The Best of "Best Book" Lists

The Best of "Best Book" Lists Collection gathers together a selection of popular bestsellers and fan favorites that frequently appear on "Best of" lists. This diverse Collection includes picks to suit a range of age groups and genre preferences, from otherworldly fantasy to gripping crime thrillers.

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Family

Tags Allegory / Fable / Parable, Magical Realism, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Travel Literature

The international bestseller The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (2012) is the first novel by author Rachel Joyce and the first in a trilogy, followed by The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy (2014) and Maureen Fry and the Angel of the North (2022). The novel was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize and longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Young also wrote the screenplay for the novel’s film adaptation, which stars Jim Broadbent as Harold... Read The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Italian Literature, History: World, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Community

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Magical Realism, Education, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Parenting, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Music, Race / Racism, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Ancient Greece, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2002

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fame, Identity: Language

Tags Business / Economics, Self Help, Arts / Culture, Psychology, Philosophy, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Philosophy


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Romance, Fantasy, New Adult, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Military / War, WWII / World War II, British Literature, History: World


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Fathers

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Crime / Legal, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships, Parenting, Modernism, Modern Classic Fiction

The Whisper Man, released in August 2019, is a crime thriller by British author Alex North about the potential resurgence of a serial child murderer known as the Whisper Man and how it entangles various characters in a small town. North claims he got the idea for the book after his son mentioned “the boy in the floor.” Through criminal investigation and the lives of a father and son, North explores the nature of intergenerational... Read The Whisper Man Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Femininity

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Drama / Tragedy


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Class, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery

Tags Indian Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Poverty, Class, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman

Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger was published in 2008. Adiga’s first novel, The White Tiger won the Man Booker Prize and was adapted into a movie in 2021. Born in Chennai, India, Adiga has lived in India and Australia, and attended Columbia University in New York and Oxford University in England. A coming-of-age story told through a first-person narrator and letters addressed to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, The White Tiger examines the conflict between tradition... Read The White Tiger Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags History: World, Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Indian Literature


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: The Past, Society: Class

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, Gothic Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Climate Change, Children's Literature, Animals


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Daughters & Sons

Tags Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Gender, Society: Education, Society: Class, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Finance / Money / Wealth, Poverty, Narrative / Epic Poem


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Magical Realism, Mystery / Crime Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Humor