If you’re tackling the A to Z Reading Challenge, you already know some letters make you sweat a little (looking at you, Q and X). But with the letter J, you’re in luck—there are plenty of choices. Although… you might notice something funny: an unusual number of books start with the word Just. Honestly, it feels like authors went to a secret meeting and decided Just was the ultimate attention-grabber. (Just admit it—it works.)
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Here are some fantastic J titles across different genres to help you cross this letter off your list.
Mystery & Thriller
- Just Like The Other Girls by Claire Douglas
A psychological thriller about women hired as companions who mysteriously vanish—packed with tension and shocking twists.
Just Like The Other Girls: The Claustrophobic Mystery Thriller with Hidden Family Secrets Join the Investigation and Prepare to Be Thrilled
- CARER/COMPANION WANTED FOR ELDERLY LADY
- YOUNG FEMALE PREFERRED
- COMPETITIVE SALARY
- ROOM AND BOARD INCLUDED
She thought she was safe. So did the others . . .
- Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark
A gripping courtroom suspense where a defense attorney’s latest case spirals into danger.
Just Take My Heart: A Novel
The bestselling Queen of Suspense delves into a legal battle over the guilt or innocence of a man accused of murdering his wife, weaving in the mysterious medical phenomenon of a heart transplant recipient inheriting their donor’s traits and memories.
- Just The Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica
A dark domestic thriller about two couples entangled in lies, secrets, and suspicion.
Just the Nicest Couple: A Novel
“Grabs you on the first page and doesn’t let go until you reach the end.” —Laura Dave, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Thing He Told Me
- Jackal by Erin E. Adams
Horror with social commentary, set in Appalachia, where a missing girl echoes a haunting local pattern.
Jackal: A Novel
A young Black girl goes missing in the woods outside her white rust belt town. But she’s not the first—and she may not be the last. . . .
- Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier
A chilling thriller about betrayal, buried secrets, and the devastating fallout of one fateful night.
Jar of Hearts
An explosive, edge-of-your-seat read about three friends, one murder, and a whole world of secrets…
Contemporary & Literary Fiction
- Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye
A wickedly clever retelling of Jane Eyre—except this heroine is a witty, unapologetic serial killer.
Jane Steele
“Reader, I murdered him.”
“A thrill ride of a novel. A must read for lovers of Jane Eyre, dark humor, and mystery.”—PopSugar.com
- Jewel by Bret Lott
A moving family saga that explores motherhood, resilience, and devotion over decades.
Jewel (Oprah’s Book Club)
A “sweeping and beautifully written” (The New York Times Book Review) novel of how quickly a life can change; how, like lightning, an unforeseen event can set us on a course without reason or compass.
- Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby
A funny and heartfelt exploration of music, love, and obsession.
Juliet, Naked
From the beloved New York Times bestselling author, a quintessential Nick Hornby tale of music, super fandom, and the truths and lies we tell ourselves about life and love.
- Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
A sprawling historical fantasy full of magic, rivalry, and Napoleonic-era drama.
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell: A Novel
Two men change England’s history when they bring magic back into the world. An utterly compelling epic tale of nineteenth-century England and the two magicians who, first as teacher and pupil and then as rivals, emerge to change its history.
Romance & Heartwarming Reads
- Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren
A laugh-out-loud opposites-attract romance between a quirky free spirit and her more serious best friend.
Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating
A hilarious, warmhearted, and swoonworthy romance about two people who are definitely not dating…no matter how often they end up in bed together, from the New York Times bestselling authors of The Unhoneymooners and Love and Other Words.
- Just Haven’t Met You Yet by Sophie Cousens
A heartwarming rom-com about fate, mistaken luggage, and the search for true love.
Just Haven’t Met You Yet
From the New York Times bestselling author of This Time Next Year comes a heartwarming and hilarious tale that asks: What if you picked up the wrong suitcase and fell head over heels for its mystery owner?
Young Adult & Fantasy
- Jackaby by William Ritter
Sherlock Holmes meets the supernatural in this quirky YA detective fantasy.
Jackaby (Jackaby, 1)
This thrilling novel from the author of the New York Times bestselling paranormal mystery Jackaby series pits R.F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplainable and his new assistant, Abigail Rook, against a supernatural serial killer.
- Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay
A bold YA reimagining where Juliet and Romeo are immortal enemies, doomed to battle across lifetimes.
Juliet Immortal
Fans of Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver and Becca Fitzpatrick’s Hush will relish this intense paranormal love story featuring Romeo and Juliet, literary history’s most tragic couple, who meet again, not as true lovers, but truly as enemies.
- Jinx by Meg Cabot
A fun YA contemporary about a supposedly “cursed” teen, magic, and finding confidence.
- Jay’s Gay Agenda by Jason June
A sweet and heartfelt YA coming-of-age novel about identity, love, and celebrating who you are.
Jay’s Gay Agenda
A moving and hilarious sex-positive teen rom-com about the complexities of first loves, first hookups, and first heartbreaks—and how to stay true to yourself while embracing what you never saw coming.
Wrapping It Up
Whether your shelves lean toward heart-pounding thrillers, swoon-worthy romances, or magical YA adventures, there’s no shortage of “J” books to choose from. And if you’re side-eyeing how many start with Just—hey, maybe that’s the real plot twist of the A to Z Reading Challenge. 😉
