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 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, History: European, WWII / World War II, Military / War, French Literature, History: World
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: War
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy
The Passage is a 2010 novel by Justin Cronin. It is the first novel in a post-apocalyptic horror series that includes The Twelve and City of Mirrors. The Passage is Cronin’s take on the vampire genre. He uses world-building to examine themes of Passages and Transitions, Vampirism as a Metaphor, and The Value of Life. The Passage was well-received and was adapted into a television series for the Fox Network, which aired its final episode... Read The Passage Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness
Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Fantasy
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Race
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, French Literature, Race / Racism, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction
The Perfect Nanny is a thriller written by Franco-Moroccan journalist and author Leïla Slimani. Published in 2016, the novel is inspired by the 2012 murders of two white American children in New York City by their caretaker, a naturalized American citizen born in the Dominican Republic. Slimani resets the narrative in Paris, France, and the nanny she depicts is a native French woman and white. Slimani reframes the crime to explore themes of racism, classicism... Read The Perfect Nanny Summary
Publication year 1933
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Christian literature, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2012
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government
Tags History: European, Politics / Government, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, British Literature
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge
Tags Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Arts / Culture, Psychology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Philosophy, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Politics & Government
Tags History: U.S., Food, Politics / Government, Science / Nature, History: World, Biography, Health / Medicine
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Society: Class, Society: War, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Military / War, Race / Racism, History: World
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Jewish Literature, French Literature, Military / War, History: World
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Life/Time: The Future, Identity: Femininity
Tags Gender / Feminism, Science / Nature, Politics / Government, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Influenced by the dystopian futuristic vision of Margaret Atwood’s landmark 1985 feminist work The Handmaid’s Tale, Naomi Alderman’s 2016 novel The Power fuses genre elements of speculative fiction with the traditional historical novel. Part allegory, part satire, the novel depicts a near-contemporary world in which women move into positions of real power through an inexplicable genetic anomaly: they develop an extra braid of muscle along their collarbones that enables them to shoot devastating jolts of... Read The Power Summary
Publication year 1940
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Colonialism
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Religion / Spirituality, Class, Politics / Government, Poverty, British Literature, Christian literature, History: World
Graham Greene’s The Power and the Glory (originally published in 1940) recounts the tragic story of the whisky priest. His religion has been outlawed, his faith shattered, and his history—like his name—all but erased. He’s relentlessly pursued by the lieutenant, whose secular beliefs are as passionate as others’ spiritual beliefs. The priest’s mere presence endangers those he once served, and he constantly struggles to fulfill his duty to bring comfort and absolution to others at... Read The Power and the Glory Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret
Tags Psychology, Self Help, Relationships, Business / Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine
Publication year 1961
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Post-War Era
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961) is a novel by Scottish writer Muriel Spark. It explores the relationship between a group of six female students and their eccentric teacher, Jean Brodie, over the course of roughly 15 years. Using nonlinear narrative techniques, including flashbacks and flash forwards, the novel examines the influence of adults on adolescents, particularly in the context of their sexual and spiritual development. Set in Edinburgh in the 1930s and early... Read The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags LGBTQ, Romance, Historical Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Children's Literature, History: World
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags Fantasy, LGBTQ, Romance
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Education, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class
Tags Education, Business / Economics, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Education, Class, Sociology, Race / Racism
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Colonialism
Tags Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, History: African , Social Justice, Race / Racism, African Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World