A lot of us had lofty reading goals when 2020 began, but the truth is that sometimes we didn't feel much like reading. (And that's okay!) Binge-watching mindless television or baking away our troubles took precedence at times. Eventually though, we found our way back to the balm of books: books to take our minds off things, books to soothe the soul, books that showed us worlds 10,000 times better (or worse!) that our current situation. We offer the following selection of MLC staff's favorite books read in the last year. Many were published in 2020, but you'll find classics here as well. Scroll through to find well-loved books in a variety of genres for all ages. Once you're done, let us know what you loved reading in 2020 in the comments.
Comics/Graphic Novels
- The Daughters of Ys
M.T. Anderson and Jo Rioux (2020)
- When Stars Are Scattered
Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed (2020)
"Even though this graphic novel memoir is aimed at middle grade readers, people of all ages will be drawn to its themes of hope, resilience, and familial love."
- Harleen
Stjepan Šejić (2020) - They Called Us Enemy
George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, and Harmony Becker (2019)
- Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me
Rosemary Valero-O'Connell and Mariko Tamaki (2019)
"Learning how to respect yourself and not lose yourself when you're in a romantic relationship with someone else--this book nails it."
- Are You Listening?
Tillie Walden (2019)
"Genuine human connections and a mysterious cat. I was completely entranced."
- The Prince and the DressmakerJen Wang (2018)
Adult Fiction
- Anxious People
Fredrik Backman (2020)
"It’s the world’s worst hostage situation with the world’s most neurotic hostages. Backman does a wonderful job exploring what make people PEOPLE. The book clips along at a wonderful pace and just about every other chapter has a reveal that makes you re-evaluate everything you’ve read so far."
- Wish You Well
David Baldacci (2000)
"I read a lot of David Baldacci this year, but this one had a particular message for me."
- Battleground
- Peace Talks
Jim Butcher (2020)
"I have been reading a lot of escapism--no-thought, sci-fi pulp--but the back to back release of the two Dresden File books was high on my list of best moments."
"I have been reading this series since the early 2000s and Jim Butcher is one of my favorite authors."
- The Girl in the Mirror
Rose Carlyle (2020)
"One of the best twisty mystery/thriller novels I read this year."
- And Then There Were None
Agatha Christie (1939)
- Ring Shout
P. Djèlí Clark
"Alternate history considering the idea that hate turns people into actual monsters that are only perceptible to the few who fight them. Unsettling."
- Piranesi
Susanna Clarke (2020)
"Piranesi’s always lived in the House…until one day, somebody else shows up. This is a weird little atmospheric fantasy book about being alone but not being alone, being trapped but not being trapped, and making the most of your surroundings. So you know, the perfect 2020 quarantine read."
- The Chimes: A Goblin Story of Some Bells that Rang an Old Year Out and a New Year In
Charles Dickens (1844)
"My husband and I started 2020 by reading this as an audiobook while sitting in front of our fire pit on New Year's Eve. I count it, because we didn't finish until around 1:30 AM. I had always meant to read it and that just seemed like the perfect time." - Leopard's Wrath
Christine Feehan (2019)
- The Guest List
Lisa Foley (2020)
"A modern-day take on Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None set on an Irish island. I binge-read this."
- Into the Drowning Deep
Mira Grant (2017)
- Snow Falling on Cedars
David Guterson (1994)
- An Anonymous Girl
Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen (2019)
- Beach Read
Emily Henry (2020)
"When I was stuck in a reading slump, this book pulled me back out by the hair. Its story, at times heartbreakingly sweet and poignant, led me from cover to cover until I was at the end and wishing it would never be over."
- The Bone Tree
- Mississippi Blood
- Natchez Burning
Greg Iles (2015, 2017, 2014)
"In my ongoing effort to read and become familiar with the works of Mississippi authors, I enjoyed several books in the Penn Cage series by Greg Iles set in the Natchez area (Port Gibson to the southwest corner of Wilkinson County). Iles's characters in these books are both intricate and audacious, spanning the concepts of both good and evil. These larger than life stories are surely "must reads" for anyone who wants to be familiar with one of the state's "to be treasured" authors. Who would think that an attempt to do the right thing would foster so very many evil actions by demoniac individuals acting singularly and in groups? During this time of isolation due to the pandemic, these three titles helped this reader to temporarily forget the stress of the virus." - The City We Became
N.K. Jemisin (2020)
"Jemisin really showed in this book that she can not only do high fantasy but is also adept at contemporary fantasy. The modern characters and setting crackle with life and wit, and the story itself pulled me taut with excitement and anticipation the entire time I was reading." - The Only Good Indians
Stephen Graham Jones (2020)
"This was a good year for horror, exemplified by none other than this book, which expertly tackles both the genre and the societal issues surrounding Native American culture. This tale is gripping, terrifying, and one I wish I could erase from my brain so I could have the pleasure of reading it for the first time again."
