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Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Books of 2020

Top Ten Tuesday

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. 10 is just a suggestion to aim for if you can hit it. You can do a list of 3 or 5 or 20, whatever you decide. And you can put a spin on the topic if you need to. Each week there is a new list to create. This week's topic is:

Favorite Books of 2020


If you like reading books set in Latin American (Cuba) with an incredible true-to-life protagonist, I strongly recommend this gem of a book. A 19 year-old soldier who defects Fidel's communist regime using his intelligence, quick-thinking, and courage.


So far I have read all five books in the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series and this one is my favorite. An excellent mystery with a great twist in 1930s Chicago.


Roommates who share a flat but have never met? This was so cleverly done with the main characters Tiffy and Leon writing notes to each other. It borders on the lost art of letter writing that is both old-fashioned and romantic. A fun British rom-com.


A classic coming-of-age tale that I would recommend all to read. Susan Crandall is a master storyteller with characters that jump off the page and into your heart. Told from the POV of whip-smart 9-year-old Starla Claudelle, we quickly get absorbed into the world of 1963 Mississippi in the era of the civil rights movement.


If you love stories about strong women who have fought to make a difference in people's lives, if you like stories about the value of libraries and books, if you love American historical fiction with plenty of drama, then you will enjoy The Giver of Stars.


The Gentleman Spy is the second book in the Serendipity & Secrets series and once again, I found myself loving this engaging historical fiction novel that captivated me from beginning to end.



This is very much the coming-of-age story of a woman who comes to realize that the color of her skin is not what defines her. She is a character I admired so much and that I will never forget! There were scenes in this book that brought me to tears.


Sometimes you come across a book that is different from anything you've read. It defies the usual conventional plots, is thought-provoking and genre-bending, all while appealing to the bibliophile in you. That's what The Midnight Library was for me.


What I'm loving about Beth O'Leary's writing is that she tackles serious topics, in this case grief, anger, mother-daughter relationships, friendship and love of neighbor, all while telling a good story, mixing in some good romance, and making us crack up with laughter.


Kate Morton is a master storyteller. Well-written with vivid characters and a secret that pulls the reader through the whole story, The Secret Keeper is one of those books to be savored as it comes to its stunning conclusion.


A Time for Mercy is thrilling, emotional, suspenseful, dramatic and set in the 90s without all the technology we take for granted today. So refreshing. It is also thought-provoking, and has us pondering on what true mercy really is all about.

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25 comments :

  1. I enjoyed Midnight Library and The Switch both very much.

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  2. Book Woman of Troublesome Creek was so good. I also really liked the two books by Beth O'Leary, I think I enjoyed The Flatshare a bit more but I do like the way she addresses serious issues and I like the back and forth perspectives in both books. Thanks for the recommendations!

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    1. I agree that O'Leary addresses serious issues and can still make us crack up with laughter.

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  3. All these sounds so good. I haven't read any other books in the series, but A Child Lost is one I wanted to grab. The Gentleman Spy was also on my wish list.

    Thanks for sharing, Wishing you a happy and healthy 2021.

    http://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2020/12/top-ten-tuesday-favorite-books-of-2020.html

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  4. I got The Midnight Library for Christmas and can't wait to start reading it! The Flat Share was such a fun read and I also enjoyed The Giver of Stars. Oh and The Secret Keeper was also really good.

    A Time for mercy is still on my TBR and I want to have a look at The boy who said no.

    Great list and I hope that 2021 will bring some even greater reads for you.

    Happy New Year!

    Elza Reads favorite books for 2020

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  5. I really want to read The Midnight Library and The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. They both look really good. :)

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  6. The Gentleman Spy just barely missed my top 10 this year. I'm looking forward to the third book in that series!

    My TTT

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  7. "The Flatshare" sounds so fun! And I'd love to add "Whistling Past the Graveyard" to my TBR list.

    My TTT: https://steppingstonesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2020/12/top-ten-tuesdays-favorite-books-of-2020.html

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    Replies
    1. The Flatshare is such a great feel good book. Read it when you need a mood boost.

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  8. I'm currently reading The Midnight Library, not very far through, but it's been good so far. Carey Mulligan reads the audiobook and she's been great!
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2020/12/29/top-ten-tuesday-296/

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  9. I just got A Time for Mercy at Christmas and am looking forward to it. The only two on your list that I've read are Troublesome Creek and Giver of Stars, both well done and interesting to see two versions of the same story.

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    1. I'll look forward to reading your thoughts of A Time for Mercy.

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  10. I did not expect to see Whistling Past the Graveyard this week, but I love that you included it. It's been sitting on my bookshelf for way too long, and I'm taking this as a sign that I need to finally read it.

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    1. It was on my shelf forever too and I'm so glad I read it this year!

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  11. The Midnight Library looks amazing and I can't wait to read it.

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  12. I’ve seen The Midnight Library on a bunch of lists. I’ll have to look that book up.

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  13. So many of these books sound so good! I'll have to see which ones my library has.

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Thank you for commenting! I appreciate your feedback.

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