Luck is an intriguing novel that tells the story of three students who retaliate against their professor by presenting her as a plagiarist. The writer’s deft writing makes this novel an interesting and addictive read for any book lover.

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We Wish You Luck by Caroline Zancan (#112 in 2019)⁣ Thank you to Riverhead Books for my gifted copy. Check this one out 1/14/2020! ⁣ The first thing that makes this book unique is the narrator's perspective… or should I say narrators' perspective. It's told from the point of view of a GROUP of MFA students at a fictional college called Fielding. The group-narrator, a limited omniscient narrator, tells the story of Hannah, Leslie, and Jimmy, three of the MFA students who have very distinct personalities. Each of these students, like all the students at Fielding, has the goal of becoming an acclaimed writer. All seems to be running smoothly until a new guest professor, Simone, a young, bestselling author shows up to Fielding. The narrator hints that "something" bad happened… but doesn't say what. We can infer, however, that whatever "happens" has something to do with Simone and her bullying nature. ⁣ ⁣ Initially, I figured it would be a bit of a slow burn. "A bit" is an understatement. Out of 310 pages, we find out "what happened" on page 138… and then the students seek revenge. We don't find out what that revenge is until page 293. At first, I was frustrated with the amount of character development and unnecessary details of the ancillary characters because I genuinely wanted to get to the meat and potatoes of this story. I actually was ready to DNF this book, but I persisted because the writing was so well done. Zancan has such a great grasp on language and really draws you in. As much as I was ready to put this book to the side, I simply couldn't! I needed to know "what happened." Between pages 138 and 293, I was genuinely captivated, and I'm very glad I kept going.⁣ ⁣ I know that some of my book friends will argue that a book with a burn that slow isn't for them, and I completely understand that. If you don't mind a slow burn, check this one out. The ending had me nodding my head in full agreement going, "yessssss." 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣

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Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Such a Fun Age, written by Kiley Reid, is probably the most anticipated debut novel this year. The book follows a 25-year-old black woman who works as a babysitter for a wealthy white family. When the woman is accused of kidnapping the child she’s babysitting, it sets off a series of events that will eventually show us the meaning of race, gender, and wealth in our society.

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Closed | GIVEAWAY | I had the chance to read @kileyreid's debut novel SUCH A FUN AGE earlier this year and let me tell you this one is special. . From the jacket: "A striking and surprising debut novel from an exhilarating new voice, Such a Fun Age is a page-turning and big-hearted story about race and privilege, set around a young black babysitter, her well-intentioned employer, and a surprising connection that threatens to undo them both." . I was still thinking about it months later. I was completely gripped by this story and have no doubt you will be too. . SUCH A FUN AGE releases on December 31st, but the amazing @putnambooks is letting me give away two copies early! . Here's how to enter for a chance to win: 1. Like this photo 2. Follow @tjenkinsreid and @putnambooks 3. Tag a friend in the comments Good luck! . . . US residents only. Two (2) winners will win one (1) copy each. Entries close Thursday, January 2, 2020, 11:59 pm PST. Not affiliated with Instagram. Winners will be contacted via DM. . . . . . #suchafunage #kileyreid #strongrecommendxtjr #mustreadbooks #bookgiveaway #bookstagram #bookish #bibliophile #authorsofinstagram #writersofinstagram #womenwhowrite #diversebooks #diversereads #booksandtea #booksandcoffee #booksofinstagram #authorsofig #writersofig

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A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende

Chilean writer Isabel Allende is already famous for her previous books The House of the Spirits and City of the Beasts. She’s considered the most successful female novelist currently writing in Latin America, so it’s no wonder we can’t wait to read her latest book about two young people who flee the Spanish Civil War in search of a new home.

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Truly stunning finished copies of @Isabelallende’s A LONG PETAL OF THE SEA have arrived at Bloomsbury HQ – don’t they look beautiful? 🌊🌊🌊 'An icon of world literature’ Khaled Hosseini 🌊🌊🌊 Victor Dalmau is a young doctor when he is caught up in the Spanish Civil War, a tragedy that leaves his life – and the fate of his country – forever changed. Together with his sister-in-law, the pianist Roser, he is forced out of his beloved Barcelona and into exile. When opportunity to seek refuge arises, they board a ship chartered by the poet Pablo Neruda to Chile, the promised 'long petal of sea and wine and snow'. There, they find themselves enmeshed in a rich web of characters who come together in love and tragedy over the course of four generations, destined to witness the battle between freedom and repression as it plays out across the world. A masterful work of historical fiction about love, hope and belonging, signed copies of A LONG PETAL OF THE SEA are now available to pre-order from @Waterstones. Out in hardback and eBook on 21 January 2020.

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