Booksellers Unveil Their Top Books of 2020

Bookshops across the UK & Ireland have revealed their favourite books and authors of 2020.

This year’s shortlist includes: The Vanishing Half, by New York Time bestseller Brit Bennett; Diary of a Young Naturalist, by 16-year-old Dara McAnulty; the most hopeful book of the pandemic, Humankind by international bestselling author Rutger Bregman; The Devil and the Dark Water by 2018 Books Are My Bag Readers Awards winner Stuart Turton; South Korean sensational #MeToo bestseller Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-joo(translated by Jamie Chang); Cinderella is Dead, a retelling of the popular fairy tale by Kalynn Bayron; and 2019-shortlistee Alice Oseman forHeartstopper Vol 3.

 

Grace Dent to host virtual Books Are My Bag Readers Awards ceremony on Tuesday 10thNovember, sponsored by National Book Tokens

·       16-year-old nature writer, two graphic novelists, previously shortlisted Alice Oseman, South Korean sensation Cho Nam-joo, and nine debut writers among booksellers’ top books of the year

·       Books on sexuality, dance, Cinderella and Greek myths make the shortlist, hand-picked by booksellers

·       Record number of books from independent publishers are shortlisted

Nine debut writers are among the 25-strong shortlists across six categories. In addition to Cho Nam-joo, Dara McAnulty and Kalynn Bayron, the other debut authors shortlisted are: Eliza Clark for her celebrated novel Boy Parts; Summer Young for her Tracy Emin-like pamphlet Sylvanian Family;Elle McNicoll for her children’s fiction book A Kind of Spark; Jean Menzies for her retellings of mythical tales Greek Myths (illustrator Katie Ponder);Kiley Reid for her Booker longlisted debut Such a Fun Age; Douglas Stuart for his heart-rending novel set in 1980s Glasgow Shuggie Bain.

 

More than half of this year’s nominated titles – spanning Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Young Adult Fiction, Children’s Fiction and Breakthrough Author – come from independent publishers, including Influx Press, Granta Books, Little Toller, Verso Books, Bad Betty Press, Nosy Crow and Knights Of. In addition, this year almost 40% of the shortlisted titles re from first-time writers.

 

The public vote opens today, ahead of Bookshop Day this weekend, to decide the winners across the six categories. The public is invited to vote for a winning title from each shortlist from Thursday 1 October until 11pm of Sunday 25 October, with the winners being announced on Tuesday 10 November at a virtual awards ceremony hosted by restaurant critic and author Grace Dent. The ceremony will be streamed at 5:30pm across the @booksaremybag YouTube, Twitter and Facebook channels.

 

The 2020 Books Are My Bag Readers Awards Shortlist, as chosen by bookshops:

 

Fiction

Boy Parts by Eliza Clark (Influx Press)

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton (Bloomsbury)

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-joo (Simon & Schuster)

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (Dialogue Books)

Weather by Jenny Offill (Granta Books)

 

Non-Fiction

The Dance Cure by Dr Peter Lovatt (Short Books Ltd)

Diary of a Young Naturalist by Dara McAnulty (Little Toller Books)

Humankind by Rutger Bregman (Bloomsbury)

Insurgent Empire: Anticolonial Resistance and British Dissent by Priyamvada Gopal (Verso Books)

 

Poetry

Homie by Danez Smith (Vintage)

Seagull Seagull by James K Baxter (Gecko Press)

Sylvanian Family by Summer Young (Bad Betty Press)

Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright: An Animal Poem for Every Day of the Year by Britta Teckentrup and Fiona Waters (Nosy Crow)

 

Young Adult Fiction

Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi (Pan Macmillan)

Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron (Bloomsbury)

The Crossover: Graphic Novel by Kwame Alexander (author), Dawud Anyabwile (illustrator) (Andersen Press)

Heartstopper Vol 3 by Alice Oseman (Hachette Children’s Group)

 

Children’s Fiction

A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll (Knights Of)

Blended by Sharon M. Draper (Simon & Schuster)

Gargantis by Thomas Taylor (Walker)

