2020 was a long five years. Looking back through my blogs, I genuinely could not believe that I read/watched/played some of these things this year. I don’t need to remind you how bad the past 12 months were - you were there too - and now we’re starting off 2021 with the president encouraging terrorists to storm the Capitol. So…..yeah.
I am very lucky to have been able to still spend time with my family (we got good at outdoor meals) and friends (gathering online for a weekly D&D game was always a highlight) and being able to get lost for a little while in good books, shows, and games was important for my mental health. If you are also in need of some distractions, here are things I liked in 2020.
MOVIES & TV
While almost everyone I know spent the long pandemic months binging shows and movies, I watched very few new things in 2020. Almost all of my recommendations are from January, February, and March. I did watch a lot of YouTube though, with Eurogamer, Platform 32, Outside Xbox, Outside Xtra, and Drawfee being on pretty constant rotation.
SCHITT’S CREEK
This show got better with every season and the final 14 episodes were a wonderful high to go out on. Characters grew, changed, and everyone got a happy ending. I was a blubbering mess during the finale.
BIRDS OF PREY
This candy-coated romp through Gotham City’s very messed-up underworld is probably my favorite DC extended universe movie so far. There are laggy bits in the middle and some story lines are stronger than others, but you basically forget all of that by the time you get to the ridiculously entertaining finale.
PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE
Portrait of a Lady on Fire was the last film I saw in a theater in 2020 (back in March). It’s a beautifully filmed, feminist romance about a young woman with an arranged marriage in her future and the painter who is commissioned to secretly paint her portrait. Be prepared for quiet, weighty conversations, long walks across windy French bluffs, and intense gazing from across the room.
CHERNOBYL
I heard that Chernobyl was intense so I had planned on spacing out my viewings, but ended up binging the whole series in two nights. Since the show depicts the horrifying events during and after the Chernobyl explosion it was sometimes very hard to watch (I viewed a large portion of episode 4 through my fingers), but I found it gripping and memorable.
OVER THE GARDEN WALL
It’s a bit hard to describe, but the basic plot of Over The Garden Wall is that two young brothers find themselves lost in an unknown forest and encounter all sorts strange creatures and mysteries as they try to make their way home. The story goes all sorts of directions, from weird to creepy to funny to heartbreaking, and watching it for the first time was a bit of an adventure in itself.
THE GOOD PLACE
I binged three seasons of The Good Place over a single weekend in January so I could be up-to-date for the finale. And said finale had me doing some intense, ugly crying. Like every sitcom there are definitely some forgettable filler episodes, but overall The Good Place tells a funny, kind, and surprisingly optimistic story about humanity and death.
Additional recommendations
Doom Patrol
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark
The Personal History of David Copperfield
GAMES
HADES
Despite having zero experience with the “roguelike” genre, Hades ended up being my totally unexpected Game of the Year. This surprisingly rich story follows the charming beefcake son of Hades who is determined to escape the underworld no matter how many tries it takes. Hades brought me many, many hours of joy through its art, characters, and funny, clever writing that constantly made me laugh (and occasionally squee).
ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS
Like so many other people around the world, I was completely obsessed with Animal Crossing: New Horizons in 2020. It’s sweet and calm and spending time on your little island full of animal friends is a great way to escape the real world for a little while.
FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE
If you’re not familiar with Final Fantasy VII, it’s a game from 1997 about a mercenary with emotional issues and an incredible head of spiky blond hair, who joins up with an eco-warrior group to bring down the evil Shinra corporation. I loved this game in high school and instead of just doing a straight copy of the original, Final Fantasy VII Remake plays with the history and knowledge that gamers bring with them and uses that to create something both nostalgic and new, which I liked a lot. Plus, it was great to see all of the iconic characters and locations recreated with beautiful modern graphics.
TWO DOTS
My sister got me hooked on this mobile game about connecting dots and I played it constantly in 2020. Want a fun little puzzle game with cute art that you’ll probably end up spending real money on and get way too into for long periods of time? Download Two Dots.
SPIDER-MAN: MILES MORALES
A very good follow-up to 2018’s Spider-Man, this installment lets you play as new Spider-Man Miles Morales as he works to protect New York from a mysterious gang and a nefarious tech company. Miles Morales has great characters, an interesting story, and fun new missions and gameplay that take advantage of Miles’ electricity and invisibility powers.
Additional recommendations
Overcooked 2
Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
Monster Prom
Watchdogs 2
Observation
Mario’s Super Picross
PODCASTS
LORE
Each episode of Lore features one main story and some smaller, related stories about folklore or dark historical events: lake monsters, ghost ships, spiritualists, haunted castles, the Seattle underground, etc. These types of stories have always interested me so Lore is absolutely my sort of content and I listened to it a lot this year.
