ThriftBooks Staff Picks

Plus, see how we're doing on our 2026 Reading Challenge!

Have you joined Reading Challenge yet? If not, this is a great place to track your progress on reading goals. As for our staff of certified book lovers, we’ve set a variety of targets (some modest, others rather lofty!) and we’re doing our best to achieve them. Some of us still have a way to go. Others have exceeded our goals entirely. (I’m looking at you Carrie-Ann!) Read on to see how we’re doing. And find your next read from a curated selection of the titles we've been enjoying, and explore even more recommendations on our Staff Picks page to browse our complete collection of team favorites. 

Cassie S., Account Manager–Supplier Services, 20/30 read 

I enjoyed The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins because it reminded me that I can't control other people, only how I respond. I find myself saying "let them" all the time now, it's become a simple way to let go of things I can't change.

• The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins—This life-changing guide is designed to free readers from the opinions, drama, and judgments of others. 

• Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson—This humorous about the author’s experience with depression is tinged with just enough tragedy and pathos to make it worthwhile. 

• Death Row by Freida McFadden—A thrilling new novella from the bestselling author of The Housemaid series. 

• The Jilted Countess by Loretta Ellsworth—This poignant historical novel about a young Hungarian immigrant in post-WWII America is based on a true story.  

• Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry—Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve.  

Sarah M., Collectible Manager, 20/70 read 

The title, I’m Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home, made me laugh—which was all I needed to buy it! Best for readers who enjoy cozy mysteries about quick-witted senior citizens. This one will keep you guessing till the end!

Top titles: 

• I’m Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig—After decades in prison, a reformed serial killer is looking forward to relaxing in her new retirement home. Until a fellow resident turns up murdered. 

• Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter—A chilling psychological thriller about two estranged sisters coming together to find truth about their past. 

• Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing—The legendary and harrowing tale of British explorer Ernest Shackelton's 1914 shipwreck on Antarctic ice. 

• Snowglobe by Soyoung Park—An award-winning bestseller in Korea, now available in English, this dark, dystopian YA thriller explores personal identity in a future world of constant winter.  

• Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman—Join Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat, Princess Donut, as they try to survive in a video game-like, trap-filled fantasy dungeon. 

Catie G., Technical Marketing Project Manager, 19/35 read 

• Hollow Kingdom Lost by Kira Jane Buxton—The Secret Life of Pets meets The Walking Dead in this big-hearted, beautiful romp through the apocalypse.   

• The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna—A warm and uplifting novel about an isolated witch whose life is transformed when she embraces a quirky new family. 

• Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop—Book #2 in the Others series, a world where supernatural entities and humans struggle to co-exist, and one woman has begun to change all the rules. 

• A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas—The sexy, action-packed first book in the bestselling ACOTAR fantasy series. (A new installment coming in October!) 

• Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree—A cozy fantasy about an Orc adventurer who is ready to hang up her greatsword and open a coffee shop. 

Sandi Ristine, Office Administrator, 21/“As many as I can!” 

I particularly like the Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly. They are good reads and it’s fun to see how Harry’s character grows and matures throughout the series.

• City of Bones by Michael Connelly—A dog finds a bone in the Hollywood Hills and unearths a murder committed more than twenty years earlier. It's a cold case, but for Detective Harry Bosch, it stirs up painful memories. 

• When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin—The moving story of a heart surgeon who's hiding his own heart, a little girl whose heart won't last much longer, and their shared journey toward healing. 

• Sliver of Truth by Lisa Unger—This thrilling sequel to Beautiful Lies delves deep into the shadowy world of a young woman at once hunting down a ghost from her past and running for her life. 

• The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd—A story about mothers and daughters and the women in our lives who become our true mothers 

• She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb—An extraordinary journey of love, pain, and renewal. 

Taylor P., Customer Service Rep, 11/50 read 

• The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay—This terrifying twist on the home invasion novel inspired an M. Night Shyamalan adaptation.  

• The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig—A family returns to their hometown and the dark past that haunts them in this literary horror. 

• Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive by Stephanie Land—This memoir offers a beautiful and gritty exploration of poverty. 

• What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher—A gripping and atmospheric reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher. 

• Bioshock: Rapture by John Shirley—The prequel story to an award-winning and bestselling video game franchise. 

