Top 10 Must-Read Books of the Month

Welcome book lovers! If you are looking for the next page-turner to dive into, look no further. We have curated a list of the top 10 must-read books of the month that cater to all genres and age groups. Whether you are a fan of thrillers, romance, fantasy, or non-fiction, we have something for everyone.

1. The Tell by Amy Griffin A deeply personal memoir that has been endorsed by all three titans in the celebrity book club world—Oprah, Reese Witherspoon, and Jenna Bush Hager. Griffin recounts how MDMA therapy unlocked buried memories of childhood sexual abuse, and her journey through grief, rage, and ultimately healing. This powerful story explores how telling our truth can transform pain into purpose.

2. The Antidote by Karen Russell An American epic that takes place in the 1930s in the fictional town of Uz, Nebraska, centering on a prairie witch who calls herself "the Antidote." This healer absorbs others' grief until a dust bowl threatens everything. Russell's long-awaited follow-up to Swamplandia! is a sprawling yet meticulous story that examines American history in its fullness.

3. The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong A more sprawling yet direct coming-of-age tale about 19-year-old Hai standing on a bridge in East Gladness, Connecticut, after his first love dies of a fentanyl overdose. When a dementia-stricken elderly woman takes him in, this becomes a vivid case study in the life-altering potential of community.

4. My Documents by Kevin Nguyen A dystopian speculative fiction novel where Vietnamese Americans are shipped to internment camps following a terrorist attack. Despite the heavy premise, this book zips forward with page-turning suspense, humor, and nuance while proving gaspingly relevant in our current era.

5. Audition by Katie Kitamura A taut and incisive novel that begins when a successful actress meets a younger man, Xavier, who claims he's her son—which seems impossible since she's never been a parent. This tantalizing novel offers multiple versions of the same life, exploring how things become less clear as we age.

6. Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler Set in a dystopian near-future where climate catastrophe and societal breakdown have reshaped the world, this novel follows Lauren Olamina, a young woman whose hyperempathy allows her to literally feel others' pain and pleasure. When her fortified community falls to violence and chaos, Lauren flees northward through a landscape of desperation and danger. Along her harrowing journey, she develops Earthseed—a philosophy and religion built around the conviction that humanity must eventually take root among the stars to survive. The story weaves together urgent questions about adaptation, community-building, and how belief systems emerge from crisis, ultimately examining whether hope and spiritual vision can flourish even when civilization crumbles.

7. Tilt by Emma Pattee An apocalyptic thriller where Annie is nine months pregnant and shopping at Ikea when Oregon is hit with "the big one"—the earthquake that people in the Pacific Northwest have been anticipating for years. This propulsive debut tracks her survival journey through a catastrophic disaster.

8. Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue Jende Jonga, a Cameroonian immigrant in New York City who gets a job as a chauffeur for Clark Edwards, a wealthy Lehman Brothers executive. As the 2008 financial crisis unfolds, the lives of the Jongas and the Edwards intertwine, revealing the stark realities of class, immigration, and the elusive nature of the American Dream. Both families are forced to confront challenges that test their dreams, relationships, and values, ultimately questioning what it truly means to be successful and content.

9. Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson When a stranger appears at Mad's door announcing he's her older half-brother, he convinces her to join a cross-country road trip to round up their other siblings and find their disappearing father.  This often hilarious and sometimes devastating novel explores what really makes a family.

10. Is a River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane The author of Underland argues that rivers deserve to be treated with the same respect as other living organisms, visiting three rivers from Ecuador to Quebec. This environmental work raises awareness about a part of nature often taken for granted while showing how rivers can heal if given proper care.

Whether you prefer to curl up with a book in hand or listen to an audiobook on the go, these must-read books are sure to capture your imagination and transport you to new and exciting worlds. So grab a cup of your favorite beverage, find a cozy spot to settle in, and let the reading begin!

Stay tuned for more book recommendations, author showcases, and exciting events coming your way. Happy reading!