Despite all my best efforts, I am still a bit late wrapping up my 2020 reading year, but here it is--I had another great reading year!
First, I'll share some stats and fun facts about my 2020 reading year, then my top picks, and finally, my Top 10 (or whatever) lists in each category. I read some outstanding books last year, so these were tough choices! You can see a complete list, with links to reviews, of all the books I've read in recent years on my Book Reviews page.
Stats and Facts
NOTE: the numbers in ( ) are my 2019 stats, for comparison.
Total = 81 (87)
Adult Fiction = 47 (50)
Adult Nonfiction = 13 (14)
Graphic Novel/Nonfiction = 9 (15)
Teen/YA = 12 (11)
Middle-Grade = 10 (12)
Audiobooks = 24 (27)
Women Authors: 51 = 63%(54=62%)
Diverse books: 38 = 47% (37 = 43%)
From my own shelves: 44 = 54% (45 = 52%)
Re-reads = 1
Authors read more than once in 2020: Tana French, Stephen King, Ann Patchett
You can also see how I did on my 2020 Reading Challenges.
Top Picks - Best of the Best
There were some books--like Michael J. Fox's memoir on audio-- that I could have chosen for multiple categories, but I tried to spread out the accolades!
Best Novel
Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
(A December read that stole my heart)
Best Adult Nonfiction
The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century by Kirk Wallace Johnson
(Fascinating true story of the strangest crime ever with lots of history)
Best Memoir
NoTime Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality by Michael J. Fox
(Another outstanding memoir from Fox--funny, warm, and powerful)
Best Audio Book
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
(Excellent novel about siblings and read by Tom Hanks)
Best Teen/YA
Solo by Kwame Alexander
(Novel in verse with music - outstanding on audio)
Best Middle-Grade
Back to Blackbrick by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald
(Warm, funny, tender story of family, love, and loss)
Best Graphic Novel/Nonfiction
Displacement by Kiku Hughes
(Tough choice but this historical fiction graphic novel was powerful and moving)
Top 10 (or Whatever) Lists of 2020
(books listed in alphabetical order and some appear on more than one list)
Top 10 Adult Fiction:
Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Faithful Place by Tana French
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Plainsong by Kent Haruf
Top 7 Adult Nonfiction:
Black Is the Body: Stories from My Grandmother’s Time, My Mother’s Time, and Mine by Emily Bernard
Educated by Tara Westover
The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century by Kirk Wallace Johnson
An Indigenous People’s History of the United States for Young People by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality by Michael J. Fox
The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. DuBois
White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg
Top 8 Teen/YA Books:
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
Displacement by Kiku Hughes
Feed by M.T. Anderson
A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena
An Indigenous People’s History of the United States for Young People by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu
Out of Reach by Carrie Arcos
Solo by Kwame Alexander
Top 7 Middle-Grade Books:
Back to Blackbrick by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald
The Great Chicago Fire: Rising from the Ashes by Kate Hannigan and Alex Graudins
Notorious by Gordon Korman
The Roanoke Colony: America's First Mystery by Chris Schweizer
Snapdragon by Kat Leyh
Trespassers by Breena Bard
The Way to Stay in Destiny by Augusta Scattergood
Top 5 Graphic Novels/Nonfiction:
Displacement by Kiku Hughes
The Great Chicago Fire: Rising from the Ashes by Kate Hannigan and Alex Graudins
The Roanoke Colony: America's First Mystery by Chris Schweizer
Snapdragon by Kat Leyh
Trespassers by Breena Bard
Top 10 Audio Books
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Educated by Tara Westover
A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality by Michael J. Fox
Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore
Solo by Kwame Alexander
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
Such a good reading year! I've just added Displacement to my TBR list. I'm not sure how I missed that one during the year.
ReplyDeleteIt was a good one, Helen - hope you enjoy it, too!
DeleteSo many excellent books. I am adding Dear Edward to my reading list. I loved Dutch House in audio and I also loved Educated in that format.
ReplyDeleteI think you will enjoy it, Anne - such a warm, moving, powerful novel about healing.
DeleteI also enjoyed Educated on audio - it made both my lists, as I alternated reading it in print and listening on audio!
I just only got round to posting my main wrap up for 2020 today - better late than never, right?!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like 2020 was a good reading year for you - I like how you categorise your wrap up.
Happy reading in 2021!
Thanks, Jade! Now I know I'm not the last one :) Yes, Better Late Than Never is pretty much my lifetime motto - ha ha
DeleteI'll come by and check out your wrap-up, too.
Sue
Lots of great titles here Sue. You did have a wonderful reading year.
ReplyDeleteYou have motivated me to read A Man Called Ove. My library has it in audiobook format so I've requested it.
Happy reading this year!
Thanks, Cheriee!
DeleteA Man Called Ove is excellent on audio - enjoy!