The Highland Falcon Thief by M.G. Leonard & Sam Sedgman (Pan Macmillan)

 

Breakthrough Author

Brit Bennett author of The Vanishing Half (Dialogue Books)

Jean Menzies author of Greek Myths (Dorling Kindersley)

Kiley Reid author of Such a Fun Age (Bloomsbury)

Douglas Stuart author of Shuggie Bain (Pan Macmillan)

 

Danez Smith, author of Homie, said: “Books saved me, save me, will save me as long as I have a spirit to rescue from its own darkness and the dark corners of the world. To think that my little words might be doing the same for someone else, even one person, makes the work worth it. To be shortlisted for the Books are My Bag Readers Awards is beyond an honor, it affirms for me that my duty to poetry isn’t some selfish need to confess and be heard, but that poems are how we nourish one another, how we make sanctuary and fight for one another. I’m humbled to share the company of incredible writers, and to share the love and need of poetry with booksellers and readers everywhere.”

 

Jenny Offill, author of Weather, said: “I am a former bookseller myself, so this feels like the highest of honors to me! I am utterly thrilled to be nominated by such a discerning group of readers.”

 

Jean Mezies, nominated in the Breakthrough Author category, said: “It’s an absolute honour to have been nominated for the Books Are My Bag Breakthrough Award for Greek Myths, particularly given that it was chosen by booksellers. Exploring bookshops as a child and discovering titles on new and exciting topics thanks to the staff who curated their shelves is one of the main reasons I’m an Ancient Historian now.”

 

Emma Bradshaw, Head of Campaigns at the Booksellers Association, commented: “Curated by booksellers, the book experts par excellence, the Books Are My Bags Readers Awards are truly special awards. The shortlist always gives a fascinating insight into the reading trends of the year, and this year’s shortlist is particularly poignant given the impact COVID-19 has had on both our reading and shopping habits. Consumers appreciated anew the knowledge, dedication and expertise of booksellers during lockdown; a time when for many books were the only thing to bring hope and comfort. While we were unable to physically browse in bookshops, booksellers found new and creative ways of pairing their customers with the right book at the right time.  

 

This year we encourage consumers to think about their Christmas shopping earlier than usual and to support their high street. Whether you shop in-store or online with your local bookshop this Christmas, the Books Are My Bag Readers Awards shortlist is the ultimate book guide for shoppers; there’s something there for everyone. We hope book lovers will continue to support bookshops this Bookshop Day and beyond.”

 

Alex de Berry, Managing Director of National Book Tokens, said: “Not only are the Readers Awards the only book awards where the winners are chosen by truly democratic public vote, they have also proved to be a positive platform for diverse voices. We are immensely proud to have helped create these awards and to continue to be able to sponsor them.”

 

The Books Are My Bag Readers Awards, now in their fifth year, are the only book awards curated by booksellers, and voted for by readers. The shortlist panel comprises: Katharine Fry (Blackwell’s), Meera Ghanshamdas (Moon Lane Books), James Routledge (Forum Books), Mog and Pauline Harris (Warwick Books), Amy Vale (Book-ish) and Joe Hedinger (The Book Hive). The shortlist categories open for public vote are: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Young Adult Fiction, Children’s Fiction and Breakthrough Author. In addition to voting on the shortlisted titles in the categories above, the public are invited to nominate their favourite book of the year – any book they’ve read in the past year – as the Readers’ Choice winner.

The public can vote online at the following link: www.nationalbooktokens.com/vote

 

The Books Are My Bag Readers Awards are sponsored by National Book Tokens and are part of Books Are My Bag – the annual campaign celebrating the vital importance of bookshops.

 For more information visit www.booksaremybag.com / @BooksAreMyBag / #BAMBReadersAwards

 

12 Books To Read In 2012

Peter James Dead Man’s Time

Peter James Dead man's time review

Few things in life are as fun as a hardback crime thriller in your hands and a few hours of spare time. This well-researched and fast paced book is an exciting roller-coaster of a book. I found it really hard to put this book down. Peter James is obviously a brilliant crime writer. Prepare to be blown away. Peter James is also a film producer, producing the Merchant Of Venice which starred Al Pacino and has worked as a screenwriter. Talented man. The hardback edition is an interactive book.

