Sign in with Facebook
From No. 1 to No. 60, Readers' Top Books Published in the Past Five Years
Spend enough time on this planet and random questions will gradually surface in the brain. Who invented the window? Why are oranges orange? And what are the 60 most popular books on Goodreads over the past five years?
We’re here to tackle that last question with today’s collection of the 60 top books published in the last half-decade, according to Goodreads members. This particular list is strictly by the numbers. We counted up the number of times Goodreads members marked these books as Want to Read, Currently Reading, or already Read. Then we looked at the average ratings on each title, with all of these books earning at least a 3.5-average star rating from fellow readers.
The books are sequenced according to overall popularity, without regard to genre or categorization. As such, for now, Alex Michaelides’ 2019 psychological thriller The Silent Patient is the most popular book overall. It seems that Goodreads regulars are also enjoying mysteries, romance, and the relatively new hybrid designation known as romantasy.
Authorwise, you’ll notice the usual suspects list of Goodreads fan favorites here—perennially popular writers including Sarah J. Maas, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Kristin Hannah, and Emily Henry. But the discerning reader will find all manner of things to catch the eye. Hockey lust, say, or Dickensian updates, or octopi.
Click on the book cover images for more information about each title. If you spot anything promising, use the Want to Read button to add the book to your digital shelf.
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
#11
#12
#13
#14
#15
#16
#17
#18
#19
#20
#21
#22
#23
#24
#25
#26
#27
#28
#29
#30
#31
#32
#33
#34
#35
#36
#37
#38
#39
#40
#41
#42
#43
#44
#45
#46
#47
#48
#49
#50
#51
#52
#53
#54
#55
#56
#57
#58
#59
#60
How many of these books have you read? Let us know in the comments below!
Comments Showing 201-250 of 631 (631 new)
message 201:
by
J
(new)
Sep 26, 2024 08:57AM
You lost me at number one.
flag
Leggeremale wrote: "I feel like in the last 5 years much more interesting books have been published rather than most of this list tbh"I agree, but what's interesting isn't what's popular, unfortunately. Like music, like movies, you really have to dig to get to the good stuff, imo.
I still dream that one day Goodreads will stop including TBR in their lists unless the list is "Top books on the TBR list" or "Books that have been on TBR the longest". Actually those lists would be interesting to read.
I have read 10 books from this list. I don’t expect any of these books to win a Pulitzer!
варежка wrote: "What a disappointing list with a bunch of pornographic "romances" taking the lead of today's teens and young adults' interests. Shame."I wouldn't be too worried about it, this is just a representation of what goodreads users have on their shelves, not what the actual population reads.
3. Where is your list of nonfiction books? I tend to read those more.
Pretty good list. I've read 9. Not sure about Midnight Library, as others have said.
Meh.. mediocre stuff at best. Not for me.
I like old books or books that read like that. That or I like old books that smell musty with imagining the new.
some of these books are incredible and some are just hyped from book tok. did find a few more to add to my TBR though.
Midnight Library at number 2 is absurd. You can read my review on that book but the fact it got placed so high tells me a lot about the validity of this list. Seems like these are the books that are popular with TikTok Readers who do not represent all readers.
Only 18, and about 6-8 want to read. I'm just not into some of the trendy authors like Colleen Hoover. And I've tried and tried with Sarah Maas, but blech.
Sarah wrote: "Read 16 of this list and only one more on my TBR.I loved "The House in the Cerulean Sea" and "Demon Copperhead"."
Same!
I am assuming this is Fiction-only by design, because if Top 60 in the last 5 years doesn't include a single non-fiction book then this society is well and truly screwed. I'm not even talking about the quality of that fiction.
варежка wrote: "What a disappointing list with a bunch of pornographic "romances" taking the lead of today's teens and young adults' interests. Shame." tbh its not about the "porn" as yo call it its about the romance itself and plus some people skip these scenes
Several I have read, several are on my TBR, and there are a few that I refuse to read at all. Honestly an interesting list.
Elsbeth wrote: "Astra wrote: "Leggeremale wrote: "варежка wrote: "Leggeremale wrote: "I feel like in the last 5 years much more interesting books have been published rather than most of this list tbh"Honestly, i..."
If you are looking for books with few ratings, here is the list for you!
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Henri wrote: "I am assuming this is Fiction-only by design, because if Top 60 in the last 5 years doesn't include a single non-fiction book then this society is well and truly screwed. I'm not even talking about..."Nonfiction is not very popular on this site. You may find this list useful :)
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...
Leggeremale wrote: "I feel like in the last 5 years much more interesting books have been published rather than most of this list tbh"Send a link of your tops! I'd love some more suggestions! Thanks!
What a terrible list consisting of pseudo-pornographic "romance" booktok suggestions. Not a single legitimate novel referenced. Pretty sad if this is what literature has come to. I guess they have to cater to the lowest common denominator.
Idk it just seems to me that "top books" should be the highest rated books, not the ones that are getting talked about the most. I keep looking at these lists because I'm a librarian, and it's good to know what a lot of my patrons are going to be reading, but it is incredibly disappointing to see the same books in these lists over and over because they have the most "buzz" and not because they've been highly rated.
Six in total, four already read and two I want to read.
Law wrote: "I've read 13 books on this list and I plan to read many more. Can you recommend me a book to read from this list OTHER than American Dirt? I don't want to read that. Demon Copperhead, Lessons in Ch..."Remarkably Bright Creatures is one of my favourites of all time. I loved Lessons in Chemistry.
I have read 27 of these books. There are no additional books on this list that are calling out to me. Will we have to wait another five years for the next list? Any hints on what might make the list?
August wrote: "Idk it just seems to me that "top books" should be the highest rated books, not the ones that are getting talked about the most. I keep looking at these lists because I'm a librarian, and it's good..."SAY IT LOUDER. Totally agree and am a little confused since some of these don't have the highest ratings or review numbers.
For anyone wondering about the actual breakdown of average ratings for the books in this list like I was:4.63 - The Women
4.57 - Fourth Wing
4.51 - Project Hail Mary
4.50 - Demon Copperhead
4.47 - A Court of Silver Flames
4.47 - House of Earth and Blood
4.46 - I'm Glad My Mom Died
4.40 - The House in the Cerulean Sea
4.39 - Remarkably Bright Creatures
4.37 - American Dirt
4.37 - Reminders of Him
4.35 - Iron Flame
4.35 - The Queen of Nothing
4.32 - A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
4.32 - The Housemaid
4.30 - The Four Winds
4.29 - Lessons in Chemistry
4.29 - The Wicked King
4.26 - Crying in H Mart
4.24 - The Housemaid's Secret
4.23 - From Blood and Ash
4.21 - Carrie Soto is Back
4.21 - Daisy Jones and the Six
4.20 - Every Summer After
4.19 - Divine Rivals
4.18 - Anxious People
4.18 - The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
4.18 - The Silent Patient
4.15 - The Inheritance Games
4.15 - Things We Never Got Over
4.15 - Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
4.14 - The Vanishing Half
4.13 - Book Lovers
4.13 - The Love Hypothesis
4.12 - None of This is True
4.12 - Regretting You
4.10 - Twisted Games
4.09 - Never Lie
4.08 - Red, White & Royal Blue
4.03 - Malibu Rising
4.00 - Beach Read
3.99 - The Midnight Library
3.98 - Happy Place
3.97 - The Perfect Marriage
3.96 - The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
3.96 - Haunting Adeline
3.94 - It Happened One Summer
3.91 - The Unhoneymooners
3.86 - It Starts with Us
3.86 - People We Meet on Vacation
3.83 - Icebreaker
3.83 - The Last Thing He Told Me
3.82 - The Spanish Love Deception
3.81 - The Guest List
3.79 - Such a Fun Age
3.78 - In Five Years
3.76 - The Maid
3.76 - Yellowface
3.72 - Twisted Love
3.66 - The Paris Apartment
Bear in mind that the total number of ratings for each book in this list ranges from between just under half a million to over two million ratings.
How have I already read 28 of these. Clearly I need to exercise more:)
The number of Colleen Hoover books on here is INSANE.
I've read 13, some of them are really good, but I wouldn't say they would be among my top 10. It's lacking very good authors. I would be more interested in a list of popularity by ratings, just books that have been read
Oof, a lot of really not good books in here - though sadly unsurprising. Mostly of this is just booktok or airport fiction.The YA-ification of like every big book is also super depressing.
I've read 15 of these. A few are on my "to read" list.
I have no idea what it says about me or the books on this list, that I've only read one (Project Hail Mary) and that there's only one on my Want to Read shelf (The House in the Cerulean Sea). Hmmm????
A wrote: "I haven't read a single one of these books. Some of these books are good or decent enough. But some of these choices make me despair for some of your souls. Especially the book, American Dirt."If you haven't read any of them, how can you say they are "good or decent enough"? Please read Remarkably Bright Creatures... the audio book in particular was amazing. Sometimes moved a little slow but I felt all the emotions with that one!!
too bad there isn't more people of color on this list.
Teddi wrote: "I've read 3 of them. I don't tend to read trendy books 😊"I so get that!
24. Hmph, incorporating audiobooks in the last 5 years really opened me up to currently-trending reads. In the past, I would have been lucky to have read one on a list like this.
I've read 41 of these, which is crazy to me.
Leggeremale wrote: "I feel like in the last 5 years much more interesting books have been published rather than most of this list tbh"Same. This list has honestly surprised me in how uniform it is. I thought that there might be much greater variety.
Evelyn wrote: "I liked the books that I've read on this list, and even though some people may avoid books like Fourth Wing and Twisted Games because they're "trendy" is ridiculous. If they aren't you're type of b..."say it louder for the people in the back!! 📣
21/60! a lot of these are on my TBR lol and a handful I am currently reading
41!! with most of the others marked as want to read.
