Pop the champagne, coffee, tea, or whatever pairs best with your next read. As the year comes to a close, we’re ready to reflect on some of the best books that came across our e-readers. Hand-picked by our team of librarians, these books surprised, challenged, and fascinated us. Some brought us to tears, while others made us laugh until we cried. They gave us a fun afternoon diversion or broke us for weeks. These are the books that changed us—and we think you’ll feel the same.

With selection help from trusted sources like The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, NPR, and others, we’re excited to bring you 100 of the year’s best books. While genres like romance, fantasy, and their love child, romantasy, thrillers, dark academia, and YA were all trending this year, you’ll find something for every reader in this list.

Cap off the year with one of these buzzworthy books in the Libby app. If you’re new to Libby, you’ll definitely want to check out the free reading app from your library. All you need is your library card for access to ebooks and audiobooks—no subscription required!

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James by Percival Everett
🎧 Audiobook

A brilliant, action-packed reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, both harrowing and darkly humorous, told from the enslaved Jim’s point of view.

The Women by Kristin Hannah
🎧 Audiobook

A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.

Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
🎧 Audiobook

A bold, laugh-out-loud funny, and heartwarming story about one young woman’s attempt to navigate adulthood, new motherhood, and her meager bank account in our increasingly online world.

Funny Story by Emily Henry
🎧 Audiobook

Daphne never thought she’d find herself stranded in Waning Bay, Michigan, living with her ex-fiancée’s new girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend. Sure, she has her dream job, but she also has no friends of her own, until one night she and Miles decide to drown their sorrows and form a plan. It might involve misleading photos of their summer together, but how bad could it be?

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
🎧 Audiobook

When a teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp, two worlds collide. Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances.

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt
🎧 Audiobook

A must-read for all parents: the generation-defining investigation into the collapse of youth mental health in the era of smartphones, social media, and big tech—and a plan for a healthier, freer childhood.

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
🎧 Audiobook

A cursed man and a traveling nurse with matching dating woes hatch a wild plan to break their bad luck, but their fake summer fling on a Minnesota island unexpectedly turns into real love amidst family chaos and second chances.

The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson
🎧 Audiobook

The author of The Splendid and the Vile brings to life the pivotal five months between the election of Abraham Lincoln and the start of the Civil War in this “riveting reexamination of a nation in tumult” (Los Angeles Times).

Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle
🎧 Audiobook

The instant USA Today bestseller by Chuck Tingle about what it takes to succeed in a world that wants you dead.

Faebound by Saara El-Arifi
🎧 Audiobook

Two elven sisters become imprisoned in the intoxicating world of the fae, where danger and love lie in wait. Faebound is the first book in an enchanting new trilogy.

RELATED READ: Worldbuilding and romantasy writing with author Saara El-Arifi

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*Title availability may vary by library & region.