SOME WILL WAIT A LIFETIME TO TAKE THEIR REVENGE . . . A vicious robbery at a secluded Brighton mansion leaves its elderly occupant dying. And millions of pounds’ worth of valuables have been taken. But, as Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, heading the enquiry, rapidly learns, there is one priceless item of sentimental value that the old woman’s powerful family cherish above all else. And they are fully prepared to take the law into their own hands, and will do anything, absolutely anything, to get it back. Within days, Grace is racing against the clock, following a murderous trail that leads him from the shady antiques world of Brighton, across Europe, and all the way back to the New York waterfront gang struggles of 1922, chasing a killer driven by the force of one man’s greed and another man’s fury.

Jim Pinnells Saturn’s Daughters: The Birth of Terrorism

Saturn’s Daughters Author Jim Pinnells Interview: On Russia, Pussy Riots And The Birth Of Terrorism, terrorism, Jim Pinnells, pussy riots,

I really loved this book. We interviewed Jim Pinnells so have a read. This book is a great insight into terrorism and revolutionaries. It mingles real and fictional characters brilliantly and really draws you into the world of 19th century Russia. Pinnells is a Russian Historian and it really shows. A brilliant book which will keep you gripped until the end, whilst giving you a fun history lesson. What more could you want?

Claire Garber Love is a Thief

love is a thief

An entertaining book which comes with a smart premise: what has love stolen from you? Heartwarming, smart, addictive and very, very funny. I also love Claire’s bio, ‘Claire did nothing remotely of interest until aged 26, when she visited the French Alps and fell in love with every single French man she met’.

Kate Winters is an ordinary girl, with a not-so-ordinary mission: take back what love stole!

Kate Winters might just be ‘that’ girl. You know the one. The girl who, for no particular reason, doesn’t get the guy, doesn’t have children, doesn’t get the romantic happy ever after. So she needs a plan. What does she like doing? What didn’t she get to do because she fell in love? What would she be happy spending the rest of her life doing if love never showed up again?

This is one girl’s journey to take back what love stole and maybe find love again along the way Feel-good, witty and addictive; Love is a Thief is the book everyone’s talking about.

Daron Sheehan The Socrates Project

Daron Sheehan The Socrates Project

An eco-thriller. Yes, en eco-thriller. Described as ‘Michael Crichton meets George Orwell’. The smart thing about this book is that it takes entertainment and combines it with the very real problem of the damage to our environment and global warming. We went to the launch and had a chat with Daron and adventurer Mark Beaumont. Daron went through quite a few drafts of The Socrates Project and you can tell his friends didn’t hold back as the novel is not a brilliant read which has started its own genre in literature.

The Socrates Project is a secret attempt by the United Nations to avert the predicted collapse of our civilisations. Simon Oceandis heads up the sicads, who must blend modern science and ancient wisdom to find the solutions before time runs out.

Not everybody welcomes the Project. An influential secret society plots to discredit and destroy the sicads. Torn between the love of a beautiful scientist and a fiery tribeswoman, Simon discovers an exotic world of adventure and wonder. To find the answers to save humanity, he must undergo a deep inner journey, yet his life becomes a frantic race for survival…

Is it happening? Could it happen? Should it happen? Decide for yourself! Live the story…

Charles Dubow Indiscretion

Charles Dubow Indiscretion

If you want a glamourous book about love and betrayal, desire and deceit, then Indiscretion is the book for you. Indiscretion is the first novel from Charles Dubow but it is a confident and powerful debut.

The Great Gatsby meets The Secret History in this torrid novel of love, lust and deception.

Harry and Madeleine Winslow are blessed with talent, money, and charm. Harry is an award–winning author on the cusp of greatness. Madeleine is a woman of sublime beauty and grace whose elemental goodness belies a privileged upbringing. Bonded by deep devotion, their marriage is both envied and admired by friends who spend summers at their East Hampton idyll.

