Reader-ranked
The best books to read right now
A cozy, always-updating shortlist drawn from the The Bookends community. Every title below was added and rated by real readers — no publisher lists, no algorithms guessing at taste. Start at the top, or wander through the genre shelves further down.
Top-rated books by our readers
Ranked by average reader rating, with the number of ratings breaking any ties. Showing 1–10 of 24 books (page 1 of 3).
The Kite Runner
by Khaled Hosseini
5.0 from 1 readerA story of friendship and betrayal in Afghanistan, and one man's long road to redemption.
FictionHistoricalLiterary
My Sister's Keeper
by Jodi Picoult
4.0 from 1 readerConceived to save her older sister's life, thirteen-year-old Anna sues her parents for medical emancipation.
FictionFamilyDrama
The Girl on the Train
by Paula Hawkins
4.0 from 1 readerA commuter becomes entangled in a missing-persons case after witnessing something from the train window.
ThrillerMystery
The Summer House
by James Patterson, Brendan DuBois
3.0 from 1 readerPolicewomen, FictionMysterySuspenseLeaving Time
by Jodi Picoult
3.0 from 1 readerAlice Metcalf was a devoted mother, loving wife, and accomplished scientist. Yet it's been a decade since she disappeared under mysterious circumstances, leaving behind her small daughter and husband. All signs point to abandonment ... or worse. Still Jenna now thirteen years old and truly orphaned by a father maddened by grief steadfastly refuses to believe in her mother's desertion.
Missing persons
Sharp Objects
by Gillian Flynn
3.0 from 1 readerA reporter returns to her hometown to cover the murders of two girls and confronts her own family's darkness.
ThrillerMysteryCrime
Best mystery books to read
The Girl on the Train
by Paula Hawkins
The Summer House
by James Patterson, Brendan DuBois
Sharp Objects
by Gillian Flynn
The Wandering Inn
by Pirateaba
Best fiction books to read
The Kite Runner
by Khaled Hosseini
My Sister's Keeper
by Jodi Picoult
The Wandering Inn
by Pirateaba
Hollow Bones
by Jodi Picoult
Best thriller books to read
The Girl on the Train
by Paula Hawkins
Sharp Objects
by Gillian Flynn
Kiss the Girls
by James Patterson
Lock Every Door
by Riley Sager
Best crime books to read
Sharp Objects
by Gillian Flynn
Kiss the Girls
by James Patterson
Pretty Girls
by Karin Slaughter
Pieces of Her
by Karin Slaughter
Freshly added to the shelves
The Summer House
by James Patterson, Brendan DuBois
Leaving Time
by Jodi Picoult
The Devil in the White City
by Erik Larson
The Wandering Inn
by Pirateaba
Hollow Bones
by Jodi Picoult
The Lovely Bones
by Alice Sebold
Questions about this list
- How are the best books chosen?
- Every title is added and rated by The Bookends readers. Rankings use the average reader rating, and the number of ratings breaks ties, so a well-loved book with many voices rises above a single glowing review.
- Can I add my own recommendation?
- Yes — create a free account, then add a book with its cover, description and genres. It joins the community catalog immediately.