Best books of 2020
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2020 has been a historically horrible year, and up until this fall, it was a lackluster year for books as well. When I began thinking about my best books list in August, I was afraid that 2020 would the first year that I would not even have 10 books that I could say that I loved. However, this fall, there have been some outstanding titles released, so I was able to find thirteen books that I could not stop thinking and talking about. These are titles that you can devour or savor, but anyone can enjoy. This has definitely been the year where diverse voices shone, and these books will let you stop into the shoes of voices across the globe and throughout history. To the left are books published in 2019 that I did not read until 2020, but they are so outstanding that I had to add them to my list of 2020 favorites. If you need something good to read in 2021, head to the library catalog and put any of the books on hold today.
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Furia by Yamile Saied Mendez
Camilla lives a double life. At home, she is a dutiful daughter and focused student. On the futbol field, she is "Furia," a force of nature that destroys any opponent. She loves the game and believes her success on the field could be her ticket out of Argentina, but she hasn't even told her parents she is still playing. In Argentina, only recently has it been legal for women to play soccer, and she is sure her parents won't approve. When her childhood best friend turned first love, Diego, comes back to town after playing soccer in Italy, Furia has some difficult choices to make. She loves Diego, but she doesn't want to give up her dreams of playing soccer for him. Can she even trust the promises of soccers latest superstar? One thing is certain; Camilla needs to be Furia full-time if she is going find the right path to turn her dreams into a reality. I am crazy about this book! It had the perfect mix of sports action, personal struggle, and romance. I cheered for Camilla/Furia to achieve both her soccer dreams and her dreams of having a relationship with Diego. This book was a peek into what it is like to be a girl in Argentina, and I felt so connected to Camilla's struggles. I can't wait to read more from this fantastic new talent. Highly, highly recommended!
Camilla lives a double life. At home, she is a dutiful daughter and focused student. On the futbol field, she is "Furia," a force of nature that destroys any opponent. She loves the game and believes her success on the field could be her ticket out of Argentina, but she hasn't even told her parents she is still playing. In Argentina, only recently has it been legal for women to play soccer, and she is sure her parents won't approve. When her childhood best friend turned first love, Diego, comes back to town after playing soccer in Italy, Furia has some difficult choices to make. She loves Diego, but she doesn't want to give up her dreams of playing soccer for him. Can she even trust the promises of soccers latest superstar? One thing is certain; Camilla needs to be Furia full-time if she is going find the right path to turn her dreams into a reality. I am crazy about this book! It had the perfect mix of sports action, personal struggle, and romance. I cheered for Camilla/Furia to achieve both her soccer dreams and her dreams of having a relationship with Diego. This book was a peek into what it is like to be a girl in Argentina, and I felt so connected to Camilla's struggles. I can't wait to read more from this fantastic new talent. Highly, highly recommended!
Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen
Tien was born and raised in the United States, but his parents came from Vietnam. In the evenings, he and his mother connect over the books they read together. Tien and his mother especially love fairy tales and finding out how traditional tales change from culture to culture. Tien knows his mother loves him, but he is nervous that she may stop loving him when he tells her he is gay. Tien's mom can tell he is worried about something, but she is not sure how to talk to her son about his worries. With the help of the magical stories they both love, perhaps they can find a way to communicate after all.
Tien was born and raised in the United States, but his parents came from Vietnam. In the evenings, he and his mother connect over the books they read together. Tien and his mother especially love fairy tales and finding out how traditional tales change from culture to culture. Tien knows his mother loves him, but he is nervous that she may stop loving him when he tells her he is gay. Tien's mom can tell he is worried about something, but she is not sure how to talk to her son about his worries. With the help of the magical stories they both love, perhaps they can find a way to communicate after all.
We Are Not Free by Traci Chee
When we talk about World War II, many of us immediately remember the atrocities the Nazis inflicted in their concentration camps, and most schools include books about the Holocaust in their curriculum. However, many students would be surprised to learn that America had its own concentration camps where innocent people were detained and abused due to their own country of origin. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, over 120,000 Japanese Americans were forced to leave their homes and business, losing everything except what they could carry with them. We Are Not Free tells the story of 14 teenage Nisei, 2nd generation Japanese Americans, who are from San Francisco and forced into camps. When their own country seems to hate them and their families are divided by a misleading questionnaire that challenges their loyalty to Japan and the US, their time in the camps will send their lives in vastly different directions. They are not free, but they will not give up because they have each other. I fell in love with with these characters and cheered and cried as they struggled with incarceration and how it ravaged their community. I think this is an essential read, along with Takei's They Called Us Enemy, which is a graphic novel version of his own family's forced incarceration. Move this to the top of your reading list! Highly, highly recommended!
When we talk about World War II, many of us immediately remember the atrocities the Nazis inflicted in their concentration camps, and most schools include books about the Holocaust in their curriculum. However, many students would be surprised to learn that America had its own concentration camps where innocent people were detained and abused due to their own country of origin. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, over 120,000 Japanese Americans were forced to leave their homes and business, losing everything except what they could carry with them. We Are Not Free tells the story of 14 teenage Nisei, 2nd generation Japanese Americans, who are from San Francisco and forced into camps. When their own country seems to hate them and their families are divided by a misleading questionnaire that challenges their loyalty to Japan and the US, their time in the camps will send their lives in vastly different directions. They are not free, but they will not give up because they have each other. I fell in love with with these characters and cheered and cried as they struggled with incarceration and how it ravaged their community. I think this is an essential read, along with Takei's They Called Us Enemy, which is a graphic novel version of his own family's forced incarceration. Move this to the top of your reading list! Highly, highly recommended!
Apple: Skin to the Core by Eric Gansworth
The red skin of apple is easily bruised. In this lyrical and revealing verse memoir, Gansworth shares what it was like growing up as an apple, an outsider. He was the wrong tribe and had the wrong interests on his reservation, so he never quite fit in there. Off the rez, Gansworth is also an outsider, constantly facing racial stereotypes that attempt to strip him of his worth. This haunting glimpse into Gansworth's life is a gift to the world. He gives readers a chance to understand modern tribal life: the long-term effects of families being sent to boarding schools, the fight to reclaim lost traditions and language, the extreme poverty, and the complex tribal system. You will want to savor Gansworth's language and simmer in his stories in order to better understand his specific truths about Native life. Put this book at the top of your reading list. Highly, highly recommended!
The red skin of apple is easily bruised. In this lyrical and revealing verse memoir, Gansworth shares what it was like growing up as an apple, an outsider. He was the wrong tribe and had the wrong interests on his reservation, so he never quite fit in there. Off the rez, Gansworth is also an outsider, constantly facing racial stereotypes that attempt to strip him of his worth. This haunting glimpse into Gansworth's life is a gift to the world. He gives readers a chance to understand modern tribal life: the long-term effects of families being sent to boarding schools, the fight to reclaim lost traditions and language, the extreme poverty, and the complex tribal system. You will want to savor Gansworth's language and simmer in his stories in order to better understand his specific truths about Native life. Put this book at the top of your reading list. Highly, highly recommended!
Grown by Tiffany Jackson
Enchanted Jones wakes up in a puddle of beet juice (It has to be beet juice!) and finds that superstar R&B singer Korey Fields is covered in beet juice, which must be blood since he is dead. Korey Fields was the man that discovered her talent and made her into a star, and he was the man that nearly destroyed her. Now he is dead and Enchanted swears she is innocent. How did this normal high school student with loving parents and dreamed of being a singer end up with a murder charge and is she guilty? The truth is slippery in this tightly woven thriller about a tale as old as time, an older man discovers a beautiful young girl and takes her to his castle. At first she thinks he is the prince, but soon, she learns that he is the dragon. Who would even believe the young girl's stories if she wanted to get free? This explosive tale story is powerful and relevant, and I can't stop thinking about. Tiffany Jackson once again proves she is a master at creating dark mysteries that are compelling and provoking. I hope she never stops writing! Highly, highly recommended!
