2020 Book recap

Here are some of the best books of 2020. For more details you can view all my reviews here.
BEST CLASSIC: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
I had never read this as a child, but will probably read the rest of this 5 part series

BEST ADULT FICTION: This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
Great characters and setting, happy and sad plot, another book by one of my favorite authors

BEST YA FICTION: Kent State by Deborah Wiles
With a grandson in ROTC and the events in Rochester this summer, this book really spoke to me.

BEST NONFICTION: What You Have Heard Is True: A Memoir of Witness and Resistance by Carolyn Forché
This author spoke at Brockport in 1984, and I was familiar with her from the Writers Forum. It was a Tales and Talons book club choice.

BEST ON AUDIO: 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke
I must have seen the movie, but had never read the book, enjoyed it a lot.

BREAKOUT READ: Book that was surprisingly good or exceeded expectations The Tuscan Child by Rhys Bowen
My favorite Rhys Bowen book so far! Enjoyed the setting and the characters.

MOST RECOMMENDED: Kent State by Deborah Wiles
I would recommend to everyone

BIGGEST PUSH: Madame Fourcade's Secret War: The Daring Young Woman Who Led France's Largest Spy Network Against Hitler by Lynne Olson
This book got me out of my comfort zone, both because of the fact that I had committed to writing a review for it, and the subject matter.

TAUGHT A LESSON: The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel
Sadly, what this taught me about myself is that I am a coward, I could never do what this person or Madame Fourcade did.

BEST BOOK CLUB PICK: Book that sparked discussion Human Touch: A Story in Real Time by Mitch Albom
The first book club choice, this book was reading in real time and made available for free on his website or through Audible.

MOST TIMELY - Book that spoke to our current culture Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin
This book was written 70 years ago, how sad that it should remain so relevant today.

BEST TIME MACHINE - Historical fiction book that set the scene Rebel Queen by Michelle Moran
The story of Queen Lakshmi - India's Joan of Arc - who against all odds defied the mighty British invasion to defend her beloved kingdom.

BEST CHARACTERS - Book whose characters stuck with me Midnight at the Blackbird Café by Heather Webber
I enjoyed this book, hoping there is a sequel coming up.

BEST DRESSED - Book with the most attractive cover Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal
I'm not sure whether this actually had the most attractive cover, but I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

BEST PLACE - Book that was set in an interesting environment The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux by Samantha Verant
Set in both NYC and southern France, this was a very interesting book. Hope to read more by this author.

MOST THOUGHT-PROVOKING - Book that made me think the most A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines
Another Writers Forum author, he's most famous for The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.

MOST HUMOROUS - Book that kept me laughing Don't Make Me Pull Over!: An Informal History of the Family Road Trip by Richard Ratay
Humor is not my genre, but this memoir made me nostalgic for the freedom of the road trip.

BEST SHOCK - Book that made my jaw drop in surprise The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Deeply disturbing, chilling and thought provoking. Why do we turn one against another when we should stand side by side?

BEST FEELINGS - Book that made me really emotional The Christmas Shoes by Donna VanLiere
Read on the 20th anniversary of my mother's death, this book had me crying the whole time.

BEST FLUFF - Book that broke my routine of misery and heartbreak in books The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins
I read so many cozy mysteries, Christian fiction and love stories this year, as a way to escape and smile.

WORTH THE PAGES - Book that was long but worth it Hild by Nicola Griffith
I got this out of Lee-Whedon in 2015, decided I would never finish it before it was due, so I purchased a used copy from the Seattle Public Library. Five years later, I finally finished it!