BOOKS
Friends, I read so many gay books in 2020.
FICTION
SILVER IN THE WOOD and DROWNED COUNTRY by Emily Tesh
Emily Tesh’s Greenhollow Duology follows Tobias, a supernatural forest guardian whose life is changed when he meets Henry, the new owner of the large estate that borders the woods. I loved the writing and nature-based mythology in these books and was charmed by the friendship that grows between Tobias and Henry. This series is extremely efficient, managing to tell a rich, interesting story with surprisingly few words (the total duology is under 300 pages). If you are interested in reading about forest guardians, magic, folklore, and love, definitely check these out.
THE HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA by TJ Klune
Linus Baker is a case worker for the soulless, bureaucratic government department that oversees orphanages for magical children. When he is sent to investigate an orphanage on an island by the sea, he is introduced to a group of people and creatures that quickly change his life: a gnome who loves to garden, a forest sprite, a shy shapeshifter, a cheerful green blob that dreams of being a bellhop, a wyvern who loves buttons, a 6-year-old antichrist, and Arthur Parnassus, the mysterious man who runs the house. Through his time with these new friends, Linus begins to learn about love, acceptance, and not being bound by societies expectations. ❤️
CEMETERY BOYS by Aiden Thomas
Latinx teen Yadriel grew up in a community of ghost hunters and magical healers. When his very traditional family has trouble accepting Yadriel’s gender and refuses to let him participate in a coming-of-age ceremony, he decides to do it himself. But during the ritual, Yadriel accidentally summons the wrong ghost and is pulled into a quest to help the spirit solve the mystery of his death and tie up loose ends. Author Aiden Thomas creates a vivid, original world in Cemetery Boys, combining Latinx mythology and Los Angeles culture, and introduces a wonderfully realized trans main character trying to cope with an impulsive ghost and conflicting feelings about his family and heritage.
BONDS OF BRASS by Emily Skrutskie
When Ettian’s home planet is conquered by the brutal Umber Empire, he is left orphaned and spends the next seven years growing up under the new regime, eventually becoming the top pilot at the Empire’s military academy. After a training mission goes off the rails, Ettian discovers that his best friend Gal is actually the heir to the Umber Empire and the academy is full of resistance fighters who want to kill him. The two manage to escape the academy and go on the run, dodging underworld thugs and corrupt officials in an attempt to get space prince Gal back home. These conflicts set up really difficult, emotional obstacles for Ettian: where do his loyalties lie? What does he believe in? What will he do to protect the person he loves? I really enjoyed this sci-fi space adventure; the characters and world building are great and the twists and turns of the story are clever and well earned.
HERE THE WHOLE TIME by Vitor Martins
Bullied constantly in school for being fat, teenager Felipe is desperately looking forward to winter break: two glorious school-free weeks where he can binge tv and read books in solitude. But his plans are upended when Felipe’s mother announces that their neighbor Caio (who Felipe has had a crush on for years) will be spending the break with them. Forced to share a small apartment and even smaller bedroom, Felipe has to confront his insecurities about his body and his feelings for Ciao. I loved the honest, fragile, and believable narrative voice of this book. Vitor Martins does such a great job crafting these characters that I was immediately invested in their story.
T. KINGFISHER (gets her own category)
PALADIN’S GRACE
After accidentally witnessing the attempted assassination of a prince, Stephen (a paladin searching for direction after the death of his god) and Grace (a perfumer trying to overcome a troubled past) are thrust into the middle of a sinister plot that keeps pulling them together. Paladin’s Grace has intrigue, pining, humor, stellar prose, and a troublesome civet cat named Tab. It’s definitely the most “romancey” of the T. Kingfisher novels I have read and I loved it to bits.
THE RAVEN AND THE REINDEER
The Raven and The Reindeer is a clever retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s Snow Queen fairytale, which follows Gerta, a young woman who sets out on a journey to save her friend Kay after he is kidnapped by the aforementioned frosty royalty. Gerta’s journey takes her far from home and along the way she befriends a bandit girl and an incredible talking raven named The Sound of Mouse Bones Crunching Under The Hooves of God (Mousebones for short). The book includes some really creative, interesting uses of magic, a sweet, unexpected love story, and every scene with that bird made me smile.
THE SEVENTH BRIDE
When a nobleman, Lord Crevan, shows up out of the blue and proposes marriage to Rhea, the 15-year-old miller’s daughter, there isn’t much she or her family can do to say “no”. Crevan insists that Rhea visit his manor before the wedding, which leads Rhea into a situation far worse than she expected, because Crevan is actually a sorcerer and his manor is filled with six other brides who have been the victims of his disturbing magic. Sort of a reimagining of the Bluebeard story, The Seventh Bride is occasionally really creepy but also includes plenty of Kingfisher’s brand of levity, particularly when it comes to Rhea’s unexpected hedgehog familiar.
