In effortless prose, Jonathan C. Slaght recounts his search for endangered owls in the Russian Far East. Packed to the brim with character, a sense of place, and a clear narrative eye, this is the best science and travel writing of the year. - Andrew
Best creepy book of 2020. The first 2/3s are just Jane Austen gothic (nice and enjoyable!), but the last third veers off into Lovecraft territory and the speed of the transition is truly enjoyable. - Andrew
As an unabashed Bachelor/Bachelorette fan, I adored this book. Kate Staymon-London accurately skewers the messiness of the Bachelor franchise while still writing a book full of sincerity, humor, and heart. Just like the title of her book, Staymon-London is "one to watch", and this book is not to be missed. - Anja
This heartwarming prom-com is everything I always wanted but never got from classic high school romcoms. It takes the tropes of the genre— the battle for prom queen, college applications, friend drama, first love—and upends them in the best way. I can’t wait for other people to fall in love with Liz Lighty too. - Anja
Jasmine Guillory’s novels are always a delight, but Party of Two might be my all time favorite! Guillory’s signature banter, lovable characters, and swoony scenes are at their best in this heartfelt and real romcom. Read it, love it, bow down to the romance queen that is Jasmine Guillory. - Anja
Expanding on her viral Buzzfeed essay "How Millennials Became The Burnout Generation," Anne Helen Petersen presents an illuminating survey of Millennials' unique place in the American socioeconomic order. -Chris
This book drew me straight in with an engaging, warm, witty narrative voice I relate deeply to the main character, Samantha, who had to leave her previous job as a school librarian because her unrequited crush on a teacher there made her life hell. Since then, she’s found a job at a legendary elementary school and a home and family with the community there. But then, her unrequited crush gets hired as the principal of her lovely school. And, horror of horrors, he’s not the lovely, fun-loving, joyful man she fell in love with anymore: instead, he’s a serious rule-enforcer who might destroy everything that’s precious about the school.
Sam is determined to save the school as she knows it, and to find out what happened to Duncan. This is an excellently told, engrossing story about finding hope and love in the midst of tragedy. It teaches us to find joy in the messiness and complications of life. Which is a lesson we could probably all do with in 2020. - Claire
This book is just plain fun! Roxy is a young woman struggling to make ends meet working at Whole Foods while contemplating a grander future. She shares an apartment with her ex, to whom she pens daily letters: first and foremost they are rent-demands, but as the book progresses, they begin to offer the reader a deep-dive into the mind of this passionate, perceptive, and at-times manic young woman. Also, we get to see what happens behind the counter at the Whole Foods deli counter, and its pretty hilarious! - Karen
Set in the simpler time of 2012, this is the story of Roxy, who’s trying to find her way in life while fighting against the gentrification of her beloved Austin, Texas. It’s the perfect book if you want an escape right now — the epistolary format means that you don’t have to concentrate for long (though you’ll probably end up wanting to), plus it’s fun and touching and just a little bonkers. - Claire
In her first book in seven years, Allie Brosh dives in and investigates what it is to be human. This book contains deeply philosophical truths and will make you laugh so hard that you can't keep reading through the tears. It's the perfect book for this dumpster fire of a year and for all times. - Morgen
This was one of the books that got me back into reading this year, because it was a delightful, easy read in the best way. Eudora Honeysett is old, and done with life. She hasn’t had a particularly happy one, as we learn through the dual timeline of the book. She’s just begun to plot her escape via a trip to Switzerland, where euthanasia is legal. And then ten-year-old Rose moves in next door, and an unlikely friendship begins.
Read if you like: quick and easy reads, heart-warming characters, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
- Claire
Hands down, the best thing I read in 2020. Jemisin takes you on an absolute rollercoaster of a New York City adventure, with intense action-packed sequences on FDR Drive, supernatural fights in Queens, and chillingly relevant confrontations with an aptly named villain. - Danny
A mix of mystery, supernatural thriller, and high-seas adventure! I was engrossed - Turton kept me guessing, providing twists and turns worthy of Agatha Christie or Arthur Conan Doyle, all building to a fantastic climax. - Danny
I’ve been so excited about this book, exploring what might have happened if Hillary hadn’t married Bill, since I heard about it at an author event for Curtis Sittenfeld’s last book, Eligible. I thoroughly enjoyed it (aside from cringing at the sex scenes, and apparently I’m not alone in having that reaction!). It’s also not lost on me that it’s in large part the story of a (slight spoiler alert) kick-ass single, childless woman. There are far too few of those.
