The 24 most-read and best-loved books first published in 2010, with the numbers behind each one.
The best books first published in 2010, ranked by what readers actually do: how many shelved them, how they rate them, and how many are reading them now. 2010 is complete, so this list updates only when reader numbers move meaningfully.
For the books readers love across all years see the Top 100. For the hottest brand-new releases see Rising.
← Best Books of 2009Best Books of 2011 →
Rick Riordan · 2010
Jason wakes on a school bus with no memory, beside a girlfriend he cannot recall. Along with Piper and Leo, he is swept to Camp Half-Blood, where monsters, a curse and a missing camper await.
Why it’s here: 2,458 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.4 out of 5 (174 ratings); 187 are reading it right now.
Best for: Middle-grade and young readers who love mythology-flavoured adventure and monsters
Brandon Sanderson · 2010
On Roshar, a land battered by powerful storms, ancient magical blades and armor decide the fates of kingdoms. Kaladin, a slave soldier, and the visionary Dalinar are caught in a baffling war, while Shallan pursues her own path.
Why it’s here: 1,167 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.5 out of 5 (165 ratings); 51 are reading it right now.
Best for: Epic fantasy fans who want a vast, immersive world and a big series
Veronica Roth · 2010
The first in a dystopian trilogy, this fast-moving story is told by Tris, a determined heroine. It mixes action, romance, humour and brutal moments, with short chapters that make it easy to read in bursts.
Why it’s here: 2,182 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4 out of 5 (212 ratings); 121 are reading it right now.
Best for: Young adult readers who like quick, action-packed dystopian stories with romance
Josh Kaufman · 2010
Organised as a thematic encyclopedia, this book collects ideas relevant to succeeding in business. It serves as a reference you can dip into for key concepts, rather than a single narrative to read straight through.
Why it’s here: 1,270 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.1 out of 5 (28 ratings); 83 are reading it right now.
Best for: Aspiring entrepreneurs and professionals wanting a broad reference on business concepts
Rick Riordan · 2010
After their mother's death, siblings Carter and Sadie have drifted apart, until their Egyptologist father's British Museum experiment frees the god Set. Then the pair race across the globe to stop Set and uncover their family's ties to an ancient secret order.
Why it’s here: 718 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.2 out of 5 (51 ratings); 49 are reading it right now.
Best for: Readers who like Egyptian mythology adventures with siblings on a global quest
Jenny Han · 2010
Teenager Isobel, known as Belly, builds her whole life around summers at the beach house of her mother's best friend. In this 2010 novel by Jenny Han, she looks back on the tragic events of the past year that changed everything for her.
Why it’s here: 1,039 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.1 out of 5 (33 ratings); 41 are reading it right now.
Best for: Teen readers who enjoy emotional stories about summer and loss
Amish Tripathi · 2010
Set in 1900 BC in the land of Meluha, an empire founded by Lord Ram, this novel shows the Suryavanshis facing a dying river and terrorist attacks. Tibetan immigrant Shiva may be the hero of legend, but will he accept that destiny?
Why it’s here: 1,380 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 3.8 out of 5 (42 ratings); 112 are reading it right now.
Best for: Readers who enjoy ancient-India settings and tales of legendary heroes and destiny
Rebecca Skloot · 2010
Henrietta Lacks's cells, taken without her knowledge in 1951, became a cornerstone of medical research while she and her family remained overlooked. The book explores the ethics, race, and science tied to her legacy and her descendants' struggles.
Why it’s here: 658 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.2 out of 5 (46 ratings); 39 are reading it right now.
Best for: Readers curious about medical history, bioethics, and the human stories behind scientific breakthroughs
Suzanne Collins · 2010
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins is the final book in the Hunger Games series. Published in 2010, it delivers plenty of excitement and action as the ongoing war with the capital drives the story.
Why it’s here: 1,517 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 3.8 out of 5 (275 ratings); 60 are reading it right now.
Best for: Fans of the Hunger Games who want an action-filled series finale
Darren Hardy · 2010
Darren Hardy, publisher of SUCCESS magazine, distills the core principles behind achievement into practical strategies. It covers breaking bad habits, building key disciplines, finding lasting motivation, and capturing momentum on the way to extraordinary success.
Why it’s here: 936 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4 out of 5 (22 ratings); 73 are reading it right now.
Best for: Ambitious readers who want habits and discipline strategies for extraordinary success
Amir Levine · 2010
Amir Levine introduces adult attachment theory, presenting it as a sophisticated relationship science. The book aims to help people find and keep love, while explaining how genetics and early family life shape the way they approach relationships.
Why it’s here: 671 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.2 out of 5 (14 ratings); 29 are reading it right now.
Best for: Readers curious about how attachment shapes their love lives and relationships
Linda Sue Park · 2010
When civil war reaches his village in 1985, eleven-year-old Salva is separated from his family and joins other Dinka tribe members on a long trek across Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya. The story draws on the real life of Salva Dut.
Why it’s here: 439 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.5 out of 5 (23 ratings); 24 are reading it right now.
Best for: Readers who value true-life survival stories and the work of digging wells
Stephen King · 2010
Stephen King's Full Dark, No Stars gathers four novellas, all built around the theme of retribution. The collection won the 2011 Bram Stoker Award and British Fantasy Award for Best Collection, and includes 1922, A Good Marriage, Big Driver and Fair Execution.
