The best books about brothers

Who picked these books? Meet our 127 experts.

127 authors created a book list connected to brothers, and here are their favorite brother books.
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The Awakening

By L. J. Smith,

Book cover of The Awakening

Tricia Copeland Author Of Kingdom of Embers

From the list on magical realms just beyond our reach.

Who am I?

Since reading The Lion, the Witch, and Wardrobe, Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz, and The Crystal Cave as a kid and teen, I’ve been hooked on all things magical. I love the fantasy genre and characters who are driven to use their powers to protect their tribes. I am constantly reading books about witches, vampires, the fae, sirens, shifters, and any other supernatural character with a good storyline surrounding them. L.J. Smith, Cassandra Clare, P.C. and Kristin Cast, Stephenie Meyer, and so many other YA fantasy writers are absolutely my heroes. Fantasy books not only entertain but have helped me process life and our world in a safe environment. 

Tricia's book list on magical realms just beyond our reach

Discover why each book is one of Tricia's favorite books.

Why did Tricia love this book?

I loved Netflix’s The Vampire Diaries series and dove into the books full force. And while some may categorize the books as a vampire series, Bonnie, a psychic who later learns she is a witch, is the second main female character in the books. She plays a big role in the plots to save their town from the evil that surrounds it. I love that Bonnie is true to her friends and grows into her powers and confidence as the story progresses.

By L. J. Smith,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Awakening as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The #1 New York Times bestselling series that inspired the hit TV show The Vampire Diaries!

A deadly love triangle.

Elena Gilbert is a high school golden girl, used to getting what she wants. And who she wants. But when the boy she’s set her sights on—the handsome and haunted Stefan—isn’t interested, she’s confused.

She could never know the real reason Stefan is struggling to resist her: Stefan is a vampire, and Elena’s in danger just by being around him. What’s more, Stefan’s dark, dangerous vampire brother Damon has just arrived in town.

And wherever Damon goes, trouble always follows.…


When Stars Are Scattered

By Omar Mohamed, Victoria Jamieson,

Book cover of When Stars Are Scattered

Alyssa Bermudez Author Of Big Apple Diaries

From the list on graphic novels for young readers to encourage empathy.

Who am I?

As a graphic novel creator and art teacher with years of experience, I understand the importance of introducing serious topics for discussion in an accessible way. My art students of all ages are curious about different subjects, wondering what life is like for others and if their own feelings are normal. Graphic novels are a perfect tool for fostering these discussions. Having been interested in comics as a medium for a long time, I'm thrilled to share this with young audiences and encourage exploration of diverse perspectives.

Alyssa's book list on graphic novels for young readers to encourage empathy

Discover why each book is one of Alyssa's favorite books.

Why did Alyssa love this book?

This book deeply touched me. Through the eyes of a child, it portrays universal emotions of hope, family, and resilience amidst the refugee crisis.

It sheds light on the harsh realities of living in a refugee camp, offering valuable insights into the experiences of displaced families. It's a powerful tool for teaching children about empathy. The ending moved me to tears and prompted me to research and donate to several relevant foundations.

I believe graphic novels possess a unique power to immerse readers in the characters' experiences and emotions. When a child reads When Stars Are Scattered, they step into the world of a refugee camp and gain a new appreciation for everyday necessities.

This graphic novel, based on real people, offers a distinctive storytelling format that can convey silence, body language, and the passage of time in ways other mediums cannot.

By Omar Mohamed, Victoria Jamieson,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked When Stars Are Scattered as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A National Book Award Finalist, this remarkable graphic novel is about growing up in a refugee camp, as told by a former Somali refugee to the Newbery Honor-winning creator of Roller Girl.

Omar and his younger brother, Hassan, have spent most of their lives in Dadaab, a refugee camp in Kenya. Life is hard there: never enough food, achingly dull, and without access to the medical care Omar knows his nonverbal brother needs. So when Omar has the opportunity to go to school, he knows it might be a chance to change their future . . . but it would…


Pursuit of the Truth

By K.D. Richards,

Book cover of Pursuit of the Truth

Delia C. Pitts Author Of Murder Take Two

From the list on featuring Black private eyes.

Who am I?

I’m a nerd by temperament (raised by a psychologist and a librarian, what else could I be?) and by profession (decades working as a U.S. diplomat and an academic administrator honed my people-watching faculties to a fine edge). So, of course, I’ve always been drawn to my opposite: that cynical loner whose pursuit of justice requires hard fists and a bent moral compass. Private eye mysteries are my perfect place. In them, I can exercise my passion for intellectual puzzles and my love for thrilling action. I enjoy the combination of social commentary and sheer entertainment I find when I dive into reading (or writing) a private eye mystery.

