Top 20 Best Books That You Should Read For Years

Best Books. Photo: KnowInsiders

There are a ton of thrilling new books from some of our favorite authors, as well as breathtaking debut novels from a wide range of newcomers in just about every genre you can imagine.

We've got scorching romance books that will send chills down your spine, historical books that take us back in time, and spooky stories of suspense that will keep you up past your bedtime. Many of our top book picks provide us criticisms on our society today or a glance into complex family relationships.

Which are the 20 Best Books of Year?

1. The Push: A Novel by Ashley

The Push: A Novel by Ashley - Photo: Good Morning America

Open this book on the relationship between mothers and daughters if you like psychological thrillers. Blythe wants to establish the close relationship she never had with her own mother before her daughter is born. But when Violet shows up, she is certain that something is wrong with her young daughter. You'll start to doubt her sanity and the truth of the story she's telling us after the tragic events that occur.

2. All's Well: A Novel by Mona Awad

All's Well - Photo: Entertainment Weekly

The marriage of Miranda is over, and her position as director of a college play is under jeopardy. In essence, her life has fallen apart due to crippling nerve pain brought on by the injury that destroyed her stage career. Everything she could to make it go away. Then, in this darkly comic novel that is distinctly frightening, three unusual donors offer to do just that.

3. The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles - Photo: WITF

"One of this decade's best books was probably written by Towles (A Gentleman in Moscow), who gave readers one of fiction's greatest gifts: hope. The Lincoln Highway follows four children whose paths cross as they look for their mother and a hidden wad of cash. The film is infused with nostalgia for the 1950s as well as the charming naiveté and mischief of individuals who are young, enthusiastic, and on a mission." - Al Woodworth, book review on Amazon

4. The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz

The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz - Photo: Vulture

"A story within a story that is a Rubik’s Cube of twists, The Plot follows an uninspired author fading into obscurity until his new book rockets him to fame. Only the plot isn’t his, and someone knows it. Korelitz keeps us guessing—even when all seems clear—right up to the knockout ending." – Seira Wilson, Amazon Book Review

5. The Turnout by Megan

The Turnout by Megan - Photo: Time Magazine

There's something dark lurking beneath the pink toe shoes and elegant relevés at the Durant ballet school in this novel that's as taut as a dancer's bun. Sisters Marie and Dara are toxically intertwined with one another and Charlie, Dara's husband, and the fallout reveals itself over the course of this disturbing and gripping read.

6. Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor

Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor - Photo: Time Magazine

A young man struggles to fit in with a cast of artists in the Midwest who are all coming to terms with their connections to one another in a collection of deeply moving interconnected stories. You will be dragged into the characters' desire for connection through a pair of dancers who are in an open relationship, a tense night of babysitting, and youths who are on the verge of violence.

7. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

Photo: Confidence Book Club

"Set during the Great Depression and featuring an unlikely heroine who will lodge herself in your heart, The Four Winds is a reminder, when we so urgently need it, of the resiliency not only of the human spirit, but of this country as well. Hannah's latest story reads like a classic." – Erin Kodicek, Amazon Book Review

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8. Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead

Photo: Fredericksburg

"The two-time Pulitzer Prize winner of The Nickel Boys and The Underground Railroad tells a blisteringly entertaining tale of schemers and dreamers, mobsters and crooks, elaborate heists and furniture fronts, and the thrilling mischief of those who are up to no good and others who are just trying to make a living." – Al Woodworth, Amazon Book Review

9. The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

Photo: i've read this

This work of historical fiction is based on the little-known but actual experiences of the American Library in Paris during World War Two. When the Nazis invaded her city in 1939, teenage librarian Odile was terrified she would lose her library. Lily, a young girl in Montana in 1983, interviews her French neighbor for a class project in order to learn more about her enigmatic history and possible connection to Lily. This historical fiction work will appeal to all book lovers because it is descriptive and incredibly compelling rather than being a war tale.

10. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Photo: Chapters of May

The books written by Taylor Jenkins Reid are renowned for being utter page-turners, and "Malibu Rising" is no exception. This novel alternates between the 24-hour narrative of a monumental, life-altering party and the upbringing of four well-known siblings. They intrigue people everywhere since they are the offspring of renowned rock star Mick Riva. With the exception of Nina, who was just dumped by her husband and is jealous of the attention, they are all looking forward to their yearly party for various reasons. The house will be on fire by morning, but not before the party will spiral out of hand and the family's secrets will come to light.

11. The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

Photo: KRCU

Three very different women join up in 1940 to crack German military codes, forging strong connections that are later severed by the demands of secret and the agony of wartime loss. The women must face their past of treachery and heartache in order to decipher one last code and stop an elusive foe seven years later when they are reconnected at a royal wedding by a strange letter. This is a terrific and captivating book that has swiftly gained notoriety and is unquestionably one of the top reads of 2021.

12. Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead

Photo: Maggie Shipstead

"Shipstead has accomplished the impossible—an epic novel that is ambitious, literary, and utterly accessible. Great Circle follows two women who yearn for adventure and freedom—aviator Marian Graves and starlet Hadley Baxter—and like flying, it’s the thrill of the century." – Sarah Gelman, Amazon Book Review.

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13. Somebody's Daughter: A Memoir by Ashley C. Ford

Somebody's Daughter: A Memoir by Ashley C. Ford - Photo: She Reads

Ashley's father left her to deal with her mother, her body, and her identity as a poor Black girl while he was away in prison. She wished her father had been there to provide assistance. Ashley finally discovers what he did to get there after a sexual assault leaves her in despair, starting a brand-new round of reckoning. Not a quick read, but one that is exquisitely moving.

14. One Last Stop by Casey Mcquiston

One Last Stop by Casey Mcquiston

August, a jaded waitress at an iconic New York City diner, thinks she’s too smart to fall in love. But then she meets Jane, a punk-rock chick who jump-starts her heart. One problem: Jane is a time-traveling exile from the 1970s, and she literally can’t get off the train. It’ll take everything August has to save Jane and the life she’s carved out for herself.

15. People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

Another summer favorite about two unlikely friends who go on vacation together every summer is available from the author of the 2020 bestseller "Beach Read." Alex, a modest youngster with hometown charm, and Poppy, a wild child driven by wanderlust, couldn't be more incompatible. The two develop a bond after sharing a ride home from college and travel on vacation together every summer for ten years, until two years ago when they ruined everything. Now, Poppy and Alex go on a trip together to see whether they can patch things up or if there is in fact more between them.

16. Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead

Photo: Fredericksburg

"The two-time Pulitzer Prize winner of The Nickel Boys and The Underground Railroad tells a blisteringly entertaining tale of schemers and dreamers, mobsters and crooks, elaborate heists and furniture fronts, and the thrilling mischief of those who are up to no good and others who are just trying to make a living." – Al Woodworth, Amazon Book Review.

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17. "Concrete Rose" by Angie Thomas

"Concrete Rose" by Angie Thomas - Photo: Time Magazine

The YA novel "The Hate U Give," which is extremely successful, has a prequel called "Concrete Rose." Maverick Carter, a 17-year-old high school student who deals with the gang his father once oversaw, is introduced to readers in this book. Maverick vows to "go clean" after finding out he's a father by quitting peddling drugs, getting a part-time job, completing high school, and being there for his son. This novel chronicles Maverick's coming-of-age journey as he determines what it means to him to be a parent and a man, torn between loyalty and duty.

18. Outlawed by Anna North

Photo: The AU Review

With a lesbian, feminist Western lady gang, this book breaks the mold of typical Westerns and engages readers with a fast-paced, perilous adventure. Ana, a well-known midwife in 1984, has been trying to conceive for a year but has been unsuccessful. Ana joins the Hole in the Wall Gang, a group dedicated to establishing a safe haven for outlawed women, out of dread of being executed as a witch. Ana is forced to determine if she is prepared to endanger her life in order to give the group's daring scheme a chance at success.

19. What Comes After: A Novel

Photo THE READER'S EDIT -

As single parents who both lost their teenage kids tragically and are haunted by the memory of a horrific crime one of them did, Isaac and his neighbor Lorrie share a common bond. When Isaac withdraws to his Quaker beliefs in response to a teenage girl called Evangeline showing up on his doorstep, Lorrie steps in to assist. They are all compelled by her presence to confront their pasts and think carefully about what they want for the future.

20. This Close To Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith

This Close To Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith - Photo: TREMG

This narrative takes place over the course of a single weekend when Tallie persuades Emmett to step back from a bridge's edge and join her for coffee. Tallie wants to provide Emmett with a secure environment as a therapist, but she's afraid to acknowledge that it's also her work. Tallie opens up to Emmett as he starts to confide in her, releasing her own difficult truths and struggles. This heartwarming novel tells the story of two strangers who meet in unlikely circumstances and find comfort in one another.

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