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 Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Food, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Satire, Relationships, Agriculture, Arts / Culture, Business / Economics, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Food, Health / Medicine, History: U.S., Politics / Government, Poverty, Religion / Spirituality, Social Justice
Landscape with Invisible Hand is a satirical dystopian science fiction novel by M. T. Anderson, written for a young adult audience. A diverse author, Anderson writes both fiction and nonfiction for people of all ages. In 2023, Landscape with Invisible Hand was adapted for film, reflecting the novel’s popularity and relevance. The book depicts a future world in which an alien species, the vuvv, have sold their technology to humans, causing the collapse of the... Read Landscape with Invisible Hand Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Magical Realism, Fantasy
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Western, History: World
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Race, Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Love / Sexuality, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2019
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Romance
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Sexuality
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, LGBTQ, Relationships, Class, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2022
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: U.S., Diversity, African American Literature, Gender / Feminism, History: World
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Gender
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ, Romance
Publication year 2017
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Community, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Parenting
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Gender
Tags Crime / Legal, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Grief / Death, Latin American Literature
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Aging
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk is a 2017 picaresque novel by Kathleen Rooney. The narrative is loosely based on the life of the American writer Margaret Fishback, reputed to be the highest-paid advertising woman in the world in the 1930s, who published well-received poems and short stories from that time until the 1960s. The reflective novel unfolds in the span of a single night—New Year's Eve 1984—and follows 85-year-old Lillian Boxfish as she takes a... Read Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Society: War, Relationships: Fathers, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Grief / Death, American Civil War, Religion / Spirituality, History: U.S., Race / Racism, American Literature, History: World
The novel Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders, published by Random House in 2017, offers a portrait of an American legend in mourning, surrounded by a poignant but funny cast of 166 characters. It is Saunders’s debut novel, though he has been a notable author of short story collections for decades. The novel won the prestigious Man Booker Prize and was a New York Times best seller.Set in 1862, Lincoln in the Bardo is... Read Lincoln in the Bardo Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Crime / Legal, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction