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Books · 3 min read

The 15 Best Books to Read in 2026, Picked by Our Booksellers

Fifteen books our booksellers keep recommending in 2026 — fiction, non-fiction, Urdu poetry and one children's novel — with who each one is for and what it costs.

By Books & Books Editorial Team · Published 11 August 2026 · Updated 15 September 2026

The short answer

If you read one book in 2026, make it The Kite Runner if you want a story, Atomic Habits if you want to change something, Sapiens if you want the big picture, or Project Hail Mary if you want fun. All four are in stock at Books & Books between Rs. 1,100 and Rs. 1,600, with cash on delivery across Pakistan.

Key takeaways

  • Every pick below is in stock now; most are under Rs. 1,500.
  • Read a sample chapter before committing to a series — our product pages show page counts and language.
  • Mix formats: one novel, one non-fiction, one you can dip into (poetry or essays).
  • Free delivery kicks in at Rs. 2,500, which is two books and a bookmark.
In this guide
  1. Fiction
  2. Non-fiction
  3. Poetry and faith
  4. For younger readers
  5. How to choose

Fiction

  1. [The Kite Runner](/book/the-kite-runner-1) by Khaled Hosseini. Still the book we sell most, and the one customers come back to buy for someone else. Kabul, guilt, redemption.
  2. [Train to Pakistan](/book/train-to-pakistan-6) by Khushwant Singh. The Partition novel. Short, brutal, essential.
  3. [The Silent Patient](/book/the-silent-patient-7) by Alex Michaelides. The thriller you finish at 2 a.m. See our Mystery & Thriller shelf for what to read next.
  4. [Dune](/book/dune-13) by Frank Herbert. Sixty years old and still the template for every sci-fi epic.
  5. [Project Hail Mary](/book/project-hail-mary-16) by Andy Weir. Science, jokes, and an alien you will love. The most fun book on this list.
  6. [It Ends with Us](/book/it-ends-with-us-20) by Colleen Hoover. The romance that started a thousand book clubs.

Non-fiction

  1. [Atomic Habits](/book/atomic-habits-25) by James Clear. The rare self-help book that is actually a system. Our Self-Help bestseller for three years running.
  2. [Rich Dad Poor Dad](/book/rich-dad-poor-dad-31) by Robert Kiyosaki. Dated in places, still the book that gets people to think about assets.
  3. [Sapiens](/book/sapiens-a-brief-history-of-humankind-43) by Yuval Noah Harari. Seventy thousand years in 450 pages.
  4. [I Am Malala](/book/i-am-malala-38). The memoir every Pakistani teenager should read once.
  5. [Clean Code](/book/clean-code-68) by Robert C. Martin. For the programmer in the house; see Science & Tech.

Poetry and faith

  1. [Bang-e-Dra](/book/bang-e-dra-55) by Allama Iqbal. The collection to start with.
  2. [The Sealed Nectar](/book/the-sealed-nectar-61). The award-winning biography of the Prophet ﷺ, from our Islamic shelf.

For younger readers

  1. [Matilda](/book/matilda-50) by Roald Dahl. Ages 7–10. The book that makes readers.
  2. [Wonder](/book/wonder-54) by R. J. Palacio. Ages 9–13, and every adult who reads it over their shoulder.

How to choose

Pick by mood, not by list. Want to be gripped: 3, 5. Want to think: 7, 9. Want to feel: 1, 15. Want to change a habit: 7, then 8. If you are buying for a child, read How to Build a Reading Habit for Kids first.

Everything here is on the Bestsellers list, ships in 1–2 working days anywhere in Pakistan, and can be paid for on delivery.

Still wondering

Frequently asked questions

Where can I buy books online in Pakistan?

Books & Books sells English and Urdu books across 12 categories with cash on delivery nationwide, free delivery on orders above Rs. 2,500 and 7-day returns.

What is the best-selling book in Pakistan right now?

On our site, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and Atomic Habits by James Clear have been the two best-selling titles for the last three years.

Are the books original editions?

Yes. Every book we sell is an original publisher edition, listed with its publisher, page count and language on the product page.

How long does book delivery take in Pakistan?

Orders ship within 1–2 working days and arrive in 2–3 days in major cities, up to 5 days elsewhere.

Books & Books Editorial Team

Booksellers and buyers at Books & Books, Pakistan. We stock everything we recommend, and we hear from the parents and readers who buy it — the advice here is what we tell them across the counter. About Books & Books

Mentioned in this guide

Shop the picks

View all

The Kite Runner

Khaled Hosseini

4.8(2,841)
Rs. 1,295Rs. 1,595

Atomic Habits

James Clear

4.8(5,320)
Rs. 1,395Rs. 1,695

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

Yuval Noah Harari

4.7(4,320)
Rs. 1,495Rs. 1,795

Project Hail Mary

Andy Weir

4.8(2,240)
Rs. 1,550

The Silent Patient

Alex Michaelides

4.5(3,320)
Rs. 1,250Rs. 1,550

Matilda

Roald Dahl

4.8(2,980)
Rs. 895

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