Over 25 million items are circulated through our network of libraries each year, and among those items there are both expected front-runners and a few interesting surprises every year. For your perusal, we've compiled lists of the top books checked out systemwide and in The Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island in 2016. These lists include books borrowed from our 92 locations in the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island, as well as from our growing e-book catalog (which currently offers nearly 320,000 books). 

Bestseller The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins took the top spot in 2016,  followed by the award-winning Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. You can also check out this interactive map to see which title was number one at each of our branches:

Below, find our Top 10 lists. Already read the top picks and looking for more? This year, we've also provided a few read-alikes for you for every top check out, courtesy of our Readers Services team, so you can keep on reading.

Top 10 Books Systemwide

1. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

More psychological suspense:

• The Good Girl by Mary Kubica
• The Silent Wife by A.S.A Harrison
• Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson

2. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

More thoughtful books on society and culture:

• We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
• The South Side: A Portrait on Chicago and American Segregation by Natalie Y. Moore

3. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

More reflective books on life, sickness, and loss:

• About Alice by Calvin Trillin
• The Light of the World by Elizabeth Alexander
• Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters In the End by Atul Gawande

4. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

More Southern gothic:

• Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
• Nothing Gold Can Stay by Ron Rash
• The Violent Bear It Away by Flannery O’Connor

5. Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

More self-deprecating humor:

• The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae
• The Bedwetter by Sarah Silverman
• Half Empty by David Rakoff

6. Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari and Eric Klinenberg

More books about dating:

• Love In the Time of Algorithms by Dan Slater
• How To Win at Feminism by Elizabeth Newell and Sarah Pappaloardo
• I Suck at Girls by Justin Halpern

7. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

More good books you may have missed in high school:

• Beloved by Toni Morrison
• Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
• The Catcher In the Rye by J.D. Salinger

8. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

More complex characters coming of age and coming to terms with their family:

• The Rise and Fall of Great Powers By Tom Rachman
• Rock, Paper, Scissors by Naja Marie Aidt
• Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson

9. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

More stylistic, character-driven novels set in WWII:

• Everyone Brave Is Forgiven by Chris Cleave
• The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
• In the Wolf’s Mouth by Adam Foulds

10. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

More more books starring women and set during WWII:

• The Sea Garden by Deborah Lawrenson
• Citadel by Kate Mosse
• The Last Time I Saw Paris by Lynn Sheene

Top 10 Books in the Bronx

1. NYPD Red 4 by James Patterson

More gritty mysteries:

• Charcoal Joe by Walter Mosley
• Gone Baby Gone by Dennis Lehane
• The Whites by Harry Brandt

2. TASC: Test Assessing Secondary Completion: Strategies, Practice, & Review

A good book as a reward!

• Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
• The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
• The Vegetarian by Han Kang

3. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

More Southern gothic:

• Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
• Nothing Gold Can Stay by Ron Rash
• The Violent Bear It Away by Flannery O’Connor

4. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

More psychological suspense:

• The Good Girl by Mary Kubica
• The Silent Wife by A.S.A Harrison
• Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson

5. Private Paris by James Patterson

More suspense set in Paris:

• Lock No. 1 by Georges Simenon
• The World at Night by Alan Furst
• Ghosts of St. Michel by Jake Lamar

6. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

More thoughtful books on society and culture:

• We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
• The South Side: A Portrait on Chicago and American Segregation by Natalie Y. Moore

7. Killer Dolls by Nisa Santiago

More “street life,” drug dealers, secrets, and betrayals:

• Every Thug Needs a Lady by Wahida Clark
• Dutch II: Angel’s Revenge by Teri Woods
• Trife Life To Lavish  by Deja King

8. Undercover by Danielle Steel

More romantic suspense:

• Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard
• Naked in Death by J.D. Robb
• The Witness by Nora Roberts

9. Precious Gifts by Danielle Steel

More family secrets uncovered upon inheritance:

• The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
• The Heiress by Sara Shepard
• The Turner House by Angela Flournoy

