The Best Books of 2020 (So Far): Great New Reads You Might Have Missed

The Vanishing Half
Brit Bennett
Spoiler alert: you will not be able to put this book down! The Vanishing Half is an indelible story of identity, family and home that tells the story of identical twin sisters and their daughters, all living vastly different lives. From the acclaimed author of The Mothers, this is a story that asks big questions about who we are and where we’re headed. It’s topping bestseller lists and HBO just won a highly competitive auction to secure the rights to develop the story into a limited series. Everyone is talking about this book! Candice Carty-Williams, author of Queenie hailed The Vanishing Half as “a novel that shows just how human emotion, uncertainty and longing can be captured and put on paper.”
“Brit Bennett’s writing is smart and sharp, funny and melancholy, and it’s clear she has a lot of love for her characters. A great recommendation for fans of Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng.”—Miwa M, Bookseller, B&N Home Office
“Smart, sharp, and oh so good. I absolutely loved this book and was very invested in the characters, even the ones I got frustrated with! This is the first book I have read by Brit Bennett and I cannot wait to read more.”—Lindsay B, Bookseller, B&N Home Office

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Suzanne Collins
Fans of The Hunger Games spent the better part of year swapping theories, pouring over the original texts to confirm or deny said theories and searching the new cover for any possible clues, all while patiently waiting to re-enter Panem. This is the series that ushered in a new era of dystopian fiction, one that’s character-driven in an extraordinary world filled with action, suspense, romance and social commentary – it’s basically got it all, and nothing is off limits. So, when the day arrived to finally unearth the early days of Coriolanus Snow and bring new insights to this complex and compelling world, fans were not left disappointed:
“A heart-stopping adrenaline rush that has you clamoring to reread the original series now that you’ve gotten a glimpse of this unexpected backstory!”—Melissa L, Bookseller, Bellingham, MA
“I didn’t want it to end, and knowing the events of the Hunger Games, I didn’t want to feel for Snow. The book gives you a peek into his world, and leaves you wanting to see more.”—Paul, Bookseller, Santee, CA

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning 
Jason Reynolds, Ibram X. Kendi
This is not a history book. Jason Reynolds, National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and the celebrated author of Long Way Down and Look Both Ways lends his powerful, lyrical prose in this remix of Ibram X. Kendi’s National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning—a staggering look at the deeply rooted systemic racism in American society and how we got here. This edition shines a light on the many dangerous forms in which racism presents itself today and ways to identify and eradicate it from your daily life. Stamped is brilliant and profound and should find its way into the hands of every young reader. There’s no end to the heights this book will reach:
“Reynolds’s engaging, clear prose shines a light on difficult and confusing subjects, including anti-blackness and the creation of racial capitalism. Terms like “segregationist,” “integrationist” and “anti-racist” are defined in direct, accessible language, becoming real tools for a reader to take from the book. This is no easy feat.”— Kaitlyn Greenidge, author of We Love You, Charlie Freeman, in The New York Times
“Stamped is a book that should be in the hands of every teenager. This book is a call to action and is written with the intention of dismantling the racist prejudices that continue to plague our nation. It is educational, important and so very relevant.”—Victoria B, Bookseller, Corte Madera, CA

A Burning
Megha Majumdar
A Burning is like nothing we’ve ever read. An astonishing, heartbreaking story about power—who has it, who doesn’t and what some will do to get it—that’s also an absolute page-turner. In a deceptively slim package like Colson Whitehead’s The Nickel Boys and There, There by Tommy Orange, this is an unforgettable debut by a magnificent new voice. We could not get over the complexities, distinct characters and timely messages throughout this amazing story, and we’re not the only ones who were completely enchanted by its language and universal themes: Yaa Gyasi, author of Homecoming raved about how “Megha Majumdar writes about the ripple effects of our choices, the interconnectedness of our humanity, with striking beauty and clarity.”
“The story is told through three characters whose fates become so carefully intertwined that you won’t stop asking “Why did they do that?” until long after you’ve finished the book. It’s a masterfully orchestrated story that will just leave you stunned and speechless.”—Stephanie F, Bookseller, B&N Home Office
“A searing debut novel filled with characters who will live with you long after you turn the final page… the intensity of this story cannot be overstated. A Burning is the best book I’ve read so far this year!”—Sarah C, Bookseller, Schaumburg, IL

Untamed 
Glennon Doyle
More than just a memoir, this book takes the reader on a journey of self-discovery. It seeks to liberate women from the societal expectations that bind them, to honor beauty and rage equally—it speaks to the soul. While Doyle’s previous books Love Warrior and Carry On, Warrior started the conversation, Untamed started a movement. Her legions of fans (old and new) have found within themselves those three little words “There She Is” and have kept this book at the top of bestseller lists since it’s arrival in March. It was the April selection for Reese’s Book Club and one that Reese herself raved as a book “packed with incredible insight about what it means to be a woman today, what it means to be ‘good,’ and what women will do in order to be loved.”
“Some books shake you by the shoulder while others steal your heart. In Untamed, Glennon does both at the exact same time.”— Brené Brown, author of The Gifts of Imperfection
“Untamed is another honest, moving and empowering book from Glennon Doyle. Her books feel like you’re having a conversation with just her, this one is no different.” —Sarah S, Bookseller, Corte Madera, CA

