Maya's Staff Picks (Top Favorite)

I highly recommend these top-rated books as a must-read because they offer a unique blend of captivating storytelling, relatable characters, and thought-provoking themes that will resonate with readers of all genres. These books have been widely acclaimed for their exceptional writing, well-developed plots, and ability to evoke emotions, making them a valuable addition to any bookshelf. Whether you're looking for a thrilling adventure, a heartwarming romance, or a journey of self-discovery, these books are sure to captivate and leave a lasting impression long after the final page is turned. In addition, the non-fiction titles provide valuable knowledge and expert insights on topics such as science, history, and personal development, while the biographies grant readers a unique glimpse into the lives of inspiring individuals who have shaped our world. Meanwhile, the sci-fi and fantasy novels transport us to new and imaginative realms, exploring complex themes and ideas that challenge our understanding of the universe and our place within it. With their engaging narratives, well-researched content, and memorable characters, these books are sure to educate, entertain, and inspire, making them a must-read for anyone looking to expand their minds and broaden their horizons.

Showing 61 - 80 of 104  There are a total of 105 valid entries on the list.
Book cover for "Little women"
Star rating for Little women
Series:
Average Rating:
4.6 stars
Description:
Chronicles the joys and sorrows of the four March sisters as they grow into young ladies in nineteenth-century New England.
Book cover for "A long walk to water"
Star rating for A long walk to water
Average Rating:
4.2 stars
Description:
When the Sudanese civil war reaches his village in 1985, eleven-year-old Salva becomes separated from his family and must walk with other Dinka tribe members through southern Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya in search of safe haven. Based on the life of Salva Dut, who, after emigrating to America in 1996, began a project to dig water wells in Sudan. When the Sudanese civil war reaches his village in 1985, eleven-year-old Salva becomes separated from his...
Book cover for "A man called Ove"
Star rating for A man called Ove
Average Rating:
4.3 stars
Description:
A curmudgeon hides a terrible personal loss beneath a cranky and short-tempered exterior while clashing with new neighbors, a boisterous family whose chattiness and habits lead to unexpected friendship. "A grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door"--Amazon.com.
Book cover for "The millionaire next door"
Star rating for The millionaire next door
Average Rating:
4 stars
Description:
"Why aren't I as wealthy as I should be?" Many people ask this question of themselves all the time. Often they are hard-working, well educated middle- to high-income people. Why, then, are so few affluent. For nearly two decades the answer has been found in the bestselling The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy, reissued with a new foreword for the twenty-first century. According to the authors, most people have it...
Book cover for "Mockingjay"
Star rating for Mockingjay
Series:
Hunger Games volume 3.
Average Rating:
4.5 stars
Description:
Katniss Everdeen's having survived the Hunger games twice makes her a target of the Capitol and President Snow, as well as a hero to the rebels who will succeed only if Katniss is willing to put aside her personal feelings and serve as their pawn.
Book cover for "Murder on the Orient Express"
Star rating for Murder on the Orient Express
Series:
Average Rating:
4.1 stars
Description:

THE MOST WIDELY READ MYSTERY OF ALL TIMENOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE DIRECTED BY KENNETH BRANAGH AND PRODUCED BY RIDLEY SCOTT!

"The murderer is with us—on the train now . . ."

Just after midnight, the famous Orient Express is stopped in its tracks by a snowdrift. By morning, the millionaire Samuel Edward Ratchett lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door

