To paraphrase the good sis Lizzo: It’s about that time! Time to take stock of books that have come out so far this year that have left an impression. Amazon has joined Barnes & Noble as the latest bookseller to share their list of books that we should all give more attention to. The list of Amazon’s best books of the year so far was assembled by its editorial team, which took into account book reviews, factoring in buzzy books with what readers and their fellow Amazon reviewers liked the most.
The books were published between January and June this year, and are categorized by genre or age category. The categories are: biographies and memoirs; business and leadership; children’s books; cookbooks, food, and wine; history; literary fiction; mysteries, thrillers, and suspense; nonfiction; romance; science; science fiction and fantas; teen and young adult; and the best 20 books of any category.
Listed below are Amazon’s 20 best books of the year so far, followed by a list of the editors’ personal favorites.
Amazon’s 20 Best Books of the Year So Far
King: A Life by Jonathan Eig
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Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See
Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane
Hang the Moon by Jeannette Walls
Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb
Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley
The Great Reclamation by Rachel Heng
Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond
Yellowface by R. F. Kuang
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
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All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby
Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents — and What They Mean for America’s Future by Jean M. Twenge
Weyward by Emilia Hart
You Have to Be Prepared to Die Before You Can Begin to Live: Ten Weeks in Birmingham That Changed America by Paul Kix
Pomegranate by Helen Elaine Lee
Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor
The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
Happy Place by Emily Henry
Amazon Editors’ Personal Favorites
Pomegranate by Helen Elaine Lee
“Sorry/not sorry for the simile: This empathy-expanding novel is like a pomegranate — open it to find a treasure trove inside.” — Erin Codices, Senior Editor specializing in Literary Fiction
All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby
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“A dazzlingly smart and suspenseful mashup of murder mystery and social commentary, proving Cosby is a master storyteller.” — Vanessa Cronin
Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb
“Engrossing and heart pounding, this must-read — about devastating secrets — had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.” — Kami Tai, Editor specializing in Romance/Historical Fiction
Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents — and What They Mean for America’s Future by Jean M. Twenge
“A fascinating read about how the year you’re born shapes the way you see the world — you’ll quote it to everyone you meet.” — Lindsay Powers, Senior Editor specializing in Nonfiction and Culture
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See
“I can’t stop thinking about this book, based on a real-life female doctor in 15th century China. It’s timeless and flawless.” — Sarah Gilman, Editorial Director
Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley
“Suspenseful and eye-opening — stolen Indigenous ancestors and injustice are the backbone of this page-turning heist thriller.” — Sierra Wilson, Senior Editor specializing in Kids’ Books and Lifestyle
To view the other books by categories, click here.
Find more news and stories of interest from the book world in Breaking in Books.
