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Best of the Best Books 2020

Our “best of the best” returns for 2020! We’ve scoured the end-of-year best book lists out there and narrowed them down into one handy guide.

Overwhelmed by what to read from the past year? We’ve gathered the fiction, nonfiction, and young adult titles we recommended in 2020 that also appear on one (or more) of the favorite lists from:

BookRiot, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Women & Children First, New York Times, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Washington Post, and Powell’s

Check out these “best of the best” books below!


Best of the Best 2020… FICTION

One of our recommended books is Writers & Lovers by Lily KingOne of our recommended books is Hamnet by Maggie O'FarrellOne of our recommended books is The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. SchwabOne of our recommended books is Earthlings by Sayaka MurataOne of our recommended books is A GIrl Is a Body of Water by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi

 

 

 

 

 

 

Writers & Lovers by Lily King
Appears on the “best of” lists from Washington Post, Kirkus, Women & Children First

Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
Powell’s, Library Journal, Kirkus, Washington Post, New York Times

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
BookRiot, Kirkus

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata
New York Times, Women & Children First

A Girl Is a Body of Water by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
Powell’s


Best of the Best 2020… NONFICTION

One of our recommended books is Vesper Flights by Helen MacDonald One of our recommended books for 2020 is My Autobiography of Carson McCullers by Jenn Shapland

One of our recommended books is The Dragons, the Giant, the Women by Wayetu MooreOne of our recommended books is Memorial Drive by Natasha TrethewayOne of our recommended books is Down Along with That Devil's Bones by Connor Towne O'Neill

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vesper Flights by Helen Macdonald
Appears on the “best of” lists from Powell’s, Washington Post

My Autobiography of Carson McCullers by Jenn Shapland
Library Journal, Women & Children First

The Dragons, The Giant, The Women by Wayétu Moore
Publishers Weekly, New York Times

Memorial Drive by Natasha Trethewey
Washington Post, New York Times, Women & Children First

Down Along With That Devil’s Bones by Connor Towne O’Neill
Library Journal


Best of the Best 2020… Children’s & YA

One of our recommended children's books is Evelyn Del Ray Is Moving Away by Meg MedinaOne of our recommended books for 2020 is Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. KendiOne of our recommended books is Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef SalaamOne of our recommended books for 2020 is Daring Darleen by Anne NesbetOne of our recommended books is The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away by Meg Medina
Appears on the “best of” list from Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal

Stamped by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi
Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam
Powell’s

Daring Darleen by Anne Nesbet
Publishers Weekly

The House on the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune
BookRiot, Women & Children First


Curious about the most popular books on the Reading Group Choices site in 2020? We’ve got the top two books from each month listed here!