...
Book cover for "My money my way"
Star rating for My money my way
Author:
Description:
"As a newly divorced single mom making $24,000 per year and facing down $77,000 in debt, Kumiko Love worried constantly about money. She saw what other moms had--vacations, birthday parties, a house full of furniture--and felt ashamed that she and her son lived in a small apartment and ate dinner on the floor. Worse, when her feelings began to exhaust her, she binge-shopped, reasoning that she'd feel better after a trip to the mall. On the day she...
Book cover for "Mystic River"
Star rating for Mystic River
Average Rating:
4.3 stars
Book cover for "Naked economics"
Star rating for Naked economics
Average Rating:
3 stars
Book cover for "Naked money"
Star rating for Naked money
Average Rating:
4 stars
Book cover for "News of the world"
Star rating for News of the world
Average Rating:
4.2 stars
Description:
"In the aftermath of the Civil War, an aging itinerant news reader agrees to transport a young captive of the Kiowa back to her people in this exquisitely rendered, morally complex, multilayered novel of historical fiction from the author of Enemy Women that explores the boundaries of family, responsibility, honor, and trust. In the wake of the Civil War, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd travels through northern Texas, giving live readings from newspapers...
Book cover for "The night circus"
Star rating for The night circus
Average Rating:
3.9 stars
Description:
Waging a fierce competition for which they have trained since childhood, circus magicians Celia and Marco unexpectedly fall in love with each other and share a fantastical romance that manifests in fateful ways.
Book cover for "The nightingale"
Star rating for The nightingale
Average Rating:
4.5 stars
Description:
"Viann and Isabelle have always been close despite their differences. Younger, bolder sister Isabelle lives in Paris while Viann lives a quiet and content life in the French countryside with her husband Antoine and their daughter. When World War II strikes and Antoine is sent off to fight, Viann and Isabelle's father sends Isabelle to help her older sister cope. As the war progresses, it's not only the sisters' relationship that is tested, but also...
Book cover for "The odyssey"
Star rating for The odyssey
Author:
Average Rating:
4.1 stars
Description:
"The first great adventure story in the Western canon, The Odyssey is a poem about violence and the aftermath of war; about wealth, poverty, and power; about marriage and family; about travelers, hospitality, and the yearning for home. In this ... version--the first English translation ... by a woman--this stirring tale of shipwrecks, monsters, and magic comes alive in an entirely new way. Written in iambic pentameter verse and a vivid, contemporary...
Book cover for "Of mice and men"
Star rating for Of mice and men
Average Rating:
4.4 stars
Description:
In the California's 1930', two unlikely friends, Lenny and George, dream of owning a farm together. Now that they've landed a job on a farm in the Salinas Valley, the dream seems within their grasp. But, the boss' son has a flirtatious wife and a few minutes alone with her dashes all hope of their leading a normal life.
Book cover for "The other Miss Bridgerton"
Star rating for The other Miss Bridgerton
Series:
Rokesby series volume 3.
Average Rating:
4 stars
Description:
"Poppy Bridgerton will only wed a suitor whose keen intellect and interests match her own. Sadly, none of the fools from her London season qualify. While visiting a friend on the Dorset coast, Poppy is pleasantly surprised to discover a smugglers' hideaway tucked inside a cave. But her delight turns to dismay when two pirates kidnap her and take her aboard a ship, leaving her bound and gagged on the captain's bed... Known to society as a rascal and...
Book cover for "The outsiders"
Star rating for The outsiders
Average Rating:
4.2 stars
Description:
The struggle of three brothers to stay together after their parent's death and their quest for identity among the conflicting values of their adolescent society.
Book cover for "Pachinko"
Star rating for Pachinko
Author:
Average Rating:
4.3 stars
Description:
"PACHINKO follows one Korean family through the generations, beginning in early 1900s Korea with Sunja, the prized daughter of a poor yet proud family, whose unplanned pregnancy threatens to shame them all. Deserted by her lover, Sunja is saved when a young tubercular minister offers to marry and bring her to Japan. So begins a sweeping saga of an exceptional family in exile from its homeland and caught in the indifferent arc of history. Through desperate...
Book cover for "The perks of being a wallflower"
Star rating for The perks of being a wallflower
Average Rating:
4.3 stars
Description:
Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it, Charlie is navigating through the strange worlds of love, drugs, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," and dealing with the loss of a good friend and his favorite aunt.
Book cover for "Persuasion"
Star rating for Persuasion
Average Rating:
4.3 stars
Description:
The romance between Captain Wentworth and Anne, the daughter of Sir Walter Elliot, seems doomed because of the young man's family connections and lack of wealth.