2020 has been…well, a lot of things. But for the vast majority of people, this year has been challenging in some way or another. There have been lots of hurdles and uncertainty, so we have rounded up 2020 super uplifting books released in 2020. Whether it’s hope, motivation or determination you’re looking for, you’re sure to find something to lift your spirits here.

The Girl with the Louding Voice – Abi Dare
Abi Dare’s debut novel is an emotional story about a fourteen year old Nigerian woman determined to get herself an education and escape a child marriage which her father forces her into. She realises she must not only stand up for herself, but for other girls and women too.
Available now.

 

Well-behaved Indian Women – Saumya Dave
Nadini realizes that she has spent too much of her life pleasing others and being the “Perfect Indian Woman”, after her mother put pressure on her and didn’t support her dream of a journalistic career. When Nadini has a daughter, Mimi, she is determined to be the bridge between them.
Available now.

 

A Burning – Megha Majumdar
A Muslim girl from the slums, Jivan, is determined to prove herself and progress in her life, until she is accused of executing a terror attack on a train after a careless comment on Facebook. A novel of complex themes, class, fate, corruption and justice.
Available now.

 

You Exist Too Much – Zaina Arafat
When a 12 year old Palestinian-American girl exposes her legs in Bethlehem, her mother tells her “you exist too much”. The novel follows the life of a young girl from a nervous teenager to a DJ-slash-writer, told in flashbacks between New York and Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine.
Available now.

 

Destination Wedding – Dikshu Basu
Desperate to ‘belong’ Tina Das looks for life and love in both India and New York, but where to settle? She hopes to have her questions answered at her cousin’s weeklong Delhi wedding, however the trip unearths plenty more questions.
Available now.

 

The Women with Silver Wings – Katherine Sharp Landdeck
The inspiring true story of the women air force service pilots of World War II. This untold story tells the inspirational true tale of women such as Cornelia Fort, a 22-year-old failed debutante present in the air at the Pearl Harbour attack, and Jacqueline Cochran, the woman who first envisioned sending American women into the air. A must read.
Available now.

 

It’s Not All Downhill From Here – Terry McMillan
On the eve of Loretha’s 68th birthday, she feels very much ‘glass half full’. When an unexpected loss turns her world upside down, she has to find her inner strength and determination to keep pursuing joy and take new paths. Heart-warming story of friendship and determination.
Available now.

 

Girl Decoded – Rana el Kaliouby and Carol Coleman
In this captivating memoir, a Muslim Egyptian American visionary scientist follows her professional and personal journey as she transitions from one of the first female computer programmers in the Middle East to a pioneer in the field of Emotional AI, determined to humanise our technology and how we connect with each other.
Available now.

 

Nobody Will Tell You This But Me – Bess Kalb
Emmy-nominated TV writer Bess saved every voicemail she ever received from her grandmother Bobby, before she died age 90. In this memoir she recounts family love, secrets and four generates of strong women. Author Jodi Picoult said of the book “when I stop crying, I’m calling my mother immediately and making her read it”. Read for deep heart-to-hearts which make you feel like part of the family.
Available now.

 

Eat a Peach – David Chang and Gabe Ulla
David Chang grew up in Virginia to immigrant parents, and struggled to find a job after graduation. In 2004, he opened a noodle restaurant in Manhattan, not expecting to survive the first year. Fast-forward to 2018, and he is the owner of an restaurant empire with 15 locations, his own Netflix show, podcast and was named one of the most influential people of the 21st century. An inspiring memoir.
Available 14th September 2020.