My Top 10 Reads of 2020

[@ALias-jg3mb]

Halfway through The House of Historical Corrections based on your recommendation, and I'm absolutely floored by how good it is, the nuanced way it explores issues to do with being black and esp. being a black woman in America. Just. Wow. Thank you so much for the rec!!

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Oh, I am so glad you are loving it. I think it is a perfect collection. There is such style and nuance to that book. Thank you for reading.

[@Shinia_Lambert]

Last year I lost my ability to finish a book...this year I am committed to regaining my love for reading. Your recommendations make me excited to pick up books again. Thank you.

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Oh, I hope one of these books helps you out. I have been in a rut. I know you can get out! Good Luck.

[@GuiltyFeat]

Your enthusiasm is infectious. I read Greenwell's first books and really admired it. I'm looking forward to picking up Cleanness. Greenwell is cold and clinical and the narrator of that first book examines himself with the same distance that he applies to his lover. I thought this was a huge contrast for Aciman's book which I loved even more for its warmth, its sentimentality and it sexiness. I read the book last year for the first time because I had the opportunity to hear Professor Aciman speak ahead of a screening of the movie at the cinematheque in Jerusalem. It was a magical evening. He is a tremendously engaging and erudite man who spoke a lot about the use of music in the book and how that is reflected in the movie. My wife and daughter were with me. They had both seen the film already and read the book. At the end of his talk, Aciman very kindly signed my copy of the book to my daughter. What a treat.

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Well thank you that is a sweet comment. It is funny I don't feel Greenwell is cold or clinical, but I think I can see how one could. It could be that I met him in person and he was so warm, so I feel that in his work when I read him? I dont know . I am jealous you met Aciman. I really loved his book.

[@ataliax95]

Call me by your name also made it to my best reads of the year list and, undoubtedly, it's one of my favorite books of all time!

[@InkandPaperBlog]

I think for me too. It is a book that I cannot get out of my head.

[@ThatsSoPoe]

Ring Shout was so good! I will read anything that Clark writes. And so many of these others are ones that I want to read based on your reviews, especially The Office of Historical Corrections and Real Life.

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Me too. Clark has a new book coming out this year and I am so excited for it. I hope you can pick up those two titles - they are amazing.

[@timetoread1795]

Ok well FINE!!! I will add them all to my list, lol. You really had to twist my arm there ;) Also, I love your little end bit about read global shop local!!! That is the motto I have in my heart and it is so nice to see someone with such a large platform promote shopping local!! Thank you!!

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Hope I didn't twist too hard. Read Globally and Shop Locally - a mantra for life. LOL

[@JessicaReadsThings]

Golly gosh I had Ring Shout sort of picked out as my first book of 2021, and then someone put a hold on it at the library and I had to bring it back. And so I wait. Lovely video as always!

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Oh no! That is so sad. I hope you get it back soon.

[@joanneorrico1761]

The Prettiest Star was one of the best books I read in a long time. It stayed with me a long time after I finished it, and I highly recommend it. I have to really love a book to give it five stars and actually write a Goodreads review; I did for this one! Even better than Shuggie Bain, in my opinion, which I just finished and enjoyed.

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Oh I so agree. I think about The Prettiest Star all the time. It made me cry so hard. Shuggie Bain was fine ... lol - I have opinions.

[@32mybelle]

The Street is on David Bowie's list of 100 best books. It seems the two of you agree on the awesomeness of several books! Heres to another year of great read's and thank you for all you give the reading community!

[@InkandPaperBlog]

I am so pleased to have something in common with David Bowie. His book list btw is amazing. Thank you so much for watching.

[@bettyreads222]

totally agree that memorial is one of those books that just stays with you. looking forward to picking up the prettiest star, real life, and cleanness in the future.

[@InkandPaperBlog]

I hope you love them too. I think that Memorial is just great.

[@HardcoverHearts]

I’m still wrangling with my favorite list. It’s so hard. I have such great memories of running into you and Ryan at the Cleanness event. If we had only known that was the last time we would see each other, I would have stuck around longer! You know how I feel about The Street and The Prettiest Star broke me.

[@InkandPaperBlog]

I hope we get to see each other again soon my friend! A highlight of 2020 most certainly.

[@Phillybookfairy]

stoppppp adding to my tbr omg i told myself i would not buy books in 2021 because i have over 100 to read on my shelves but how can i resist when you endorse them as "favorites of all time"!????!!! I especially want to read The Prettiest Star and Real Life. Anddd i probably want to own them now. Sigh. I am going to try to resurrect my library card, but im so moody that i am never positive that when a book becomes available ill be in the mood for it. Decisions decisions.... lol your top ten sounds fantastic. I will definitely check out quite a few of them!

[@InkandPaperBlog]

I am sorry - I think LOL. I dont know how people dont buy books, I just cannot stop myself. I hope you do get them they are so very good.

[@Phillybookfairy]

Ink and Paper Blog enabler !!! lololol i will check them out you have such great taste and i love your reviews, thanks!

