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 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Music, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Religion / Spirituality, Arts / Culture
The Beautiful Mystery, published in 2012, is the eighth book in former Canadian journalist Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Gamache series. The Gamache series is known for its recurring cast of characters, psychological depth, and long-term story arcs. Gamache is a longtime member of Québec’s provincial police force, most often known by its French name, the Sûreté du Québec. Gamache’s struggles with police corruption form the main plot of several books, including A Fatal Grace and... Read The Beautiful Mystery Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Health / Medicine, Race / Racism, Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Biography
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Immigration, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Immigration / Refugee, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Indigenous, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Canadian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2023
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Crime / Legal, Psychology, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychology, Mental Illness, Biography
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Class
Tags Romance, Southern Literature, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
The Best of Me (2010) is a love story by the best-selling American author Nicholas Sparks. It was adapted into a feature film by the same name in 2014. The novel is about the conflict-ridden love story between Dawson Cole and Amanda Colliers, high school lovers who were separated by social circumstances. Twenty-five years later, they get together to honor the memory of Tuck Hostetler, a father-figure who was their silent supporter and well-wisher. Once... Read The Best of Me Summary
Publication year 1939
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Siblings, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction, American Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Finance / Money / Wealth, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality
Published in 1939, The Big Sleep by novelist and screenwriter Raymond Chandler is a murder mystery widely regarded as one of the greatest hard-boiled detective stories of the 20th century. The work introduces Philip Marlowe, a fictional private eye with a jaundiced view of humanity but a strong sense of fairness, who appears in seven other novels by Chandler. Hired by a super-rich family to negotiate with a blackmailer, Marlowe encounters murder, mayhem, and a... Read The Big Sleep Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Romance, Humor, Realistic Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags WWII / World War II, Military / War, Technology, History: U.S., Technology, History: World
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Climate, Society: Class, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism
The Bone Clocks (2014) is a work of literary fantasy and the sixth novel by English author David Mitchell. It was longlisted for the 2014 Man Booker Prize, and also received the 2015 World Fantasy Award.Spanning nearly 60 years and featuring five different narrators, The Bone Clocks follows Holly Sykes, a young woman from Kent, England, who becomes embroiled in a secret war between two groups of immortal beings called the Horologists and the Anchorites... Read The Bone Clocks Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, LGBTQ, Gothic Literature
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Grandparents, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Magical Realism, Romance
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Magical Realism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Fantasy, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Self Discovery, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Military / War, American Civil War, History: World
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Love / Sexuality, History: European, Holocaust, Military / War, History: World, Romance
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Jewish Literature, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies