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.

The Reformatory

by Tananarive Due

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Race, The Past, Justice

Tags Historical Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Race & Racism, African American Literature, Science Fiction, World History, Religion & Spirituality

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The Refugees

by Viet Thanh Nguyen

Publication year 2017

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Family, War, Aging

Tags Immigration & Refugeeism, Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, Trauma & Abuse, Vietnam War, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, World History

The Refugees is a 2017 collection of short stories by celebrated Vietnamese American author, Viet Thanh Nguyen. Nguyen has written fiction, academic nonfiction, and children’s books, and his novel The Sympathizer won the Pulitzer Prize in 2016. Nguyen received his doctorate in English at the University of California Berkeley, and he currently is a literature professor at the University of Southern California. Nguyen’s scholarship and literary works focus on the experiences of Vietnamese communities in... Read The Refugees Summary

There Is No Place for Us

by Brian Goldstone

Publication year 2025

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Hate & Anger, Shame & Pride, Mental Health, Race, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Economics, Globalization, Nation, Politics & Government, Equality, Justice, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Sociology, Politics & Government, Political Science, Journalism, Poverty, Urban Studies

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The Rest of Our Lives

by Ben Markovits

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Apathy, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Guilt, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Shame & Pride, Gender Identity, Race, Aging, Midlife, Death, The Past, Daughters & Sons, Marriage, Self Discovery, Community, Fate, Order & Chaos, Truth & Lies

Tags Domestic Fiction, Relationships

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The Rest of Us Just Live Here

by Patrick Ness

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mental Health, Love, Family

Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ+, Love & Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Mental Illness, Religion & Spirituality

The Rest of Us Just Live Here, a novel by critically acclaimed young adult (YA) author Patrick Ness, tells the story of Mikey, a high school senior living in a fictional town in the state of Washington. The novel follows Mikey as graduation approaches and he navigates the anxieties and uncertainties of love, friendship, and the fear of leaving behind everything he’s grown up with. Ness, the author of the widely lauded Chaos Walking trilogy... Read The Rest of Us Just Live Here Summary

The Return

by Hisham Matar

Publication year 2016

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Fathers, Daughters & Sons, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Grief, Memory, The Past, Politics & Government, Truth & Lies

Tags Memoir & Autobiography, Politics & Government, Military & War, History: African

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The River

by Peter Heller

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Safety & Danger, Fate, Appearance & Reality, Perseverance

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Action & Adventure, Animals, Education, Arts & Culture, Natural Disaster, Philosophy, Trauma & Abuse, Sports, Relationships, Science & Nature, Modern Classic Fiction

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The River of Doubt

by Candice Millard

Publication year 2005

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Perseverance, Indigenous Identity, Masculinity, Animals, Environment, Plants, Place, Safety & Danger

Tags World History, Biography, US History, History of the Americas, Politics & Government, Travel Literature, Action & Adventure

The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey (2005) is a work of nonfiction by Candice Millard, a former writer and editor for National Geographic. The book describes Roosevelt’s 1914 expedition down an unexplored river in the Amazon rainforest, which nearly cost him his life. Despite poor preparation for the trip, Roosevelt and the group managed to overcome the Amazon’s physical and psychological challenges and placed a 1,000-mile river on the map in a historic... Read The River of Doubt Summary

The Rose Code

by Kate Quinn

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Femininity, Teamwork, Friendship, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt

Tags Historical Fiction, World War II, Gender & Feminism, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Military & War, World History, Romance

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The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly

by Stephanie Oakes

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Religion & Spirituality, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction

Stephanie Oakes’s debut young adult thriller, The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly (2015), centers on 17-year-old Minnow Bly, who emerges from a patriarchal religious cult in the Montana wilderness missing both of her hands. After being found near a brutally beaten young man, she is sent to juvenile detention, where she becomes a suspect in the murder of her former cult leader. An FBI psychologist offers her a deal: a recommendation for parole in exchange... Read The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly Summary