[@nayzee41]

Ring Shout was my favorite book of the year. The Street may be my favorite book of all time. It's masterfully written. I read it 2 years ago and still think about it. I was so disturbed by the ending that I had to immediately start reading another book.

[@InkandPaperBlog]

I like everything you have written here and agree 100%

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Great to hear you speak so passionately about all these books! I'm reading "Memorial" now and really enjoying it. And I've got "The Street" on my shelf. Really looking forward to getting to it after hearing your thoughts. 📚

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Thank you Eric. I hope you are doing well. The Street is 100% worth your time.I really hope you love it.

[@curriesis3]

I love your channel. I love your reviews. I love your approach. I love that you don't judge books, but read a wide variety and are kind about all of your reviews. Thank you so very very much. Hugs from Maine.

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Are you not the kindest!!! Thank you so much.Hope Maine is treating you well. Happy Reading.

[@coreydinardo5525]

Yes! RING SHOUT, CLEANNESS, and REAL LIFE all ended up on my best-of-2020 list as well. I read THE GREAT OFFSHORE GROUNDS based on your recommendation and, while I really enjoyed it, it didn't quite make the cut. Great video, as always :)

[@InkandPaperBlog]

well 3 out of 4 isnt bad lol... I will aim to do better next year ;-)

[@Emmareads15]

Since I saw you talk about The Prettiest Star I've wanted to read it, but I've never been ready to have my heart broken. I'll have to read it this year for sure. I read Call Me By Your Name in the summer, like you, I started it in the morning, I'd finished it by the evening sitting in the sun. One of my favourite reading memories of the year.

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Oh I hope you do read The Prettiest Star - it is so good. I think you will love it. Call Me By Your Name is heartbreaking too. First Love and all. Thank you so much for watching

[@Emmareads15]

@@InkandPaperBlog ​ @Ink and Paper Blog Oh, I really will, my plan is to read it sometime in the spring/summer when things look a bit better for us! There's too much sadness to add onto it now! I can't wait, you've spoken so highly of it, I just know I'll love it. I read The Great Believers this summer too and it absolutely broke me, I couldn't stop crying, so I know I will be a mess with The Prettiest Star.

[@Catherine165432]

This is the first video that I have watched of yours and I loved it. I have only heard of 2 books on this list and have added quite a few of your favorites to my TBR. Can’t wait to watch more of your content.

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Welcome. I hope you like what you find :-) I love to talk all about books LOL.

[@HannahsBooks]

I am so glad to hear you liked Historical Corrections. I just picked up a copy and can’t wait to start it. And The Prettiest Star sounds amazing.

[@InkandPaperBlog]

It is so good. I hope you love it too. The Prettiest Star - ugh! So good.

[@PinkZebraReads]

Thank you so much for broadening my reading horizons! I’m going to purchase quite a few on them

[@InkandPaperBlog]

That is 100% what I like to hear.

[@PinkZebraReads]

@@InkandPaperBlog I’ve been looking to branch into adult books lately and I think this is a great start!

[@annakatharinagamzearnold5158]

Dear Russell, a happy and healthy New Year!🍀 Thanks for your interesting list! Putting ,,The great offshore grounds" on my wishlist. Greetings from Germany! Gamze

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Happy New Year! Hope it has started off well for you. I loved The Great Offshore Ground - I hope you do too!

[@halimamuslimah]

P. Djeli Clarke has a full length novel, A Master of Djinn coming out May 11th in the United States. Yay! I've loved his novellas, so I am excited about this. The May book follows one of his characters that is in 2 of his other books (not in Ring Shout). If you read A Dead Djinn in Cairo, then The Haunting of Tram Car 015, you'll be up to date for his May release.

[@InkandPaperBlog]

I know!!! I am so excited and cannot cannot wait. I am so excited for it. I have read all his novellas so am excited.

[@Georgesmomsu]

Happy New Year Russell. Such an amazing reading year. I’m surprised to not see The Prettiest Star on more peoples list. It has stayed with me since I read it. Memorial was also fantastic. Great to see you in my feed!

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Hi friend - Happy New Year. Hope you are well. I agree - The Prettiest Star is amazing. We are such the same type of reader LOL>

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

Happy New Year Russell 🎉🥳🤩 Two of your picks are on my top 20 aldosterone The Great Offshore Grounds by Vanessa Veleskia ( which I heard of from you) The Museum of Modern Love Some recommendations for you. Nonfiction? Humankind by Rutger Bergman Fiction? Piranesi by Susanna Clarke House On Endless Waters by Emuna Elon The Less Dead by Denise Mina Mussolini’s Island by Susan Day The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue All the Lives We Never Lived by Arundati Roy The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave The Bass Rock by Evie Wyld Actress by Ann Enright ( You’ve probably read them all already)

[@InkandPaperBlog]

What a great list. I have a number of these . I have been meaning to get Wyld's book.

[@jillianmarie6502]

Real Life by Brandon Taylor is also my favorite book of the year, tied with Catherine House. Both of them I picked up on recommendation from you so thanks so much 😭

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Oh I really liked Catherine House too - The ending got a little bit away from me , but overall enjoyed that one. What a great debut.

