TTT: Freebie---Favorite reads of the summer

Top Ten Tuesday this week is a freebie choice. 

The best books I read this summer.

Overall winner and Best Adult Fiction

 All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

This was clearly my favorite book of the summer. 

I "lived the book" for the week it took me to listen to it on audiobooks.

Best YA Fiction

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman

This was a hard choice. I read lots of YA novels this summer. This was percolated to the top because of spectacular writing and whimsical illustrations. The topic is very serious, though. It is about mental illness.

Best Graphic Novel

Tie.

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

and

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

Roller Girl for its spot-on coming-of-age tale; Nimona for its surprising plot twists and turns. The illustrations in both are fantastic.

Best YA Nonfiction

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Petersen and the Churchill Club by Phillip Hoose

Admittedly I only read two YA nonfiction books this summer, but this one is quite good.

Best Adult Nonfiction

The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

I realized I knew next to nothing about these American inventors, Orville and Wilbur Wright, prior to reading this book. David McCullough is a favorite author, too.

Best Audiobook Recording

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, read by Zach Appelman

This book is set in both Germany and France. Zach Appelman handled the foreign words and accents beautifully.  I was captivated.

Best Re-Read

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I think this was my fourth time through this favorite book. I reread it in preparation for Go Set a Watchman, which I also enjoyed.

Best Historical- Fiction (YA)

Audacity by Melanie Crowder

Based on the life of Clara Lemlich, who fought for equal rights for women back around the time of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York. Written in verse and beautifully done.

Best Classic

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Huston

OK. You caught me. I only read one classic this summer, unless To Kill a Mockingbird is considered a classic. This one is written in vernacular so I am glad we listened to the audiobook.

Best Book Club Selection of the summer

Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

No matter what you think of this "sequel" to To Kill a Mockingbird, it was an excellent discussion book on many different levels.