Today's list is a little different from the previous 11 lists because today's list is for grownups. Do you have an adult reader on your list? Or maybe you deserve a treat for yourself after buying all those children's books. Either way, here are some of my favorite books of the year for adults along with what type of reader might enjoy them. If you want personalized suggestions for anyone on your list, leave me a comment and I'm happy to help!
Anxious People by Frederick Backman (Atria, 2020). Here's the book that says how we're all feeling this year! But seriously, this is a character-driven, feel good story about a group of very different people thrust together in a hostage situation. It's perfect reading for this year, not too suspenseful, super heartfelt, and a book that just reinforces a belief in the ultimate decency of people.
The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley (Pamela Dorman Books, 2020). This was one of the first books I could bring myself to read during the quarantine and it's another heartfelt, character-driven read that's a good choice if you need a feel-good book right now. Again, it features a cast of strangers, this one brought together by a found notebook called The Authenticity Project that calls upon those that find it to contribute by writing about their authentic selves. As a chain of strangers meet each other through this notebook, their lives become enmeshed in ways that will change each of them for the better.
Beach Read by Emily Henry (Berkley, 2020). If you're in need of an armchair vacation, this romcom is just the ticket. Romance writer January Andrews and literary darling Augustus Everett find themselves spending the summer in neighboring beach houses, both stuck on their latest projects. So they issue a challenge - Augustus will tackle a romance novel and January will try her hand at literary fiction. I don't know about you but romcoms are one of the few genres I can really get into right now and this was one of my favorites!
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall (Sourcebooks Casablanca, 2020). If a British romcom is more your thing, this is a super one. Laugh out loud funny and sensual rather than too sexy, this is the story of tangentially famous Luc O'Donnell who has trouble staying out of the tabloids. When his work issues an ultimatum - improve his image or find another job - he sets out to find a fake boyfriend to get him some better press.
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin (Orbit, 2020). If you've got an urban fantasy fan or a New Yorker on your list, this is a fascinating and action-packed fantasy novel. New York is being born. As the city becomes cognizant, it's up to five people representing the five boroughs to protect the budding city from an otherworldly evil that threaten its very existence. This is a compelling, creative diverse fantasy read.
Plain Bad Heroines by Emily Danforth (William Morrow, 2020). If something a little scary and atmospheric is what you're looking for, this queer, creepy novel is one that you can really sink your teeth into. Dual narratives - one in the early 1900s at the Rhode Island boarding school and one in modern day Hollywood - weave in and out, piecing together a creepy story of forbidden love, unjust consequences, and strong ladies getting revenge.
The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue (Little, Brown, 2020). If you're a historical fiction reader, this one is a timely choice. Set in 1918 Dublin during the throes of the influenza pandemic, this story might hit too close to home for some readers or it might be fascinatingly timely. Set over the course of three intense days, a maternity nurse manages a fever ward for laboring mothers infected with flu. It reads like the best episode of Call the Midwife ever and will appeal to fans of medical fiction.
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi (Knopf, 2020). For the literary fiction readers on your list, I found this to be a moving portrait of an immigrant family torn apart by addiction. It's a novel that puts faces on the opioid crisis and examines what it means to have faith and to love. Obsessed with her neuroscience lab work, fifth year PhD student Gifty spends her days experimenting on mice in hopes of unlocking the key to curing drug addiction. Her older brother Nana was a gifted high school athlete who died of a heroin overdose when Nifty was 11, shaping her world in irrevocable ways.
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (Riverhead Books, 2020). Here's another one for your literary fiction readers. This is the tale of African American twins in 1960s Louisiana and what happens when one of them runs away and starts passing for white. This is a book that has a lot to say about family and race and presenting yourself to the world in the way that you want to be seen, and what that means for where you come from and who you are. A major bestseller since it was published in June, if you're shopping for a reader who loves to stay on top of the trending books, this is a great choice, especially for those interested in reading about race right now.
Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur (Avon, 2020). One more light-hearted book for this list and this one is perfect reading for the holiday season. After a disastrous first date, social media astrologer Elle Jones and buttoned-up actuary Darcy Lowell both realize how convenient it would be to have a significant other during the holidays to take the pressure from their families off. So they make a deal. They'll be fake girlfriends through the holiday rush and go their separate ways at the new year. But you know how these things go. This is a warm, joyful romance set during the holiday season in Seattle and perfect for anyone who needs a light read right now.
For the first 12 days of November, I've been posting a list of books perfect for gift giving this holiday season. Check out the full list of lists here to see what's been included. All the lists link to IndieBound to make it easy for you to find an independent bookstore to buy from (and as an IndieBound affiliate, shopping through those links supports me, too!). Independent bookstores need our support more than ever this year, so please shop local if you can or if you don't have a local independent bookstore, please consider ordering online from my local indie Carmichael's Bookstore.