Read if you like: DC gossip, books that follow one main character over most of their lifetime, imagining how things could have been different - Claire
V. E. Schwab knocks it out of the park with a story that will leave you breathless and aching for more. Absolutely beautiful, powerful prose, and characters that jump from the page. I tore through it in a few days, and I’ve already gone back to re-read sections I loved! - Danny
Published to coincide with the 2020 Olympics, this book will fill the gymnastic-shaped hole in your heart if you were looking forward to watching the tumbling action this summer. Hannah Orenstein is a former gymnast, so she has all the insider knowledge and terminology to really make this world come alive. Be warned, though: there’s a chance that one minute you’ll pause to ask YouTube what a Tkatchev looks like and the next you’ll be falling into a gymternet hole there’s no climbing out of, ever.
Read if you like: gymnastics, romance, being hopeful about women empowering themselves to make change in their lives and their wider world - Claire
I loved this story of a young Muslim woman who sees a an incident on a train, posts her outrage on Facebook, and then has her life unravel. The author's depiction of modern Indian was compelling, and the characters were unforgettable. - Cathy
What would you do if you fell asleep, and woke up five years in the future with a man who is not your current boyfriend? That’s what happens to Dannie in this book. She’s a planner, and she’s got everything figured out, but this strange dream upends her two most important relationships — with her fiancé and her best friend. I loved this book’s exploration of friendship, love, and the paths not taken.
Trigger warning, though: a chunk of it takes place in New York City in the 2020 we thought we’d be having, not… this. - Claire
This is a skilfully told story of what happens when an A-grade student gets drawn too far into the orbit of a charismatic young English teacher. Nobody believes her when she tells them he has kissed her — not her best friend, and not the school principal, who chooses to turn a blind eye. Things unravel further as she struggles to make sense of everything, seek justice, and regain control of her life. This was a quick, unputdownable read that brought high school and adolescence to life really vividly.
Read if you like: books about book clubs, learning about feminism, kick-ass young women - Claire
James McBride's book is the perfect read when you feel like you are losing faith in humankind. The sympathy, respect, and love he has for his characters redeems your faith in humanity. - Cathy
This book is a wonderful way to travel to a small Irish village without leaving home. A Chicago cop moves to Ireland to get away from the job,and to enjoy the serenity of village life, only to discover that his investigative instincts will not leave him alone. - Cathy
I have found this a great foundation cookbook even though I have been an avid, longtime cook for years. This is a great cookbook if you want to understand method, if you want to hone skills and, most importantly, if you want some delicious food. - Jennifer
Marilynne Robinson's Gilead meets Brandon Taylor's Real Life (how's that for a comp?!). Transcendent Kingdom is a stunning, breathtaking meditation on grief, faith, family, and otherness. Yaa Gyasi's sophomore novel manages to tackle science, religion, the opioid epidemic, and growing up as an immigrant in the deep south, in a novel that somehow never feels forced. Every chapter, every paragraph, every line is a gift. - Emilie
Bryan Washington's debut short story collection, LOT, heralded a great future career -- but as wonderful as it was, it still didn't prepare me for this incredible first novel. Centering around Benson and Mike, lovers whose relationship is increasingly strained, this is a book about communication and connection, parents and children, home and belonging, status and class. Like Sally Rooney and Brandon Taylor, Bryan Washington observes and describes the details of our daily lives and inner thoughts with uncanny ability. Extraordinary. - Emilie
Incredible! In Hollywood Park, Mikel Jollet makes a name for himself not just as a musician but as a writer of stunning talent. Mikel survives a terrible childhood — first in notorious cult Synanon, later with his emotionally abusive mother — because of his keen intelligence and strength of character. Readers haven’t seen wisdom, insight, and emotional fortitude like this since Tara Westover’s Educated. - Emilie