"Great exploration on how our past haunts us." - Chasing Cassandra
- It Happened One Autumn
Lisa Kleypas (2020, 2005) - The Historian
Elizabeth Kostova (2005)
"I go back and listen to this audiobook every couple of years. It is such a good story and well put together." - Thalmaturge
Terry Mancour (2019)
- Pale Fire
Vladimir Nabokov (1962)
"Worth the hype."
- Witch World
- Web of the Witch World
- Three Against the Witch World
Andre Norton (1963, 1964, 1965)
"I read a lot of new biographies and memoirs this year, but I got the most enjoyment from rereading an old series of books that I read as a child. Andre Norton's Witch World series first caught my attention when I was in the fifth grade, and I rejoiced every time I found a new book in it." - What Are You Going Through
Sigrid Nunez (2020)
"The Friend was better, but this was also good." - Moon of the Crusted Snow
Waubgeshig Rice (2018)
"A small town/tribal community is cut off from society for an unknown reason and must rely on their ancestors' knowledge to survive. Timely." - The Black Swan of Paris
Karen Robards (2020)
"A historical fiction WWII spy novel that delivered and made me sad when it was over."
- Normal People
Sally Rooney (2018)
- The Wise Man's Fear
Patrick Rothfuss (2011) - The Perfect Guests
Emma Rous (2021)
"I loved the flashing back and forth between the present and the past while the book got closer and closer to revealing the truth about a wealthy family." - Home Before Dark
Riley Sager (2020) - Elephant Man
Christine Sparks (1980) - The Sun Down Motel
Simone St. James (2020)
"A ghost story in an old and creepy roadside motel. Yes, please." - No Rest for the Restless
R.W. Stone (2020)
"First western I've read. Really enjoyed it and will read more." - The Past is Never
Tiffany Quay Tyson (2018) - The Bourbon Kings
- Consumed
J.R. Ward (2015, 2018) - Mobius
Garon Whited (2019)
Adult Nonfiction
- The Worst Journey in the World
Apsley Cherry-Garrard (1922)
"Being in the Antarctic SUCKS and Cherry-Garrard does a wonderful job explaining how. This wonderful exploration of Robert Scott’s ill-fated polar expedition is a combination of the author’s memories and diary entries from other members of the expedition. It’s a little heavy at times, but so worth it."
- Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed
Lori Gottlieb (2019)
- As the Last Lead Falls: A Pagan's Perspective on Death, Dying, and Bereavement
Kristoffer Hughes (published as The Journey into Spirit in 2014)
"I listened to a presentation the author did about his work in May and I immediately ordered his book. It was really one of the most beautiful views of death and his pagan rituals surrounding it."
- My Trip Down the Pink Carpet
Leslie Jordan (2008)
- Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family
Robert Kolker (2020)
"After listening to a podcast by Shellie and Tracy, I read Tracy's recommendation of Hidden Valley Road. I enjoy nonfiction, and I have to agree with Tracy that it was one of my favorite books for the year."
- Greenlights
Matthew McConaughey (2020)
"The audiobook is amazing since Matthew is doing his own reading for you. You can hear him smile as he reads his life stories out loud. It's simply an awesome memoir with a positive way to look at life and how best to catch those "greenlights in life" and not let the yellow and red lights slow you down. I rate it five "warm and fuzzy" stars."
- I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer
Michelle McNamara (2018)
"When I heard that HBO was making a six-part documentary series based on the book of the same name, I decided to read the book. Knowing that the author died before finishing the book gives the reader an added layer of context. You feel the desperation of the author to come so close to discovering the killer only to have passed away before knowing her work would result in the capture of a decades long predator. Maybe not the best for reading before bed, but a strong read for those that like true crime."