Why it’s here: 623 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4 out of 5 (46 ratings); 25 are reading it right now.
Best for: Stephen King fans who like novellas about retribution
W. Bruce Cameron · 2010
American author W. Bruce Cameron's 2010 novel follows one dog through four lives by way of reincarnation. As the journey unfolds, the dog looks for his purpose in each of those lives.
Why it’s here: 402 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.5 out of 5 (23 ratings); 24 are reading it right now.
Best for: Dog lovers who enjoy stories of reincarnation and a search for purpose
Brian Tracy · 2010
Brian Tracy argues that success depends on self-discipline rather than luck, wealth or connections. Across 21 chapters with exercises, he shows how to build discipline in personal goals, business and money, and overall happiness.
Why it’s here: 522 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4 out of 5 (22 ratings); 57 are reading it right now.
Best for: Readers who want to stop making excuses and build self-discipline
Jason Fried · 2010
This book tosses out conventional startup wisdom, arguing that business plans do harm, investors are unnecessary, and rivals can be ignored. It promotes doing more with less, staying productive, and getting noticed without a big budget.
Why it’s here: 595 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 3.8 out of 5 (48 ratings); 53 are reading it right now.
Best for: Aspiring entrepreneurs, small-business owners, and anyone stuck in a job they dislike
刘慈欣 · 2010
The closing chapter of the Three-Body trilogy finds humanity at peace with the alien Trisolarans, but that calm breeds complacency. Cheng Xin, an engineer waking from hibernation, carries forgotten knowledge that could upset the fragile balance.
Why it’s here: 309 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.3 out of 5 (106 ratings).
Best for: Readers of epic science fiction who want a sweeping, wonder-filled trilogy finale
Cassandra Clare · 2010
Tessa Gray travels to Victorian London to find her brother and lands in a hidden world of danger. Hunted for her power to transform, she shelters with demon-fighting Shadowhunters and finds herself torn between two friends.
Why it’s here: 371 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.1 out of 5 (31 ratings); 20 are reading it right now.
Best for: Fans of Victorian-set paranormal adventure with a love triangle at its heart
Stephanie Perkins · 2010
Anna is unhappy to be sent from Atlanta to a boarding school in Paris, until she meets the charming Étienne St. Clair. He already has a girlfriend, so their year together becomes a series of near-misses.
Why it’s here: 267 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.5 out of 5 (17 ratings).
Best for: Teen readers who enjoy sweet, slow-burn romances set in Paris
Siddhartha Mukherjee · 2010
Written by physician and oncologist Siddhartha Mukherjee, this work presents cancer as a subject for biography. It appeared in late 2010 and went on to earn the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction.
Why it’s here: 317 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.1 out of 5 (12 ratings); 20 are reading it right now.
Best for: Curious readers wanting an acclaimed, prize-winning look at cancer from a physician
James Dashner · 2010
After escaping the Maze, Thomas and the Gladers learn WICKED has only begun. They must cross the scorched wasteland in two weeks while new rivals threaten them, and friendships and loyalties are put to the test.
Why it’s here: 496 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 3.7 out of 5 (59 ratings).
Best for: Teens who enjoy fast-paced dystopian survival stories and want to continue a series
Justin Cronin · 2010
A Ballantine Books release, this novel debuted at number three on the New York Times hardcover fiction list. It opens a trilogy, followed later by The Twelve and The City of Mirrors.
Why it’s here: 425 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 3.9 out of 5 (43 ratings).
Best for: Readers who like starting a complete, multi-book trilogy they can finish
Michael Lewis · 2010
This darkly funny, character-driven account explains how the American economy was pushed toward collapse. It follows the unlikely few who recognised the danger in the housing and derivatives markets, and profited, while colleagues dismissed them as alarmists.
Why it’s here: 219 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.6 out of 5 (36 ratings).
Best for: Readers curious about the financial crisis who like narrative nonfiction with a wry tone
Lincoln Peirce · 2010
Self-proclaimed genius Nate is paired with his archenemy Gina on a class project, and she also lands on his fleeceball team just as a championship is within reach. Detention looms again in this comic-strip novel.
Why it’s here: 309 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4 out of 5 (22 ratings).
Best for: Middle schoolers who enjoy comic-style stories about school rivalries and mishaps
← Best Books of 2009Best Books of 2011 →
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We start with every book first published in 2010 on Open Library, then keep the ones with real evidence behind them: at least 300 readers and at least 3 editions, with a cover, in English. 43 books cleared that bar for 2010, and the 24 below scored highest. No author appears more than twice. We publish a year only when at least 15 books clear the bar, so no list is thin.
| Signal | Weight | What it captures |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | 55% | How many readers have shelved the book on Open Library (want to read, reading, or read). |
| Reader love | 25% | Average reader rating, adjusted so a handful of ratings cannot inflate it. |
| Being read right now | 20% | How many Open Library readers are in the middle of it. |
Each signal is scored from 0 to 100 against the other 2010 books and blended with the weights above. The “why it’s here” line on each book is built from its real numbers. Descriptions are paraphrased from real source text.
This list reflects reading interest on public data, not quality, sales or awards, and it can be affected by data gaps. Open Library counts grow over time, so older books have had longer to gather readers; every book on this page is compared only against books from the same year.
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