20 books to read in the 2020s
I love reading. Books are like portals into another world. You can learn from other’s experiences, be encouraged, or be deeply moved by the power of words. When I was a child, I read incessantly, devouring over 250 books one year. However, once I started working and studying, reading fell by the wayside a bit. In 2021, I got serious about intentionally reading more, and I’ve loved it!
Sometimes it can be tricky figuring out what is worth reading and what isn’t. I thought it would be fun to make a short compilation of some books that have helped me so that you can have a shortlist to add to your TBR pile!
I’ve rated these books on how much they made me cry, how many times I’ve read them (the re-readability), an overall rating, and added the genre for good measure.
Comment below what books you’d recommend that have influenced your life! I’m always on the prowl for good reading recs.
Oh, and a little disclaimer: the Bible. That one is my favorite. It has poetry, history, songs, philosophy, and story—in short, it has it all, and I try to read it every day. These are just some other books that I think are great and will add value to your life!
A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken
This is one of my favorite books of all time! In his autobiography, Vanauken welcomes us into his world of university, young love, and classic English country living. However, when his beloved wife Davy becomes terminally ill, he comes face to face with the God he ridiculed and avoided for so long. Beautifully written, will probably make you cry, and is definitely a re-reader.
Overall Rating: 10/10│Cry Factor: 8/10│Non-fiction│Faith│Times Read: 2│
2. Come Matter Here by Hannah Brencher
Brencher is one of my favorite authors. I subscribe to her Monday Club emails and look forward to her popping into my inbox at the beginning of the week with encouragement and fun, actionable goals! This is by far my favorite of her works, and I think I’ll add it to my rotation of re-reads. In Come Matter Here, Brencher writes about being where your feet are, growing deep roots, and meeting God where you’re at.
Overall Rating: 8/10│Cry Factor: 4/10│Non-fiction│Faith│Times Read: 1│
3. The Lives We Actually Have by Kate Bowler & Jessica Richie
With categories like For This Garbage Day and For This Tired Day, Bowler & Richie have somehow hit on the words that perfectly describe universal human experiences. When you need a little bit of hope, encouragement, and to be reminded of how God sees you, this book is perfect! It’s my go-to gifting book, and I’ve mailed countless blessings from its pages to friends.
Overall Rating: 7/10│Cry Factor: 8/10│Non-fiction│Faith│Times Read: 2│
4. Disappointment with God by Philip Yancey
I read this book during a waiting season, when I thought that maybe, despite all evidence to the contrary, God wouldn’t be faithful in my case.
Packed with quotes, scripture, and research, Yancey explores what it looks like when we feel let down by God. One of the poignant questions I underlined when reading this book was this:
We assume that we would bear suffering better if we only knew the reason behind it. But would we?
If you only read one non-fiction book this year, let it be this one. It is nuanced, it asks the tough questions, and it contains biblical and philosophical wisdom!
Overall Rating: 9/10│Cry Factor: 9/10│Non-fiction│Faith│Times Read: 1│
5. Boundaries by Dr. John Townsend & Dr. Henry Cloud
I still don’t really know how I feel about this book. Sometimes it felt a bit like scripture was being taken out of context, so that was a slight red flag. However, I do believe that boundaries are something that every person needs to develop, and this book provides a framework to do so. I’ve read it multiple times and have gleaned valuable wisdom each time.
Cloud & Townsend describes boundaries like a fence around a house. You need a fence to keep yourself safe and to be at your best, but you also need a gate to allow good things to come into the house.
I’ll probably read this again, and it is definitely worth the read, though again, be cautious and discerning when reading.
Overall Rating: 5/10│Cry Factor: 2/10│Non-fiction│Mental Health│Times Read: 3│
6. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
I love this book. The prose, the characters, the slight unease, and the setting. Even the chapters have intriguing names!
The story is centered at the Paris opera, where Christine, a young and talented chanteuse, is rising as a new star. A former childhood friend, Raoul, falls in love with her and begins to court her. However, the Phantom of the opera house has also fallen for Christine.
In this tangled love story painted with masterful strokes on the canvas of France, you will gasp in awe as Raoul fights to protect the woman he loves, who saves his own life from a monster who may not be as monstrous as first meets the eye.
