Get ready to get your tissues out – Amazon’s best books of the year list is full of heartfelt weepers that will make you contemplate grief, humanity and compassion.

Every year, Amazon’s editorial team gathers for a literary showdown to choose a list of standout books. Some years are contentious, with boardroom coups and stubborn defenders. But this year’s number one pick was practically unanimous, say editors Erin Kodicek and Sarah Gelman.

Selecting a Top 20 is difficult work, let alone a single best book of the year. But Amazon’s editorial team looks for a book that’s approachable and enjoyable to any reader, regardless of preferred genre.

Here’s what they picked this year, revealed exclusively online by USA TODAY.

Amazon reveals Best Books of the Year 2025

Unlike Amazon’s best

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