In Honor Of Book Lovers Day, Here Are The Books Our Editors Loved This Year

"'Normal People' by Sally Rooney was one of those books that I couldn't read fast enough. The overly complicated relationship between the two main characters as they navigate high school years, college and beyond was captivating. Rooney's writing is so wonderful, I highly recommend." — Katelyn Mullen, HuffPost Director of Commerce

"The very first book I read this year was 'Piecing Me Together' by Renée Watson. I'd picked it up from the Young Adult sales table on my way out of the bookstore, captivated by its gorgeous, collage-style cover art. I thought it'd be an easy read for the start of the year but it set the bar high! This YA book tells the story of Jade, a Black high school student who feels like an outsider in her poor neighborhood and in her posh private school where the "opportunities" she's presented with only label her and put her in a box as a "troubled youth." This story of a teen trying to navigate microaggressions while advocating for her goals taught me how to advocate for my own adult dreams and to never let anyone, be it my family, my friends or my coworkers (the grown-up version of classmates) limit me and my infinite potential to be a force for good in the world." — Jolie Doggett, HuffPost Life Reporter

"I was truly captivated by this book and Tara's story growing up in a Mormon survivalist family in rural Idaho. Like, couldn't put it down. I'm a huge audiobook listener, and I burned through this book in a few short days. It's a good thing too, because I'd have never gotten my hands on a physical copy anytime soon because at one point this book had a 1,700-person waitlist at the New York Public Library. I think that says pretty much everything you need to know about how good this book is." — Brittany Nims, HuffPost Manager of Commerce Content

"A beautifully written historical novel that traces the multi-generational exodus of a family through pre-WW2 China to present-day America. Though not a particularly long read, 'Inheritance' is a powerful exploration into the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters and the often conflicting binary of family loyalty and personal independence." — Anna McGrady, HuffPost Senior Editor, Growth and Analytics

"As if I needed another reason to love Michelle Obama, reading this book offered a rare chance to experience the life moments that shaped her into the influential woman she is today and had me laughing, tearing up and learning with every page. I was inspired by her resiliency, way of viewing the world and how she navigating being a modern woman of color with a career, kids and a partner who would eventually become President of the United States — and yes, the Barack details are juicy and will have you thinking #goals the whole time. So basically by the end of this book, I was ready to set up a stand with copies in Penn Station and ask strangers if they'd like to learn about our lord and savior Michelle Obama." — Danielle Gonzalez, Commerce Content Editor

"This book will change the way you look at poverty and class in the U.S. In just under 500 pages (I know, not exactly a beach read), historian Nancy Isenberg explores how the white underclass has been exploited politically and economically from colonial times (England sent over their "waste people" -- an earlier incarnation of "white trash" -- to work the wild, uncultivated lands) to present day. (The book was published before the 2016 election, but Isenberg updated the preface to include her thoughts on Trump, the white working-class vote, and why the myth of a classless American society persists.)" — Brittany Wong, Senior Life Reporter

"A beautifully crafted novel that tries to explore our relationship with trees through multiple overlapping narratives. If you've ever taken a moment and admired the Fall leaves or gawked at a centuries-old Redwood, you'll love this." — Ron Nurwisah, HuffPost Senior Editor, Audience

"'The Alice Network' had just enough excitement to keep me turning the pages, and the back and forth between two equally compelling timelines made the story unfold in the most satisfying of ways. If you like a little history lesson mixed in with your drama, this book will be a great, quick read you'll really enjoy." — Katelyn Mullen, HuffPost Director of Commerce

"I read this book because a social worker friend recommended it for our book club. It's not a book I would have picked up and read on my own, but I'm so glad I did. Desmond humanely and entirely from a place without judgement takes us through the firsthand accounts of people living in some of Milwaukee's poorest neighborhoods, people living on the edge of poverty and eviction. We learn about the lives of poor tenants, as well as the landlords who evict them, and even the moving companies who do the dirty work of kicking their belongings to the curb. It's heartbreaking, eye-opening, and speaks a lot to America's housing situation and the growing divide between the rich and the poor." — Brittany Nims, HuffPost Manager of Commerce Content

"I was fascinated by Patrick Radden Keefe’s book 'Say Nothing,' which is a deeply reported account of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The narrative focuses specifically on the disappearance of a mother from a Belfast housing block more than 40 years ago, and how that event continues to have political and social implications in Northern Ireland today." — Nora Biette-Timmons, HuffPost Copy Editor

"My friend Barbara Bourland released a novel this summer called 'Fake Like Me,' which is objectively good even though I'm biased! It's a thriller about the art world and commodification." — Mike Barry, HuffPost Head of Audience