- Race Against Time: A Reporter Reopens the Unsolved Murder Cases of the Civil Rights Era
Jerry Mitchell (2020)
- Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood
Trevor Noah (2016)
- Erebus: The Story of a Ship
Michael Palin (2018)
"This is a fun, easy-to-read history book about HMS Erebus, the British naval vessel who had a tour of the Antarctic and later mysteriously vanished in the Arctic! Palin’s narrative voice is super fun and you get such a wonderful view of this ship’s history and all the places she went."
- The Order of Time
Carlo Rovelli (2017)
- Open Book
Jessica Simpson (2020)
- Arcadia
Tom Stoppard (1993)
- The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love
Sonya Renee Taylor (2018)
- Memorial Drive
Natasha Trethewey (2020)
"Devastatingly gorgeous, this just made me want to hug my momma close."
Picture Books
- Stick and Stone
Beth Ferry and Tom Lictenheld (2015)
"Simple, yet detailed artwork tells a story of friendship."
- Looking Out for Sarah
Glenna Lang (2001)
"Beautifully illustrated story about a seeing-guide dog and his day-to-day tasks. Based on a real pup and person. Plus there is a dog. :)"
- We Are Water Protectors
Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goada (2020)
"The art is stunning . The story is equally good and pairs well with the illustrations."
- Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story
Juana Martinez-Neal and Kevin Noble Maillard (2019)
"I love fry bread. This book is a celebration of that delectable treat and of the indigenous people across North America who make it."
- Unicorn Day
Diana Murray and Luke Flowers (2019)
"Chaotic artwork, but in a good way. A delightful tale of acceptance."
- In Our Mothers' House
Patricia Polacco (2009)
"I love Patricia Polacco and this book, showcasing a lesbian couple and their adopted children, gave me all the warm and fuzzy feels."
- My Papi Has a Motorcycle
Isabel Quintero and Zeke Peña (2019)
"A celebration of father-daughter love and of the importance of community."
- The Most Magnificent Thing
Ashley Spires (2014)
"A great picture book about emotions and creating things. Plus, there is a dog. :)"
- Coming on Home Soon
Jacqueline Woodson and James E. Ransome (2001) - Visiting Day
Jacqueline Woodson and E.B. Lewis (2004)
"Both of these super sweet books focus on children who live with their grandmothers while their parent is away. I ached for them when they missed their parent--one in prison, the other far away working--but I basked in the glow of that grandmotherly love."
- William's Doll
Charlotte Zolotow and William Pène du Bois (1972)
"William knows what he wants and what he wants is a doll. Smashing gender stereotypes back in the 70s!"
Middle Grade
- The Girl and the Ghost
Hanna Alkaf (2020)
"I adored this Malaysian ghost tale: a girl inherits a ghost from her grandmother, setting her off on a fascinating quest."
- Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe
Jo Watson Hackl (2018)
"A girl in a Mississippi ghost town named Cricket searches for a secret room her mother told her about. Well-researched."
- Indian No More
Charlene Willing McManis and Traci Sorell (2019)
"Set in the mid-1950s, Indian No More tells the true story of a young girl from the Umpqua tribe. When the US government terminates her tribe, her immediate family moves to California and starts a new, very different, life."
- The Bad Beginning
Lemony Snicket (1999)
"I used to love these books and it turns out I still do. I reread all of them this year, but I'm just going to list the first one."
YA
- The Night Country
Melissa Albert (2020) - The Darkest Part of the Forest
Holly Black (2015)
- Clown in a Cornfield
Adam Cesare (2020)
"Like reading an 80s slasher film."
- These Shallow Graves
Jennifer Donnelly (2015)
- Copper Sun
Sharon Draper (2006)
- Pet
Akwaeke Emezi (2019)
"Just because you pretend something is gone doesn't mean it's so."
- Come Tumbling Down
Seanan McGuire (2020)
"Every year, I eagerly await the next book in the Wayward Children series. This year's installment was one of the best yet. I just want to hug these books, I love them so much."
- Prophecy
- Warrior
- King
Ellen Oh (2013, 2013, 2015)
- Witch Child
Celia Rees (2000)
- Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All
Laura Ruby (2019)
"I love a good, non-scary ghost story and this historical mystery was amazing."
We hope you discovered a few books to read in 2021, whether they're old favorites are brand new. Until next time, happy reading!