Delia's book list on featuring Black private eyes

Discover why each book is one of Delia's favorite books.

Why did Delia love this book?

This first-in-series thriller revved my engine with its fun combination of action and romance. New Yorker Ryan West is an expert in personal protection who runs his own security firm. But he wasn’t prepared for the personal fall-out from falling for the tough-minded hotel boss he’s hired to guard. She’s brainy and resourceful, the kind of modern-day princess who can save herself but doesn’t mind engaging with a dashing prince of a private eye.

By K.D. Richards,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Pursuit of the Truth as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Her secrets could get them killed...

After hotel CEO Nadia Shelton barely escapes an attack, security expert Ryan West realises someone will kill to find the brother Nadia thought was dead. And the only way Ryan can protect her as they uncover the truth, is to stay strictly professional. But the sparks igniting between them refuse to be ignored...


Monsoon

By Wilbur Smith,

Book cover of Monsoon

J.G. Harlond Author Of The Chosen Man

From the list on historical fiction to travel across Europe and beyond.

Who am I?

My idea of ‘good fiction’ – and what I try to write myself – involves secret agents and skulduggery, crime, and romance. My own life has involved a good deal of travel. I studied Education and Drama, then Literature, History, and Politics at post-graduate level. All of which help with my research and writing. As a British ex-pat, I have lived in the USA and different parts of Europe. Now, we are finally settled near Málaga, Spain. ‘Deep-reading’ fiction set in fascinating places, quality content to indulge in on dark winter nights. I hope you enjoy your time travel as much as I do.

J.G.'s book list on historical fiction to travel across Europe and beyond

Discover why each book is one of J.G.'s favorite books.

Why did J.G. love this book?

I’m not a great Wilbur Smith fan, but I read this story because it involves trade with India in the age of sail and the monsoon, and it has stayed with me. There is a sweeping plot taking an 18th Century Englishman on a perilous voyage around the Cape of Good Hope to the Indian Ocean, memorable characters, victims of greed and perpetrators of evil, and some brilliantly described action scenes. If you want some edge-of-your-seat armchair travel, this novel will take you on a real adventure to far-away places.

By Wilbur Smith,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Monsoon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

BOOK 10 IN THE EPIC HISTORICAL SAGA OF THE COURTNEY FAMILY, FROM INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER WILBUR SMITH

'Smith will take you on an exciting, taut and thrilling journey you will never forget' - The Sun

'With Wilbur Smith the action is never further than the turn of a page' - The Independent


'No one does adventure quite like Smith' - Daily Mirror

THEY LEAVE AS BROTHERS. THEY RETURN AS MEN.

The East India Trading Company is under attack from pirates. Under orders from the King himself, famed sailor Hal Courtney makes the dangerous journey to Madagascar with his young sons, charged…


The Prophet

By Michael Koryta,

Book cover of The Prophet

Eli Cranor Author Of Don't Know Tough

From the list on football from a quarterback turned novelist.

Who am I?

I scored my first touchdown at nine and went on to play quarterback at both the collegiate and professional levels. By twenty-six, I was the head coach of a backwoods high school in Arkansas. My debut novel, Don’t Know Tough, is a football-centric thriller and was named one of the “Best Crime Novels” of 2022 by the New York Times. After that book's publication, I’ve had readers reach out and ask about my favorite football novels, so I was thrilled to get the chance to compile them all into one list. I hope you enjoy these books as much as I have. 

Eli's book list on football from a quarterback turned novelist

Discover why each book is one of Eli's favorite books.

Why did Eli love this book?

The Prophet was the first time I’d ever encountered a football thriller. I was still coaching high school football when I read this book, and it scared the bejesus out of me! Koryta spent a year following a high school football team around before writing this book. He absolutely nails the strain the game can have on the families of the men who devote their lives to coaching it.

By Michael Koryta,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Prophet as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Adam Austin hasn't spoken to his brother in years. When they were teenagers, their sister was abducted and murdered, and their devastated family never recovered. Now Adam keeps to himself, scraping by as a bail bondsman, working so close to the town's criminal fringes that he sometimes seems a part of them.

Kent Austin is the beloved coach of the local high school football team, a religious man and hero in the community. After years of near misses, Kent's team has a shot at the state championship, a welcome point of pride in a town that has had its share…


The Sweetness of Water

By Nathan Harris,

Book cover of The Sweetness of Water

Sinmisola Ogunyinka Author Of I loved a slave

From the list on historical stories on love and slavery.

Who am I?

I am a writer who loves to create stories across cultures and time periods. Writing a historical romance novel involves a lot of reading about the history and the times. After reading a few historical novels, I started toying with the idea of writing one. I loved a slave is my second historical romance novel and I have started work on two more. Being transported into the time period gives me a lot of excitement and I hope you enjoy the books on my list as much as I have! I have a master’s in liberal arts and an MFA in Creative Writing.

Sinmisola's book list on historical stories on love and slavery

Discover why each book is one of Sinmisola's favorite books.

Why did Sinmisola love this book?

I have a serious weakness for forbidden love, star-crossed lovers, and impossible relationships and this book gives it in all its ramifications. The story is gripping, the characters drew me in instantly and I could feel all the emotions they had so clearly, I could feel all the goosebumps. Writing about it brings on all the emotions all over again. A must-read!

By Nathan Harris,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Sweetness of Water as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An Instant New York Times bestseller / An Oprah’s Book Club Pick

In the spirit of The Known World and The Underground Railroad, an award-winning “miraculous debut” (Washington Post) about the unlikely bond between two freedmen who are brothers and the Georgia farmer whose alliance will alter their lives, and his, forever

In the waning days of the Civil War, brothers Prentiss and Landry—freed by the Emancipation Proclamation—seek refuge on the homestead of George Walker and his wife, Isabelle. The Walkers, wracked by the loss of their only son to the war, hire the brothers to work their farm, hoping…


Rot & Ruin

By Jonathan Maberry,

Book cover of Rot & Ruin

Shauna Granger Author Of World of Ash

From the list on dystopian, apocalyptic, and post-apocalyptic.

Who am I?

I’m a writer who loves to read and wants to write all the fantasy genres, or at least, wants to try. I’ve always been fascinated by monsters and the question, “What if?” Dystopian, Apocalyptic, Post-Apocalyptic, and Fantasy gives us the freedom to explore both these things. It’s amazing how these genres can bend our world and expectation when we explore these two things. What if the world ended but not in the way we expect? What if monsters were real? What if we are the real monsters? These questions are terrifying but so fascinating to consider and blending fantasy with apocalyptic has been a safe way to explore them.

Shauna's book list on dystopian, apocalyptic, and post-apocalyptic

Discover why each book is one of Shauna's favorite books.

Why did Shauna love this book?

A zombie book with a heart. Zombies used to be people, family, friends, loved ones and when we read these stories or watch those movies, it’s easy to forget that. The characters in this book want to remind us and try to keep us from turning into a different kind of killing machine. Rot & Ruin is about compassion and questioning the status quo. There is plenty of action but a steady guiding hand to keep us from the brink of losing our humanity.

By Jonathan Maberry,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Rot & Ruin as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'This is anything but another zombie novel... exciting, full of action, and curiously thoughtful' Charlaine Harris, author of the True Blood series
'A thought-provoking thriller that still delivers a good dose of action and gore' The Bookseller

The perfect read for fans of The Walking Dead, from an award-winning author.

Nearly fourteen years ago, a freak virus swept across the world - turning those infected into the undead. Benny Imura has grown-up never knowing anything different; his last memory of his parents was of them becoming zombies. Now Benny is fifteen, and joining his brother Tom in the 'family business'…


Trust Your Eyes

By Linwood Barclay,

Book cover of Trust Your Eyes

Warren Slingsby Author Of To Catch A Storm

From the list on strong female leads and dark secrets.

Who am I?

I love to write about crime. I have no idea why. I don’t have any real-life experience of crime. Honest. I enjoy setting books in the places that I love to visit. So Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Nice all feature strongly here. And so far, the two novels I’ve written of which one is available on Amazon, have had strong female protagonists. I guess I find it interesting for a woman to take on a bunch of nasty men. And I studied art and the history of art at college, so everything I have written in terms of novels has been in the world of stolen art. 

Warren's book list on strong female leads and dark secrets

Discover why each book is one of Warren's favorite books.

Why did Warren love this book?

Linwood Barclay always grabs you from page one. He is the king of the page-turner for me. But with Trust Your Eyes, he created a character in Thomas Kilbride so engrossing and interesting, it ramped it up even higher for me. Throw in an ex-Olympic Romanian gymnast turned assassin and for me, it’s one of my favourite books ever. 

By Linwood Barclay,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Trust Your Eyes as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

What would you do if you witnessed a murder - but no one believed you . . .?

