The 20 best books of 2026 (so far), according to Amazon editors

Content

This has been a great year to be a student. Rather than starting my group’s discussions about the latest hot show, we talk about books. And even if we are talking about TV shows, some of the most popular ones, like Hot Competition again Off campusAdaptable books. The new release of 2026 has caused quite a stir, but where should you start? Well, Amazon editors have some thoughts.

Amazon’s book editors just dropped their 20 best books of 2026 so far. This list of both fiction and non-fiction includes bestsellers and book club selections. Just in time for summer reading, find out what are the best books of 2026, according to Amazon editors. Plus, find out from the editors themselves why they chose the top 10 books of the year.

20. Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser

A New York Times bestseller, Reese’s Book Club Pick, and IndieNext Pick, Lady Tremaine tells the story of twice-widowed Lady Etheldreda Verity Isolde Tremaine Bramley, who cares for her two children, a stepdaughter, and a decaying cottage. It’s a reimagining of the tragic stepmother myth, turning it into a celebration of women taking their destiny into their own hands.

19. Returning home by Portia Elan

This is Portia Elan’s place Returning home spanning the years 1983 to 2586, it follows three women through the generations and a piece of technology that connects them all. GMA Book Club selection, Returning home he is described as, “a great, bold, joyful world – full of heart and wonder.”

18. The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett

Seventeen years after his merchant Help was published, Kathryn Stockett is back with her second novel, The Calamity Club. In Oxford, Mississippi, three women on the brink of collapse come together to finally reclaim their lives in a place where women’s freedom is fragile.

17. Mabel is crazy by Sally Hepworth

In Mabel is crazy by Sally Hepworth, we find Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick in the suburbs of Melbourne. This lonely, independent 81-year-old man minds his own business – until a neighbor dies. Eyes turn to Elsie, who wasn’t always Elsie – when she became known as Mad Mabel Waller, a young Australian convicted murderer. But he was more than just a subject, as secrets buried for decades are now coming to light.

16. John of John by Douglas Stuart

From the author of Shuggie BainDouglas Stuart, a new novel is coming, John of John. When John-Calum ‘Cal’ Macleod returns to his home on the Isle of Harris, it’s not the place that has changed, but him. Contrary to his father’s expectations, Cal discovers the secrets of his home and what really holds the community together.

15. Into the Green by Emma Brodie

Explosive chemistry and longing are at the center of Emma Brodie’s scene Into the Green. AJ Graves dreams of a bigger life beyond his small Massachusetts town. But when Noah Drew shows up, the two form a cosmic bond as friends and allies that lasts until Noah disappears. After seven years, AJ and Noah reunite and are forced to confront what happened all those years ago.

14. Five by Ilona Bannister

Five people are waiting at the train station. When the next train to London arrives, one of them will die, but who will it be? That is the central question Five by Ilona Bannister, a thriller that asks the reader to be judge, jury, and judge.

13. A Life Away by ML Stedman

In rural Australia, a tragedy befalls the MacBride family, which will change generations to come. Matt, the youngest of the MacBrides, will be sent on an uncharted journey. Remote Map by ML Stedman is a story of family and yours and we reach out to them to weather the storm.

12. Illness by Lena Dunham

At the age of 24, Lena Dunham rose to fame with her HBO show Girls. But in the ten years since then, Dunham has suffered an illness that seems to have coincided with her rise to fame. Illness it is a deeply personal memory from the beginning Girls and the decade of illness and addiction that followed.

11. Transcript by Ben Lerner

Ben Lerner has been called the voice of a generation, and in 2026 he is back with his latest novel, Transcript. Set in Providence, Rhode Island, the novel’s narrator arrives to interview Thomas, his 90-year-old mentor and the father of his college friend Max. This novel is like a dream, entering the unforgettable story of three men, the narrator, Thomas, and Max.

10. The Crux by Gabriel Tallent

From Abby Abell, Amazon Editor: “A new addition to the series of unique friendship novels, Crux is a fun, kind novel about an unlikely friendship forged through a shared love of rock climbing. Dan and Tamma’s relationship is beautiful to behold, and I feel so lucky to have seen it.”

9. Nothing So Sweet by Luke Dumas

From Annabel Gutterman, Amazon Editor: “On his hot and bloody page, Luke Dumas holds a mirror up to our imagined world to reveal something unpleasant in its view. This is horror at its best: hauntingly vivid, often funny, and utterly disturbing. My eyes have never been glued to the pages of a book.”

8. Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell

From Abell: “I loved this vulnerable, captivating love story about body image, second chances, and the deep pain of loss. Rainbow Rowell creates beautiful characters in all their flaws and hardships, and this couldn’t be truer than Cherry, who I love. This book is dirty, hopeful, and very loving.”

7. American men by Jordan Ritter Conn

From Lindsay Powers, Amazon Editor: “This intimate but grand act of storytelling consumed me quickly. A page-turning account of four very different men you will cheer for, and hurt; a refreshing reminder that there are many ways to thrive in a world where opportunities feel fleeting. I can’t stop thinking about it.”

6. The world by Maggie O’Farrell

From Al Woodworth, Amazon Editor: “Never has a 19th-century mapmaker, a sober, honest dog, and a mysterious arboreal man been so wonderful.

5. Things of the Night by Eli Raphael

From Gutterman: “This haunting novel about a child’s quest at a selective boarding school—where secrets abound and danger abound—stuck in my head for days. Eli Raphael presents himself as a writer you don’t want to miss.”

4. Strangers: A Wedding Anniversary by Belle Burden

From Sarah Gelman, Editorial Director: “They don’t know me it’s a memoir of divorce, but it’s also a legitimate exploration of love and a marriage gone wrong, seemingly without warning. The burden puts words to many of the most frightening things – that one day the person we love and trust the most will be a stranger to us. “

3. Yesterday by Caro Claire Burke

From Gutterman: “When a midwife advocate wakes up to find herself somehow in the 19th century, her journey back to reality makes for a brilliant, poignant novel about motherhood, honor, and faith. A reading experience like no other, this is a book I want to talk about with everyone I ever meet.”

2. London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Cool City and a Family’s Quest for Truth by Patrick Radden Keefe

From Woodworth: “Light and unforgettable, Patrick Radden Keefe’s latest presents yet another fictional story, this time telling the shocking story of how a young boy gets caught up in the dangerous and powerful world of Russian oligarchs and ends up at the bottom of the River Thames.”

1. Kin by Tayari Jones

And book No. 1 of the year according to Amazon editors Kin by Tayari Jones.

From Erin Kodicek, Amazon Editor: “Kin it is the story of two ‘born friends’ who are affected by the loss of their mothers, and who, despite their different paths, continue to be each other’s comfort and salvation. A unique portrait of family, friendship, and race, this novel sings from every page. “