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 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mental Health, Gender Identity, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Magical Realism, LGBTQ+, Fantasy, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Friendship, Family, Truth & Lies, Guilt, Community

Tags Children`s Literature, Realistic Fiction, World History, Humor, Historical Fiction, Great Depression

Jennifer L. Holm’s Full of Beans is a 2016 middle-grade historical novel set in 1934. Main character and first-person protagonist Beans Curry is a 10-year-old boy born and raised in Key West, Florida. The Great Depression causes difficulties for the locals of the dilapidated town, including Beans’s family. “New Dealer” Mr. Julius Stone, Jr. arrives with the plan to boost Key West’s failing economy by recreating it as a tourist destination, but Beans decides that... Read Full of Beans Summary

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Equality, Family, Femininity

Tags Romance, Sports, Race & Racism, Gender & Feminism, Social Class, Latin American Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 2016

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Sexual Identity, Femininity, Coming of Age

Tags Gender & Feminism, Parenting, Psychology, Love & Sexuality, LGBTQ+, Women`s Studies, Sociology, Psychology, Self-Improvement

Publication year 2013

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Teamwork, Power & Greed, Self Discovery

Tags Self-Improvement, Business & Economics, Psychology, Leadership, Psychology

Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success, by Adam Grant, explores the concept of reciprocity in the workplace and how it can lead to personal and professional success. First published in 2013, the book bridges the genres of business psychology and self-help, providing readers with actionable strategies to enhance their careers and professional relationships. Grant, an organizational psychologist and professor, draws on his extensive research and real-world examples to demonstrate the power of... Read Give and Take Summary

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loyalty & Betrayal, Conflict, Fear, Hate & Anger, Revenge, Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Science Fiction, Romance, Action & Adventure

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard (Harper Teen, 2016) is the second installment of the New York Times bestselling Red Queen YA fantasy series and follows a group of fugitives and rebels as they work to build an army to take on the powerful ruling class. Glass Sword follows Red Queen and is the prequel to King’s Cage. Aveyard grew up in western Massachusetts before moving to Los Angeles, California where she received her degree in... Read Glass Sword Summary

Publication year 2022

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Tags US History, Politics & Government, Crime & Law, Mystery & Crime Fiction, World History, Biography

Publication year 2007

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Good & Evil, Religion & Spirituality, Politics & Government

Tags Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Sociology, Science & Nature, World History, Philosophy, Politics & Government

God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything (2007) is a polemical text by English writer Christopher Hitchens. The author argues that religion is a cultural construct that represses people more than it liberates them. He examines religion’s role in sexuality, science, and human dignity and posits that organized religion rarely (if ever) benefits humanity at large. Hitchens was a noted columnist and contributing editor to Vanity Fair magazine.Its themes include mass delusions, the misogyny... Read God Is Not Great Summary