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The Ultimate TBR: Books You Can’t Put Down
30
items For when you're tired of the same five books on your feed and want something that actually sticks with you.
Sections
5
Modern Masterpieces (Literary Fiction)
"Deep Dive" Non-Fiction
Elevated Genre (Speculative & Horror)
Mindset & Memoirs (The Real Stuff)
Romantasy (Dragons, Magic & Tension)
Modern Masterpieces (Literary Fiction)
These are the books that win awards for a reason. They are beautifully written and will haunt you for weeks.
The ultimate 'Dark Academia' blueprint. It’s about a group of elite classics students who accidentally commit a murder. It’s atmospheric, pretentious in the best way, and I think about Henry Winter at least once a week.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
If you want a book that captures exactly how complicated and painful it is to grow up and fall in love, this is it. It’s quiet, intimate, and raw. No one writes dialogue like Rooney.
Normal People by Sally Rooney
A modern-day masterpiece. It follows a kid growing up in the foster care system during the opioid crisis. It sounds heavy (and it is), but the main character is so funny and brave you’ll fall in love with him.
Demon Copperhead | 9789029098656
A retelling of the Trojan War but focused on the romance between Achilles and Patroclus. The prose is like poetry. Warning: you will be a sobbing mess by the end.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Huge warning: this book is devastating. It follows four friends over decades, focusing on Jude, a man with a traumatic past. It is the most painful book I’ve ever read, but also the most beautiful exploration of friendship and survival. Only read if ...
A Little Life, Hanya Yanagihara | 9780804172707 | Boeken - Bol
"Deep Dive" Non-Fiction
Forget generic 'hustle' books. These are deep explorations of human nature, history, and the way our brains work.
This reads like a thriller but it’s all true. It’s a deep dive into the Sackler family and the opioid epidemic. It will make you incredibly angry, but you won’t be able to stop reading. Essential for anyone interested in true crime/history.
Empire of Pain, Patrick Radden Keefe | 9781529063103 | Boeken - Bol
A total 'hidden gem' for your list. It completely changes how you view society and how humans are raised. It’s fascinating and makes you realize how weird our modern world actually is.
The Anthropology of Childhood Cherubs, Chattel, Changelings - Bol
Written by a psychiatrist who survived the Holocaust. It’s half-memoir, half-psychology. It’s not an easy read, but it’s probably the most important book you’ll ever own. It puts everything into perspective.
Man's Search For Meaning, Viktor E. Frankl | 9781846041242 | Boeken
This is the most talked-about book right now for a reason. It explores how the 'phone-based childhood' changed an entire generation's brain. Whether you agree or not, it’s a fascinating and scary look at our relationship with social media.
The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt | 9780593655030 | Boeken - Bol
This is the perfect mix of science, ethics, and biography. It’s about a woman whose cells were taken without her knowledge in the 1950s and became the basis for almost all modern medicine. It’s a haunting look at race and science.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot | 9781400052189 - Bol
True crime at its most sophisticated. It covers the Osage Nation murders and the birth of the FBI. It’s a dark piece of history that was hidden for far too long. Grann's research is absolutely insane.
Killers of the Flower Moon The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI ... - Bol
Elevated Genre (Speculative & Horror)
For when you want "genre" books that are actually smart and well-crafted.
Don't look up anything about this book before you read it. It starts as a quiet story about a boarding school, but it slowly turns into something much deeper and more devastating. Ishiguro is a genius.
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
This book is absolutely unhinged. If Mean Girls was a horror movie set in a cult-like writing program. It’s weird, it’s trippy, and it’s perfect if you like stories about toxic female friendships.
Bunny #1 - Mona Awad
This book is like a fever dream. It’s about a man living in a giant 'House' filled with endless halls and statues. It’s mysterious, magical, and unlike anything else you’ve ever read. A 10/10 masterpiece.
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
From the author of The Midnight Library. It’s a time-traveling love story that explores regret and 'what ifs' in a way that feels incredibly personal. Perfect for the 'existential crisis' mood.
The Midnight Train (Midnight World #2) by Matt Haig
A psychological thriller about a podcaster who realizes she’s being 'hunted' by the person she’s interviewing. It’s meta, creepy, and has one of the best 'did that really happen?' endings.
None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
WARNING: This one is for the strong-hearted only. It’s a dystopian horror set in a world where animal meat is poisonous, so humans have legalized 'special meat.' It’s a brutal critique of society and consumerism. It’s stomach-turning but literally im...
Tender Is the Flesh, Agustina Bazterrica | 9781982150921 | Boeken - Bol
This is 'Elevated Horror' at its peak. It’s a massive epic set in Argentina involving an occult society, family legacies, and demonic rituals. It’s dark, literary, and deeply atmospheric. If you liked Hereditary, you will love this vibe.
Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez
Mindset & Memoirs (The Real Stuff)
For when you want to learn something about yourself or the world.
Don't let the title put you off. It’s a brilliant, dark, and funny look at child stardom, eating disorders, and toxic family dynamics. It’s incredibly brave and honest.
I'm Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy | 9781982185824 | Boeken
The only self-help book that actually works. No fluff, just practical ways to change your life by doing 1% more every day. It’s a classic for a reason.
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
Basically a therapy session in book form. It helps you understand why you self-sabotage and how to get out of your own way. Perfect for a 'New Year, New Me' list.
The Mountain Is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage Into Self-Mastery
This is one of the most important books of the last few years. It’s the posthumous memoir of the Russian opposition leader. It’s brave, funny in a dark way, and deeply moving. It’s a masterclass in courage.
Patriot, Aleksej Navalny | 9789045051314 | Boeken - Bol
This story blew my mind. She grew up in a survivalist family in the mountains with no school and no doctors, yet she ended up with a PhD from Cambridge. It’s a wild look at how education can save you.
Educated, Tara Westover | 9780399590528 | Boeken - Bol
Prepare to sob. It’s a beautiful look at grief, Korean food, and a complicated mother-daughter relationship. It’s one of those books that stays with you forever.
Crying in H Mart, Michelle Zauner | 9781529033793 | Boeken
This is the most powerful book I’ve ever read. Chanel Miller was the 'anonymous' victim in a high-profile court case, and this is her taking her power back. Her writing is literally like poetry.
Know My Name A Memoir, Chanel Miller | 9780735223721 | Boeken - Bol
Romantasy (Dragons, Magic & Tension)
These are the "don't talk to me, I'm reading" books. Perfect world-building with romances that will ruin you.
Think Hunger Games but with vampires. It’s a deadly tournament where the heroine has to ally with her biggest rival. The chemistry is top-tier and it feels way more 'adult' than ACOTAR.
The Serpent and the Wings of Night - Carissa Broadbent
Viking inspired Romantasy. It’s got shield-maidens, Norse gods, and a 'forced proximity' trope that is actually done right. It’s gritty, snowy, and super addictive.
A Fate Inked in Blood (Saga of the Unfated #1)
An underrated gem. The slow burn in this series is agonizing (in a good way). It’s about a girl in a world where only the elite have magic, and she’s trying to take them down from the inside.
Spark of the Everflame (Kindred's Curse #1)
A spy married to a king she’s supposed to kill? Yes, please. The world-building is so unique, and the 'enemies-to-lovers' arc is one of the most believable ones I’ve ever read.
The Bridge Kingdom
This one has been all over my feed. It’s a dark fae romance with a heroine who is actually smart and a love interest who is properly 'morally grey.' The world-building is super fresh.
Quicksilver (Fae & Alchemy, #1) by Callie Hart