Amazon has revealed its list of the best books of 2026 so far, according to a news release from the online retail giant.
Taking the No. 1 spot was Tayari Jones’ novel Kin, about friends Vernice and Annie, who grew up in 1950s Louisiana and both lost their mothers when they were kids. Jones reacted to the book’s selection in a statement, saying, “For me, writing a novel is like sending a message in a bottle. I ink everything I have onto the pages, then cast it into the world, hoping it washes up onto the shores of readers seeking connection. Kin being chosen as Amazon’s Best Book of the Year So Far is incredibly meaningful, as the greatest honor for any writer is the gift of being read.”
Coming in at No. 2 was Patrick Radden Keefe’s London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth, which was followed by Caro Claire Burke’s Yesteryear; Belle Burden’s Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage; and Eli Raphael’s Night Objects.
Maggie O’Farrell took the No. 6 spot for Land, followed by Jordan Ritter Conn for American Men, Rainbow Rowell for Cherry Baby, Luke Dumas for Nothing Tastes as Good, and Gabriel Tallent for Crux.
“Across the full list, readers will find stories that surprise, move, and keep them up way past bedtime,” Sarah Gelman, editorial director of Amazon Books, said. “We couldn’t be more excited to share these picks just in time for summer.”
The full list of Amazon’s best books of the year so far is available here.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