Enchanted Jones wakes up in a puddle of beet juice (It has to be beet juice!) and finds that superstar R&B singer Korey Fields is covered in beet juice, which must be blood since he is dead. Korey Fields was the man that discovered her talent and made her into a star, and he was the man that nearly destroyed her. Now he is dead and Enchanted swears she is innocent. How did this normal high school student with loving parents and dreamed of being a singer end up with a murder charge and is she guilty? The truth is slippery in this tightly woven thriller about a tale as old as time, an older man discovers a beautiful young girl and takes her to his castle. At first she thinks he is the prince, but soon, she learns that he is the dragon. Who would even believe the young girl's stories if she wanted to get free? This explosive tale story is powerful and relevant, and I can't stop thinking about. Tiffany Jackson once again proves she is a master at creating dark mysteries that are compelling and provoking. I hope she never stops writing! Highly, highly recommended!
Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang
After graphic novel author and high school computer teacher Gene Luen Yang finished his last book, he was not sure what he wanted to write about next. Then, he heard students talking about how this year would finally be the year their boy's basketball team would win the state championship. Although the Dragons had been to the state championship finals many times, they had yet to win the title. Yang didn't know anything about basketball, but he felt like this was the story he needed to tell. As he gets to know the boy's basketball coach and the players on the team and began following the games, Yang starts to fall in love with game of basketball. As the Dragons fight to make it to the championship, Yang knows this is an epic story that will change everyone involved. Yang's story is interspersed with basketball history, so this is the perfect read for basketball fans and for anyone looking for an inspirational story. I read this in one setting, and this is an exceptional basketball story and graphic novel. Highly, highly recommended!
After graphic novel author and high school computer teacher Gene Luen Yang finished his last book, he was not sure what he wanted to write about next. Then, he heard students talking about how this year would finally be the year their boy's basketball team would win the state championship. Although the Dragons had been to the state championship finals many times, they had yet to win the title. Yang didn't know anything about basketball, but he felt like this was the story he needed to tell. As he gets to know the boy's basketball coach and the players on the team and began following the games, Yang starts to fall in love with game of basketball. As the Dragons fight to make it to the championship, Yang knows this is an epic story that will change everyone involved. Yang's story is interspersed with basketball history, so this is the perfect read for basketball fans and for anyone looking for an inspirational story. I read this in one setting, and this is an exceptional basketball story and graphic novel. Highly, highly recommended!
Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
Charlie is a 10th grader at British all-boys school. After he was outed as gay last year, he survived bullying year, and this year seems to be going better. It gets especially better when he meets Nick, a relaxed and kind rugby player. As they become teammates and friends, Charlie can't stop himself for falling for this boy who goes out of his way to care for and protect him. Based on Nick's dating history, Charlie knows that his feelings will probably be unrequited, but as the boys get closer, Charlie begins to have hope. Heartstopper is a WebToon that is so popular that it got published, and I can see why. This gentle yet honest story will make your heart stop as you cheer for Charlie and Nick to come together. Oseman deftly balance the ability to make her characters lovable and realistic, and readers will not be able to stop themselves from falling in love. I cannot wait for the next volume in the series! Highly, highly recommended!
Charlie is a 10th grader at British all-boys school. After he was outed as gay last year, he survived bullying year, and this year seems to be going better. It gets especially better when he meets Nick, a relaxed and kind rugby player. As they become teammates and friends, Charlie can't stop himself for falling for this boy who goes out of his way to care for and protect him. Based on Nick's dating history, Charlie knows that his feelings will probably be unrequited, but as the boys get closer, Charlie begins to have hope. Heartstopper is a WebToon that is so popular that it got published, and I can see why. This gentle yet honest story will make your heart stop as you cheer for Charlie and Nick to come together. Oseman deftly balance the ability to make her characters lovable and realistic, and readers will not be able to stop themselves from falling in love. I cannot wait for the next volume in the series! Highly, highly recommended!
