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- Goodreads is essentially a catalog and social networking site for book worms, and their public lists — where all users can submit titles and vote on their ranking — are a treasure trove for finding great new reads.
- Below are the top 20 books of the 21st century — according to Goodreads readers.
Every time I step foot inside a bookstore, I find myself turning to the internet from my phone to winnow down the sheer expanse of books.
And there’s pretty much no better place for book recommendations than Goodreads, which is essentially a social network and catalog for bibliophiles. You can track and rate the books you’ve read, curate the books you want to read, and participate in discussions, trivia, creative writing exercises, and "Ask the Author" threads if you’re looking for community. It’s also a great place to find the books most worth reading.
Below, you’ll find the community’s top 20 books of the 21st century — starting with the final "Harry Potter" book.
The 20 best books of the 21st century — according to Goodreads:
Captions provided by Amazon and edited for length.
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
Amazon
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As he climbs into the sidecar of Hagrid’s motorbike and takes to the skies, leaving Privet Drive for the last time, Harry Potter knows that Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters are not far behind. The protective charm that has kept Harry safe until now is broken, but he cannot keep hiding. The Dark Lord is breathing fear into everything Harry loves, and to stop him, Harry will have to find and destroy the remaining Horcruxes. The final battle must begin — Harry must stand and face his enemy.
“The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins
Amazon
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In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, The Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed.
"The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini
Amazon
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The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant caught in the tragic sweep of history, "The Kite Runner" transports readers to Afghanistan at a tense and crucial moment of change and destruction. A powerful story of friendship, it is also about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of fathers over sons — their love, their sacrifices, their lies.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Mara Leighton)