PEOPLE Picks the Best Books of the 2020s, From Emily Henry to Britney Spears

Mar. 15, 2025

PEOPLE’s picks for the best books of the 2020’s.Photo:Knopf; Riverhead Books; Sourcebooks Landmark; Berkley; Random House; Doubleday; Vintage; Wydawnictwo Kobiece; One World; Little, Brown and Company

Knopf; Riverhead Books; Sourcebooks Landmark; Berkley; Random House; Doubleday; Vintage; Wydawnictwo Kobiece; One World; Little, Brown and Company

As we wrap up our list of the best books of the decades, it’s only appropriate to end with our current one — on the eve of a new year. Four years into the 2020s, and a number of notable books have already been published and been captivating readers.In honor of our 50th anniversary, PEOPLE staffers have rounded up a selection of just a few of our favorite books of the decade so far. Read on to see our selections.

01of 15

A romance writer who has fallen out of love in real life and a literary fiction novelist plagued with writer’s block switch genres when they find themselves staying in neighboring beach houses. Hijinks and rom-com magic alike ensue in this bestselling read.

Buy Now

02of 15

Knopf

Michelle Zauner, lead singer of indie rock band Japanese Breakfast, takes her pen to this powerful memoir which details her complicated relationship with her mother, and the ways she came to terms with her mixed-race identity, upbringing and family in the wake of her mother’s terminal cancer diagnosis.

03of 15

Berkley

Florence Day, a romance author’s ghostwriter, is beginning to believe that love isn’t possible. When her father suddenly dies, Florence is forced back to the Southern hometown she hoped to leave behind forever, where she’s also introduced to a ghost who will have her rethinking her romantic prospects.

04of 15

Sourcebooks Landmark

This thriller follows a disgraced detective set to be executed for a murder he may or may not be responsible for, his bodyguard and the woman they met on a ship bound for Amsterdam. While onboard, strange occurrences end in murder, leading to a full investigation. This mystery from the author ofThe 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastlewill be hard to put down.

05of 15

Little, Brown and Company

Charlie Barnes, divorced and living in a home he hates. isn’t a fan of his life. But in the wake of the Great Recession and a cancer diagnosis, Charlie finds his perspective shifting, and with the help of his son, moves toward becoming the person he’s always wanted to be. An emotional novel about second chances.

06of 15

This moving, futuristic novel follows Klara, a form of artificial intelligence who’s trying to figure out how to exist. This thought-provoking novel about love, friendship and unlikely connections is perfect for fans of the movieHer.

07of 15

Random House

This book offers an encapsulating look at the importance of fungi to our ecosystem and world — as key players in biological processes, as crucial healing instruments and more. You’ll never look at mushrooms the same way again.

08of 15

Doubleday

The Sackler family was behind pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma, when it was revealed that their money came from creating and misleadingly marketing a painkiller that contributed to the opioid crisis. This riveting nonfiction account tells their story across three generations, as well as the investigations into their company, empire and fortune.

09of 15

Riverhead Books

Part memoir and part guidebook,Winteringuses literature, mythology, nature and personal experience to emphasize the importance of resetting and recharging in the face of difficulty. May provides a touching manual for how to pick ourselves back up in even amidst the darkest periods.

10of 15

One World

11of 15

Bennett’s acclaimed second novel follows the Vignes twins, identical twin sisters raised in a Black community who run away from home as teenagers. One twin decides to live as a Black woman after returning to where she was raised, and the other, now married with a child, lives as a White woman. A stunning book about family and identity.

12of 15

Gunty’s stunning debut novel follows a group of people in an Indiana apartment complex, including a young couple, a group of teenagers who aged out of the state’s foster care system and a mysterious man who arrives with a troubling mission.

13of 15

This National Book Award finalist blends journalism with creative nonfiction to tell the stories of undocumented residents in the United States. From the workers who helped clean up Ground Zero in the wake of 9/11 to the communities living through the water crisis in Flint, Mich.,Cornejo Villavicencio, herself undocumented until 2020, uplifts the voices often left out of the spotlight.

14of 15

Gallery Books

Pop sensationBritney Spearsbroke barriers with this vulnerable memoir, in which she details her rise to teen stardom, her mental health and her conservatorship that was terminated in 2021. An empowering read, even for those who don’t think they like celebrity memoirs.

15of 15

Vintage

source: people.com