Carrie-Ann E., Senior Marketplace Manager, 38/14 read 

My most favorite book was The Final Target. I couldn't put it down. Read it in 5 days!

• The Final Target by Nora Roberts—A young author becomes the object of a fan's desire—and rage—in this gripping thriller. 

• Beyond the Veil by Susan Valenti and Caroline Peckham— This is book #8.5 in the Zodiac Academy, a dark fantasy series set in a magical school. 

• Heartbreaker by Julie Garwood—A classic romantic suspense novel featuring FBI agent Nick Buchanan. 

• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros—Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders with book #1 in the smash hit Empyrean series. 

• Overkill by Sandra Brown—A riveting thriller in which a former football star and an ambitious state prosecutor fight for their lives. 

Carla A. S., Interim Chief Financial Officer, 10/20 read 

I loved Lady Tremaine and how it turned a familiar story on its head. The historically grounded setting and details added so much depth. I'll never look at Cinderella the same way again.

• Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser—Bridgerton meets Circe in this reimagining of the myth of the evil stepmother at the heart of the world's most famous fairy tale. 

• Pride and Pleasure: The Schuyler Sisters in an Age of Revolution by Amanda Vaill—America's founding era reconsidered through the lives of two women as formidable as the men they loved, married, and mothered. 

• America's Founding Son: John Quincy Adams, from President to Political Maverick by Bob Crawford—An accessible and entertaining biography. 

• The Correspondent by Virginia Evans—An intimate novel about the transformative power of the written word. 

• Broken Horses by Brandi Carlile—The singer-songwriter, producer, and six-time Grammy winner offers a frank account of her extraordinary path. 

Yonathan B., Supply Department, 12/24 read 

• Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir—The propulsive sci-fi space thriller that inspired the major motion picture starring Ryan Gosling. 

• Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak—In this supernatural thriller, a woman takes a job as a nanny for a young boy with strange and disturbing secrets. 

• Atmosphere: A Love Story by Taylor Jenkins Reid—An emotional epic set against the backdrop of the 1980s space shuttle program.  

• Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden—A twisted thriller from the bestselling author of The Divorce that will have you cheering "good for her!” 

• None of this is True by Lisa Jewell—A scintillating psychological thriller about a woman who becomes the subject of her own true crime podcast. 

Ashly S., Content & Product Data Specialist, 34/75 read 

Heart the Lover by Lily King was such a wonderful little novel. It was so moving and unlike anything else I’ve read. 

• Heart the Lover by Lily King—A magnificent and intimate novel about desire, friendship, and the lasting impact of first love . 

• Crux by Gabriel Tallent—Dan and Tamma are two scrappy teens living in the Mojave Desert and dreaming of becoming professional rock climbers. 

• Star Shipped by Cat Sebastian—A witty, emotional, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance between two costars on a popular sci-fi TV series. 

• The Keeper by Tana French—The third and final book in the atmospheric, propulsive Cal Hooper series from one of the greatest crime novelists of our time.  

• Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts by Margaret Atwood—The acclaimed author tells her story, from its unconventional start to her meteoric career. 

Denise C., Shipping Lead, 47/52 read 

• Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell—This award-winning cozy dark fantasy takes the shape of an unlikely romance. 

• Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa—The first book of a Japanese mythology-inspired fantasy trilogy. 

• The House Witch by Delembach—A heartwarming and humorous blend of fantasy, romance, and mystery featuring a witch with domestic powers. 

• Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove—a dazzling, heartfelt odyssey that probes what it means to be one of society's monsters. 

• Stone & Sky by Z. S. Diamanti—From across the sea, a shadow rises. A lone survivor may be the kingdom's only hope against annihilation. 

Barbara H., VP of Marketing 12/30 read 

• Purple State by Dana Perino—A smart, politically and romantically charged story where red meets blue, and love is never black and white. 

• Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke—A privileged "tradwife" influencer, finds herself suddenly transported to 1855. 

• Confess by Colleen Hoover—A sexy story where love battles against betrayal from the bestselling author of Verity.  

• The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez—a romance that revels in laughter, friendship, and the messy choices life can throw our way. 

• Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben—A thriller about a woman trapped in a deadly conspiracy. And uncovering the truth could cost her everything. 

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon