Book List Ideas Jan 2026
We All Live Here — Jojo Moyes
Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Family Drama
Synopsis: A warm, emotionally layered novel about a blended family navigating love, grief, and second chances under one complicated roof.
Typical Rating: ~4.2/5
Published: February 2025
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=We+All+Live+Here+Jojo+Moyes
Million Boy — Monica Wood
Genre: Literary Fiction / Coming-of-Age
Synopsis: A gifted young boy raised in isolation must navigate the wider world after tragedy, revealing deep truths about kindness, responsibility, and human connection.
Typical Rating: ~4.1–4.3/5
Published: April 2023
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Million+Boy+Monica+Wood
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry — Gabrielle Zevin
Genre: Literary Fiction / Book-Lovers’ Fiction
Synopsis: A grumpy, grieving bookseller’s life is transformed by an unexpected child and the healing power of literature.
Typical Rating: ~4.3/5
Published: April 2014
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=The+Storied+Life+of+AJ+Fikry+Gabrielle+Zevin
Hidden Nature — Nora Roberts
Genre: Thriller / Suspense
Synopsis: A Natural Resources police officer recovering from a near-fatal shooting uncovers a disturbing pattern of disappearances in a small town.
Typical Rating: ~4.2/5
Published: May 2025
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Hidden+Nature+Nora+Roberts
Broken Country — Clare Leslie Hall
Genre: Historical Fiction / Mystery / Romance
Synopsis: A woman’s quiet life in rural England is shattered when her first love returns, forcing long-buried secrets into the open.
Typical Rating: ~4.4/5
Published: March 2025
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Broken+Country+Clare+Leslie+Hall
The Lost Man — Jane Harper
Genre: Crime / Mystery
Synopsis: Two brothers confront secrets and isolation after the mysterious death of their sibling in the Australian Outback.
Typical Rating: ~4.1/5
Published: January 2018
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=The+Lost+Man+Jane+Harper
How to Disappear — Gillian McAllister
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Synopsis: A tense mystery centered on identity, disappearance, and the devastating consequences of one irreversible decision.
Typical Rating: ~4.1/5
Published: July 2017
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=How+to+Disappear+Gillian+McAllister
Famous Last Words — Gillian McAllister
Genre: Domestic Thriller
Synopsis: A woman’s life implodes after a shocking revelation forces her to question everything she thought she knew about love and loyalty.
Typical Rating: ~4.1/5
Published: March 2021
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Famous+Last+Words+Gillian+McAllister
Strangers in Time — David Baldacci
Genre: Thriller
Synopsis: A fast-paced thriller weaving danger, secrets, and intersecting lives across time and circumstance.
Typical Rating: ~4.0/5
Published: 2024
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Strangers+in+Time+David+Baldacci
The Summer We Ran — Audrey Ingram
Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Women’s Fiction
Synopsis: A reflective summer novel about love, ambition, and the moments that quietly change the course of a life.
Typical Rating: ~4.0/5
Published: 2021
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=The+Summer+We+Ran+Audrey+Ingram
A Dreadful Splendor — B. R. Myers
Genre: Literary / Cultural Criticism
Synopsis: A sharp, provocative examination of art, ideology, and modern cultural myths.
Typical Rating: ~4.0/5 (critically weighted readership)
Published: 2024
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=A+Dreadful+Splendor+B.R.+Myers
Golden Girl — Elin Hilderbrand
Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Beach Read
Synopsis: A bestselling Nantucket novel about friendship, secrets, and second chances told through a unique after-life perspective.
Typical Rating: ~4.2/5
Published: June 2021
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Golden+Girl+Elin+Hilderbrand