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📚 My Book Recs for 2026! Contemporary, Historical, Japanese Fiction

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Books I wholeheartedly recommend! Perfect for a cozy night in. Engaging storylines & plots, memorable characters, and just so beautifully written. Includes a mix of contemporary fiction, historical fiction, and Japanese fiction (translated). I've...
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Fiction

Fiction books with great stories and characters. Some are short breezy reads, others tackle more serious themes of family, love and relationships. 

 
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I love the main character of the book. She is a chemist and single mother, who ends up as a host on a cooking show. A character I want to root for.
Lessons in Chemistry | Bonnie Garmus
 
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I enjoy reading mythology so this is a good book if you're a mythology lover. Circe isn't a well know mythology character so this was a fun read.
Circe - Madeline Miller
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I enjoy the magical realism in these stories. Short and easy read! I find them perfect for a cozy weekend afternoon.
The Girl in the Flammable Skirt - Aimee Bender
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Infinite number of husbands? How do you choose? Great covers - great premise.
The Husbands - Holly Gramazio
 
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4 siblings, 1 famous estranged father, can they ever reconcile?Main character holds a big party - you meet all these interesting characters and their stories. Great pacing.
Malibu Rising - Taylor Jenkins Reid
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I enjoyed the futuristic storyline where robots become a part of a family.
Klara and the Sun - Kazuo Ishiguro
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If you could see into the future of could-have-happeneds, would you return to present?
The Midnight Library - Matt Haig
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A story of what it means to be a family. I highly recommend reading this before watching the movie. Loved the book and loved the movie.
Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste Ng
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Another great book about relationships, family and love.
The Dutch House - Ann Patchett
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Abandoned girl finds love in nature and in humans. Great read. Well-written.
Where the Crawdads Sing - Delia Owens
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Great story - chilling ending.
The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins
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Short and sweet - best of Fitzgerald. Glitzy & Glam - the atmosphere and prose is spot on.
The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
 
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A boarding school with children - what do their futures hold? A story to make you think even after you have finished the book.
Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro
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Keep an eye out for the short story called “The Color Master”  - very beautiful and memorable.
The Color Master - Aimee Bender
 
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Magical realism is dreamy and quirky. The imagery is beautiful.
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake - - Aimee Bender
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Japanese Fiction

These titles offer a unique window into Japanese culture and storytelling that I've found deeply moving

 
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Enjoy with a coffee! A series of stories about a peculiar cafe. Great Japanese vibes and imagery.
Before the Coffee Gets Cold - Toshikazu Kawaguchi
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The second book to the famous series. I like to read this with a cut of coffee. ☕ Poignant and heartwarming.
Tales from the Cafe
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Book 3 of the series. If you enjoyed book 1 and 2 like I did I recommend this one too. Same characters, more whimsical stories.
Before Your Memory Fades
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Book 4 of the series. The stories are just as memorable as book 1.
Before We Forget Kindness
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An ordinary year of living with an elderly stranger. Easy read! A little dose of Japan.
A Perfect Day to Be Alone - Nanae Aoyama
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