Books Set in the U.S. Territories

Whether you’re participating in our Read Around the USA Challenge or just curious to learn about the U.S. island territories, you’ve come to the right place. Our list of highly rated books will help you explore the rich history and unique cultures of these often-overlooked places.

The American territories are lands that are either under the direct jurisdiction of the United States or administered by the U.S. government. There are currently 14 U.S. territories. For purposes of our book list, we have focused on the five permanently inhabited island territories. Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are the inhabited U.S. territories in the Caribbean. American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands are the inhabited U.S. territories in the Pacific.

Must-Read Books Set in the U.S. Island Territories

On the list below, we’ve grouped the books by island territory, and we’ve included a brief overview of each inhabited territory to provide context for the history and literary themes.

Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book

3.9 out of 5
92%
Would Recommend to a Friend

Book Summary

Four million people inhabit the U.S. island territories, spread from the Caribbean to the Pacific. While these lands don’t have the benefits of statehood, like representation in the U.S. Senate, they do have everything from U.S. Post Offices to Little League teams.

When the author of this book realized that he (and most other Americans) knew very little about these territories, he decided to visit each one. After covering 30,000 miles and spending time with locals on each island, he was uniquely equipped to write a book about how the territories are an interesting and important part of America’s story.

Why We Think You’ll Love This Book

When we decided to dedicate a month of the Read Around the USA Challenge to the five inhabited U.S. Territories, we weren’t sure how difficult it would be to find engaging, highly-rated books. For many of the territories, it was a challenge, but then we stumbled upon this gem.

Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands each have distinct cultures and histories, and each has a different relationship with the United States. Through Doug Mack’s travels to each island, we learned more than we expected and often wished we were along for the ride. While it’s a non-fiction title and Mack digs into the details of the different government structures and unique challenges of being a territory, neither of us found the content to be dry. He infused the book with enough personality to keep us coming back for more! We think anyone interested in how and why the United States has territories separate from the states should add this to their TBR list.

Best Books Set in Puerto Rico

One of the most fascinating stories among the U.S. territories is that of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico’s land mass is larger than that of either Rhode Island or Delaware. With a population of 3.2 million, more people live in this island territory than in 20 of the U.S. States.

Puerto Rico was acquired by the United States from Spain in 1898, following the Spanish-American War. In 1917, Puerto Ricans became U.S. citizens, and in 1950, President Truman signed the Puerto Rico Commonwealth Bill. As a Commonwealth, the island established its own constitution and has limited autonomy over local matters. However, for much of its recent history, the U.S. has dominated it militarily, politically, and economically.

While Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, they do not have voting representatives in Congress. They do, however, elect a non-voting resident commissioner to Congress who serves on standing committees. While they can participate in primaries, they do not have electoral votes for president.

The island’s status is often debated, both within and beyond its shores. Numerous statehood referendums have been held in Puerto Rico over the past half a century, most recently in 2020. But ultimately, the power to grant statehood rests with the U.S. Congress.

The Storyteller's Death book cover

Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book

3.9 out of 5
89%
Would Recommend to a Friend

Book Summary

After Isla’s father passes away, she’s sent from her home in New Jersey to stay with her grandmother and great-aunt in Puerto Rico. When she is eighteen, her grandmother dies. It is only then that Isla discovers that she has a family gift that has been passed down through her family’s cuentistas (storytellers).

The tales of the dead family storytellers are brought back to life, replaying themselves over and over right before her eyes. At first, Isla is enchanted by this connection to the family cuentistas, but when she has a vision of an old murder mystery, she realizes that she must try to solve it in order to close the loop before these stories cost her her life.

Thoughts On This Book

This Puerto Rican magical realism mystery is the first adult novel from Nuyorican author Ann Dávila Cardinal. Nuyorican is a term used to refer to members of the Puerto Rican culture who live in or around New York City. Ann comes from a long line of Puerto Rican writers and has also authored several YA horror novels.

Our readers particularly enjoyed the audiobook version of this novel.

Murder Under the Mango Tree book cover

Book Summary

In 1954, guests are summoned to Hacienda Luz Verde by the powerful Doña Ramona Santiago, including the Doña’s nephew, her priest, a doctor, a travel writer, and Detective Elisa Velez. Also in the house is Marisol, the Dona’s faithful servant.

After dinner on the night of the guests’ arrival, they retire to bed as a storm rages outside. Awakened in the middle of the night, the guests and Marisol find the body of Doña Ramona under a mango tree, next to a partially eaten mango, filled with glass. It is up to Elisa Velez to discover who murdered the old woman as the storm continues to rage.

Why We Think You’ll Love It…

This book came to our attention from one of our readers who is an avid fan of cozy mysteries. She was the first to read and rate it on Goodreads, and she tells us that although it’s short, even by novella standards, “it’s easily one of the best things I have read this year.” She continues: “The juxtaposition of the powerful storm against the quiet efficiency of Elisa’s investigation is extraordinarily well done. The precision of the writing, fitting a complete mystery into just thirty pages, was masterful. Just incredible writing.”

Kindle Unlimited as of: 10/12/2025
Things We Didn't Know book cover

Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book

4.4 out of 5
100%
Would Recommend to a Friend

Book Summary

Nine-year-old Andrea and her brother Pablo had only known the tiny Massachusetts factory town, Woronoco, before her mother abruptly took them to the mountains of Puerto Rico. When they arrive in the village, the siblings are left with family while their mother disappears.

Months later, when Andrea and Pablo return to Massachusetts, things are different. Andrea finds herself stuck between family values and American culture while also navigating what it means to grow up as a girl in the 1950s.

The Book Girls Say…

While this is a work of fiction, the author grew up in Woronoco, Massachusetts, and Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico. She is a theatre director and historian and earned a PhD in the history of Puerto Rico from the University of Puerto Rico.

Taste of Sugar book cover

Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book

3.8 out of 5
92%
Would Recommend to a Friend

Book Summary

In 1898, starving Puerto Ricans called los hambrientos roamed their island looking for food. The Spanish ruled the island at the time, and were preparing for war with the US. As the Spanish-American War loomed, Vicente Vega and Valentina Sanchez struggled to keep their small farm in the coffee region safe from creditors. 

When the Great San Ciriaco Hurricane of 1899 brought widespread devastation to an already fragile economy, the couple followed the lead of thousands of other Puerto Ricans who were lured to the sugar plantations of Hawaii in search of a better life. However, America’s promises of prosperity were hollow.

Historical Context for This Novel

This book spans 1825-1902 and includes the transition of Puerto Rico from Spanish colonial rule to US Territory. While part of the book is also set in the US State of Hawaii, during the timeline covered in the book, Hawaii was still a territory.

A Woman of Endurance book cover

Book Summary

This novel follows Pola, an African woman who is sold into slavery in Puerto Rico for the purpose of breeding future slaves. She bears babies only to have them taken away from her immediately after birth. Once guided by a strong sense of faith, Pola becomes embittered, and the dehumanizing violence that surrounds her nearly breaks her. But ultimately, hers is a story of survival.

Thoughts On This Book

The emotional weight of this novel may feel unbearable to some readers, but others praise the themes of resilience and sisterhood.

We Fed an Island book cover

Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book

3.9 out of 5
86%
Would Recommend to a Friend

Book Summary

This non-fiction tells the true story of a group of chefs who traveled to Puerto Rico just days after Hurricane Maria and fed thousands of hungry Americans. In September of 2017, Maria devastated the island and destroyed the economy. For most people, there was no clean water, food, power, gas, or even communication with the outside world. Chef José Andrés arrived on the island just four days after the hurricane and began aiding the crisis the only way he knew how – with hot meals. Andrés teamed up with other chefs to cook 100,000 meals a day at more than a dozen kitchens across the island. At the same time, they also confronted a crisis with deep roots, as well as the broken and wasteful system that helps keep some of the biggest charities and NGOs in business.

A portion of the proceeds from this book is donated to the Chef Relief Network of World Central Kitchen for efforts in Puerto Rico and beyond.

Another Title to Consider

If you’d prefer to read a fictional mystery/thriller set against the backdrop of Hurricane Maria, check out After the Hurricane by Leah Franqui. In this novel, a daughter returns to Puerto Rico – a place she hasn’t seen since childhood – to search for her troubled father, who has gone missing after the storm.

Olga Dies Dreaming book cover

Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book

3.7 out of 5
85%
Would Recommend to a Friend

Book Summary

When 40-year-old Olga and her 43-year-old older brother, Prieto, were just teenagers, their mother abandoned them to fight for a political cause. Twenty-seven years later, the siblings have both made names for themselves in their hometown of Brooklyn. Olga is a wedding planner for Manhattan’s chic 1%-ers, and Prieto is a popular congressman representing their gentrifying Latinx neighborhood.

Despite the prestige of their public personas, things are far less perfect behind closed doors. Olga spends her days orchestrating the love stories of the elite, but she’s still looking for love of her own. Prieto has secrets that could impact his political career, and both are still grappling with their troubled childhoods.

Set in New York City in 2017, the year that Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, this story examines political corruption and complex family relationships. It paints a vivid history of Puerto Rico set against the notion of the American dream, and it asks what it really means to weather a storm.

Thoughts On This Book

Reviewers praise this novel for its realistically flawed protagonists. Don’t be fooled by the light and breezy tone of Gonzalez’s writing – like the characters she creates, there is much more below the surface.

About the Author

Author Xochitl Gonzalez was born in NYC to a second-generation Puerto Rican mother and Mexican-American father. She was raised by her maternal grandparents in Brooklyn.

Don't Make Me Turn This Life Around book cover

Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book

3.7 out of 5
92%
Would Recommend to a Friend

Book Summary

Set 13 years after Life and Other Near-Death Experiences, Don’t Make Me Turn This Life Around gives us an updated look into the life of the fictional character Libby Ross-Velasquez. Her family is going through a rough patch with distance in relationships, a death, and an illness, so Libby books a trip to Vieques, a small Puerto Rican island.

Her dream of escaping reality for a bit turns into a nightmare as a hurricane approaches the island. She fears that in an attempt to make things better, she’s put her family at risk of a bigger disaster.

Thoughts On This Book

You may need some Kleenex for some of the heart-wrenching scenes in this one. While the cover looks like a light rom-com, reviewers say it’s fabulous, but heavy at times, and has a bit less humor than some of Camille Pagan’s other works.

Kindle Unlimited as of: 10/15/2025

Best Books Set in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI)

The Virgin Islands chain consists of about 90 small islands. Four larger islands comprise the British Virgin Islands, while three larger islands are territories of the United States. The U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) include St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas.

When you think of the USVI, you likely picture a luxurious, family-friendly beach vacation. But there’s so much more to learn about the approximately 100,000 people who call these islands home.

The United States purchased these islands from Denmark in 1917 for $25 million. The U.S. made the acquisition to establish a naval safety net for the Panama Canal.

Individuals born in the USVI are considered United States citizens. While they can’t vote in federal elections, they do elect a nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives.

Winter in Paradise book cover

Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book

4.2 out of 5
96%
Would Recommend to a Friend

Book Summary

Do you need an escape from the frigid temps without leaving the season? Head to the Caribbean with Irene. She received a shocking late-night phone call that her husband has been found dead on the island of St. John, far from their suburban life.

When she travels to St. John to figure out what happened to her husband, Irene discovers much more than she expected – including his entire double life.

Consider Before Picking This Book

This is the first in a three-book series, which means it ends without a fully satisfying ending, and you’ll have to keep reading. All three have been released, so you won’t have to wait for publishing, but we wanted to make sure you knew what you were in for!

Why We Think You’ll Love It

If you have Elin Hilderbrand’s books set in Nantucket as much as we do, consider heading to the Caribbean with her. She is a bit of a local celebrity on St. John. Within this story, she drops the names of many local business owners, bar dwellers, and locations that you may recognize if you’ve traveled to this US Virgin Island. Although, as she says in her author’s note, some of these businesses did not survive Hurricane Irma.

No Virgin Island book cover

Book Summary

Meteorologist Sabrina Salter’s life turned upside down when she accidentally shot her cheating husband. After a not-guilty verdict, she flees to St. John, hoping to avoid the scrutiny of the press and public. She and a longtime friend start a property management business that has a reputation for excellence.

When Sabrina arrives to turn over one of the properties between guests, she finds a guest still in residence. Unfortunately, his departure was delayed by his murder. Because of her past, Sabrina immediately becomes the chief suspect. The only lawyer on the island does not really practice anymore, and Sabrina is forced to find out who really murdered the guest.

Thoughts On This Book…

While some readers find the characters a bit shallow, there’s a very good twist at the end of the first book. The series is said to do a great job of capturing the laidback vibe of St. John.

Kindle Unlimited as of: 10/12/2025
Marriage of Opposites book cover

Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book

4.0 out of 5
98%
Would Recommend to a Friend

Book Summary

In this historical romance, you’ll learn the family history of artist Camille Pissarro, the Father of Impressionism. His mother, Rachel, grew up on St. Thomas, but dreamt of a glamorous life in Paris. Rachel’s mother was a Jewish refugee, and she dislikes Rachel’s tendency to stretch beyond every boundary she’s given. 

However, Rachel has an ally in their maid, Adelle, and Adelle’s daughter, Jestine. This friendship doesn’t save her from being married off to an older widower to save her father’s business. Eventually, Rachel finally gets a chance to live life on her own terms when her husband dies and his handsome young nephew arrives from France to settle the estate.

Historical Context

This book is set in the 1800s, when St. Thomas was part of the Danish West Indies. In 1917, the United States purchased St. Thomas (along with St. John & St. Croix) from Denmark for a total of $25 million and renamed the group of islands as the Virgin Islands.

Revenge Cafe book cover

Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book

3.8 out of 5
90%
Would Recommend to a Friend

Book Summary

Mandy is excited to leave her life on the U.S. Mainland behind to run the Revenge Cafe on St. Thomas with her best friend, Chance. However, Chance fails to mention that people tend to die at the cafe. As Mandy investigates a murder on their property, she discovers that Chance has been playing outside the legal lines. Even worse, it looks like Mandy might be the next victim.

Mandy really wants to ignore all these new complications in her life and hide in a bottle of rum, but things keep happening. People from her past are trying to creep back into the present, there’s a ghost haunting the dining room, and the sexy police detective is vying for her attention.

Linguistic Context

Throughout the book, the author incorporates the Creole English that is native to St. Thomas. In the preface, she explains, “To honor their distinct use of the language, I sought input from Islanders on pronunciation and even spelling to do my best to reflect it in this work.” You can find a glossary of some of these words with their American English equivalents on her website.

Kindle Unlimited as of: 10/15/2025

Best Books About American Samoa

The Samoan islands are located in the South Pacific, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand. Around the turn of the century, this island chain was split in two. In 1904, the eastern islands became United States territories, now known as American Samoa. The western islands, commonly referred to as Samoa, passed from German control to New Zealand in 1914.

Despite differences in government, the two parts of Samoa retain very similar cultures, and both are equally stunning in their beauty. The independent state of Samoa (the western islands) is larger and has more resorts and dining; American Samoa (the eastern islands) is smaller and less developed.

According to the 2020 census, American Samoa has a population of around 50,000 people (a decrease of 10.5% from 2010). Individuals born in American Samoa are United States nationals, rather than citizens. However, as nationals, they can apply for citizenship if they choose. American Samoan residents can’t vote in federal elections, but they do elect a nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives.

Tropic of Football book cover

Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book

3.5 out of 5
100%
Would Recommend to a Friend

Book Summary

In this non-fiction by award-winning sports historian Rob Ruck, he uses football to examine the complex ties between American Samoa and the United States. This tiny Pacific archipelago produces more players for the NFL than anywhere else in the world outside of the fifty states, and Ruck traveled to the South Seas to better understand how and why. 

In this gripping and bittersweet story, Ruck reports on what he found. In American Samoa, boys train on fields blistered with volcanic pebbles wearing helmets that should have been discarded long ago. Players incur far more neurological damage than their stateside counterparts. The memory of Junior Seau haunts the football community in American Samoa. After a vaunted twenty-year NFL career, Seau committed suicide, unable to live with the demons that resulted from TBIs.

Another Book to Consider

If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, consider also reading Gridiron Capital: How American Football Became a Samoan Game. In this 2022 book, Lisa Uperesa draws upon ethnographic fieldwork, archival research, and media analysis.

Pago Pago Tango book cover

Book Summary

In this four-book series, Detective Apelu Soifua walks the line between US and Polynesian cultures. In the introduction to this new mystery series, Apelu has returned home to American Samoa after working as an officer in San Francisco. On the small island, the cases feel more personal than they did in California.

