Yesterday the LibraryReads Favorites of the year were announced. These titles were picked from the 12 months of lists that came before. [Click here to see every list from every year.] I am not surprised by the #1 pick. It is one of the best books I read this year too.
As a year end best list, this one is as great option for purchasing gifts as it is for sure best suggestions. Why? First, it is limited to 10 titles, so it is not overwhelming. Second, these are the favorites of library workers who help adult leisure readers all year long. Yes they are picking their personal favs, but I will tell you that in my 15 years at the desk helping readers, some of my favorites each year were at the top of my list because of how well received they were with my patrons. A book I could give out to a wide range of readers and know that they would enjoy it was book I loved. Third, there are annotations written by library workers with readalike options. All of your work to suggest or gift these books is done for you. If you are using it for suggestions, you also have "while you wait" options [since there are holds lists for all of these titles right now].
And fourth, and you knew this was coming if you read this blog even a little, THE BACKLIST! Want to get the perfect gift or reading recommendation for someone this season, why not check 2018's Favorites? or 2017? Or just visit the Archive page. I just did and I saw titles I still suggest regularly and ones I forgot about but are still a great read. Gifting or suggesting one of these will be a nice surprise. A title that is not in the news, but you can be assured that it is a great read.
The regularly scheduled LibraryReads list [January 2021] will be out on December 15. But for now, let's celebrate the best of the best.
Voter Favorites 2020 - The top ten books published this year that library staff across the country love.
"Centering on two twin light-skinned black girls who grew up in a strange town in the Jim Crow south, this book explores racism, colorism, sexism, and familial relationships through the interweaving storylines of vivid and complicated characters. For fans of Red at the Bone by (Woodson)."
—Pamela Gardner, Medfield Public Library, Medfield, MA NoveList read-alike: A Kind of Freedom by Margaret Wilkerson Sexton
“What happens when a group of house hunters is taken hostage by an incompetent bank robber? Not what you expect. Filled with quirky, troubled characters, Backman’s latest shows us what most people need is kindness, understanding and one another.”
—Janine Walsh, East Meadow Public Library, East Meadow, NY
Novelist read-alike: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
"A magisterial overview of how caste has been implemented in three different places. This is an important look at how the U.S., Nazi Germany, and India implemented caste and how it affects each country. Don't think that this is a dry academic read; Wilkerson is a genius with words and incorporates her own experiences throughout the book. For readers of Stamped and The New Jim Crow.”
—Jennifer Schultz, Fauquier County Public Library, Warrenton, VA
NoveList read-alike: White Trash by Nancy Isenberg
“A dear, dear wondrous novel. Edward is The Miracle Boy, the only survivor of a plane crash. As he struggles to navigate the landscape of his new life, we hear the voices of those who didn't make it. Napolitano is an amazing writer who deserves a wider audience. For fans of Did You Ever Have a Family (Clegg),The Grief of Others (Cohen), and The Friend (Nunez).”
—Jennifer Dayton, Fairfield Public Library, Fairfield, CT
NoveList read-alike: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
"Addie is an adventurer and not ready to settle for village life, so she makes a deal with the devil. Instead of relinquishing her soul, however, she becomes immortal, and also completely forgotten by anyone who meets her. Then, after a lonely 300 years, she meets Henry. For fans of the Shades of Magic series, The Time Traveler’s Wife, and Life after Life."
—Patti Lang, Pima County Public Library, Tucson, AZ
NoveList read-alike: The Sudden Appearance of Hope by Claire North
"A perfect gothic mystery. Noemi is a Mexico City socialite in the 1950s. When her father receives a letter from his niece, he sends Noemí to check on her cousin at the remote house where she is living--a rotting English-style mansion, built by the colonialist eugenicist family she has married into. Lush descriptions and the creepy atmosphere make this a good choice for readers who liked The Witch Elm, The Little Stranger, or The Haunting of Hill House.”
--Lorena Neal, Evanston Public Library, Evanston, IL
NoveList read-alike: The Supernatural Enhancements by Edgar Cantero
“At a seminal moment in her life, Nora visits a unique library. Every book she chooses is one that she becomes part of and is a possible life she might have led. There are adventures, close calls, and joy. Give this totally engrossing page turner to fans of Here and Now and Then (Chen) and Life after Life (Atkinson). “
—Deborah Margeson, Douglas County Libraries, Castle Rock, CO
NoveList read-alike: Or What You Will by Jo Walton
“A Lolita for the #MeToo era, it’s unsettling, but not necessarily for the reasons you might think. The narrative shifts from 2000, when Vanessa gains admission to a prep school, to 2017, when she tries to come to terms with her experience, her role in it, how it’s affecting her present, and the choices she faces to find resolution and move forward. For fans of Notes on a Scandal (Heller), Trust Exercise (Choi)."
—Michelle Sampson, York Public Library, York, ME
NoveList read-alike: The Coming Storm by Paul Elliott Russell
"Once again Larson's new book is nonfiction that is as hard to put down as the best fiction. The book recounts the early days of Churchill as prime minister when France fell to Germany and the British Empire stood alone against Hitler. For readers who like The Great Influenza (Barry) and Death in the City of Light (King)."
—Celia Morse, Berkley Public Library, Berkley, MI
NoveList read-alike: Their Finest Hour by Winston Churchill
"Gyasi is a force of a writer and in her new novel, Gifty is a Ph.D student of neuroscience fueled by the need to understand her brother's addiction and mother's depression. For fans of Imagine Me Gone (Haslet) and Chemistry (Wang)."
—Kari Bingham-Gutierrez, Olathe Public Library, Olathe, KS
NoveList read-alike: A Particular Kind of Black Man by Tope Folarin
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