Top 5 Best First Reads Books In Amazon

You can read Best First Reads Books because they are specially chosen by Amazon’s editorial team to give readers like you an opportunity to explore brand-new releases before anyone else. Each month, a variety of titles across genres—such as thrillers, romance, fantasy, historical fiction, or memoirs—are made available, and as a reader you get the privilege of selecting one (or sometimes more) to keep permanently. For Prime members, the chosen Kindle edition is completely free, while non-Prime readers can still purchase it at a deeply discounted price, making it accessible to everyone. The beauty of this program is that it allows you to discover new authors, broaden your reading tastes, and enjoy exclusive stories without waiting for the official release date. Once you claim a book, it is yours forever, meaning you can return to it anytime in your Kindle library. It also eliminates the barrier of cost for readers who want to try something fresh each month, while at the same time supporting authors who are being introduced to a wider audience. Beyond the convenience of downloading instantly to a Kindle or the Kindle app on any device, Amazon First Reads helps you feel connected to the world of books in a more personal way—like being part of a special reading club that gets access to new stories before the rest of the world. This combination of exclusivity, accessibility, and variety is exactly why you can (and should) read Amazon First Reads books: they give you early entry into exciting new stories and voices, while expanding your reading journey month after month.

1. Best First Reads Books Beginning Readers Box Set

Bob Books – Set 1: Beginning Readers Box Set | Phonics, Ages 4 and Up, Kindergarten (Stage 1: Starting to Read) is a highly recommended early reading program designed to help young children take their very first steps toward independent reading.

This set is structured with simple, carefully crafted stories that use short vowels, consonant sounds, and gradually increasing word repetition so children can gain confidence and build skills step by step. Each book introduces only a few new letters or sounds at a time, allowing beginning readers to practice decoding words without feeling overwhelmed. The illustrations are simple, friendly, and supportive of the text, giving context clues without distracting from the reading process.

Parents and teachers love Bob Books because they follow a systematic phonics-based approach—starting with easy three-letter words (“cat,” “dog,” “mat”), then slowly moving toward more complex sentences as a child progresses. The stories are short, engaging, and achievable, giving kids a sense of success at the end of every book. This is important because early success builds motivation and excitement about reading, which encourages children to keep practicing.

This particular Stage 1 set (Starting to Read) is perfect for preschoolers, kindergartners, and early readers who are just beginning to connect letters with sounds. It can be used at home by parents who want to support reading readiness, or in classrooms as part of structured phonics instruction. With the box set format, children also get a feeling of accomplishment as they move through the books one by one, completing the whole collection Best First Reads Books.

2. First Lie Wins

First Lie Wins: Reese’s Book Club Pick – A Novel (Paperback – January 28, 2025) is a fast-paced, twisty psychological thriller that has quickly gained attention for its addictive storytelling and layered suspense.

The novel follows Evie Porter, a woman who seems to have the perfect life—a handsome boyfriend, a beautiful home, and a charming social circle. But behind the polished image lies a dangerous secret: Evie isn’t who she says she is. Her entire life is a carefully constructed lie, part of an elaborate con orchestrated by a mysterious figure known only as Mr. Smith. Every move she makes is calculated, every lie a piece of a larger scheme. But when one of her marks begins to look deeper into her past and cracks start forming in her façade, Evie finds herself trapped between maintaining the perfect lie and protecting her own survival. The tension builds as readers question: How far will she go to keep the truth buried—and what happens when the first lie unravels?

Chosen as a Reese’s Book Club Pick, First Lie Wins has been praised for its sharp writing, relentless pacing, and complex protagonist. It explores themes of identity, deception, ambition, and the cost of living a double life, making readers constantly shift between admiration and suspicion of Evie. The story’s mix of glamour, manipulation, and danger makes it perfect for fans of domestic thrillers and con-artist dramas like Gone Girl or The Talented Mr. Ripley.

The upcoming paperback release in January 2025 makes it more accessible to a wide audience, giving readers the chance to dive into one of the most talked-about thrillers of the year. With Reese’s Book Club endorsement, the novel is expected to be not only a bestseller but also a story that sparks plenty of discussions about trust, identity, and the blurred lines between truth and lies.

3. The Girl in the Letter

The Girl in the Letter: A Home for Unwed Mothers; a Heartbreaking Secret in This Historical Bestseller Inspired by True Events (Kindle Edition) by Emily Gunnis is a deeply emotional and suspenseful historical novel that blends past and present timelines to uncover painful truths hidden for decades.

The story begins in the 1950s, when young unmarried mothers were often sent away to harsh institutions run by the church. Here, girls endured cruelty, shame, and loss, with many being forced to give up their babies against their will. One of these mothers is Ivy Jenkins, who is locked away after becoming pregnant, with little hope of ever escaping. Desperate and heartbroken, Ivy writes letters about her suffering and her baby, but her cries for help go unanswered.