When a white family’s home is burglarized in the capital of Pago Pago, it’s not the simple case it seems at first. The trail to the truth includes the difference between cultures, dead bodies, hidden codes, and lies.

Thoughts On This Book

As is true of many mystery books in series, the ratings of the subsequent books are much higher than the first. Nonetheless, we were concerned about keeping this one on the list until we received this comment from a reader: “The majority of the people who left a detailed review liked the cultural aspects, which was the thing I most enjoyed about the book. The people who did not like it found it formulaic or dull. I have to say that I tend to find most police procedural mysteries drag and seem to have one plot. The book reminded me a bit of James Lee Burke’s Dave Robicheaux books, a lone wolf cop straddling the law in a different location. Believable? Not necessarily. Great literature? Definitely not. But I found it enjoyable nonetheless! I will definitely be finishing the series just to armchair travel some more.”

About the Author

Author John Enright was born and raised in Buffalo, New York, and lived in San Francisco and Hong Kong before relocating to teach at American Samoa Community College. He spent the next twenty-six years living on the islands of the South Pacific.

Explore American Samoa book cover

Book Summary

The Clayville family of five uprooted their family from Idaho in search of a better quality of life in American Samoa. Nate had always dreamed of living in the South Pacific, so he reached out to the American Samoan government, asking if they could utilize someone with his skills and experience. The answer was yes, and soon the family was relocating to a tiny island with very few resources to help guide their way. 

Three years later, Melinda published the book about American Samoa that she wished her family had when they started their adventure. It’s part history book and part guidebook, aimed at sharing the beauty of American Samoa with the world.

Thoughts On This Book

Different from other books on our list, this isn’t necessarily one you need to read cover to cover. This provides a window into the history and culture of American Samoa, something that is hard to find in many other books. However, it also includes a lot of detailed travel information (arguably the best for this US territory) that’s not as relevant to those interested only in armchair travel. 

The Clayville family also documents their life in American Samoa through their AmSamFam blog and YouTube channel. If you really want to get a flavor of American Samoa, we highly recommend checking out some of their videos.

Best Books About Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands

Located in the western Pacific, the Mariana Archipelago includes 15 islands. The 14 northern islands are collectively the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)—the largest inhabited islands are Saipan, Tinian, and Rota—and the southernmost island is Guam. The southernmost island in the Mariana Archipelago is Guam.

At one time, all these islands were under Spanish colonial rule, but in 1898, Spain ceded Guam to the US.

In 1914, Japan took possession of the Northern Marianas. Three decades later, these islands were the sites of significant WWII battles between the US and the Japanese. In August 1945, Japan surrendered, and the US military took control of the islands. In 1975, the Northern Marianas became a US territory.

The Northern Mariana Islands are a commonwealth of the United States, and Guam is an unincorporated, organized U.S. territory. People born in both the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and Guam are US citizens. According to the 2020 Census, about 150,000 people live in Guam, and fewer than 50,000 live in the CNMI.

Although Guam came under US control half a century before CNMI, it shares the Indigenous Chamorro culture. American customs have strongly influenced both cultures over the years. Nonetheless, their political separation has had different impacts on the islands and their cultures. Further, Guam and CNMI’s economies are heavily tied to tourism, placing the two in direct competition with one another.

Keeper of the Night book cover

Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book

3.7 out of 5
76%
Would Recommend to a Friend

Book Summary

This YA novel tells the story of a family in crisis after their mother commits suicide. Each member of the family is dealing with grief, guilt, and anger in their own way. And Isabel is the one trying to hold them all together. 

Her father sleeps curled up on the floor right where Mama’s body was found. Olivia wets her bed and repeatedly wakes from nightmares. And Frank has started carving his anger into his bedroom wall. Isabel is trying to help her family get beyond the pain and loss and to be the keeper of the night. But who will help Isabel?

Thoughts On This Book

Reviewers describe the novel’s text as spare, poetic, and told in short, titled chapters. 

Author Kimberly Willis Holt is a self-described Navy brat who grew up living all over the world, including in Guam. In this novel, according to Publishers Weekly, she has recreated “the sights, sounds, and smells of Guam.”

