Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
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This week’s theme is my favorite books of 2020. I decided to go with my favorite reads this year overall, not just books that were published in 2020. I did not count rereads, and also included one picture book, because I read so many excellent ones this year and this one made the Top 10 for me. I attempted to rank from 10 to 1, though it was a tough call. Also, I wrote this post on December 26, so it’s possible I’ll have a new favorite by the time this goes live, or before the end of the year.
10. Brick by Brick by Heidi Woodward Sheffield
Brick by Brick by Heidi Woodward Sheffield
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A boy admires his hard-working father, a brick layer. He goes to school and mimics a lot of what his dad does at work. His dad saves up to buy them a house. This one reminded me of my own dad. A really great – and bilingual! – story! The collage art is gorgeous too.
9. Unsolicited Duke Pic by Nico Rosso
Read my full review here!
Unsolicited Duke Pic by Nico Rosso
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was exactly the light-hearted novella I needed tonight. I bought this one for 99¢ on Kindle because I love Eva Leigh (a pen name of this author’s wife) and her Union of the Rakes series, and this one promised a backstory for one of the characters. (Though you definitely don’t need to read the series to appreciate this book at all.) Also, the title is hilarious. This went beyond my expectations of something quick and fun for a sexy, compelling read with two characters who communicate their feelings and desires while navigating a classist society and their power dynamics within it. I also loved the diverse cast and wanted to read even more about them!
8. The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
Read my full review here!
The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This one was an emotional rollercoaster, and I may have loved it even more than the first. Bex, Nick, and their family and friends make it through the first few years of their marriage, full of family drama from the previous book and from a secret Bex uncovers. I laughed out loud about as often as I teared up. Content warning for fertility issues. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the authors for giving me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
7. Tsarina by Ellen Alpsten
Read my full review here!
Tsarina by Ellen Alpsten
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What an epic tale about a historical figure I knew nothing about. I was totally engrossed. My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for giving me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
6. Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
Read my full review here!
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Absolutely excellent – a powerful YA read that challenges the reader to embody anti-racism. One of the most important books I’ve read, and I will be recommending to the kids I work with.
5. The Land of the Cranes by Aida Salazar
Read my full review here!
The Land of the Cranes by Aida Salazar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I whipped through this book of poems, telling the story of Betita and her family, in one sitting. Betita and her mom are sent to a detention camp after her father is deported to Mexico. This is a powerful read, and I liked it even more than the author’s first novel, The Moon Within.
4. A Rogue of One’s Own by Evie Dunmore
Read my full review here!
A Rogue of One’s Own by Evie Dunmore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
My most anticipated read of 2020, this was everything I wanted and more. Lucie and Tristan are both exceptional characters who undergo major development. This is a bit of a slow burn with some explosive erotic romance in the second half of the book. I loved the cameos from historical figures and LGBTQ+ representation. 💜 I normally write my full blog post right away, but I need some time to absorb how lovely this one was.
EDIT: I do want to share that I’ve seen some criticisms since finishing this novel, noting that a villain in this is a gay character who was spurned by another character romantically, and how this trope is problematic. I definitely can see that, though it didn’t occur to me during reading. I’m still on the fence about how I feel regarding this, as a lot of the arguments on Twitter I’ve seen surrounding this basically have argued the bisexual character isn’t “bi enough” anyway which is just fucking gross. 😕 I think this was more of a jealousy trope, in this situation, than homophobia. I also want to note this is not the main villain. But if this is content that would upset you, you may want to skip this book.
3. Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Read my full review here!
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What an amazing book. Chanel’s voice will stick with me for a long time. I highly recommend this book to anyone, especially fellow victims of sexual assault. Empowering and real. I listened to the audiobook on 1.3x.
2. Would I Lie to the Duke by Eva Leigh
Read my full review here!
Would I Lie to the Duke by Eva Leigh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Oh, my goodness. This one was amazing. This series has given me everything I never knew I wanted. Thank you to Eva Leigh, Avon, and NetGalley for hooking me up with a copy in exchange for my honest review, which I will share on bitchbookshelf.com.
1. Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade
Read my full review here!
Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What an excellent romance. I laughed, I cried, I fanned myself, I highlighted every hilarious reference to the awful final season of GoT. One of the best romances I have read this year and I am excited for more from the author!
Did any of these make your list? If you haven’t read them yet, I highly encourage you to do so!
