Top 10 Books I Want in 2021

Some of my favorite authors will be publishing books in 2021. I am excited to read the newest installments of my favorite series such as:

1.        Evil in Emerald by A. M. Stuart

2.        Honey Roasted by Cleo Coyle

3.        Haunted Hibiscus by Laura Childs

4.        The American Adventuress by C. W. Gortner

5.        Hemlock by Susan Wittig Albert

6.        Protector by Conn Iggulden

7.        Kingdom of Bones by James Rollins

8.        The Shadows of Men by Abir Mukherjee

9.        The Bombay Prince by Sujata Massey

10.      Bloodline by Jess Lourey

My Top 10 Book Characters for 2020

I had to do some  hard thinking about who my favorite characters were in 2020.  There were a few characters that pop up in my mind though, and all but two are featured in an ongoing series.  Here they are in no apparent order:

Drayton Connelly from Laura Child's Indigo Teashop Mysteries. I like him better than the main character Theodosia Browning. He is a debonair, sixtysomething Southern gentleman who I never tire reading about.  Of course, his many bow ties are sharp looking. Lavender Blue Murder is the last book published so far in this cozy mystery series.

Harriet Gordon from A. M. Stuart's new historical fiction series which takes place in early 1900s Singapore. The Harriet Gordon Mysteries revolve around British military officers and their wives who always seem to be involved in a murder, or at least know all about it. Harriet deftly works around these personalities to solve crimes.  Revenge in Rubies is the 2020 entry in to the series.

Zelda Richardson is another favorite character. She is the protagonist in Jennifer Alderson's Zelda Richardson Mystery series.  Zelda has a BFA in art history and researches stolen works of art so they can be returned to the rightful owners.  Her educational background is perfect for this new series. The Lover's Portrait is the latest book in the series.

Oswald de Lacy is the sleuth in S. D. Sykes medieval mystery series.  He grew up in a Benedictine monastery but after the plague took his father and older brothers Oswald became the Lord of Somershill Manor.  The Bone Fire is the latest book in the series.

I have 3 favorite characters from Cleo Coyle's coffeehouse mysteries.  Clair Cosi manages her former mother-in-law's coffee house The Village Blend.  Her ex-mother-in-law, Madame DuBois, is an extravagant senior woman who lives life fully and richly.  Madame may be a widow but she still gets around and only in the wealthiest groups.  Her flair for fashion is part of her charm.  Claire's ex-husband Matteo Allegro lives an exciting life traveling the world in search of the best coffee beans and has excellent adventures. His love of women is prominent but he still comes running when Clair says that she needs him.  This series is my all-time favorite. The newest addition to the series is Brewed Awakening.

C. DeMelo's stand alone novel Sabina takes place in Renaissance Florence. After marrying well, Sabina learns to adapt in a man's world and get what she wants.  She suffers many losses which makes her a compelling character.

Tom Claraday is Francis Bacon's sidekick in Anna Castle's Francis Bacon Mysteries.  Tom is a young Cambridge University student during the 1500s.  He is mischievous and along with a few fellow Cambridge students finds himself in hot water frequently.  They help him solve murders for Francis Bacon, who is a new barrister at this stage in his life. The series has ended with The Spymaster's Brother. 

Peggy Batternberg in Nancy Bilyeau's Dreamland is a woman after my own heart.  A feminist for her era, early 1900s New York City, Peggy prefers to work in a bookshop than attend high society parties. She breaks her parent's rules not only to have a job but also to secretly meet a man who they would not approve of.  He is poor. I love Peggy's spirit.

My Top 10 Book Covers for 2020

Looking through the books I read this year, I noticed I don't really read many with gorgeous book covers. The last couple of books with stunning covers that I read didn't have great stories so I have to read reviews of them first before I buy the books.  It was hard to choose 10 covers but here they are. 

My Top 10 Books For 2020

2020 was a great year for reading due to the coronavirus pandemic shutdown.  I was home more often and read 129 books. Picking my favorite books was difficult because I read many fabulous ones, including books written by 82 new (to me) authors.  The order in which I have rated them was also difficult to determine.  I am not sure that there should be any order at all but here are my selections:  

10.    The Giant by Laura Morelli (historical fiction)

9.      Seven Days by Alex Lake (psychological thriller)

8.      Dreamland by Nancy Bilyeau (historical fiction)

7.      British Ice by Owen Pomeroy (graphic novel)  

6.      Little Girls Tell Tales by Rachel Bennett (murder mystery)

5.      The Bone Fire by S. D. Sykes (historical mystery)

4.      Revenge in Rubies by A. M. Stuart (historical mystery)

3.      Green Lantern Legacy by Minh Le (graphic novel)

2.      Apartment 6 by Stuart James (psychological thriller)

And my best book for 2020 is:

1.      The Evening and the Morning by Ken Follett (historical fiction)

Honorable Mentions go to The Year of the Rabbit by Tian Veasna, Almost American Girl by Robin Ha, Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yan and Sabina by C. DeMelo.