Another masterful suspense novel from the bestselling author of the Richard & Judy summer read winner, NO TIME FOR GOODBYE and FIND YOU FIRST

Map-obsessed Thomas spends his days and nights on a virtual tour of the world through his computer screen, believing he must store the details of every town and city in his head. Then one day, while surfing a street view program, he sees something that shouldn't be there: a woman being murdered behind a window on a New…


A Man with a Past

By Mary Connealy,

Book cover of A Man with a Past

Karen Baney Author Of The Roaming Adventurer

From the list on Christian heroines with unconventional jobs.

Who am I?

Ever since great-grandma told me she envied me, being born when women could choose any profession, I developed a deep respect for the women throughout history who have held unconventional roles. I am drawn to books featuring powerful women characters who show a zeal for making their mark on the world in roles like surveyors, ranchers, telephone operators, historians, horse trainers, and more, long before their choices became socially acceptable. As a woman software engineer (and now part-time author), I’ve gained an appreciation for all the women who paved the way for the modern woman.

Karen's book list on Christian heroines with unconventional jobs

Discover why each book is one of Karen's favorite books.

Why did Karen love this book?

In the western territories in 1870, very few authors choose a woman rancher as the heroine. But this author did. She built a strong female rancher full of personality that embodied the complexities of a real woman. I found Cheyenne very relatable. Sometimes she struggled with the balance of being tough and feeling emotion—just like I do in my technology career. I loved experiencing the danger, mayhem, and even the sweet romance right along with Cheyenne. This book has a permanent home in my library, along with the entire series. I loved it that much.

By Mary Connealy,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Man with a Past as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Falcon Hunt awakens without a past, or at least not one he can recall. He's got brothers he can't remember, and he's interested in the prettiest woman in the area, Cheyenne. Only trouble is, a few flashes of memory make Falcon wonder if he's already married. He can't imagine abandoning a wife. But his pa did just that--twice. When Falcon claims his inheritance in the West, Cheyenne is cut out of the ranch she was raised on, leaving her bitter and angry. And then Falcon kisses her, adding confusion and attraction to the mix.

Soon it's clear someone is gunning…


Taken

By Erin Bowman,

Book cover of Taken

K.M. Robinson Author Of Jaded

From the list on swoony dystopia that aren’t Hunger Games.

Who am I?

I love dystopian stories because these are tales that could actually happen if a particular series of steps fall into place over the course of the next decade, century, etc. Dystopia is set in our real world, just in the future. There’s no unbelievable magic…just what our real world could be generations from now. The evolution or devolution of science, law, law enforcement, medicine, education, etc is fascinating to explore…especially since I’m an incredibly techy person. I love exploring what could happen in our future if we follow certain paths, good, bad, or otherwise. Asking “what if” is my favorite question.

K.M.'s book list on swoony dystopia that aren’t Hunger Games

Discover why each book is one of K.M.'s favorite books.

Why did K.M. love this book?

This one was very unique in that it barely introduces the dystopian world in the first book and focuses on it much later in the series despite the significant impact it has on the characters from the very first page. The lead is male, which is becoming less common these days, and gives us a more calculating look into the world of dystopia. I enjoyed seeing things from another angle as that really reminds me to explore those less-common threads in my own writing as well. And what could be more interesting than people disappearing on their birthday and then finding out who is taking them, right?

By Erin Bowman,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Taken as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Fans of Incarceron by Catherine Fisher and Variant by Robison Wells won't want to miss this magnetic first book in a gripping dystopian sci-fi series. Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of the Legend trilogy, raves that Taken is "an action-packed thrill ride from beginning to end. More, please!"

Gray Weathersby has grown up expecting to disappear at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. They call it the Heist—and it happens to every boy in Claysoot. His only chance at escape is to climb the Wall that surrounds Claysoot. A climb no one has ever survived . . .


When Aidan Became a Brother

By Kyle Lukoff, Kaylani Juanita (illustrator),

Book cover of When Aidan Became a Brother

Joy Ellison Author Of Sylvia and Marsha Start a Revolution!: The Story of the Trans Women of Color Who Made LGBTQ+ History

From the list on to celebrate transgender pride.

Who am I?

When I was a kid, I knew that my gender was different. I didn’t feel like a boy or a girl, but I didn’t know the word “nonbinary.” There were no kid’s books about people like me. I grew up with a lot of questions, which drove me to become a doctor of Women’s and Gender Studies and an expert on transgender history. Now I’m passionate about writing the kind of picture books that I needed as a child. If you want the kids in your life to understand transgender identity and feel loved whatever their gender may be, you’ll enjoy the books on my list. 

Joy's book list on to celebrate transgender pride

Discover why each book is one of Joy's favorite books.

Why did Joy love this book?

I think this is one of the most remarkable books about transgender experiences available now. Aiden gives voice to both his excitement about becoming a big brother and his frustration with the practice of assigning babies a gender based on their body parts. I have never read another picture book that better reflects my own feelings as a trans person. This book is warm, funny, honest, and will help both parents and children better understand trans experiences and each other. 

By Kyle Lukoff, Kaylani Juanita (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked When Aidan Became a Brother as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This sweet and groundbreaking picture book, winner of the 2020 Stonewall Book Award, celebrates the changes in a transgender boy's life, from his initial coming-out to becoming a big brother.Best Books of 2019, Kirkus Reviews
Best Books of 2019, School Library Journal
Editors' Choices for Books for Youth, Booklist
Best of the Best Books of 2019, Chicago Public Library
Starred review, Kirkus Reviews
Starred review, Publishers Weekly
Starred review, Booklist
Starred review, School Library Journal

When Aidan was born, everyone thought he was a girl. His parents gave him a pretty name, his room looked like a girl's room, and…


Book cover of The Princes of the Golden Cage

Rachanee Lumayno Author Of Heir of Amber and Fire

From the list on awesome fantasy you may not have heard of.

Who am I?

Fantasy is my favorite genre, and honestly, I’m pretty deep in it. Not only do I read a lot of fantasy, I also write fantasy novels. I’ve been an active TTRPG player for the last few years, even creating and running a few campaigns. In addition, I wrote a one-shot campaign set in the world of my fantasy series, the Gifted Lands, which people can get for free when they sign up for my newsletter on my website. So it’s safe to say, I like fantasy. :) If you check out any of these books, let me know what you think of them! 

Rachanee's book list on awesome fantasy you may not have heard of

Discover why each book is one of Rachanee's favorite books.

Why did Rachanee love this book?

This one is just a good, fun read, great if you’re on vacation or want to read something entertaining.

Amir is one of many princes who lives with his myriad of royal brothers to basically be a spare. He and his brothers are given whatever they want, except their freedom.

Depending on who’s alive at any given time, the potential heir to the throne can change, so it’s not uncommon for factions to form and blood to be shed. But when this happens a little too often, Amir must figure out who’s killing off everyone.

With a great story and intriguing mystery, this one’s definitely worth a read.

By Nathalie Mallet,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Princes of the Golden Cage as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Prince Amir lives in a lavish and beautiful cage. He shares a palace with over a hundred of his brothers, all barred from ever leaving until he, or one of his brothers, becomes the next Sultan. Living under constant threat of death at the hands of his scheming brothers, Amir has chosen a life of solitude and study. But his scholarly and alchemical pursuits bring him under suspicion when, one by one, his brothers are struck down by darkest sorcery.

Amir's monastic existence is also turned upside-down when he falls passionately in love with the beautiful Princess Eva, an exotic…


Such Pretty Flowers

By K.L. Cerra,

Book cover of Such Pretty Flowers

Marielle Thompson Author Of Where Ivy Dares to Grow

From the list on gothic that explore different types of grief.

Who am I?

My debut novel, Where Ivy Dares to Grow, inherently explores many kinds of grief through the lens of a gothic novel; the grief of losing one’s sense of self to mental illness, of family estrangement, of relationships that have run their course, of illness in loved ones, of beloved places no longer being the beautiful things we remember them as. While this was not something I did consciously while writing, the gothic genre simply seemed to be a natural fit to investigate mourning in so many untraditional senses, using a sentient home and timeslips as metaphors for the way that grief can seem to shift the world and swallow one whole.

Marielle's book list on gothic that explore different types of grief

Discover why each book is one of Marielle's favorite books.

Why did Marielle love this book?

This book explores grief tied together with a mysterious death. Holly received ominous, out-of-character messages from her brother before he suddenly took his own life, leaving her to try to figure out the truth of his violent death while working through her own grief.

She finds herself moving in with Dane’s girlfriend, Maura, in her gothic, haunting townhouse, hoping to get clues and to see her own grief reflected in the other woman’s. And while this grief does bring them together, the shallowness and violence of Maura’s mourning makes it clear that she knows more about Dane’s death than she’s sharing.

This is a story of how grief can become the haunted thing that lurks in gothic halls, and the extremes that it can drive people to, completely upending one’s world.

By K.L. Cerra,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Such Pretty Flowers as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

RECOMMENDED BY GILLIAN FLYNN ON THE TODAY SHOW • “A lush, seductive Southern Gothic that’s deliciously queer . . . K. L. Cerra’s gift for gorgeous, gruesome atmosphere had me spellbound.”—Layne Fargo, author of They Never Learn
 
A woman investigating her brother’s apparent suicide finds herself falling for her prime suspect—his darkly mysterious girlfriend—in this “creepy, compelling, and utterly original” (Karen Dionne) thriller.

“Get it out of me.”

It was the last message Holly received from her brother, Dane, before he was found cleaved open in the lavish Savannah townhouse of his girlfriend, Maura. Police ruled his death a suicide…


The Unwanteds

By Lisa McMann,

Book cover of The Unwanteds

James R. Hannibal Author Of The Lost Property Office

From the list on fantasy about dragons, sword fights, and elves.

Who am I?

Since childhood, I’ve been creating stories about worlds just beyond the reach of our fingers but not beyond the reach of our minds. Now, all grown up, I have the pleasure of seeing those stories on bookstore shelves—some in locations and languages all over the world.

James' book list on fantasy about dragons, sword fights, and elves

Discover why each book is one of James' favorite books.

Why did James love this book?

I love a good underdog story, and what better underdog is there an unwanted tweenager? Lisa wrote the Unwanteds as a fantastical answer to the loss of arts programs in public schools. In her story, set on the island of Quill, artistic tendencies are suppressed and those who fail to hide it are banished to (well, no spoilers). But if you love a good magical boarding school tale of friends, traitors, and new abilities, this series is for you.  

By Lisa McMann,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Unwanteds as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A riveting middlegrade dystopian novel from New York Times bestselling Wake author Lisa McMann that Kirkus Reviews calls "The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter."

Every year in Quill, thirteen-year-olds are sorted into categories: the strong, intelligent Wanteds go to university, and the artistic Unwanteds are sent to their deaths.

Thirteen-year-old Alex tries his hardest to be stoic when his fate is announced as Unwanted, even while leaving behind his twin, Aaron, a Wanted. Upon arrival at the destination where he expected to be eliminated, however, Alex discovers a stunning secret--behind the mirage of the "death farm" there is instead a…


Cutting for Stone

By Abraham Verghese,

Book cover of Cutting for Stone

Olive Collins Author Of The Tide Between Us

From the list on multi-generational historical fiction.

Who am I?

I’m fascinated with our familial, political, and cultural legacies, particularly events that displaced or forced immigration upon its people. Being Irish, we are dispersed to the four corners of the earth and often, I think about the millions of Irish immigrants who fled our shores to start again in a different country with a different culture and my imagination comes alive at the sights and changes they saw and how they had to adapt. I’ve written four historical fiction novels. One is based solely in Ireland, the others are based between Ireland and Jamaica, New York, and the American West. All of my novels are multigenerational.

Olive's book list on multi-generational historical fiction

Discover why each book is one of Olive's favorite books.

Why did Olive love this book?

This sweeping historical novel took me from Addis Ababa to New York. It gave me insight to the missionary medics and the political landscape of Ethiopia. Marion and his conjoined twin brother Shavia are the central characters in this multigenerational saga. After their mother’s death and the father’s disappearance they were orphaned. Marion’s quest is to find the identity of his biological father which takes us to New York where Marion, like his father, is a renowned surgeon. The reason the novel remains one of favorites is that there are many levels to the story, historical and philosophical, it's also emotive and wise with a cast of unforgettable characters. 

By Abraham Verghese,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Cutting for Stone as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

My brother, Shiva, and I came into the world in the late afternoon of the twentieth of September in the year of grace 1954. We took our first breaths in the thick air of Addis Ababa, capital city of Ethiopia. Bound by birth, we were driven apart by bitter betrayal. No surgeon can heal the would that divides two brothers. Where silk and steel fail, story must succeed. To begin at the beginning...


My Mother's Son

By David Hirshberg,

Book cover of My Mother's Son

Ruth Rotkowitz Author Of Escaping the Whale: The Holocaust is over. But is it ever over for the next generation?

From the list on novels set during the post Holocaust period.

Who am I?

As the daughter of two Holocaust survivors, I have experienced, observed, and researched inherited trauma. I have also noticed the dearth of works of fiction that focus on the second generation. I believe it is time for the voices of the second generation to be heard, and for the issues facing us to be explored.

