The best books of the year, according to Amazon

​This year has been a great year for reading. But if you're wondering which new books are worth your time, consider Amazon Books' annual list of the best books of the year.

Amazon Books' editors read thousands of pages before settling on their ranking, which includes a number of memoirs as well as books from debut authors.

"The main challenge for us was that there were a number of great books to choose from," Amazon Books Editor Chris Schluep said to Business Insider. "In the end, we picked [the top book] for a few reasons: first, it's a great piece of literature, second, it's the one that stuck with us the most, and third, it's a book you look forward to picking back up."

From a post-apocalyptic thriller to a heartbreaking portrait of modern America, here are Amazon's top 10 books for 2016:

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Best books of the year, according to Amazon
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Best books of the year, according to Amazon

10. "Swing Time" by Zadie Smith

"A masterful novel that tackles big issues — race, class, and the ups and downs of long-term friendship — told with a dancer's grace and ease."

Click here to buy it on Amazon »

Photo credit: Amazon.com

9. "Before the Fall" by Noah Hawley

"From the award-winning creator of 'Fargo,' a thrilling page-turner about an airplane crash and its seemingly heroic survivors."

Click here to buy it on Amazon »

Photo credit: Amazon.com

8. "Pumpkinflowers" by Matti Friedman

"An unforgettable nonfiction account of men changed by war, told in a voice that is both straight forward and undeniably literary."

Click here to buy it on Amazon » 

Photo credit: Amazon.com 

7. "Another Brooklyn" by Jacqueline Woodson

"A poetic, breathtaking novel about growing up female and black in the 1970s — a time of conflicting pressures and sometimes crushing assumptions."

Click here to buy it on Amazon »

Photo credit: Amazon.com

6. "Lab Girl" by Hope Jahren

"An inspiring and entertaining memoir about work, life, and love from a plant scientist who is just as adept at analyzing the natural world as she is at illuminating human relationships."

Click here to buy it on Amazon » 

Photo credit: Amazon.com

5. "Mischling" by Affinity Konar

"Affinity Konar's beautiful novel about twin sisters who survive Auschwitz is precisely crafted, acutely sensitive, and ultimately uplifting and hopeful."

Click here to buy it on Amazon » 

Photo credit: Amazon.com 

4. "The Nix" by Nathan Hill

"A big, smart novel about so many things: family, politics, revolution, and the things we choose to remember (and forget)."

Click here to buy it on Amazon » 

Photo credit: Amazon.com

3. "Hillbilly Elegy" by J.D. Vance

"A very personal tour of a segment of our culture that's losing its way in modern America."

Click here to buy it on Amazon » 

Photo credit: Amazon.com 

2. "The Wolf Road" by Beth Lewis

"Part literary thriller, part western, this is a debut novel about a young tomboy trying to survive a post-apocalyptic wilderness as she searches for her parents."

Click here to buy it on Amazon » 

Photo credit: Amazon.com 

1. "The Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead

"A brilliant, wise, fantastical yet grounded portrayal of a young slave seeking her freedom on a real underground railroad."

Click here to buy it on Amazon » 

Photo credit: Amazon.com 

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