Choosing your next read can be overwhelming, so I’ve pulled together a list of books I genuinely recommend, organized by genre to make things easier. Whether you're into thrillers, fantasy, romance, or nonfiction, there's something here for every kin...
Sections
3
Romance
Historical Fiction
Literary Fiction
Romance
Feel good (and sometimes heart wrenching) reads that center connection, healing, and chemistry. Great for getting out of a slump or indulging in a cozy weekend binge. Plenty of variety, from light banter to emotional gut punches
Witty banter and emotional payoff; meta-literary romance
Beach Read by Emily Henry
Pure fun for fans of academia-meets-love. The fake dating trope is very charming, especially with a swoony male lead
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
Sharp and emotionally resonant. A love story that also honors ambition and sisterhood
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
Extra-long but fans of slow burns and banter will be rewarded. Great tension and buildup
The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas, Paperback
A rare blend of sexy and smart. Deals with chronic illness and trauma in a nuanced way
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
This might be controversial, but I found it to be gut-wrenchingly good and polarizing. A story that opens up hard conversations about love and abuse
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
Plays with structure and time. A love story about second chances and growing into new versions of ourselves
Happy Place by Emily Henry
Rom-com meets travel journal. Nostalgic and sweet with slow-burn magic
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
Historical Fiction
If you love being transported (into war-torn cities, lost libraries, hidden love stories, or quiet acts of rebellion) these titles reimagine history with unforgettable characters and rich emotional stakes
Harrowing and heartbreaking. A tearjerker about sisterhood in Nazi-occupied France
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Dual timelines and real history make this one great for fans of books-about-books
The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
Unique and haunting. Death’s narration adds a poetic layer to a story about resistance and love
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Rich with intrigue and historical detail. A page-turner about female codebreakers
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
Deeply lyrical and meditative. Brings new emotional insight into Shakespeare’s life and grief
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
A compelling female spy thriller with alternating timelines. History with a heartbeat
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
Fascinating real-life heroine hiding in plain sight. Full of racial and gender tension
The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict
Based on a true story. A tender love narrative in the darkest of places
The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
Bubbly with bite. A quirky feminist tale of a chemist turned cooking show host
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Women delivering books by horseback in Depression-era Kentucky. Historical fiction with heart
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
Reads like a thriller. An unsung hero of WWII Italy
Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan
Quietly powerful. Lexicography and women’s voices during the suffrage movement
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
Deep dive into tea culture, tradition, and mother-daughter bonds
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See
A love story spanning decades and cultures. Narrated partly by a fig tree (!)
The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak
A Dust Bowl epic about resilience and survival. Emotionally heavy but rewarding
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
Literary Fiction
For those who love character depth, bold writing, and stories that stay with you long after the last page. These novels tend to stretch the form or say something big, but always with emotion at their core
Atmospheric and moody with beautiful imagery of Cape Cod. The protagonist’s internal conflict between passion and loyalty is raw and very compelling
The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
Beautifully written and mythologically rich. The magical realism enhances a deeply human family story rooted in Hawaiian identity
Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn
A cerebral puzzle of wealth and narrative control. Slower read but is very rewarding with its layered storytelling and shifting perspectives
Trust by Hernan Diaz
A demanding read, but one of the most profound reflections on ecology and human interconnectedness. Stick with it, it blossoms like a forest
The Overstory by Richard Powers
Combines biting humor and political insight. Great for readers who love messy families and sharper-than-average protagonists
Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez
Literary but accessible, especially rewarding for gamers and creative types
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Daring in form but surprisingly emotional. The nonlinear structure is worth the ride for its big payoffs
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
An achingly beautiful meditation on sisterhood and depression. The humor makes the heartbreak more bearable
All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews
Dense but thought-provoking. A philosophical novel disguised as a coming-of-age story
The Topeka School by Ben Lerner
Reads like a jazz solo: impressionistic, lyrical, and emotionally exposed. A short but searing portrayal of young Black love
Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson
Bold in scope and voice. Each chapter introduces a new character whose story adds depth to the whole
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo
Raw, acerbic, and incredibly millennial. A complicated narrator you'll think about long after finishing
Luster by Raven Leilani
Quiet yet profound. A love letter to literature, grief, and the unexpected companionship of a dog