[@jillianmarie6502]

@@InkandPaperBlog I read it in the fall so I think it was the timing that made it so great for me, it was perfect for the season. I didn’t mind the ending as much as most people seem too!

[@Coalcain420]

The Street absolutely devastated me!

[@books_and_ki]

You have significantly increased my TBR! THANK YOU!

[@InkandPaperBlog]

You are so welcome. LOL

[@sassafrass3636]

I just finished Call Me By Your Name last month and loved it too. The writing is so gorgeous. Both the movie and the book made me sob.

[@InkandPaperBlog]

They both made me cry too! Both are so good.

[@qinlkpah]

Thanks so much, for me this is the best top-10 of the year: all novels to lose yourself in. Reading them one after another would be quite an emotional rollercoaster though 😂

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Oh thank you. Yes it would - this is not a list I would read in a row. LOL

[@francieskaboyko8504]

Every video my TBR grows so much! My favorite read of 2020 was How To Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone.

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Oh, I need to get that one. I have heard nothing but rave reviews.

[@alldbooks9165]

Happy New Year! ❤️😀🎉

[@briannagill3616]

I need to read Real Life if it has become your all time favourite! My fave book of the year was Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line. I do love a book set in India though. Happy New Year!

[@InkandPaperBlog]

I hope you do. I need to get to Djinn Patrol - i have it on my shelf and know I will love it. I just need to get to it. Happy New Year.

[@sterlingreads547]

I thought Call me by your name was beautiful. I haven’t watched the movie yet. Oh I hadn’t heard of Memorial, it sounds wonderful! My favorite book was This much I know is true by Wally Lamb. I’ll put Real Life on my TBR 😊

[@InkandPaperBlog]

I read Lamb's book years ago. And I remember devouring it. I loved it back then. I hope you like both Memorial and Real Life.

[@KendraWinchester]

Love your top picks! Def bumping several of these up my TBR.

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Thank you friend. I need to watch your video - I saw The Orchard :-)

[@ashleyclark1680]

I also read Call Me By Your Name this year but listened to it on audio. I highly recommend it. It’s read by Armie Hammer, who’s got a great voice for audiobooks.

[@InkandPaperBlog]

I listened as I read and totally agree. he was great. and did the book such justice

[@georgiam4576]

I've been looking forward to this video and it did not disappoint, thank you! Fab recommendations as always, I cannot wait to get my hands on Memorial, there is a lot of buzz about it now in the UK as well. Happy New Year!

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Oh thank you so much. I hope that you love Memorial. I hope that it does well over there too. It was such an amazing book in my opinion.

[@twentyfly9428]

New subscriber! Phenomenal video!

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Welcome and Thank you!

[@pookieneese3]

Ring Shout was my 2nd to last read of 2020, and it shot up to my 2nd favorite book of the year as well. Clark was very clever in turning the ugliness of the KKK into literal monsters as a different way to convey the evil things they did in real life. I will be reading more of his novellas soon.

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Right! He is a master of this. I love all of his books so much. They are all so very different too. I am so glad you read it and loved it too.

[@dtovar2]

Thanks for sharing your recommendations.

[@InkandPaperBlog]

You are so welcome!

[@anishabiswas3361]

Wish you and your family a very Happy New year. I hope this year brings in happiness and peace in all our lives Love from India ❤️ Take care stay safe❤️

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Thank you so much. Stay safe and healthy too!

[@lindaleehall]

The Street is just so powerful that it haunts you.

[@nikkivenable3700]

It’s sitting on my shelf unread. It’s been sitting there for years. I need to get to it!

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Yes you do!

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Right! It is jus amazing. Why do not more people talk about it!!

[@user-iu4ws6vh5s]

I loved The Office of Historical Corrections! Ann Petry is wildly underread. I too can’t stop thinking about Real Life.

[@InkandPaperBlog]

I love everything you said here!

[@maxwelladekoje1726]

Highly recommend reading these books 📚 📚 inspiring * Higher Is Calling * Just eat the worm 🐛 by Maxwell A. Happy New Year. 🎊

[@kimswhims8435]

The Museum of Modern Love by Heather Rose! She's one of my favourite authors. :D

[@InkandPaperBlog]

I am trying to get more books by her. I just love her and she is an amazing person.

[@nicholasleonard9770]

Happy Tuesday! You should check out my gothic romance novel '40,000 Words'. It follows Adelaide Parabellum as the arrival of poems from beyond the grave causes her to recollect how she had met a stranger at a pond eight years prior. '40,000 Words' can be found by searching '40,000 Words Nicholas Leonard' on Amazon. God bless you and happy new year man

[@anishabiswas3361]

Please to read "find me" which is the sequel

[@InkandPaperBlog]

I just go it! I am so excited.

[@dtovar2]

Memorial was good but a top 2?

[@InkandPaperBlog]

Yes! I loved it. A book I have not stopped thinking about. But I am only one man lol

[@jobuckley2999]

Brandon Taylor said " I didn't write this book for the white gaze". I am white so I will honor his request and not read it.