Want to dive into a page-turner beachside, unwind with an eBook on a long flight or relax with an audiobook in the backyard hammock? There's something for everyone to enjoy this summer, thanks to Amazon Books' Best Books of 2026 So Far.
You'll also find perfect gifts on this carefully curated list of books from the Amazon Editors, a passionate group of literary experts with extensive experience spanning publishing, journalism and communications.
Each year, the Amazon Editors read thousands of books across genres to help customers discover their next favorite read as they assemble the Best Books of the Month, Best Books of the Year So Far and Best Books of the Year lists on Amazon.
Because every reader is unique, Amazon Editors intentionally recommend titles from the widest possible selection — debut authors alongside established voices, hidden gems next to BookTok favorites — to connect readers of every taste with exceptional stories.
This year's top 10 picks for Best Books of 2026 So Far:
1. Kin by Tayari Jones
"Kin is the story of two 'cradle friends' who are haunted by the loss of their mothers, and who, despite their diverging paths, continue to be each other's comfort and salvation. A nuanced portrait of family, friendship and race, the novel sings on every page." — Amazon Editor Erin Kodicek.
Jones's Kin joins previous Best Books of Year So Far No. 1 selections including Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy, James by Percival Everett, Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano and Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt.
2. London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family's Search for Truth by Patrick Radden Keefe
"Illuminating and unforgettable, Keefe's latest delivers another knockout narrative nonfiction, this time telling the shocking story of how a young boy got caught up in the dangerous and powerful world of Russian oligarchs and landed at the bottom of the Thames." — Amazon Editor Al Woodworth.
3. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
"When a tradwife influencer wakes up to discover it's somehow the 19th century, her journey back to reality makes for a brilliant, biting novel about motherhood, fame and faith. A reading experience like no other, this is the book I want to talk about with literally everyone I've ever met." — Amazon Editor Annabel Gutterman.
4. Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden
"Strangers is a divorce memoir, but it's also a forensic examination of a love and marriage gone wrong, seemingly without any warning. Burden puts words to many of our worst fears — that one day the person we love and trust the most will become an utter stranger to us." — Amazon Editorial Director Sarah Gelman.
5. Night Objects by Eli Raphael
"This mesmerizing suspense novel about a teenager's desperate search for belonging at her elite boarding school — where secrets swirl and danger looms large — lived in my head for days. Raphael introduces herself as a writer you don't want to miss." — Amazon Editor Annabel Gutterman.
6. Land by Maggie O'Farrell
"Never before have a 19th-century mapmaker, a scruffy, loyal dog and a mysterious copse of trees been more enchanting. O'Farrell (author of Hamnet) delivers a soaring and bewitching tale of family and how the remote Irish peninsula where they live defines and shapes them, generation after generation." — Amazon Editor Al Woodworth.
7. American Men by Jordan Ritter Conn
"This intimate yet enormous feat of storytelling sucked me in immediately. It's a page-turning account of four very different men you will cheer for, and ache for; a refreshing reminder that there are many ways to thrive in a world where opportunities feel fleeting. I can't stop thinking about it." — Amazon Editor Lindsay Powers.
8. Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell
"I adored this vulnerable, sexy love story about body image, second chances, and the bone-deep ache of loss. Rainbow Rowell creates characters who are beautiful in all their flaws and complexities, and this couldn't be truer than with Cherry, who I love. This book is messy, hopeful, and so romantic." — Amazon Editor Abby Abell.
9. Nothing Tastes as Good by Luke Dumas
"In his searing and very bloody page-turner, Dumas holds a mirror to our body image-obsessed world to reveal something quite unsavory in its reflection. This is body horror at its finest: uncomfortably vivid, often hilarious and totally disturbing. My eyes have never been so glued to a book's pages." — Amazon Editor Annabel Gutterman.
10. Crux by Gabriel Tallent
"A new addition to the canon of exceptional friendship novels, Crux is an exhilarating, tender novel about an unlikely friendship forged through a shared love of rock climbing. Dan and Tamma's bond is glorious to behold, and I feel lucky to have witnessed it." — Amazon Editor Abby Abell.
Exciting new features
This year's list includes a new category of Book Club Picks, spotlighting selections ideal for sharing and discussing with friends. Also new this season, readers can now follow specific Editors who match their reading tastes to help discover personal picks and receive monthly book recommendations.
Start your summer reading by exploring the full Best Books of the Year So Far list at Amazon.com/bestbookssofar, then visit Amazon Book Review for more insights and reviews. Discover the Editors' top 20 picks alongside standout selections across genres including literature and fiction, mystery and thrillers, romance and romantasy, history, nonfiction, biographies and memoirs, debuts, cookbooks and children's books by age group.
Let the summer reading begin!