10. Vengeance: A Novel by Zane

More revenge and erotica:

• Baby Brother by 50 Cent
• Unzipped by Noire
• A Clean Up Man by M.T. Pope

Top 10 Books in Manhattan

1. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

More thoughtful books on society and culture:

• We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
• The South Side: A Portrait on Chicago and American Segregation by Natalie Y. Moore

2. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

More psychological suspense:

• The Good Girl by Mary Kubica
• The Silent Wife by A.S.A Harrison
• Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson

3. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

More Southern gothic:

• Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
• Nothing Gold Can Stay by Ron Rash
• The Violent Bear It Away by Flannery O’Connor

4. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

More reflective books on life, sickness, and loss:

• About Alice by Calvin Trillin
• The Light of the World by Elizabeth Alexander
• Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters In the End by Atul Gawande

5. Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari and Eric Klinenberg

More books about dating:

• Love In the Time of Algorithms by Dan Slater
• How To Win at Feminism by Elizabeth Newell and Sarah Pappaloardo
• I Suck at Girls by Justin Halpern

6. The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo

More books about simplifying one’s home and life:

• Mess: One Man’s Struggle To Clean Up His House and His Act by Barry Yourgrau
• Junk: Digging Through America’s Love Affair With Stuff by Alison Stewart
• Clearing Clutter: Physical, Mental, Spiritual by Alexandra Chauran

7. M Train by Patti Smith

More beautifully written thoughtful memoirs:

• The Argonauts by Maggie Smith
• The Liar’s Club by Mary Karr
• Negroland: A Memoir by Margo Jefferson

8. NYPD Red 4 by James Patterson

More gritty mysteries:

• The Whites by Harry Brandt
• Charcoal Joe by Walter Mosley
• Gone Baby Gone by Dennis Lehane

9. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande

More reflections on life, sickness, and loss:

• When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
• About Alice by Calvin Trillin
• The Light of the World by Elizabeth Alexander

10. My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

More memorable women in novels with strong sense of place:

• Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn
• Fates & Furies by Lauren Groff
• Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Top 10 Books on Staten Island

1. NYPD Red 4 by James Patterson

More gritty mysteries:

• Charcoal Joe by Walter Mosley
• Gone Baby Gone by Dennis Lehane
• The Whites by Harry Brandt

2. Private Paris by James Patterson

More suspense set in Paris:

• Lock No. 1 by Georges Simenon
• The World at Night by Alan Furst
• Ghosts of St. Michel by Jake Lamar

3. Undercover by Danielle Steel

More romantic suspense:

• Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard
• Naked in Death by J.D. Robb
• The Witness by Nora Roberts

4. Precious Gifts by Danielle Steel

More family secrets uncovered upon inheritance:

• The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
• The Heiress by Sara Shepard
• The Turner House by Angela Flournoy

5. A Girl's Guide to Moving On by Debbie Macomber

More upbeat romance:

• Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts by Lucy Dillon
• The One & Only by Emily Giffin
• Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen

6. The Last Mile by David Baldacci

More intricately plotted suspense:

• The Farm by Tom Rob Smith
• In A Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
• Land of Shadows by Rachel Howzell Hall

7. Murder House by James Patterson and David Ellis

More creepy houses:

• The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
• Rooms by Lauren Oliver
• The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

8. The Obsession by Nora Roberts

More suspense / romance blends:

• The Seventh Victim by Mary Burton
• Copper Beach by Jayne Ann Krentz
• The First Prophet by Kay Hooper

9. What We Find by Robyn Carr

More sweet stories about fathers and daughters:

• Two By Two by Nicholas Sparks
• Fast Track by Julie Garwood
• Father's Day by Simon Van Booy

10. Bullseye by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

More suspense thrillers with international intrigue:

• The Gabriel Allon Novels by Daniel Silva
• Scot Harvath Thrillers by Brad Thor
• Jack Ryan, Jr. by Tom Clancy