Overall Rating: 7/10│Cry Factor: 5/10│Fiction│Mystery & Romance│Times Read: 2│
7. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien
Love. Pure love. I had to wait until I was twelve to read this series (mainly because Dad was reading them, too, and he wanted to finish first, but that’s a side quest), HOWEVER, it was worth the wait. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is where I first fell in love with fantasy and adventure, not only for the story but for the words and the character development.
The books are very dense and information-packed BUT if you love a good story where good triumphs over evil (after many scrapes, bruises, and unexpected twists), this book is a winner!
Overall Rating: 10/10│Cry Factor: 9/10│Fiction│Adventure, Fantasy│Times Read: 9│
8. Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
The constant passage of time has haunted me from my youth. I remember waking up one night in a panic thinking to myself I haven’t done anything yet in life and time is ticking! I was twelve. Things haven’t much changed.
In Four Thousand Weeks, Burkeman challenges the popular mantra that you can do everything you set your mind to. The truth is, you can’t. You are a finite human being with limited resources, and try as you might, there is only so much you can do. This book helps you define the things that truly matter and plot a course to pursue them. Definitely one of my favorite habit reads!
Overall Rating: 7.5/10│Cry Factor: 1/10│Non-fiction│Habits & Productivity│Times Read: 1│
9. Faithless by Emily Mundell
Here’s an excerpt from the book’s tag:
“…With her husband facing the executioner's block and conspiracy swimming around her, Saagar must decide whether to place her trust in the dangerous hands of her allies or with the man who left her to burn. But thrown into a world of terror and intrigue, can she even trust herself?”
I loved this book. From an up-and-coming author who will make waves in the literary community, this book will leave you squirming, gripping the pages in anticipation of what comes next, and breathless with the wild twists and turns.
Overall Rating: 9/10│Cry Factor: 7/10│Fiction│Young Adult, Fantasy│Times Read: 2│
10. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
I read this book every year, simply because I love the way it makes me feel. I weep, I smile, and I feel a wee bit of hope all in the span of a few pages.
This story is relatively short—you can finish it in an evening—but the story is gripping. It centers around a young boy whose mother is dying from cancer. He is visited every night by a monster who tells him stories to help him learn a hard truth. Interspersed with joy, despair, confusion, and suffering, Ness knows how to make you feel.
Overall Rating: 10/10│Cry Factor: 10/10│Fiction│Fantasy, Struggle│Times Read: 4│
11. The End of Me by Kyle Idleman
This was one of my first ever “Christian” books, and it inspired me. Idleman explores how following Jesus for real is often counterintuitive to the way our culture defines success, wisdom, and truth.
You have to admit your need and the insufficiency of yourself to hold your life together. When you reach this “end of yourself” you will be able to embrace a new life in Christ. This book is practically helpful for living out your faith.
Overall Rating: 8/10│Cry Factor: 3/10│Non-fiction│Faith│Times Read: 1│
12. Jesus: The God Who Knows Your Name by Max Lucado
We are in the midst of reading this book with our youth kids this year, and man, has it been wonderful. Lucado elucidates deep truths understandably, and we’ve had so many good discussions based on the chapters in this book.
Lucado examines different aspects of Jesus’ character (friend, teacher, lamb of God, and returning king, to name a few) and what that means for you today. If you want to get a clearer picture of who Jesus is and why that is important for your life, read this. It is a beautiful reminder of who the Saviour is.
Overall Rating: 7/10│Cry Factor: 7/10│Non-fiction│Faith│Times Read: 2│
13. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
When I was younger, I often reread the books in this series because the stories were beautiful and captivating. However, now that I’m older, I appreciate them all the more. Not only are the stories spellbinding, but Lewis somehow intertwines them with truth, philosophy, and deeper meaning. Ranging from the beginning of the world of Narnia to battles, sea voyages, and the ending of the world, these books are the ultimate adventure. You will meet talking animals, fauns, nymphs, and more!
In a note to his goddaughter, C.S. Lewis wrote “…some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” This is one such series that only gets sweeter with time.
Overall Rating: 10/10│Cry Factor: 9/10│Fiction│Adventure & Fantasy│Times Read: 9│
14. The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming by Henri J. Nouwen
The story of the prodigal son has long been my favorite in all of scripture, and tbh, that was one of the main reasons I picked this as my first Henri Nouwen book.
This book dives into the parable in a deeper way. Nouwen explores his own story in relation to Rembrandt’s painting and is split into three parts: the prodigal son, the older brother, and the waiting father. If you need an encouragement about who you are and how God views you, this is just the thing!
