By A note on how we review: BookPros’s review roundups are curated from award recognition, bestseller data, and critical consensus, not claimed as a single reader’s personal opinion. We tell you why a book is acclaimed and who it’s actually for, so you can decide if it’s worth your time.
1. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, this modern retelling of Dickens’s David Copperfield is set in the Appalachian opioid crisis. Critics praised its unflinching voice and structural ambition. Best for readers who want literary fiction with real social weight, not a light read.
2. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
A multi-year bestseller following two friends who build a career together in video game design. It was widely praised for making a decades-long friendship, rather than a romance, the emotional center of the book. Best for readers who want character-driven fiction with genuine warmth.
3. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
A #1 New York Times bestseller (and Apple TV+ adaptation) about a female chemist turned reluctant TV cooking show host in 1960s America. Praised for its sharp humor balanced against real anger at the era’s sexism. Best for readers who want feminist historical fiction that isn’t heavy-handed.
4. The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka
Winner of the 2022 Booker Prize, this darkly comic novel follows a dead photographer navigating the afterlife during Sri Lanka’s civil war. Best for readers who want ambitious, genre-blending literary fiction and don’t mind difficult subject matter.
5. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
A publishing phenomenon that took romantasy mainstream, following a physically fragile protagonist forced into a brutal dragon-rider training program. Best for readers who want fast-paced, high-stakes fantasy with a strong romantic thread.
How to Use This List
These five span very different registers (literary, commercial, and genre fiction) deliberately. Pick based on what you actually want from the book (challenge, comfort, or escape), not just the award on the cover.
Related: Reading Guides & Tips
Curated by the BookPros editorial team
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