To review the year’s slate of new titles and get a rundown of the standouts, we turned to staff members at five local bookstores — Brookline Booksmith, Trident Booksellers & Café, Frugal Bookstore, Harvard Book Store, and Porter Square Books. Their favorite new books from the year run the gamut from engrossing fiction to enlightening nonfiction to inspiring memoirs. Whether you’re looking for titles to catch up on from the year or seeking inspiration for the perfect gift for the holidays, the below 19 titles are one part of 2020 not to be left behind, according to the booksellers. Advertisement Clarrissa Cropper, co-owner of Frugal Bookstore, said this novel, which was met with controversy upon its release, has remained one of her store’s top bestsellers through 2020. The story follows a mother and son who are forced to flee their home in Mexico because of a drug cartel and head north towards the United States. Critics of the novel accused Cummins, who identifies as white and Latina, of exploiting and presenting stereotypes of the migrant experience. “I think it was popular because of the controversy, but I think it was popular, too, because of the story she wrote,” Cropper said.