This booklist of page-turners features books you won’t be able to put down from the first page!
If your goal is to read more, choose a page-turner!
Why? You’ll be compelled to find time to read just so you can discover what happens next. And you’ll finish a book in record time as you flip page after page in rapid succession, revealing plot twists and unveiling secrets.
This booklist of page-turners doesn’t disappoint! It features hot new releases from some outrageously popular authors like Colleen Hoover, Jodi Piccoult, and Stephen King.
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What are the Best Page-turners?
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The Best Page Turners to Read Now
It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover
In this sequel to It Ends with Us, the story shifts to Atlas’s side of the story and his past. Atlas was Lily’s first love. Now, newly divorced, she’d like a second chance with Atlas. Lily’s ex-husband, Ryle, doesn’t see it that way. Since he’s still very involved in Lily’s life, he makes it clear he wants Lily and their shared daughter to have nothing to do with Atlas.
My thoughts: Colleen Hoover has recently become one of the biggest names in fiction. Surely this duo of entertaining love triangle novels has a lot to do with her success and bestseller status. Plus, her psychological thriller, Verity, is an exciting page-turner worth checking out!
Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney
Both Olivia and Lily are looking for new beginnings in the sleepy New Hampshire town of Adams. After recently leaving her husband, Oliva returns home to take over her father’s beekeeping business. Her son Asher begins dating the new girl in the senior class, Lily. All is going well until Lily turns up dead. And Asher is the main suspect.
My thoughts: Jodi Piccoult has been one of my favorite authors for writing unputdownable page-turners. Her stories are always well-researched and rich in detail. I haven’t read a book by Jennifer Finney, so I’m fascinated by this collaborative effort. Add Mad Honey to my want-to-read shelf!
Fairy Tale by Stephen King
Seventeen-year-old Charlie Reade hasn’t had it easy. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run when he was seven, and his dad became an alcoholic as a result. Now Charlie does odd jobs for Mr. Bowditch, a recluse with a dog named Radar that Charlie has befriended. When Mr. Bowditch dies, Charlie learns of a portal in his shed that leads to a parallel world where a war between good and evil rages.
My thoughts: Unlike some of Stephen King’s frightening selections, Fairy Tale is more of a coming-of-age fantasy with broad appeal. Surely it’s bound to be a great page-turner as readers cheer on Charlie and Radar in this epic tale.
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
This dystopian tale tells the story of an Asian-American family. When Bird receives a mysterious letter, it inspires him to search for his mother, who left when Bird was nine. Bird’s quest to find his mother leads him to New York City and to the upsetting truth about why she went missing.
My thoughts: Our Missing Hearts is Reese’s Book Club October Pick and an instant New York Times bestseller. One Amazon reviewer describes it as a “fast, fast read and highly recommended!”
Long Bright River by Liz Moore
Once inseparable sisters, Kacey and Mickey no longer speak to each other. Their lives have become polar opposites. As a police officer, Mickey walks the same Philadelphia city blocks where Kacey wallows as an opioid addict. One day, after a string of murders, Kacey becomes missing. Mickey must now find the killer before it’s too late.
My thoughts: Long Bright River is a suspense novel that’s both heart-pounding and heart-wrenching! The New York Times Book Review writes, “[Moore’s] careful balance of the hard-bitten with the heartfelt is what elevates Long Bright River from entertaining page-turner to a book that makes you want to call someone you love.”
The Stroke of Winter by Wendy Webb
As Tess Bell renovates her old family home on the coast of Lake Superior during the dead of winter, she discovers an old art studio with a dark secret past. Tess’s late grandfather, Sebastian Bell, was a beloved and celebrated artist. Yet the sinister-looking canvases Tess finds seem to be the work of a twisted, evil mind.
My thoughts: This creepy suspense novel is sure to be a page-turner. As I write this booklist, it’s before the November 1st release date, but my mom is reading it now and gave me the heads up about it. (She got it early and for free through Amazon First Reads.) She’s a quarter of the way into it and says it’s about to get scary – no doubt!
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennet
The Vignes may be identical twin sisters, yet they lead vastly different lives in two racial communities. One sister lives with her black daughter in the same southern town where she grew up. The other sister passes as white due to her white husband and her life as a mom in a predominantly white community. The plot takes a turn when both of their daughters’ lives intersect.
My thoughts: According to the description, author “Brit Bennett offers an engrossing page-turner about family and relationships that is immersive and provocative, compassionate and wise.” It definitely looks like an intriguing read!
Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
With her twin sister, Inti Flynn arrives in Scotland to lead a team of biologists as they introduce fourteen gray wolves into the Highlands region. While working, Inti begins to fall in love. However, tragedy strikes when a farmer is found dead, and the locals immediately blame the wolves. But was it the work of the wolf pack? Or did Inti’s new love interest play a role as he becomes a prime suspect?
My thoughts: This novel looks exciting from the setting to the premise. An Amazon reviewer who gave it five stars said, “From the very beginning, I was intrigued. I mean that first line!” It’s worth checking out based on the many glowing reviews!
The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James
Shea Collins is a receptionist by day and a true crime blogger by night. When she meets a woman acquitted of two cold cases for slayings in 1977, Shea jumps at the chance to interview her. However, Shea’s interest in this woman and her case may result in more than she bargained for. Not to creep you out, but there’s a ghostly child peering in the window at them.
My thoughts: This mystery novel seems like each page builds and builds with more suspense and darker intrigue. It’s part crime novel, part ghost thriller, and all page-turner!
If You’re Reading This… by Kiersten Modglin
On her one-year wedding anniversary, Colbie should be celebrating with her husband. However, after his tragic death, Colbie is now left only with a box of letters. One mysterious note sends Colbie searching for the truth behind her husband’s death.
My thoughts: This novel promises plenty of plot twists and page-turning suspense. I’m so curious about the story behind this note. “Dear Colbie, If you’re reading this, there’s something you should know.”
We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange
Twenty-nine-year-old Sunday Brennan returns home to her family in New York after surviving a drunk driving accident that she caused in Los Angeles. When Sunday left for the West Coast five years ago, she burned all her bridges with her family and her now ex-fiance. But Sunday soon realizes her family needs her back as a dangerous man threatens to bring her family’s pub business into financial ruin.
My thoughts: From the reviews, it’s clear you’ll be pulled into Sunday’s character and her big, complicated family. According to Publishers Weekly, “Fans of intense family dramas are in for a treat.”
What makes a book a “page-turner”?
If a book grabs your attention from the beginning and doesn’t let go, it’s a page-turner.
- Most page-turners are read lightning-fast.
- As you may expect, thrillers, adventure stories, and mysteries are among the most popular genres for readers seeking a literary sprint.
- Based on the speed at which a book was completed by its readers, Goodreads determined that One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle was the fastest read, with its 272 pages finished on average by three days.
Find Your Favorite Page-Turner Books Here
- Get fantastic titles from my curated shop on Bookshop.org
- Try Audible Plus.
- Find books via Kindle Unlimited Membership Plans.
- As a member of Amazon Prime, don’t miss Amazon First Reads for early access to Kindle books.
Booklists to Find More Great Page-Turners
- Best Psychological Thriller Books with a Twist
- 7 Mystery Books to Keep You Guessing
- 17 Books That Take You Places
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