YA books
To all the boys I’ve loved before by Jenny Han
You may have seen the fun, feel-good movies based on these books, so now it’s time to pick up the books!
Lara Jean has never confessed her love to a crush. Instead, she writes her feelings into letters and hides them away. However, one day her secret box of letters has been mailed, and all her crushes are receiving letters they were never meant to read, including her sister’s boyfriend!
A Pho Love Story by Loan Le
Bao Nguyen is a rock, his grades are average, and his social life is nothing special. However, he is reliable enough to work at his parents’ pho restaurant. Linh Mai is a firecracker, full of passion and a love for art, and sadly her dreams are often put on hold to work practically full-time at her parent’s pho restaurant.
As business rivels, the Mais and the Nguyens are constantly at odds, leading Linh and Bao to hate each other by association. As circumstances bring them together, can they make it work?
Contemporary Romance
Beach Read by Emily Henry
January Andrews is a romance author who no longer believes in love, whilst Augustus Everett is a literary author with serious writer’s block. For the next three months, these polar opposites have taken up a challenge. Over the summer, January will write a great American novel, and Augustus will write something happy and heartfelt!
By the end of the summer, they will each have a bestseller, and no one will fall in love.
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
Third-year PhD candidate Olive Smith doesn’t believe in lasting romantic relationships. One day when trying to convince her best friend that she is dating, she grabs and kisses the first man she sees, Adam Carlsen, the young professor with an attitude. Much to Olive’s surprise, Adam agrees to be her fake boyfriend. There’s no way that can go wrong..
Get a life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
The first in The Brown Sisters trilogy, Chloe Brown is a chronically ill computer geek with her life planned out. After putting together a list of seven things she wants to do to ‘get a life’, she enlists Red to help her out. Redford ‘Red’ Morgan is a handyman with tattoos, a motorcycle, and some serious sex appeal, Chloe is sure Red can help her fulfil her life’s goals.
You had me at Hola by Alexis Daria
Soap opera darling Jasmine Lin Rodriguez finds her face splashed across the tabloids following a messy breakup. Deciding to focus on her career, Jasmine dives headfirst into her new role, a romantic comedy series. Ashton Suárez is new to the world of English speaking roles, his experience until now being the star in various telenovela’s. This is his last chance to really make a difference!
Can they create believable chemistry on screen whilst keeping it professional off-screen?
Fantasy
The Selection by Kiera Cass
The first in this YA dystopian series, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. Thirty-five girls are plucked out of their lives to compete to become the new queen!
It’s quite simple, just impress Prince Maxon and stay in the competition. Despite the Selection ruining her future plans, America Singer realises she needs to stay in the competition for as long as possible to ensure her family are financially looked after.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
If you somehow missed the hype of the Netflix original Shadow and Bone, Six of crows may mean nothing to you.
The companion duology to the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of crows follows six criminals in the bustling Ketterdam as they take on the heist of a lifetime! If they can pull it off, they will be rich beyond their wildest dreams. Kaz’s crew may be the only thing keeping the peace across Ketterdam and beyond, as long as they don’t kill each other first.
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
At almost 900 pages, this adult fantasy is a challenge that’s well worth it.
A world divided, a queendom without an heir and an ancient enemy that has awakened.
The Priory of the Orange Tree follows multiple characters as they try to survive across warring nations and assassins.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. Addie LaRue has found a way to survive her unusual curse, embracing her adventure and finding the beauty in the world around her. Discovering small ways she can leave her mark on the world, she has accepted that is all she will ever be. Until nearly 300 years after her bargain started, she meets Henry, who, against all odds, remembers her name.
Contemporary
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Eleanor is completely fine. Despite struggling with even the most basic of social skills, she has crafted a life that works. She has her routine, a simple one, one that gives her everything she needs whilst avoiding additional human contact. It is fine. That is until the new IT guy Raymond breaks her rules and decides to become her friend. It is then that Eleanor starts to wonder if there can be more to life beyond just being fine.
Thriller
One by One by Ruth Ware
Heavily influenced by And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, One by One follows a group of employees on a company retreat. As they arrive at the luxury chalet, the plan is to ski, hang out and make a decision on whether to sell the company or not. Tension is high as people try to swing the vote to suit them. To make matters worse, someone has started to pick off the employees. With eight arriving, how many will make it home?
Historical Fiction
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Evelyn Hugo is a Hollywood movie icon, one that learnt long ago how to play the game. Now ageing and reclusive, she decides it is time to tell the truth of her scandalous and glamorous life. Enlisting the help of unknown reporter Monique Grant, she plans to reveal all about her life, work and loves over her decades in the spotlight, from the 1950s and beyond.
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Her second appearance on this article, and with good reason, Malibu Rising is the top summer read of 2021.
August 1983, four famous siblings decide to throw an end of summer party at their glamourous Malibu property. Set over 24 hours, their entire lives are about to change forever, as the decisions made during the party will haunt them for life.
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Set in the 1950s, Mexican Gothic follows socialite Noemí as she is sent to check in on her recently married cousin. After the wedding, her cousin moved into his remote mansion along with his family. Her contact with Noemí’s family has been getting more concerning, with claims of being poisoned.
Tasked with finding out if her cousin is merely ill or something more sinister, Noemí is about to embark on an adventure that is full of horror, atmosphere and jaw-dropping moments.
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