Deacon King Kong 
James McBride
The overwhelmingly positive praise for Deacon King Kong just keeps coming, so here’s a tip— believe the hype and read this book. In his first novel since his National Book Award-winning The Good Lord Bird, McBride once again delivers the kind of novel you’ll never want to end. This is a story told with a lot of love for its characters and steadfast faith in humanity—it’s also an Oprah’s Book Club pick. “The sheer volume of invention in Deacon King Kong—on the level of both character… and language—commands awe…  And the sentences! The prose radiates a kind of chain-reaction energy.” —The New Yorker 
“This brilliant novel starts out with a literal bang when a church deacon shoots a local drug dealer in 1969 Brooklyn. It’s a story that will captivate you until the very end. Hands down, one of the best books I’ve read this year.”—Tara Smart, Bookseller, Brentwood, TN
“From the first nickname on the first page of this book I was hooked, and it only got better after that. The characters in this book added to the appeal for me. Bum-Bum, Hot Sausage, Hurly Girly? How could I not want to know more? I would definitely recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction!”—Elani W, Bookseller, B&N Home Office

Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor
Layla F. Saad
Based on the original workbook and the Instagram challenge #meandwhitesupremacy, this transformative guide takes its readers through the process of understanding and dismantling their privilege with ways to put their new knowledge into action. This very personal and imperative work is so incredibly powerful and enlightening that after reading it you will want to get it into the hands of every person you know—it’s just that important. Elizabeth Gilbert (author of Eat, Pray, Love & City of Girls) may have said it best: “America needed this book yesterday. In fact, America has always needed this book.” And if you’re looking for a more interactive approach, be sure to grab Me and White Supremacy: A Guided Journal: The Official Companion to the New York Times Bestselling Book Me and White Supremacy.
“A must-read—and ENGAGE—book and an invaluable tool for fully examining the tentacles of white privilege and for confronting our own, individual complicity in a racist culture. A firm, gentle, frank and demanding guide on a journey to explain and drive home the full meaning of what it is to be antiracist.” –Sallye L, Bookseller, B&N Home Office
Layla Saad’s Me and White Supremacy is an indispensable resource for white people who want to challenge white supremacy but don’t know where to begin. She moves her readers from their heads into their hearts, and ultimately, into their practice.”—Robin DiAngelo, author of White Fragility

The One and Only Bob 9780062991317
Katherine Applegate
This sparkling sequel to the Newbery Award-winning The One and Only Ivan is one that will lift you up, make you laugh and warm your heart. It’s one of those rare magical reads you’ll treasure forever and want to pass down to every kid you know. This is a tale that stays with you and will leave you forever longing for more adventures around Bob, Ivan and Ruby. And with the release of The One and Only Ivan to Disney+ on August 21st, there are even more ways to enjoy this instant classic.
“Another heartfelt and empowering novel by Katherine Applegate. It will enchant and delight the inner child in every reader.”—Cassandra Savant, Bookseller, St. Peters, MO
“The One & Only Bob was an absolute delight to read. Bob is rough around the edges but the love he has for his friends and family shines through the pages and the adventure pulls you in. I devoured it in one sitting!”—Steph P, Bookseller, B&N Home Office

The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz
Erik Larson
Larson just gets better with every book. Never have we read a history of the Blitz that gave us such a visceral, immediate sense of being at the epicenter of war, day after endless day.  Larson has always had an eye for fascinating detail and capturing the charms and foibles of a cast of characters—and what better central protagonist than Churchill at this moment in history.  Splendid indeed!
“A beautiful history of how Churchill gave strength to the British people through times of great struggle and brought a country together.”—Savanna Kessler, Bookseller, Lone Tree, CO
“Through the remarkably skillful use of intimate diaries as well as public documents, some newly released, Larson has transformed the well-known record of 12 turbulent months, stretching from May of 1940 through May of 1941, into a book that is fresh, fast and deeply moving.”—Candice Millard, author of River of Doubt and Destiny of the Republic for The New York Times

Countdown 1945: The Extraordinary Story of the Atomic Bomb and the 116 Days That Changed the World
Chris Wallace
A fast-paced dramatic telling of the days from the death of FDR to the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Wallace’s countdown narrative brings to the fore the personal stories of those individuals who created the bomb, counseled for and against the bomb, dropped the bomb and those who survived.  With a journalist’s talent for finding “the story,” this book is a compelling and surprisingly personal history of a seismic historic event.
“Step into the shoes of President Truman and experience the most difficult 116 days in American history.  Albert Einstein said working on the atomic bomb was ‘the one great mistake in my life.’  Don’t let missing this book be yours.”—Steven Kneeland, Bookseller, St. Peters, MO
“A compelling and highly readable account of one of the most fateful decisions in American history. Like John Hersey in his book Hiroshima, Wallace and Weiss humanize events too often reduced to technical or diplomatic arcana by telling their story through the lives of individuals…”—Gregg Herken, author of Brotherhood of the Bomb for The Washington Post