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.

Isola

by Allegra Goodman

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Love, Perseverance, Gender Identity, Death, Nature Versus Nurture, Social Class

Tags Historical Fiction, Survival Fiction

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It Girl

by Allison Pataki

Publication year 2026

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Femininity, Marriage, Self Discovery, Beauty, Fame

Tags Historical Fiction

Set against the glittering backdrop of turn-of-the-century New York City, the novel follows Evelyn Talbot, a fatherless girl from small-town Pennsylvania who rises to become America's most famous face, only to find herself trapped by the powerful men who claim to love her. Evelyn narrates her own story from beyond what the public believes is her death, opening with a July 1906 newspaper account of a sensational shooting aboard a Manhattan dinner cruise. The press... Read It Girl Summary

Iveliz Explains It All

by Andrea Beatriz Arango

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Mental Health, Family, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Race, Coming of Age, Death, Fathers, Grandparents, Mothers, Self Discovery, Safety & Danger

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness

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Jackaby

by William Ritter

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Community, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags Fantasy, Horror & Suspense, World History, Religion & Spirituality, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Grief & Death

Jackaby is a 2014 young adult fantasy novel by William Ritter. It is the first in a series by the same name and follows paranormal investigator R. F. Jackaby, and his new assistant Abigail Rook, as they investigate a series of supernatural murders. The novel draws on a range of world mythologies and classic detective fiction like Sherlock Holmes, Inspector Dupin, and the works of Raymond Chandler.Plot SummaryIn 1892, a young Englishwoman named Abigail Rook... Read Jackaby Summary

Japanese Gothic

by Kylie Lee Baker

Publication year 2026

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Grief, Guilt, Shame & Pride, Masculinity, Death, The Past, Nature Versus Nurture, Daughters & Sons, Colonialism, War, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Magical Realism, Contemporary Literature

Kylie Lee Baker’s Japanese Gothic (2026) is a psychological horror novel that blends Western Gothic traditions with Japanese folklore. The story follows Lee Turner, a university student who flees to an old family home in Japan, believing he has murdered his roommate. Haunted by suppressed trauma, Lee discovers the house is a portal connecting his present to the year 1877. There, he meets Sen, a young female samurai whose family is hiding after a failed... Read Japanese Gothic Summary

John of John

by Douglas Stuart

Publication year 2026

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Sexual Identity, Daughters & Sons, Religion & Spirituality

Tags LGBTQ+, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction

Douglas Stuart’s 2026 novel, John of John, is a work of literary fiction set on the remote Isle of Harris in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. The story follows John-Calum “Cal” Macleod, a recent art school graduate who is manipulated into returning to his insular and devoutly religious hometown of Falabay by his father, John. Forced to confront a community governed by strict doctrine and unspoken secrets, Cal must navigate his fractured relationship with his father while... Read John of John Summary

Joyland

by Stephen King

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

Joyland (2013) is the second in Stephen King’s hard-boiled detective collection published by Hard Case Crime.King has written more than 80 full-length novels in addition to 20 novellas, over 120 short stories, and 5 nonfiction books. He has won more than 30 awards for his fiction. His books and short stories have been made into 39 films and 13 television series (with more in planning).This guide references the 2013 paperback edition.Content Warning: The novel features... Read Joyland Summary

Just Us

by Claudia Rankine

Publication year 2020

Genre Anthology/Varied Collection, Nonfiction

Themes Race, Politics & Government, Justice

Tags Race & Racism, Trauma & Abuse, Arts & Culture, World History, Social Justice, Politics & Government

... Read Just Us Summary