Decades later, in the present day, a young journalist named Samantha Harper stumbles upon one of Ivy’s old letters. Samantha, struggling with her own life and career, becomes drawn into Ivy’s tragic story and feels compelled to investigate. As she digs deeper, she discovers a web of dark secrets, systemic abuse, and hidden family connections that link the past to the present. The more she learns, the more dangerous the truth becomes, and Samantha realizes she must make choices that will not only change her own future but also give justice to those silenced in the past.

This novel is both heartbreaking and empowering, shining a light on a chapter of history that many would prefer to forget. It explores themes of motherhood, shame, resilience, systemic injustice, and the search for truth. What makes it especially powerful is that it is inspired by real events—similar institutions did exist, and many women and children suffered in silence. Gunnis’s storytelling captures both the emotional weight of the past and the suspense of a present-day mystery, keeping readers hooked until the final revelation.

The Kindle Edition makes it easy to highlight passages, look up historical references, and carry this emotional story wherever you go. For fans of historical fiction with a strong emotional core—such as The Lost Daughter, Philomena, or The Orphan Train—The Girl in the Letter offers a moving and unforgettable reading experience.

4. The Girl Behind the Gates

The Girl Behind the Gates: The Gripping, Heartbreaking Historical Bestseller Based on a True Story (Kindle Edition) by Brenda Davies is an unforgettable work of historical fiction rooted in painful truths about how society treated women in the past.

The story follows Nora Jennings, a bright and spirited young woman in 1939 whose life takes a devastating turn when she becomes pregnant out of wedlock. In a world where social stigma is stronger than compassion, Nora is labeled as “morally defective” and sent away to a psychiatric asylum. Once admitted, she is stripped of her freedom, silenced, and forgotten—trapped for decades behind the locked gates of an institution that offers no way out. Her only “crime” was defying the rigid moral codes of her time.

For over 30 years, Nora endures loneliness, neglect, and the crushing despair of being denied her identity and voice. But her story does not end in silence. In the 1980s, a new, compassionate psychiatrist begins to question why Nora and so many other women remain locked away. As he works to uncover the truth, long-buried injustices rise to the surface, revealing the cruelty of a system that condemned women for simply stepping outside social norms.

What makes this book especially powerful is that it is inspired by real events and true accounts of women who were unjustly institutionalized in asylums throughout the 20th century. The novel sheds light on the way society punished women for their independence, sexuality, or nonconformity, often branding them as “mad” when they were simply misunderstood. It explores themes of freedom, resilience, injustice, stigma, and the enduring hope for dignity and justice.

Brenda Davies writes with emotional intensity, capturing both the harsh realities of institutional life and the fragile strength that allows Nora to survive. It is not just a historical novel but also a story of courage, endurance, and the possibility of redemption, forcing readers to reflect on how far society has come—and how far it still needs to go—in terms of compassion and equality.

The Kindle Edition makes this poignant story widely accessible, allowing readers to highlight moving passages and connect more deeply with its historical background. For those who were moved by books like The Girl in the Letter, Philomena, or The Lost Girls of Ireland, this is a must-read that combines heartbreaking history with the strength of the human spirit.

5. Best First Reads Books Pete the Cat 12

Pete the Cat 12-Book Phonics Fun!: A Box of 12 Mini-Books Featuring Short and Long Vowel Sounds (I Can Read Phonics) – Paperback, Illustrated, January 3, 2017 is a delightful and educational set designed to help young children learn to read with confidence while having fun.

This boxed collection features the beloved character Pete the Cat, whose groovy, laid-back personality makes learning engaging and less intimidating for beginning readers. The set includes 12 mini-books, each focusing on a specific phonics concept such as short vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u) and long vowel sounds, which are essential building blocks for early literacy. By breaking reading into small, manageable steps, this set helps children gradually master decoding words and understanding how sounds work together.

The stories are playful, colorful, and easy to follow, with simple sentences and plenty of repetition to reinforce new skills. The illustrations capture Pete’s cool, fun-loving attitude, turning reading practice into an adventure rather than a chore. Each mini-book is short in length, making it perfect for young attention spans while also giving kids the satisfaction of finishing an entire book on their own.

Parents, teachers, and caregivers appreciate this set because it follows a phonics-based approach proven to help children become strong, independent readers. Kids not only learn to recognize sounds and words but also gain confidence as they progress from one mini-book to the next. The boxed format adds an extra sense of accomplishment—children can collect the books back into the case, seeing how much they’ve read and learned.

This I Can Read Phonics set is especially great for preschoolers, kindergartners, and early elementary students who are just starting their reading journey. It can be used for independent reading, parent-child reading time, or classroom small-group instruction. Best First Reads Books By combining phonics instruction with a character children already love, it makes the process of learning to read exciting and enjoyable.