These Are the Books You Should Buy On Prime Day

updated May 3, 2019
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Post Image
(Image credit: Marisa Vitale)

Christmas in July, A.K.A. Amazon’s Prime Day, has finally arrived. While tech junkies get excited about the electronics deals, and we’ve found some amazing discounts on home items we love, bookworms can also get a piece of the Prime pie today. In addition to discounting some bestselling books, Amazon is offering a blanket discount on book orders of $20 or more. We’ve grouped together some ready-to-buy shopping carts based on your favorite category, be it memoir, thriller, or romance—but feel free to mix-and-match.

While we get excited about brand-new bestsellers, Prime Day is actually a great time to take a look at your backlist and grab those books you’ve been meaning to read for months—even years! Why? Because you can buy them in paperback (easier for travel) and they tend to be lower-priced. Ready to shop? Don’t forget to use the code: Get $5 off of a print book order of $20 or more with PRIMEBOOKS18.

Memoir

Cart total: $23.00

Talking As Fast As I Can, Lauren Graham ($12)

Gilmore Girls fans need to read Graham’s hilarious, heartwarming memoir of her time on the beloved show and what it was like to have it renewed years later. Graham writes exactly as she speaks, which means that reading this book feels like she’s right next to you on the couch.

Year of Yes, Shonda Rhimes ($4)

Want to be inspired by one of Hollywood’s most successful producers? Enter Shonda Rhimes’ memoir that chronicles a year where she chose to open her mind and say “yes” to every opportunity. Sounds scary, right?

Just Kids, Patti Smith ($7)

The legendary singer writes a beautiful memoir of her life in New York City in the 60s and 70s. For fans of her music and for those who want a peek into the art and culture of the era, this inspirational story of love and life is a must-read.

Buzziest Books of 2018

Cart total: $29.50

Less, Andrew Sean Greer ($8.50)

This book just won the Pulitzer Prize and you can get it for less than $10. Not to mention, the hilariously endearing story of Arthur Less as he travels the world to avoid a former lover’s wedding will fill your heart one thousand times over.

The Perfect Nanny, Leila Slimani ($11)

Everyone was talking about this thriller in France, and its American translation was just as exciting. The novel opens with a nanny who has murdered two young children—so we know whodunnit, but the more intriguing question is why?

Eleanor is an introvert and a little odd, but is more or less happy with her isolated lifestyle. When she meets a man who is her polar opposite—messy, gregarious, emotional—she begins to step lightly outside her comfort zone, and face her inner demons in order to embrace the world around her.

Thriller/Mystery

Cart total: $28.00

You Will Know Me, Megan Abbott ($9.50)

Abbott is known for psychological thrillers that you can finish in one day. This 2016 bestseller centers around a gymnastics training center for Olympic hopefuls, where tensions are always running high because everyone is ultra-competitive—especially the parents. When a death of one of their own disturbs the gym, everyone is implicated.

The Husband’s Secret, Liane Moriarty ($9.50)

If you loved Big Little Lies, then you’ll love the rest of Moriarty’s writing, especially one that center’s around a letter written by Cecilia’s husband, to be read upon is death. Inside is his darkest secret that shatters Cecilia’s life, and the biggest issue is: she found it while her husband was still alive.

The Dry, Jane Harper ($9)

Set in a rural Australian town, investigator Aaron Falk returns to investigate the death of his once-best friend, Luke. The nosy town and the mystery around Luke’s death triggers memories of another death Aaron experienced years ago, causing him to flee the nosy town in the first place.

Beach Reads

Cart total: $30.00

The Wangs vs. The World, Jade Chang ($10)

Follow the Wangs, a Chinese-American family suddenly without their immense wealth, as they road trip across America and follow their father’s dream to reclaim his land and regain his status.

The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P., Adelle Waldman ($9)

Waldman does such a hilarious and thorough job of capturing the narcissistic mind of a successful but indecisive man as he decides what he really wants in a woman and in life.

The Keeper of Lost Things, Ruth Hogan ($11)

Anthony Peardew has become a human lost-and-found, collecting lost objects he finds from others and telling their stories. Laura, recently divorced, moves in with Anthony and in her quest to manage her own grief, works with Anthony to reunite his found tokens with their owners.