BookRank

Best of the year

Best books of 2020

92 highest-rated books first published in 2020.

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Why Rhythm of War is #1

Rhythm of War (Brandon Sanderson) scores 9.0/10 from 1.9K ratings — 0.1 points ahead of Network Effect in second place.

The score is a weighted average across 3 independent rating sources. A title with few ratings is pulled toward the category average, so a handful of enthusiastic reviews cannot outrank a book that thousands of readers have judged. Method →

  1. Rhythm of War
    Rhythm of WarBrandon Sanderson · 2020NYT bestseller Fantasy1.9K ratings
    9.09.0 / 10
  2. Network Effect
    Network EffectMartha Wells · 2020NYT bestseller Science fiction1.6K ratings1
    8.98.9 / 10
  3. The Trouble with Peace
    The Trouble with PeaceJoe Abercrombie · 2020 Fantasy436 ratings
    8.98.9 / 10
  4. Wintersteel
    WintersteelWill Wight · 2020 Fantasy414 ratings
    8.88.8 / 10
  5. Dungeon Crawler Carl
    Dungeon Crawler CarlMatt Dinniman · 2020NYT bestseller Fantasy3.7K ratings
    8.78.7 / 10
  6. The House in the Cerulean Sea
    The House in the Cerulean SeaTJ Klune · 2020 Fantasy2.1K ratings
    8.58.5 / 10
  7. Shuggie Bain
    Shuggie BainDouglas Stuart · 2020 Literary fiction289 ratings
    8.58.5 / 10
  8. A Promised Land
    A Promised LandBarack Obama · 2020NYT bestseller Biography & memoir457 ratings
    8.58.5 / 10
  9. Dawnshard
    DawnshardBrandon Sanderson · 2020 Fantasy1.3K ratings
    8.58.5 / 10
  10. Entangled Life
    Entangled LifeMerlin Sheldrake · 2020 Nature & environment235 ratings
    8.48.4 / 10
  11. Piranesi
    PiranesiSusanna Clarke · 2020NYT bestseller Fantasy3.1K ratings
    8.48.4 / 10
  12. The Tower of Nero
    The Tower of NeroRick Riordan · 2020 Fantasy204 ratings
    8.48.4 / 10
  13. Swimming in the Dark
    Swimming in the DarkTomasz Jedrowski · 2020 Historical fiction209 ratings
    8.48.4 / 10
  14. Legendborn
    LegendbornTracy Deonn · 2020 Young adult490 ratings
    8.48.4 / 10
  15. Battle Ground
    Battle GroundJim Butcher · 2020NYT bestseller Fantasy470 ratings
    8.48.4 / 10
  16. Good Girl, Bad Blood
    Good Girl, Bad BloodHolly Jackson · 2020 Young adult969 ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  17. Hidden Valley Road
    Hidden Valley RoadRobert Kolker · 2020NYT bestseller Biography & memoir198 ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  18. The Psychology of Money
    The Psychology of MoneyMorgan Housel · 2020 Psychology1.2K ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  19. Cemetery Boys
    Cemetery BoysAiden Thomas · 2020 Fantasy301 ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  20. Harrow the Ninth
    Harrow the NinthTamsyn Muir · 2020NYT bestseller Fantasy801 ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  21. Greenlights
    GreenlightsMatthew McConaughey · 2020NYT bestseller Biography & memoir549 ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  22. The End of Everything
    The End of EverythingKatherine Mack · 2020 Popular science95 ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  23. The Vanishing Half
    The Vanishing HalfBrit Bennett · 2020NYT bestseller Historical fiction880 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  24. Chain of Gold
    Chain of GoldCassandra Clare · 2020 Fantasy141 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  25. Heaven's River
    Heaven's RiverDennis E. Taylor · 2020 Science fiction787 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  26. A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor
    A Beautifully Foolish EndeavorHank Green · 2020NYT bestseller Science fiction271 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  27. The Splendid and the Vile
    The Splendid and the VileErik Larson · 2020NYT bestseller History195 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  28. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
    The Invisible Life of Addie LaRueV. E. Schwab · 2020NYT bestseller Fantasy2.1K ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  29. When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain
    When the Tiger Came Down the MountainNghi Vo · 2020 Fantasy210 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  30. How to Keep House While Drowning
    How to Keep House While DrowningKC Davis · 2020 Self-help260 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  31. Hamnet
    HamnetMaggie O'Farrell · 2020 Historical fiction555 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  32. Loveless
    LovelessAlice Oseman · 2020 Young adult285 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  33. A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking
    A Wizard's Guide to Defensive BakingUrsula Vernon · 2020 Fantasy467 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  34. Papyrus: The Invention of Books in the Ancient World
    Papyrus: The Invention of Books in the Ancient WorldIrene Vallejo · 2020 Essays59 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  35. Smoke Bitten
    Smoke BittenPatricia Briggs · 2020NYT bestseller Urban fantasy127 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  36. Peace Talks
    Peace TalksJim Butcher · 2020NYT bestseller Fantasy486 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  37. The Evening and the Morning
    The Evening and the MorningKen Follett · 2020NYT bestseller Historical fiction184 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  38. The Burning God
    The Burning GodR.F. Kuang · 2020 Fantasy579 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  39. The Once and Future Witches
    The Once and Future WitchesAlix E. Harrow · 2020 Fantasy347 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  40. Black Sun
    Black SunRebecca Roanhorse · 2020 Fantasy361 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  41. The Last Emperox
    The Last EmperoxJohn Scalzi · 2020NYT bestseller Science fiction477 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  42. Paladin's Grace
    Paladin's GraceUrsula Vernon · 2020 Fantasy373 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  43. Troubled Blood
    Troubled BloodRobert Galbraith · 2020NYT bestseller Crime & mystery266 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  44. The Tyrant Baru Cormorant
    The Tyrant Baru CormorantSeth Dickinson · 2020 Fantasy72 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  45. The Physicians of Vilnoc
    The Physicians of VilnocLois McMaster Bujold · 2020 Fantasy59 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  46. Masquerade in Lodi
