I’ve loved reading for as long as I can remember and as a bookseller working on her first novel, I feel pretty confident talking about books. This is a list of seven of my favourite reads I simply can’t not recommend. From fantasy to romance to contemporary fiction, these are some of the books I’ll never shut up about.
1. Six of Crows – Leigh Bardugo (13+)
A motley crew of teenage criminals is tasked with pulling off an impossible heist: a light-footed assassin, a charismatic witch, a flute-playing bombmaker, a sharpshooter with a gambling problem, and a reluctant soldier-turned-escaped-convict. Heading the charge is cold-blooded Kaz Brekker, an underworld teen prodigy who never takes off his black leather gloves. Ocean’s Eleven meets Game of Thrones in this phenomenal heist novel. If that isn’t enough to convince you, the found family in this duology are unforgettable and there are several slow burn romance between characters that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about since I first read these books.
Great for fans of the Grisha Trilogy, Legendary, and All Our Hidden Gifts.
2. All Our Hidden Gifts – Caroline O’Donoghue (16+)
This tarot-influenced series is a great book for anyone looking for a darker read. When Maeve discovers a pack of tarot cards, she also discovers an innate understanding of the cards and their meanings. When her estranged best friend Lily disappears following a reading, Maeve becomes convinced that the mysterious figure of the Housekeeper that appears in the cards. Together with Lily’s sibling Roe, she dives into a world of magic and darkness to find her best friend. The trilogy is a gothic urban fantasy with a diverse cast of characters and a magical mystery grounded in Irish mythology. For anyone who loves tarot, Six of Crows, and Savage Her Reply.
3. The Dos and Donuts of Love – Adiba Jaigirdar (13+)
It’s finally back to Bake Off season and what better way to celebrate than by curling up with a fluffy sapphic love triangle in a reality TV setting? In order to save her family’s donut business, Shireen enters Ireland’s Junior Baking Show, only to find herself caught between her ex-girlfriend Chris and her new friend Niamh. An Irish romance with a diverse cast and loveable characters, plus a great premise and classic tropes. Try it if you enjoyed To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, The First Move, and (of course) The Great British Bake Off.
4. I’ll Give You the Sun – Jandy Nelson (14+)
13-year-old Noah and Jude are twins and best friends. Sixteen-year-old Jude and Noah are barely on speaking terms. What happened over those three years to cause this rift between them? More importantly, is there anything left to save between them? A dual POV novel about love, art and family. For fans of We Were Liars, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, and Heartstopper. One of those reads that has stayed with me for a very long time.
5. The Raven Boys – Maggie Stiefvater (14+)
I cannot emphasise enough how much I love this series. An urban fantasy set in West Virginia about a group of friends who are all obsessed with each other and a long-dead Welsh king whose body can’t be found. You’ll devour this if you’re a fan of fantasy whose favourite parts of any book are always the characters and their relationships. Tarot, magic, and dreamlands all feature in this unforgettable world. Fans of Six of Crows, The Secret History, and All Our Hidden Gifts will love this series.
6. A Man Called Ove – Fredrik Backman (13+)
Ove is a grumpy old man who has decided he’d quite like to die now. Unfortunately, his plans are continually interrupted by his new neighbours and his life begins to open up without his approval. What follows is the beautiful and funny story of one man’s life – make sure to have the tissues ready! Great for readers looking for character driven stories with heart and humour (and a great film adaptation featuring Tom Hanks).
7. The Secret History – Donna Tartt (18+)
One of the foundational novels in the dark academia genre, readers on BookTok are not overhyping it. The story of a dysfunctional group of friends in a New England college in the 1980s and the murder that tore their group apart. Dark and unforgettable, there’s a reason everyone you know is recommending this. The perfect read for the longer nights and colder days. Definitely for readers in their late teens and up but if you enjoyed Six of Crows and We Were Liars and are looking for a more mature read, try this. Just know that you are not prepared for Richard Papen and company.
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