Additional fiction recommendations
LORD OF SECRETS by Breanna Teintze
HULL METAL GIRLS by Emily Skrutskie
BINTI by Nnedi Okorafor
A PHOENIX MUST FIRST BURN (anthology)
ROMANCE
SLIPPERY CREATURES and THE SUGARED GAME by K.J. Charles
WWI veteran Will Darling returns to an England that has no use for him. Unable to find work, Will resorts to selling his war medals just to make ends meet. When Will unexpectedly inherits his uncle’s used bookshop, it seems like things might finally be looking up until criminals and war office officials arrive demanding sensitive information that Will supposedly has in his possession. As Will is drawn deeper into the conflict and tries to find this mysterious document, he is aided by Kim, a charming stranger who is suspiciously eager to lend a hand. The plot thickens with all sorts of double-crossing, ulterior motives, peril, nefarious villains, kidnapping, and complicated desires. KJ Charles skillfully mixes pulp adventure fiction and romance to create a book that I could not put down. The Sugared Game continues Will and Kim’s complicated relationship as they become embroiled in a conspiracy involving a nightclub, smuggling, and a criminal mastermind.
BOYFRIEND MATERIAL by Alexis Hall
Boyfriend Material is a wonderful take on the “fake boyfriend” trope, with Luc, the son of two famous musicians, striking up a fake relationship with prim and proper barrister Oliver, in order to try and rehab his wild-child image. Like Hall’s other books, Boyfriend Material has a charming, funny, and engaging narrative voice and lots of great characters. I laughed so much while reading this book.
XENI by Rebekah Weatherspoon
Xeni is a sweet, low-angst romance with wonderful characters and great chemistry. When Xeni’s aunt passes away, she leaves her niece a large inheritance. The catch is, in order to claim said inheritance, Xeni has to marry Mason, the sweet, burly musician who her aunt had befriended. Luckily, this “marriage of convenience” storyline never devolves into characters deceiving each other or lying about their feelings; Mason and Xeni are kind people and decide to enter into the marriage for their mutual benefit. When they start having “more than friends” sorts of feelings, they talk about it. When things get complicated, they talk about it. With the real world utterly full of chaos and drama, a book like this is an excellent escape.
GAME CHANGER / HEATED RIVALRY / TOUGH GUY / COMMON GOAL by Rachel Reid
These books about muscly Canadian hockey players falling in love are 100% escapist romance candy (as you can probably tell from the book covers) and I loved them. Game Changer is about a star hockey player falling for an adorable smoothie shop employee; Heated Rivalry is an enemies-to-lovers scenario; Tough Guy focuses on a troubled “enforcer” (i don’t know anything about hockey) rekindling a friendship/romance with a musician from his past; and Common Goal follows a recently-divorced star goalie on the verge of retirement who turns to handsome, flirty bartender for help help getting back into the dating scene.
BRIARLEY by Aster Glenn Gray
A gay reenvisioning of Beauty and The Beast, Briarley sets the action in 1940s England in the midst of WWII. A middle-aged parson stumbles upon a mysterious abandoned mansion and makes the mistake of plucking a rose from the magical garden. You know the drill. The beast in this book is more dragon-y in nature which is fun, and the parson (who ends up being the love interest) is really logical and kind. The book also does away with my main problem in pretty much every version of B&tB: the “captive falling in love with their captor” trope. I really dislike that trope. Thankfully Briarley lets the Parson leave whenever he wants.
AMERICAN DREAMER / AMERICAN FAIRYTALE / AMERICAN LOVE STORY / AMERICAN SWEETHEARTS by Adriana Herrera
Adriana Herrera was one of my favorite author discoveries of 2020. Her Dreamers series features wonderfully written characters, a strong sense of community, a network of supportive friends, immigrant families and experiences, and queer, Afro-Latinx protagonists whose perspectives really make these books stand out.
American Dreamer is about Nesto, a Dominican immigrant working his ass off establishing his Afro-Caribbian food truck, and Jude, a soft-spoken librarian coping with insecurities stemming from his extremely religious upbringing. American Fairytale focuses on Thomas, the son of a Dominican mother and an American father, who became a millionaire after selling a successful financial app. When he decides to make a large donation to a local shelter for abuse victims, the point-person on the project ends up being Camilo, a social worker that Tom hooked-up with at a fundraising gala and hasn’t been able to stop thinking about. In American Love Story, Hatian-born economics professor and activist Patrice reconnects with Assistant District Attorney Easton, who he had a passionate fling with the previous summer. While they have all sorts of intense feelings for each other, Easton’s job and Patrice’s activism keep them at odds. And the final book, American Sweethearts, follows Juan Pablo and Priscilla, friends since childhood who have had an on-again, off-again, on-again, definitely-off-this-time sort of relationship for many years.
