I really liked 'Educated' by Tara Westover. It's a memoir but has elements of fiction in how she tells her story. It's about a girl growing up in a very strict and isolated family in Idaho. She overcomes many obstacles to get an education. It's an inspiring and eye - opening read.
One of the highly recommended books from that list could be 'War and Peace' by Leo Tolstoy. It gives a vivid and in - depth look at Russian society during the Napoleonic era.
Well, 'Moby - Dick' by Herman Melville is a highly recommended fiction book. It tells the story of Captain Ahab's obsessive quest for the white whale. 'The Catcher in the Rye' by J.D. Salinger is another. It's about a teenager's alienation and search for identity. And don't forget 'Brave New World' by Aldous Huxley. It presents a future society where people are conditioned from birth and shows the consequences of a technologically - controlled world.
I highly recommend 'The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle' by Stuart Turton. It's a mystery - thriller with a unique time - loop concept that keeps you on your toes. 'A Column of Fire' by Ken Follett is also great. It's a historical fiction that continues the Kingsbridge series and is full of political intrigue and complex characters. And 'The Alice Network' by Kate Quinn, which is set during World War I and II and tells the story of female spies.
I'd recommend 'Flight Behavior' by Barbara Kingsolver. It deals with themes like climate change and the impact on a rural community. It has really engaging characters that draw you into the story.
One highly recommended science fiction book is 'Dune' by Frank Herbert. It has a complex and immersive world-building with its desert planet Arrakis and the valuable spice. Another is '1984' by George Orwell. It's a dystopian science fiction that warns about totalitarian regimes and surveillance. 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' by Douglas Adams is also great. It's a humorous take on space travel and the meaning of life.
There's also 'In the Ring'. This book is all about a boxer's journey from being a nobody to a champion. It has some really interesting characters aside from the boxer himself, like his trainer who has his own backstory and motives. It's a great exploration of the boxing world.
Some of the top current fiction works include 'The Testaments' by Margaret Atwood. It's a sequel to 'The Handmaid's Tale' and further explores the dystopian world she created. 'The Vanishing Half' by Brit Bennett is also very popular. It tells the story of twin sisters who take different paths in life. And 'Anxious People' by Fredrik Backman is a heartwarming and humorous take on different people's lives.
'The Nickel Boys' by Colson Whitehead is also highly recommended. It's based on a real - life reform school in Florida. The book tells the story of two boys at the school, Elwood and Turner, and the horrors they face. It's a poignant exploration of race, abuse of power, and the resilience of the human soul in the face of injustice.
One highly recommended 2016 historical fiction book is 'The Underground Railroad' by Colson Whitehead. It tells the story of a slave named Cora who escapes through a literal underground railroad. Another is 'The Nightingale' by Kristin Hannah, which focuses on two sisters in France during World War II. It shows their different ways of resistance against the Nazis.
I would say 'All the Light We Cannot See' by Anthony Doerr. This book is set during World War II and follows the parallel lives of a blind French girl and a German boy. It's beautifully written and really captures the essence of that historical period. Also, 'The Book Thief' by Markus Zusak is excellent. It's narrated by Death and tells about a girl in Nazi Germany who steals books. Then there's 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens, which is set during the French Revolution.