They Went Left by Monica Hesse
Months after Zofia Lederman was liberated from the Gross-Rosen concentration camp, she is finally able to leave the hospital in search of her only living family member, her younger brother Abek. The last time she saw Abek, she promised to find him again. Keeping her promise means leaving her home in Poland to a displaced persons camp in Germany. With thousands of people desperately looking for their missing loved ones, it seems insane to believe she will find her brother. However, Zofia refuses to give up her search. Many books about the Holocaust detail life in the concentration camps, but this one delves in how challenging it was for the survivors to rebuild their lives and move forward after the war. How do you live with guilt of being a survivor? Where do call home when nothing at home is familiar? How do you move forward when you can't seem to let go of the past? This emotional novel honestly captures the lives of survivors Highly, highly recommended!
Months after Zofia Lederman was liberated from the Gross-Rosen concentration camp, she is finally able to leave the hospital in search of her only living family member, her younger brother Abek. The last time she saw Abek, she promised to find him again. Keeping her promise means leaving her home in Poland to a displaced persons camp in Germany. With thousands of people desperately looking for their missing loved ones, it seems insane to believe she will find her brother. However, Zofia refuses to give up her search. Many books about the Holocaust detail life in the concentration camps, but this one delves in how challenging it was for the survivors to rebuild their lives and move forward after the war. How do you live with guilt of being a survivor? Where do call home when nothing at home is familiar? How do you move forward when you can't seem to let go of the past? This emotional novel honestly captures the lives of survivors Highly, highly recommended!
The Black Kids by Christian Hammonds Reed
Los Angeles, California - 1992 - Four white police officers who nearly beat to death Rodney King have been found not guilty, and now Los Angeles is exploding. It seems like Ashley Bennett's nearly perfect life is exploding as well. Ashley has lived a mostly idyllic and pampered life in a Beverly Hills mansion, but the comments and behavior of her best friends, who are white, no longer seems tolerable. Also, she might of started a rumor at school that may destroy the life of a boy she has always admired, and she might be seeing a boy who is dating one of her closest friends. As the city and Ashley's life fall apart, dark truths about herself and her family will come to the surface, and she and the country will have a lot to face in order to move forward. This lyrical novel really hit home to me because I was in high school at the time of the Rodney King riots, and through this book, I got to experience them from completely different perspective, a perspective that will make you look at riots ignited by George Floyd's death in a powerful way. What happened in Minnesota this summer is not the first case of racism. It has been affecting black families for generations, and it is time
Los Angeles, California - 1992 - Four white police officers who nearly beat to death Rodney King have been found not guilty, and now Los Angeles is exploding. It seems like Ashley Bennett's nearly perfect life is exploding as well. Ashley has lived a mostly idyllic and pampered life in a Beverly Hills mansion, but the comments and behavior of her best friends, who are white, no longer seems tolerable. Also, she might of started a rumor at school that may destroy the life of a boy she has always admired, and she might be seeing a boy who is dating one of her closest friends. As the city and Ashley's life fall apart, dark truths about herself and her family will come to the surface, and she and the country will have a lot to face in order to move forward. This lyrical novel really hit home to me because I was in high school at the time of the Rodney King riots, and through this book, I got to experience them from completely different perspective, a perspective that will make you look at riots ignited by George Floyd's death in a powerful way. What happened in Minnesota this summer is not the first case of racism. It has been affecting black families for generations, and it is time
The Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
Five years ago, a murder happened in Pippa's small town. Popular senior, Andie Bell, was murdered by her boyfriend Sal Singh, who committed suicide a few days later. Although they never found Andie's body or proved Sal's guilt in a courtroom, everyone in town is certain that is what happened, everyone but Pippa. She thinks Sal is innocent, so she decides to use her Senior thesis to reexamine the case. She promise that she will only access old police reports and published interviews and will avoid interviewing anyone tied to the case. She lied. She won't stop until she discovers the truth of what happened, even if it kills her. This is the best teen mystery I have read in ages! Fans of Natasha Preston and Karen McManus will tear through this book. Highly recommended!
Five years ago, a murder happened in Pippa's small town. Popular senior, Andie Bell, was murdered by her boyfriend Sal Singh, who committed suicide a few days later. Although they never found Andie's body or proved Sal's guilt in a courtroom, everyone in town is certain that is what happened, everyone but Pippa. She thinks Sal is innocent, so she decides to use her Senior thesis to reexamine the case. She promise that she will only access old police reports and published interviews and will avoid interviewing anyone tied to the case. She lied. She won't stop until she discovers the truth of what happened, even if it kills her. This is the best teen mystery I have read in ages! Fans of Natasha Preston and Karen McManus will tear through this book. Highly recommended!
Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam
Amal is a poet and artist who happened to be at the wrong place and at the wrong time, and now he is heading to prison for a crime he didn't commit. As the prison system attacks Amal physically and mentally, he finds himself drawing on his art and friends to keep his hopes of exoneration and sense of self alive in the darkness. Written as a collaboration between Yusef Salaam, one of the Exonarted Five, and author Ibi Zoboi, this verse novel is inspired by Salaam's own wrongful arrest and eventual exoneration. This lyrical and moving story is a piece of beauty that will inspire and affect readers. Highly recommended!
Amal is a poet and artist who happened to be at the wrong place and at the wrong time, and now he is heading to prison for a crime he didn't commit. As the prison system attacks Amal physically and mentally, he finds himself drawing on his art and friends to keep his hopes of exoneration and sense of self alive in the darkness. Written as a collaboration between Yusef Salaam, one of the Exonarted Five, and author Ibi Zoboi, this verse novel is inspired by Salaam's own wrongful arrest and eventual exoneration. This lyrical and moving story is a piece of beauty that will inspire and affect readers. Highly recommended!
Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas
A year ago, Bryce Quinlan (half-human/half-fae) was destroyed when her best friends were killed by a demon. With the killer behind bars, Bryce parties to attempt to forget her loss. When the crimes start up again, Bryce gets pulled into the investigation, and she is forced to work with Hunter Athalar, a fallen archangel warrior who is now a slave to the archangels he attempted to overthrow. His latest boss tells him he will win his freedom if he can solve the case, but he is certain that Bryce, the shallow and powerless party girl, will only hinder his hunt. With so much on the line, the party girl and dark angel unhappily agree to work together. As Bryce and Hunt chase leads, they not only discover disturbing dark secrets being kept in their city but also that each of them is much more than the facade they show the world. As their distrust transforms into a bewitching passion and respect, it is obvious that the person behind the crimes will stop at nothing to keep them from solving the case. The problem is that this person didn't realize that Bryce and Hunt, two people with nothing to lose and everything to gain, are willing to die to reveal the truth and protect those they love. This book is a slow burn with a fiery finish. Once again, Maas has created an unbeatable cast of characters that you can't help but cheer for as they valiantly fight their own and real demons and attempt to keep their loved ones and their city safe. Although this book is marketed for adults, , you will love this one if you have read her Court of Thorns and Roses series. I can't wait for the next book in the series, but I think I will be rereading this book many times before it is available. Highly, highly recommended!
A year ago, Bryce Quinlan (half-human/half-fae) was destroyed when her best friends were killed by a demon. With the killer behind bars, Bryce parties to attempt to forget her loss. When the crimes start up again, Bryce gets pulled into the investigation, and she is forced to work with Hunter Athalar, a fallen archangel warrior who is now a slave to the archangels he attempted to overthrow. His latest boss tells him he will win his freedom if he can solve the case, but he is certain that Bryce, the shallow and powerless party girl, will only hinder his hunt. With so much on the line, the party girl and dark angel unhappily agree to work together. As Bryce and Hunt chase leads, they not only discover disturbing dark secrets being kept in their city but also that each of them is much more than the facade they show the world. As their distrust transforms into a bewitching passion and respect, it is obvious that the person behind the crimes will stop at nothing to keep them from solving the case. The problem is that this person didn't realize that Bryce and Hunt, two people with nothing to lose and everything to gain, are willing to die to reveal the truth and protect those they love. This book is a slow burn with a fiery finish. Once again, Maas has created an unbeatable cast of characters that you can't help but cheer for as they valiantly fight their own and real demons and attempt to keep their loved ones and their city safe. Although this book is marketed for adults, , you will love this one if you have read her Court of Thorns and Roses series. I can't wait for the next book in the series, but I think I will be rereading this book many times before it is available. Highly, highly recommended!