    Masquerade in LodiLois McMaster Bujold · 2020 Fantasy56 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  47. A Deadly Education
    A Deadly EducationNaomi Novik · 2020NYT bestseller Fantasy1K ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  48. The Bone Shard Daughter
    The Bone Shard DaughterAndrea Stewart · 2020 Fantasy189 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  49. The Empress of Salt and Fortune
    The Empress of Salt and FortuneNghi Vo · 2020 Fantasy447 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  50. Shorefall
    ShorefallRobert Jackson Bennett · 2020 Fantasy319 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  51. The Law of Innocence
    The Law of InnocenceMichael Connelly · 2020NYT bestseller Thriller111 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  52. Dead Lies Dreaming
    Dead Lies DreamingCharles Stross · 2020 Fantasy70 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  53. Breath
    BreathJames Nestor · 2020NYT bestseller Popular science308 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  54. Beach Read
    Beach ReadEmily Henry · 2020NYT bestseller Romance1.3K ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  55. The Inheritance Games
    The Inheritance GamesJennifer Lynn Barnes · 2020 Young adult1K ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  56. The Space Between Worlds
    The Space Between WorldsMicaiah Johnson · 2020 Science fiction315 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  57. Come Tumbling Down
    Come Tumbling DownSeanan McGuire · 2020 Fantasy214 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  58. The City We Became
    The City We BecameN. K. Jemisin · 2020NYT bestseller Fantasy548 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  59. Moonflower Murders
    Moonflower MurdersAnthony Horowitz · 2020NYT bestseller Crime & mystery153 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  60. The Searcher
    The SearcherTana French · 2020NYT bestseller Crime & mystery217 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  61. The Thursday Murder Club
    The Thursday Murder ClubRichard Osman · 2020NYT bestseller Crime & mystery1.4K ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  62. Fair Warning
    Fair WarningMichael Connelly · 2020NYT bestseller Thriller74 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  63. Dear Edward
    Dear EdwardAnn Napolitano · 2020NYT bestseller Contemporary fiction140 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  64. A Time for Mercy
    A Time for MercyJohn Grisham · 2020NYT bestseller Thriller63 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  65. Utopia Avenue
    Utopia AvenueDavid Mitchell · 2020NYT bestseller Science fiction104 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  66. Think Like a Monk
    Think Like a MonkJay Shetty · 2020 Self-help148 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  67. Too Much and Never Enough
    Too Much and Never EnoughMary L. Trump · 2020NYT bestseller Biography & memoir172 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  68. Daylight
    DaylightDavid Baldacci · 2020NYT bestseller Crime & mystery52 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  69. Walk the Wire
    Walk the WireDavid Baldacci · 2020NYT bestseller Crime & mystery83 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  70. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
    The Ballad of Songbirds and SnakesSuzanne Collins · 2020 Science fiction1.7K ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  71. Agency
    AgencyWilliam Gibson · 2020NYT bestseller Science fiction168 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  72. The Sentinel
    The SentinelLee Child · 2020NYT bestseller Crime & mystery167 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  73. The Hollow Places
    The Hollow PlacesT. Kingfisher · 2020 Horror318 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  74. If It Bleeds
    If It BleedsStephen King · 2020NYT bestseller Horror388 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  75. The Sun Down Motel
    The Sun Down MotelSimone St. James · 2020 Thriller318 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  76. The Midnight Library
    The Midnight LibraryMatt Haig · 2020NYT bestseller Fantasy3.4K ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  77. One of Us Is Next
    One of Us Is NextKaren M. McManus · 2020 Young adult286 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  78. The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires
    The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying VampiresGrady Hendrix · 2020 Horror758 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  79. The Only Good Indians
    The Only Good IndiansStephen Graham Jones · 2020 Horror481 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  80. Mexican Gothic
    Mexican GothicSilvia Moreno-Garcia · 2020NYT bestseller Horror1.2K ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  81. To Sleep in a Sea of Stars
    To Sleep in a Sea of StarsChristopher Paolini · 2020NYT bestseller Science fiction532 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  82. Devolution
    DevolutionMax Brooks · 2020NYT bestseller Horror299 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  83. Cinderella is Dead
    Cinderella is DeadKalynn Bayron · 2020 Fantasy163 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  84. The Surrogate Mother
    The Surrogate MotherFreida McFadden · 2020NYT bestseller Thriller76 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  85. The Ministry for the Future
    The Ministry for the FutureKim Stanley Robinson · 2020 Science fiction347 ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  86. Common Goal
    Common GoalRachel Reid · 2020 Romance181 ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  87. Tough Guy
    Tough GuyRachel Reid · 2020 Romance217 ratings
    7.37.3 / 10
  88. Death in Her Hands
    Death in Her HandsOttessa Moshfegh · 2020 Crime & mystery101 ratings
    7.37.3 / 10
  89. Sucker Punch
    Sucker PunchLaurell K. Hamilton · 2020NYT bestseller Horror75 ratings
    7.27.2 / 10
  90. Icebreaker
    IcebreakerHannah Grace · 2020NYT bestseller Romance952 ratings
    7.27.2 / 10
  91. The Atlas Six
    The Atlas SixOlivie Blake · 2020NYT bestseller Fantasy595 ratings
    7.17.1 / 10
  92. Ready Player Two
    Ready Player TwoErnest Cline · 2020NYT bestseller Science fiction1.1K ratings
    6.56.5 / 10

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