My top 10 favorite reads of 2020!

I read a lot this year (a bit more, due to pandemic restrictions) & I am happy to say there were a lot of amazing books on my list! I'm going to share my top 10 favorite books with you on this post today & I'll give a quick summary as well as why it was a favorite for me. I hope you can find some commonality or perhaps a new book recommendation from this list; enjoy! 
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1. Atomic Habits
by: James Clear  
(This book rocked my way of thinking about goals vs. habits, & how we have to think of habits more as a lifestyle change & recognize that it takes time. It introduced 4 laws of habit change: 1) make it obvious, 2) make it attractive, 30 make it easy & 4) make it satisfying. I bought the habits calendar & have been keeping myself accountable daily since I read this book, as I strive to turn into the person I want to be.) 
www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Atomic+habits&qid=1607445720&sr=8-1

2. The Read-Aloud Family: Eighth Edition 
by: Jim Trelease 
(My interest in this book should be self-explanatory, but it has greatly added to my knowledge base about reading with kids & early literacy, which is what I primarily discuss on my podcast. There are so many great tips as well as carefully curated book lists for all age levels in the back.) 
www.amazon.com/Jim-Treleases-Read-Aloud-Handbook-Eighth/dp/0143133799/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+read-aloud+handbook&qid=1607445690&sr=8-1

3. Lovely War
by: Julie Berry
(This is one of the first WWI novels I've read in a long while & Berry is SO masterful in the way she weaves this tale. It goes from Greek gods convening with the goddess of love, who then tells the story of 4 individuals during WWI times, who fought or served in the war, & fell in love with each other. Hazel & James are my absolute favorite!) 
www.amazon.com/Lovely-War-Julie-Berry/dp/0147512972/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=lovely+war&qid=1607445802&sr=8-1

4.The Hiding Place
by: Corrie Ten Boom & Elizabeth Sherrill
(Corrie is a lovable woman who, during World War II, risked her life to protect & hide Jews from the Nazis. Eventually, she & her sister Betsy were taken to concentration camps when they were caught, but the life lessons Corrie learned continued in those camps.  Betsy even shows one how to be grateful in spite of horrific circumstances, & it's a truly memorable tale from WWII.)  
www.amazon.com/Hiding-Place-Corrie-Ten-Boom/dp/0800794052/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+hiding+place&qid=1607445828&sr=8-1

5. The Giver of Stars
by: Jojo Moyes 
(Taking place during the Great Depression, another historical fiction novel I enjoyed, is the story of the packhorse librarians from Kentucky. 
www.amazon.com/Giver-Stars-Novel-Jojo-Moyes/dp/0399562486/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+giver+of+stars&qid=1607445862&sr=8-1

6. Edenbrooke
by: Julianne Donaldson
  (One of the cleanest romances out there & a very intriguing one at that.
www.amazon.com/Edenbrooke-Julianne-Donaldson/dp/1609089464/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=edenbrooke&qid=1607445908&sr=8-2

7. The Self-Driven Child
by: William Stixrud & Ned Johnson 
(A thorough parenting book if I've ever read one! It discusses how to handle things from toddlers through high school age kids & I know that information will come more in handy as my kids grow. I love the idea of helping my children learn to be more accountable human beings!) 
www.amazon.com/Self-Driven-Child-Science-Giving-Control/dp/0735222525/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=the+self-driven+child&qid=1607445957&sr=8-2

8. The Tattooist of Auschwitz
by: Heather Morris
(An unlikely love story, as well as many atrocities, takes place in this WWII novel; it still ended up in my top 10 for the year though! I loved Lale's development; the main character & the one selected to tattoo all of the Jews who ended up in the Auschwitz- Birkenau camp, mainly because of his linguistic ability. Believe it or not, this one did have a somewhat happy ending, in spite of all the terrible things that happened to Lale & his love, Gita.) 
www.amazon.com/Tattooist-Auschwitz-Novel-Heather-Morris/dp/0062797158/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2KJM85F0R0SJN&dchild=1&keywords=the+tattooist+of+auschwitz&qid=1607446037&sprefix=the+tattoist+of%2Caps%2C206&sr=8-4

9. American Spy
by: Lauren Wilkinson 
(Do you like a good spy story? What about when the spy falls in love with the person she's spying on? This book was SO good; it was not even remotely boring, even during the political situation explanations of the Cold War. Marie, even though she has 2 children, has been an agent for years, & the flashbacks to her former life, before children, make it intriguing & somewhat confusing. Also, this book touched on the themes of: racism, family relationships, & romance and it was done masterfully.) 
www.amazon.com/American-Spy-Novel-Lauren-Wilkinson/dp/0812998952/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=american+spy&qid=1607446766&sr=8-1

10. American Royals
by: Katharine McGee 
(What if America had become a monarchy after the Revolutionary War, & George Washington had been our first king instead of the first president? This concept truly fascinated me & made the book plot interesting, but of course, there was plenty of drama & royalty, as well as several relationships to follow in this book, AND McGee skillfully rolls out the story from 4 different points of view-- which keeps you on your toes for what happens next!) 
​www.amazon.com/American-Royals-Katharine-McGee/dp/1984830201/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=american+royals&qid=1607446060&sr=8-1