One reviewer, who grew up on the nearby island of Saipan, said, “It was a pleasure to read the references to Chamorro culture. Though the story was sad, I recommend it highly. It describes a little-known culture and family crisis through wonderful characters in a unique setting.”

Secret Shopper book cover

Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book

3.7 out of 5
83%
Would Recommend to a Friend

Book Summary

Phoenix Farmer moved from her home in Guam to California. Once there, her marriage to her high school sweetheart unraveled, and Phoenix was forced to take a job as a secret shopper. With the help of a makeover from her best friend, who visits from Guam, Phoenix starts to see herself in a new light. Soon, she snags the attention of Thomas, the charming and handsome target she’s been assigned to evaluate. But before she can decide what to do about Thomas, her father falls ill, and she’s pulled back to Guam.

Thoughts On This Book

While only part of this book is set in Guam, the descriptions of the island and its culture have been praised by locals. We were excited to come across this laugh-out-loud contemporary novel that blends romance, heartfelt emotion, and Guam’s culture. One Chamorro reviewer said, “I love that […] it shows the people of our island that you CAN write about your island and your culture in ways that you personally enjoy, ways that can be marketed and found interesting by a broader audience.”

About the Author

Author Tanya Taimanglo was born in Guam to parents of Chamorro and Korean descent. She attended the University of Guam, where she studied English and Secondary Education. After teaching creative writing in Guam, she married her childhood best friend, a Navy Chief, and they now reside in California with their two children. She is also the author of several other books, including Sirena: A Mermaid Legend from Guam, and Attitude 13: A Daughter of Guam’s Collection of Short Stories.

Kindle Unlimited as of: 10/15/2025
No Country for Eight-Spot Butterflies book cover

Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book

3.8 out of 5
79%
Would Recommend to a Friend

Book Summary

Part memoir, part manifesto, this book is a collection of essays that tell a coming-of-age story and issue a call for justice. Aguon weaves together stories from his childhood in the villages of Guam with political commentary on issues ranging from nuclear weapons to climate change. He covers personal stories (like losing his father to cancer and working for Mother Teresa), as well as tackling some of the major issues of the day. He is entrenched in the struggles of the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific to liberate themselves from colonial rule, defend their sacred sites, and obtain justice for generations of harm.

About the Author

Author Julian Aguon is a Chamorro human rights lawyer who lives in Yona, Guam. In just 128 pages, his essays, poems, and speeches pack a collective punch! This book is described as both a work of art and a work of advocacy.

Flying Blind book cover

Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book

4.0 out of 5
92%
Would Recommend to a Friend

Book Summary

One of the leading theories about Amelia Earhart’s disappearance holds that she crashed near the Northern Mariana Islands. 

In this historical mystery, detective Nathan Heller had been hired as Amelia’s bodyguard in 1935, two years before her infamous trip around the world. At that point, she had already been the subject of death threats, leading Nathan to believe there was more to her disappearance than a simple flying accident. 

During WWII, Nathan was hired to help search for her in Japanese waters, but failed. Over twenty years later, in 1970, he travels back to Saipan, determined to find the truth and looking for revenge for his earlier attempt.

Thoughts On This Book

While this is the 9th book in the Nathan Heller series, it does read as a stand-alone. Don’t miss the appendix at the back of this book that clarifies which points of the book are historically accurate and which are speculation or fictional to enhance the novel. If you’re interested in reading a non-fiction book about the theory that Amelia Earhart ended up on Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, pick up Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last by Mike Campbell.

Consider Before Picking This Book

This book was originally published in 1998, and some readers mention that it contains both racist and sexist language.

Kindle Unlimited as of: 10/15/2025

We hope you enjoyed this book list and found several books to add to your TBR (to be read list). If you’re choosing a book for our reading challenge, you are also welcome to read any other book that meets the challenge prompt.

If you have a suggestion for a book that you think would be a great addition to this list, please fill out this form.

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Book Recommendations for Other Regions of the USA

If you’re participating in our 2025 Read Around the USA Challenge and reading one book per region, you can find links to every region here. If you’re doing the 50 States Challenge and reading books from every state and territory, you can get an alphabetical index here. Throughout 2025, we’ll be expanding the regional book lists into standalone book lists for all 50 states.

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