Ruth's book list on novels set during the post Holocaust period

Discover why each book is one of Ruth's favorite books.

Why did Ruth love this book?

This award-winning novel combines a boy’s coming-of-age story with a well-wrought picture of American life and culture in Boston after the Holocaust. Told by a radio host remembering his growing up years in Boston in the 1950s, this book incorporates major events of the times – such as the Korean War, the polio scourge, events in baseball and politics – with the personal experience of growing up in a Jewish family in the post-Holocaust years. In the flashbacks, the voice of the child is perfectly rendered, and his adult views of his youth and of aging are delivered with wry wisdom. As the protagonist’s memorable relatives come to life, secrets are revealed, and the narrator assesses his life as it unfolded in the aftermath of the Holocaust.

By David Hirshberg,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked My Mother's Son as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Hirshberg's debut novel packs both emotional punch and a vivid portrait of Jewish American life in post-WWII Boston. . . . Readers will find connections here to Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay and to Saul Bellow's classic The Adventures of Augie March." —Booklist (ALA), starred review

"This amazing mosaic of fact and fiction will hold readers in its grip from the first to last page." —Library Journal, starred review

Winner, Independent Press Award 2019 Literary Fiction

Gold Medal Winner, Best Regional Fiction, 2018 Independent Press Awards

Winner, Best Regional Fiction, 2018 National Indie Excellence Awards

Winner,…


Lime Creek

By Joe Henry,

Book cover of Lime Creek

Tim Slover Author Of The Christmas Chronicles: The Legend of Santa Claus

From the list on Christmas stories to read at a fireside.

Who am I?

When our two boys hit their difficult years around age seven or eight and the other kids at school were starting to doubt Santa Claus, they began to ask questions about how he operated. Luckily I had answers, which became, eventually, The Christmas Chronicles. Now that I was outed as a Santa supporter, I started doing Christmas readings here and there, including every year on a radio holiday show for Access Utah, a PBS affiliate. That’s given me the delightful task of seeking out all kinds of Yuletide literature. These are a few of my favorites. 

Tim's book list on Christmas stories to read at a fireside

Discover why each book is one of Tim's favorite books.

Why did Tim love this book?

Henry is a poet, lyricist, novelist, and rancher from Woody Creek, Colorado. His whole memoir/novel, Lime Creek, is a miniature masterpiece, but I want to draw your attention to the part of it about Christmas. He and John Denver—Denver called Henry his brother—created Christmas gatherings in a barn for several years. In this excerpt set in Wyoming, he imagines one of those gatherings through the eyes of a young boy, Luke. Luke is there with his younger brother, Whitney, his older brother, Lonny, and his mother and father, Elizabeth and Spencer. And the two younger brothers are inspired to try an experiment from an old, old tradition, that on Christmas Eve, animals are given the gift of speech. 

By Joe Henry,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Lime Creek as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this wonderful work of fiction, Joe Henry explores the complex relationship between a father and his sons, whose deep connections to one another, to the land, and to the creatures that inhabit it give meaning to their lives.

Spencer Davis, his wife, Elizabeth, and their sons, Luke, Whitney, and Lonny, work with horses and with their hands. They spend long relentless days cutting summer hay and feeding it to their cattle through fierce Wyoming winters. The family bears witness to the cycle of life, bringing foals into the world and deciding when to let a favored mare pass on…


Book cover of Only Killers and Thieves

Gabriel Bergmoser Author Of The Inheritance

From the list on thought provoking thrillers.

Who am I?

I love a good thriller, as my bookshelf will attest. Anything that can drag me to the edge of my seat, desperate to see how it ends, will always get a recommendation from me, but the books that endure and inspire me the most have always been the ones that keep turning over in my head long after I’ve discovered whodunnit or seen the villain taken down. I have so much admiration for the art of taking what is often the pulpiest genre and infusing it with something more. Closely studying the books that successfully pull that off, for me, gives thriller writers everywhere a benchmark to aspire to.

Gabriel's book list on thought provoking thrillers

Discover why each book is one of Gabriel's favorite books.

Why did Gabriel love this book?

In interviews, Paul Howarth has discussed the ways in which colonial Australia was essentially a second Wild West, albeit one scarcely explored in fiction. Only Killers and Thieves leans into that understanding and in doing so creates a vivid, blood-soaked, Biblical saga about revenge, redemption, and the lies upon which nations are built, full of unforgettable characters and passages of writing that will make your breath catch. That it is followed by an even better sequel is the icing on a magnificent cake.