I can’t think of another recent book this visceral, physical, and moving. Six foot three Bunny Lampert and her next door neighbor Michael are coming of age in a California suburb, and through them The Knockout Queen explores gender and violence, sexuality and friendship, cruelty and grace. I loved every single page, and every single line. - Emilie
I don't read horror - this is fantastic. - Jennifer
On its surface, Liz Moore’s LONG BRIGHT RIVER is a police procedural about a string of murders and a missing addict, and on that level it is as compelling and successful as the best. At its heart, though, LONG BRIGHT RIVER is the great American novel grappling with the opioid crisis — a story about generations of entrenched addiction, a crumbling and re-gentrifying neighborhood that has been ravaged by Oxy and heroin, single motherhood and the unyielding stress of caring for a small child without support and resources. Liz Moore writes about the lingering pain of being an adult who has grown up without her mother, the bonds of sisterhood, the loneliness of self-sufficiency. I will carry Mickey Fitzpatrick with me in the same place that I carry THE GOLDFINCH’s Theo Decker and A LITTLE LIFE’s Jude St. Francis. This is not just a mystery; it is a masterpiece. - Emilie
More than just a book about trauma, Memorial Drive is a memoir of a southern girlhood, an elegy to a murdered mother, a riveting true crime narrative, and a masterpiece all at once. - Emilie
Even people who are already fans of R. Eric Thomas may be surprised at just how good this is. However good you're expecting it to be? However funny? It's even better than that! Hilarious, touching, tender, and wise, HERE FOR IT is a book we all need. - Emilie
I can't remember the last time I read a novella that hits as hard a history book or a masterpiece novel (have I ever?). Every story in this collection is stunning and precise, powerful and prescient, so eerily perfect for the current moment that I found myself wondering if maybe Danielle Evans is a time traveler who came back to 2020 to give us exactly what we need. Magnificent from start to finish. - Emilie
I was so impressed by this middle grade adventure inspired by Les Miserables! The setting draws on many elements of Southeast Asian culture, especially Thailand and the strong friendships and suspenseful chase scenes will appeal to fans of Harry Potter and Rick Riordan. A great read aloud for the whole family! - Cecilia
A beautiful book about the beautiful game! Growing up in Rosario, Argentina, Camila has been surrounded by soccer her whole life. The city loves its players--but only if they are men, leaving Camila and her friends to struggle for equipment, practice time and space to play. She dreams of moving to the United States to play there, but worries about leaving her mother alone with her abusive father. And what about Diego Ferrari, her childhood friend who is now an international superstar and coming back to Rosario with romance on his mind? Yamile Saeid Mendez captures the passion for this sport and the many struggles faced by young people around the world who see it as an escape to a different life. Camila is an easy heroine to root for and readers will cheer for her as she wrestles with big decisions and follows her dream. - Cecilia
I don't have enough superlatives to do this book justice. Everything is spot on, from the chemistry between the main characters, to the telenovela drama to the meddling, but still supportive cousins. I love all the Spanish, the backstage glimpses into the making of a TV show (especially the inclusion of the intimacy coordinator) and the way the telenovela tropes like a secret child are woven into the grounded romance. Now I just hope Michelle and Ava get their own books soon! - Cecilia
Shifting between past and future, real life and counterlife, seeing and not seeing -- this is a chilling
story about lives impacted by the implosion of a Ponzi scheme. The disparate characters – loosely
linked by their connections to Jonathan Alkaitis, the man behind the scheme, or Vincent Smith, the
woman who posed as his wife for three years -- have deceived themselves or others and are haunted
by ghosts, shadows, or alternate versions of their lives. Some find themselves living in previously
unimaginable worlds -- the kingdom of money or the frightening shadowland “beneath the surface
of society.” I raced through The Glass Hotel, then marveled at how Mandel put all the pieces together. - Margo