When a holiday fling turns disastrously wrong, 26-year-old Claire falls into the Winslows’ welcoming orbit. They are enchanted by her youth and intelligence. In turn, Claire is entranced by Harry and Maddy. The love that exists between them is something of which, until now, she could only dream.

Seen through the omniscient eyes of Maddy’s childhood friend Walter, Indiscretion is a story about the complexities of love, the dangerous nature of desire and how obsession can tear apart even the most perfect of worlds.

This ebook edition also contains an extended extract from Maggie Shipstead’s award-winning, New York Times bestseller, Seating Arrangements.


Brigitte Cobb Make it Fly!: The step by step guide to make ANY idea, project or goal take off

Brigitte Cobb Make it Fly!: The step by step guide to make ANY idea, project or goal take off

I love how this book is layed out. It has exercises, tables, steps and a Do it! summary at the end of each chapter. Perfect for motivation and to get you started on your goals, whatever they may be. The tone is positive without being annoying and it is impossible to not feel inspired reading it. It is no nonsense, firm but fair and does the important thing of telling you to look after yourself. If you have an idea, project or even just a vague dream, buy it and you are on your way. I loved it.

Whether it’s a project at work or a dream for life, Make it Fly! is the ultimate success plan
for making things happen.

Its proven, step-by-step approach will make even the biggest goal achievable, giving you that vital first push and all the know-how, inspiration and practical techniques you need to see things through.

Discover how to:

Appraise your idea to make sure if it’s really ready to fly
Get the planning right so you know what’s happening now and what you’re doing next
Hurdle all the annoying obstacles that will try to put you off course
Stay motivated focused by taking every step in the right way and at the right time

Stop talking about what you’re going to do, and start doing what you’re talking about. It’s time to make it fly!

Dr Patrizia Collard Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy For Dummies

MindfulnessBasedCognitiveTherapyFD

With the stigma of mental health problems being eroded all the time, mindfulness and cognitive therapy are both huge topics and if this book shows anything, it is how mainstream mental health issues are now, which can only be a good thing as people who are ill are not suffering in silence. With this great book you can also download audio files. Like any ‘For Dummies’ Book, it is easy to read and understand. With great programmes and chapters on stopping the cycle of depression and breaking free from addiction, this is a very good book; if you have any problems or or just having a hard time, this book has a large amount of knowledge that can you put your life back on track.

It has a complete eight-week MBCT course, mindfulness exercises and even meditation practices. A must buy to get you over any bumps in the road.

Break the mental chains that keep you stuck in the past and start living a fuller, happier life If you suffer from depression you know how it feels to be dragged down by past hurts, regrets and disappointments. In this book you’ll learn an amazingly simple, yet highly effective, approach to breaking free of past woes (and future worries) and beating negative ways of thinking. Therapist Dr Patrizia Collard takes you on an eight–week journey of self–discovery, arming you with powerful tools for warding off future depression and related problems, such as anxiety, addiction and low self–esteem. Make room for peace of mind – learn to prepare a physical (and mental) space conducive to meditation practice Take a good look at what’s hurting you – find the courage to confront your demons, face–to–face, rather than pushing them away Break those mental chains – become aware of the background noise and static that’s distracting you from clarity and purpose Pay attention to the here and now – master mindfulness techniques for living in the present moment, rather than fixating on the past or worrying about what the future may bring Expand your focus – apply what you learn to beating an array of specific problems from addiction to depression, including eating disorders, pain, anxiety and more Audio download includes Seven guided meditations, including the sitting with difficult thoughts meditation and mindful breathing meditation Step–by–step advice to prepare yourself for effective meditation

Tiffany Reisz The Mistress

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Perfect for people who have read 50 Shades of Grey and are now not only huge fans of erotic fiction, but want to go further. Reisz’s writing really draws you in. Perfect for fans of erotic fiction. Is the latest book in the Original Sinners series. Hot, spicy, sweet and well-written.