By Paul Howarth,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Only Killers and Thieves as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Tommy McBride and his brother Billy return to their isolated family home to discover that their parents have been brutally murdered. Haunted and alone, their desperate search for the killers leads them to the charismatic but deadly Inspector Noone and his Queensland Native Police - an infamous arm of colonial power whose sole purpose is the 'dispersal' of Indigenous Australians in protection of settler rights.

The retribution that follows will leave a lasting mark on the colony and the country it later becomes. It will also devastate Tommy - and destroy his relationship with his brother, forever.


The German Mujahid

By Boualem Sansal, Frank Wynne (translator),

Book cover of The German Mujahid

Diane Lefer Author Of Out of Place

From the list on for recovering erased history.

Who am I?

Soon after 9/11, I had dinner with several American scientists worried about how new security measures would affect international collaborations and foreign-born colleagues. Since science rarely if ever comes up in discourse about the War on Terror, that set me off. I’m always drawn to whatever gets overlooked. I was born in one international city – New York – and have lived in another – Los Angeles – for over 20 years. I’ve spent time on four continents and assisted survivors of violent persecution as they seek asylum – which may explain why I feel compelled to include viewpoints from outside the US and fill in the gaps when different cultural perspectives go missing.

Diane's book list on for recovering erased history

Discover why each book is one of Diane's favorite books.

Why did Diane love this book?

For decades, Holocaust denial was widespread in Arab countries. That’s beginning to change, and Sansal’s harrowing novel – inspired in part by a Nazi officer who escaped to Algeria and became a hero in the war for independence aids in writing that history back into consciousness. We gain extraordinary intimacy with two brothers as they contend in different ways with the challenges of North African immigrant life in France, the massacre by the Algerian military that claims the lives of their parents, and the discovery of their father’s horrific past. Sansal was attacked for comparing Islamist fundamentalism to the Holocaust and for visiting Israel, but I think it’s clear his intent is to condemn any ideology based on an unyielding and violent intolerance of difference.   

By Boualem Sansal, Frank Wynne (translator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The German Mujahid as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“[A] masterly investigation of evil, resistance and guilt, billed as the first Arab novel to confront the Holocaust” from the Nobel Prize–nominated author (Publishers Weekly).

Banned in the author’s native Algeria, this groundbreaking novel is based on a true story and inspired by the work of Primo Levi.

The Schiller brothers, Rachel and Malrich, couldn’t be more dissimilar. They were born in a small village in Algeria to a German father and an Algerian mother and raised by an elderly uncle in one of the toughest ghettos in France. But the similarities end there. Rachel is a model immigrant—hard working,…


The Thief Lord

By Cornelia Funke, Christian Birmingham (illustrator),

Book cover of The Thief Lord

Ben Guterson Author Of Winterhouse

From the list on kids suddenly caught up in mysterious circumstances.

Who am I?

I’ve always been drawn to stories that feature mysterious locales and secret objects and strange or magical occurrences, so books with these elements—particularly when the main characters in the books are young people learning about themselves and the world around them—are often very satisfying to me. There’s something naturally engaging, I believe, in tales where someone is thrust into a disorienting situation and has to make sense of the uncertainty he or she faces. The books I’ve written for young readers all tend in this direction, and so I’m always on the hunt for stories along these same lines.

Ben's book list on kids suddenly caught up in mysterious circumstances

Discover why each book is one of Ben's favorite books.

Why did Ben love this book?

Long a favorite of mine, every couple of years I enjoy returning to this book about two brothers who fall in with a group of Venetian street children and the young master-thief who oversees them. Funke's classic, assured style grants this relatively contemporary novel (first published in Germany in 2000) a charming, old-fashioned sensibility, while the pacing and characterization should appeal to the most modern of readers, at least to my eyes. The book has everything I love in stories for young readersmystery, magic, friendship, and startling plot twists–and the interior illustrations done by Funke herself are lovely.

By Cornelia Funke, Christian Birmingham (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Thief Lord as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The magical multi-award-winning modern classic from master
storyteller and New York Times-bestselling author,
Cornelia Funke - over a million copies sold worldwide!

'A completely delicious read.' THE OBSERVER

'Today's young readers will probably love this book as they
love the Harry Potter series' THE NEW YORK
TIMES

'My enjoyment of The Thief Lord grew and grew as
I read it' DIANA WYNNE JONES

Winter
has come early to Venice.

Two orphaned children are
on the run, hiding among the crumbling canals and misty alleyways
of the city. Befriended by a gang of street children and their
mysterious leader, the Thief…