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 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fame, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Music, Arts / Culture, Biography, Mental Illness
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Military / War, History: World, Romance
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Military / War, WWI / World War I, WWII / World War II, History: World, French Literature
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature
The Word Is Murder is a murder mystery by prolific author Anthony Horowitz, published in 2017. It is the first entry in the Hawthorne & Horowitz series, which combines the detective novel with metafiction. Horowitz functions as both author and character, accompanying the fictional Daniel Hawthorne on his investigations. Their investigation blends the mystery genre with meditations on the creative process, the nature of plot, and what makes a character likable or relatable.Horowitz first achieved... Read The Word is Murder Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Irish Literature
Publication year 2017
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Music, Race / Racism, Politics / Government, African American Literature
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, LGBTQ, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
The Young Elites (2014) by Marie Lu is a young adult fantasy novel with thriller and romance elements. Protagonist Adelina Amouteru faces a dismal future as a malfetto—a person marked by the blood fever epidemic that occurred when she was a child. Discovering that she has the supernatural capabilities of a Young Elite, a quality marking only a few malfettos, positions her on a path of deadly conflict and desire. Highlighting themes of The Concept... Read The Young Elites Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World
Publication year 2019
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Creative Nonfiction, Gender / Feminism, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Politics / Government, African American Literature, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Sociology
Tressie McMillan Cottom’s Thick: And Other Essays (2019) is a collection of personal essays that explore race, gender, and class in the US. McMillan Cottom is a professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an influential public intellectual whose writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Slate, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. Thick situates McMillan Cottom’s personal experiences within sociological and structural analysis to link her experiences to... Read Thick: And Other Essays Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Biography, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Family
Tags Romance, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Community
Tags Business / Economics, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help
Publication year 2014
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Education
Tags LGBTQ, Humor, Self Help, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 2017
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Health / Medicine, Humor, Science / Nature