An unforgettable story of an unforgivable attack on Glory Ramirez, a 14-year old girl who felt she had nothing to lose when she climbed into a stranger’s truck. She could not have imagined how much she would lose, how much the women in her West Texas town had already lost or were fighting to hold on to. All of them are struggling with the harsh realities of the place and time, Odessa in 1976, where the next oil boom will bring jobs, but also aggressive greed and violence. Elizabeth Wetmore has created characters with great depth and determination, women who may not know Glory, but who stand with her through their individual stories. - Margo
Beautiful writing with complex characters that really captures the powerful and passionate connections between people who are drawn to a literary life. - Dana
A beautiful truth train that slammed into my heart at full force - Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, member of the Exonerated Five, have crafted a masterpiece in verse for readers young and old. Sixteen-year-old Amal is an artist, a skater, has a sweet crush, and loves his mom. He is also sentenced to a juvenile detention facility on shaky grounds after one fateful night. Drawing from Salaam's lived experiences, the incredibly crafted comparisons of prison and school and evocative imagery of our nation's past remain with me. This book shines a bright light on what children we value and how clearly we show it in our country. - Ashleigh
I absolutely loved this creepy and wonderful dystopian story about the global repercussions of inviting technology into our homes. Think of a Furby as a wiretap. Perfect for fans of Black Mirror. - Mary
Unexpectedly losing a parent is hard for anyone, but Feder perfectly captures what it’s like to experience such a loss as a young adult. A beautiful, funny, cathartic debut. - Mary
A delightful modern folktale about the adventures of Aster and her magical dog. Perfect for fans of the Hilda series and Adventure Time. - Mary
Ina's recipes are always dependable, easy to follow with side tips for cooking and entertaining, and ALWAYS delicious! I can’t wait to start cooking! Another great gift for that special cook on your holiday shopping list. - Kathy
In her most recent cookbook, Melissa Clark takes us to France! I purchased this when it came out and boy am I glad I did! I’ve already made at least 10 of the recipes and every one of them was amazing. Lots of “this is incredible!” from my tasters. Great addition to any cook’s kitchen, or purchase as a gift for someone on your holiday shopping list. - Kathy
There is so much to unpack in this contemporary coming-of-age novel. A flawed yet relatable young heroine trying to succeed as an artist in an unfriendly economy meets an older man leaning in to his mid-life crisis. What begins as a no-strings affair morphs into a smart multi-layered family story. Fast paced, full or raw emotion and sharp social commentary, delivered in strikingly beautiful prose. - Karen
January Andrews is grieving the death of her mother when she heads to the lake to prep the family cabin for sale. Her father died several years ago, and this is the first time she's been back to the place that holds her happiest family memories. She's also a struggling writer, and this touching, funny novel is a mash-up of classic family story (love, infidelity, etc.) and a publish-or-perish drama. Also - and I know this will come as a shock - January and the man in the cabin next door, also a writer, went to college together and have unresolved feelings for each other. Ideal for fans of Jasmine Guillory or Sally Thorne. - Karen
Fans have been waiting over fifteen years for Clarke to produce a novel, and she gives us a dark, unsettling mystery of an amnesiac inside a mysterious House filled with endless Tides and beautiful sculpture. - Keith
Nicholas Bell is just your typical queer, neurodiverse adolescent crushed out on one of the super-powered teens in his home city. In an attempt to become an Extraordinary, Nick learns that he already is--in more ways than one. Extraordinaries is a love letter to fandom and fan fic. - Keith
A delightful, poignant novel. Equal parts of Kafka, Gaiman, and Douglas Adams, this coming-of-old story is proof that it is never too late to find love, or your family, or your true home. Or to survive the Antichrist. - Keith
Penny T. Rex is back in this sequel to We Do Not Eat Our Classmates, and I for one am happy to see this punk little dinosaur muster the courage to rock out for her classmates! - Keith
This translation for the 21st century will surely offend purists, but Headley has succeeded in taking an obscure poem and presenting a unified, compelling story. She makes a poem from the first millennium sing again for the third millennium. - Keith