Overall Rating: 9/10│Cry Factor: 8/10│Non-Fiction│Faith│Times Read: 1│
15. Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
Les Misérables is set in 19th-century France and follows the life of Jean Valjean, a peasant imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread. The story is one of redemption, hope, and despair all rolled into one.
Valjean assumes a false identity after escaping from prison and the book shares his story as it intertwines with Fantine’s story, a factory girl who has an illegitimate child. As a young, unmarried woman in early 19th-century France, Fantine is forced to leave her daughter Cosette in the care of another family, who mistreat the little girl. Eventually, the chief police officer Javert begins to suspect Valjean is an escapee and the chase is on.
This book is heavy, thick, and interspersed with some French words. It is a good read, but long. Not for the faint of heart!
Overall Rating: 7/10│Cry Factor: 8/10│Fiction│Tragedy, Historical│Times Read: 2│
16. The Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness
One of my friends recommended this series to me and I didn’t want to enjoy it. Call it stubbornness, but when he couldn’t stop saying how great it was and how “everyone who he’d recommended it to had gone through it super quickly,” I was determined not to like it.
The premise behind this series is that men’s thoughts are out loud—as in, you can hear what everyone is thinking. The first book was not my favorite, but towards the end I just could not put it down. The rest of the series I read that same week because the story was so good. I cried A LOT. I also enjoyed it A LOT. As I said before, Ness is good at making you feel. Everything that could go wrong does but somehow the ending ends up okay.
Overall Rating: 9/10│Cry Factor: 9/10│Fiction│Fantasy, Dystopian, Adventure│Times Read: 1│
17. Lead: 12 Gospel Principles for Leadership in the Church by Paul David Tripp
Paul Tripp is another author who I love. He writes truth, plain and simple. And it always circles back to the gospel!
This book is encouraging, convicting, and inspiring. Tripp explains how too often in the church we default to models of leadership that aren’t biblical— they’re more business-oriented than scripture-oriented. He goes on to provide 12 principles for leadership that take into account the gospel and demonstrate another way of leading that puts Christ and others first.
(Oh, and if you ever have any opportunity to read a Paul Tripp book—take it!)
Overall Rating: 9/10│Cry Factor: 2/10│Non-fiction│Faith, Leadership│Times Read: 1│
18. Soul Care: 7 Transformational Principles for a Healthy Soul by Rob Reimer
I first went through this book as a supplement to a course on the principles outlined within it. The premise of the book is that with life come hurts and the hurts severely impact the way we interact with the world around us. Reimer offers 7 principles that, if applied, can refresh your thinking and set you free from bondage to fear and shame.
I think the principle that most impacted me was that of identity. Reimer writes that our identity is usually falsely built on either people pleasing, performance, or control. The only way to combat these lies is to recenter your focus on Jesus. He notes that “the issue of your value was settled at the cross,” meaning that Jesus has already decided that you’re worth loving and dying for, so nothing you can do or be will make Him love you any more or any less than He does now.
Overall Rating: 7/10│Cry Factor: 5/10│Non-fiction│Mental Health, Faith│Times Read: 2│
19. Crucial Conversations by Joseph Grenny et al.
As I write this blog post, I’m two-thirds of the way through this book, but it is quickly becoming a new favorite. It is packed with practical tips for dealing with communication issues! From home to work to school, this is a must-read. Communication is often cited as the primary reason for relationship breakdown, but this book will equip you with the tools you need to listen and speak well and avoid the common pitfalls of (mis)communication.
Overall Rating: 9/10│Cry Factor: 1/10│Non-fiction│Personal Development, Interpersonal Relationships│Times Read: 1│
20. All It Takes is a Goal by Jon Acuff
I love Jon Acuff’s writing. It’s witty, humorous, and it always provides me with an action step or something I can do to tweak my life. I referenced this book in my post Now is the New Later, noting how this book recommends making a Best Moments list to better clarify what your goals and desires for your life are.
If you’re looking to make changes to your life and to start taking steps in a different direction, read this book. It’s also easy to digest, so you’ll enjoy the reading process while you learn!
Overall Rating: 8/10│Cry Factor: 1/10│Non-fiction│Personal Development, Goals│Times Read: 1│
What are some books that you love and recommend? Share them here!
