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 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Animals, Magical Realism, Children's Literature


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mythology, LGBTQ


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Society: Community

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Southern Literature, Race / Racism, Black Lives Matter


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Children's Literature


Publication year 1985

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Lyric Poem, Mythology, Confessional, Love / Sexuality, History: U.S., American Literature, Fantasy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Humor, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2020

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Immigration, Relationships: Family, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Immigration / Refugee, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Race / Racism, History: World, Biography


Publication year 368

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Immigration

Tags Immigration / Refugee, Gender / Feminism, Politics / Government, Race / Racism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Biography, Social Justice

The Ungrateful Refugee: What Immigrants Never Tell You is a 2019 memoir by novelist Dina Nayeri. It is her first nonfiction book and a finalist for the Kirkus Prize, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and the Clara Johnson Award for Women’s Literature. While Nayeri chronicles her childhood escape from post-revolution Iran and her struggle to build an identity, she interweaves modern tales of refugees mired in uncaring asylum systems.SummaryThe author and first-person narrator of... Read The Ungrateful Refugee Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Romance, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Family

Tags Allegory / Fable / Parable, Magical Realism, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Travel Literature

The international bestseller The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (2012) is the first novel by author Rachel Joyce and the first in a trilogy, followed by The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy (2014) and Maureen Fry and the Angel of the North (2022). The novel was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize and longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Young also wrote the screenplay for the novel’s film adaptation, which stars Jim Broadbent as Harold... Read The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Italian Literature, History: World, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Community

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Magical Realism, Education, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Parenting, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Music, Race / Racism, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Ancient Greece, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2002

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fame, Identity: Language

Tags Business / Economics, Self Help, Arts / Culture, Psychology, Philosophy, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Philosophy


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Romance, Fantasy, New Adult, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Military / War, WWII / World War II, British Literature, History: World