JORDAN L HAWK (gets his own category)
WHYBORNE & GRIFFIN series
I read 22 Jordan L Hawk books in 2020. That’s 25% of all the books I read this year so it seems appropriate to give Hawk his own category, starting with the Whyborne & Griffin series. While there are some rough bits in the earlier books, the series as a whole is a really solid collection of paranormal adventure/romance stories with a memorable cosmic horror flavor, told from the points of view of private detective Griffin Flaherty and ancient language scholar/sorcerer Percival Whyborne.
UNHALLOWED
Unhallowed is the first book in a new series set in the Whyborne & Griffin universe. Sebastian Rath is a slightly snooty librarian working in the labyrinthine stacks of the Ladysmith museum. Vesper Rune is book binder with a supernatural secret. When Vesper starts work at the Ladysmith library, he and Sebastian become embroiled in a mystery as they try to find out what happened to the missing book binder that Vesper replaced.
SPIRITS series
Spirits focuses on two paranormal investigators in the late 1800s: Vincent Night, who uses the power of mediumship, and Henry Strauss, who uses scientific inventions. In Restless Spirits, their methods are 100% at odds as both men try to contact ghosts in an extremely haunted mansion. Of course, since this is a romance, animosity quickly turns to passion. With the help of Henry’s super sciency teenage niece Jo and Vincent’s partner Lizzie, this found family proceeds to go on further adventures in a small haunted town (Dangerous Spirits) and an equally haunted orphanage (Guardian Spirits). Quick content warning: there is a forced outing of a character in book one that was pretty hard to read.
Additional romance recommendations
CONTEMPORARY
LOVE LETTERING by Kate Clayborn
BETTER THAN PEOPLE by Roan Parrish
HISTORICAL
TWO ROGUES MAKE A RIGHT by Cat Sebastian
PARANORMAL
GENTLEMAN WOLF / MASTER WOLF by Joanna Chambers
STARCROSSED by Allie Therin
HEARTSONG by TJ Klune
THE MYSTERIOUS AND AMAZING BLUE BILLINGS by Lily Morton
LORD OF THE LAST HEARTBEAT and THE IMMORTAL CITY by May Peterson
PRINCE OF DEATH / PRISONER OF SHADOWS / PATRON OF MERCY by Sam Burns and WM Fawkes
GRAPHIC NOVELS/COMICS
SAGA: COMPENDIUM ONE by Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples
I finally got caught up on Saga this year, thanks to Compendium One which collects the first 54 issues of the comic into one giant collection. Two soldiers from different sides of an endless, stupid planetary war fall in love, have a baby, and are forced to go on the run to escape a whole bunch of people who want them dead. The comic follows their adventures, along with the adventures of a bunch of other strange, messed up characters in this strange, messed up universe. There is excitement, romance, extreme violence, bizarre aliens, poignant drama, and a story/art combo that kept me engrossed through 1,300 pages.
HEARTSTOPPER: VOLUME 3 by Alice Oseman
This is the third book in Alice Oseman’s lovely series of high-school romance graphic novels. Volume 3 follows Nick and Charlie as they continue to navigate their young romance, with particular focus on fears about how and when to tell friends and family about their relationship. These insecurities are brought to the forefront when the entire class goes on a trip to Paris.
SOLUTIONS AND OTHER PROBLEMS by Allie Brosh
If you haven’t read Allie Brosh’s first book, Hyperbole and a Half, go do that immediately. She is an amazing author and illustrator who manages to capture so much humor and expression in her deceptively simple drawings. Solutions and Other Problems contains more of Brosh’s very funny stories, but also delves into some really tough subject matter involving death and depression.
FANGS by Sarah Andersen
A love story about a vampire and a werewolf, told through beautifully illustrated vignettes. The Fangs book is a lovely object on the outside, with black edged pages and red fabric binding, and Sarah Andersen’s art and writing make the inside just as nice.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
MY LIFE AS A GODDESS by Guy Branum
This funny and hopeful collection of autobiographical essays by Guy Branum tells about his childhood growing up gay and inquisitive in a small California farming town, his unusual path to becoming a comedian, how Greek mythology helped him find self-acceptance, the ways society diminishes and erases fat people, and deep-dives into the influential effects of Pop Culture.
ART
The pandemic and general state of the world definitely impacted my ability to produce art this year, but after collecting all my finished pieces in one gallery I’m pretty proud and rather surprised that I made as much art as I did.