Nora Sutherlin, Dominatrix-turned-literary-star, is held prisoner by two dangerous men. Under different circumstances she would enjoy this immensely. These men aren’t lovers, however, but tools of vengeance from an old adversary. Possessor of the hearts of two men, she plays her hardest hand. But her captor isn’t interested in play. Or pity.

In Nora’s world, however, no one is ever truly powerless. Her friends and lovers will do anything to save her – even if the only certainty seems to be sacrifice and heartbreak. The stakes are high in a dangerous game of love, lust and passion

Lucy Cruickshanks The Trader of Saigon

Lucy Cruickshanks The Trader of Saigon

The Trader of Saigon is a book you can really sink your teeth into. Cruickshanks really brings post-civil war Vietnam to life. You can almost smell and taste it. With a clever plot and characters that you really care for, this book is well-researched that is atmospheric and thought-provoking. An amazing debut novel.

From Hanoi to Saigon, a tale of one woman’s search for a better life – and a thriller that strikes to the merciless heart of post-civil war Vietnam. In the chaos and corruption of 1980s’ Vietnam, three seemingly unconnected lives are brought together by greed, fear and hope.

As a US Army deserter, Alexander is a man without country; trapped in a life he no longer controls and embroiled in the dark business of trading women. His latest victim is Hanh, a rural girl who moved to Hanoi to escape inevitable poverty and who sees Alexander’s arrival as the answer to her prayers. Neither of them has ever met Phuc – a Vietnamese businessman who backed the wrong side in the war and is now unable to pay his financial and political debts to the Party. But his struggles are about to change both their lives.

From a society torn apart by war comes a tale of redemption and salvation; a thrilling saga and an explosive debut novel.

Anouska Knight Since You’ve Been Gone

 

This is a beautiful story that you can really lose yourself in. It is a slow burner and a heartwarming, witty and funny read.

How do you learn to love again?

In one tragic moment, Holly Jefferson s life as she knows it changes for ever. Now to the external world, at least she s finally getting back on her feet, running her business, Cake. Then she meets Ciaran Argyll.

His rich and charmed life feels a million miles from her own. However, there s more to Ciaran than the superficial world that surrounds him, and he too is wrestling with his own ghosts. Will Holly find the missing ingredient that allows her to live again and embrace an unknown and unexpected tomorrow

Victoria Fox Wicked Ambition

Victoria Fox Wicked Ambition

Victoria Fox is single-highhandedly bringing the bonkbuster genre back. We interviewed Victoria a while ago and her books are pure escapism. You get the feeling that she is not making it all up, but is a Hollywood insider who really knows her stuff and is spilling secrets. Fox is a brilliant writer and this is another great book from her. Believable fantasy.

If not victory, revenge!
Some will do anything for fame.
Others will do anything to bring the famous down.
Three superstars. Three secrets.

For Robin, Turquoise and Kristin, the spotlight shines brightly. They’ve reached the glittering heights of stardom, and are adored the world over. But in the shadows lies the truth… An expose could be their end.
Because not everyone is happy about their success. Not everyone wants the best for them. Some people want to reveal the real stories behind the luxury parties and gorgeous men, and bring their dazzling worlds crashing to the ground.
Who will fall first

Cathy Kelly The Honey Queen

Cathy Kelly The Honey Queen

A very talented writer. Her books are beautifully written. A wonderful book about life and friendship and all of the trials that come with it that will warm your heart. A gripping book to get lost in and a joy to read.

Can she find the strength to help the family she never knew she had?

Vibrant and warm, Frankie manages people as a career – so her husband’s silence on redundancy comes as a shock. Suddenly both their dream house project in pretty Redstone and their marriage are under terrible strain.

Only twenty-seven, Peggy is opening her own knitting shop in town but her past threatens to unravel any prospect of love and a family of her own.

Lillie is the friend they both need. Newly arrived in the small Irish town from Australia, she’s no stranger to secrets and heartache. Wrapped in the warmth of the community, Lillie must help herself and her new friends rediscover the joy in life…

 What book will you read?