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Penguin Random House

If you love a good binge-reading session, take a look at these stories that are the first in a series. Whether you’re in the mood to travel to other worlds, solve unspeakable crimes, or get lost in an uplifting romance, these series will have you occupied for days.

Dune (Movie Tie-In) Book Cover Picture

by Frank Herbert

Paperback $18.00, buy from other retailers:.

Bringing Down the Duke Book Cover Picture

Bringing Down the Duke

By evie dunmore, paperback $17.00.

A Game of Thrones: The Illustrated Edition Book Cover Picture

A Game of Thrones

By george r. r. martin, hardcover $50.00.

Binti: The Complete Trilogy Book Cover Picture

Binti: The Complete Trilogy

By nnedi okorafor, paperback $20.00.

Foundation (Apple Series Tie-in Edition) Book Cover Picture

Foundation (Apple Series Tie-in Edition)

By isaac asimov.

The Handmaid's Tale (Movie Tie-in) Book Cover Picture

The Handmaid’s Tale

By margaret atwood, paperback $15.95.

The Maze Runner (Maze Runner, Book One) Book Cover Picture

The Maze Runner

By james dashner, paperback $13.99.

Reacher: Killing Floor (Movie Tie-In) Book Cover Picture

Reacher: Killing Floor (Movie Tie-In)

By lee child.

Heroine Complex Book Cover Picture

Heroine Complex

By sarah kuhn, paperback $16.00.

The Name of the Wind: 10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition Book Cover Picture

The Name of the Wind

By patrick rothfuss.

Get started on the New York Times -bestselling, Locus Award-winning fantasy series that tells the story of Kvothe, a young man who grows to be one of the most notorious magicians his world has ever seen.

Hardcover $45.00

An Ember in the Ashes Book Cover Picture

An Ember in the Ashes

By sabaa tahir, paperback $12.99.

Outlander (Starz Tie-in Edition) Book Cover Picture

by Diana Gabaldon

A Discovery of Witches (Movie Tie-In) Book Cover Picture

A Discovery of Witches

By deborah harkness.

The Cold Dish Book Cover Picture

The Cold Dish

By craig johnson.

Crazy Rich Asians (Movie Tie-In Edition) Book Cover Picture

Crazy Rich Asians

By kevin kwan.

In this trilogy , New Yorker Rachel Chu does not know that her loving boyfriend, Nicholas Young, also happens to be Singapore’s most eligible bachelor and likely heir to a massive fortune. So when she agrees to spend the summer in Nick’s home, her life unexpectedly becomes an obstacle course of old money, new money, nosy relatives, and scheming social climbers. And that’s all before she discovers the true identity of her long-lost father …

Intercepted Book Cover Picture

Intercepted

By alexa martin.

Interview with the Vampire Book Cover Picture

Interview with the Vampire

By anne rice.

The Bat Book Cover Picture

by Jo Nesbo

His Majesty's Dragon Book Cover Picture

His Majesty’s Dragon

By naomi novik.

Six Crimson Cranes Book Cover Picture

Six Crimson Cranes

By elizabeth lim, paperback $10.99.

Ghost Month Book Cover Picture

Ghost Month

Paperback $9.99.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Book Cover Picture

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

By stieg larsson.

Eragon Book Cover Picture

by Christopher Paolini

Paperback $15.99.

The Surgeon: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel Book Cover Picture

The Surgeon

By tess gerritsen, mass market paperback $9.99.

City of Stairs Book Cover Picture

City of Stairs

By robert jackson bennett.

Skin of the Sea Book Cover Picture

Skin of the Sea

By natasha bowen.

In the Woods Book Cover Picture

In the Woods

By tana french.

Ramón and Julieta Book Cover Picture

Ramón and Julieta

By alana quintana albertson.

Red Rising Book Cover Picture

by Pierce Brown

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Escapist book series to make your next obsession

Book series often spark a lifelong love affair with reading. Here are some of the most binge-worthy collections around.

best new book series

For many, it’s a series of books that sparks our lifelong love affair with reading. Part of the appeal, if you love a series, is the hope that it will never run out. Alan Bennett, explaining his early enthusiasm for Hugh Lofting ’s Dr Doolittle stories, once observed: “an important consideration was […] there were always more”.

As adults, some of us return again and again to our favourite series for comfort, because we have a clear idea of what we’ll be getting. Yet, reading a series can also be one of the most emotionally intense of reading experiences, as we become invested in the characters over a long period – sometimes even growing old along with them – and come to know them as well as our very best friends.

From trilogies to twenty-something-volume (and counting) sagas, from crime to comedy by way of fantasy, here are a selection of bingeable series that will take up days, if not weeks, of your life – and not a moment regretted. 

The Culture Series by Iain M Banks (1987-2012)

Number of books: 10

Not many fiction series can claim to have shaped the philosophy of the world’s best-known billionaire. But this space-opera sequence by the much-missed Banks (who died in 2013) has been cited by Elon Musk as an inspiration for his “utopian anarchism”. Musk even named two of his drone ships –  Just Read the Instructions  and  Of Course I Still Love You  – after AI ships in Banks’ books. 

In  Consider Phlebas , the first entry in the series, Banks introduces us to The Culture, a post-scarcity spaceship-centred society whose inhabitants live intellectually fulfilled lives. Many of the stories focus on the Special Circumstances unit’s efforts to export Culture-esque values to less progressive civilisations, giving Banks the opportunity to deploy his unique mixture of cynical satire and utopian optimism. 

The Easy Rawlins series by Walter Mosley (1990-) 

Number of books: 15

This is one of the all-time great detective series, providing hard-boiled L.A. noir worthy of Raymond Chandler but also offering an excoriating insight into the racial tensions of mid-century America. 

The first volume,  Devil in a Blue Dress , kicks the saga off in 1948, when African-American war veteran Ezekiel Rawlins is fired from his job in a factory, by his white supervisor, for being “uppity”. “Easy” becomes a reluctant detective to make ends meet. 

Denzel Washington did a fine job of capturing Easy’s harassed nobility in the film version of  Devil in a Blue Dress . But a single film won’t be enough to feed your Easy compulsion: you’ll want this superb series to go on forever.  

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best new book series

  • Dec 29, 2022

The Top 10 Book Series' Reads of 2022

I love a good series. Like ... love . I would prefer to immerse myself in a series than a standalone. Worlds are more well thought, more character development ... you just can't get that in a standalone unless its a super long book. Below are my top 10 series' reads of 2022. You will notice there are some combined ones, but that's because they are spin-offs, and I consider it one big series.

10 (Will reread) - 1 (I want to live in that series)

10. Lore Olympus (ongoing)

By rachel smythe.

A modern retelling of the Taking of Persephone

9. Married to Magic Series (ongoing)

By elise kova.

Shared Universe, Fantasy Romance, Stand Alone Novels About Young Women and their Unexpected Romances with Magical Men

8. Mad World Series (ongoing)

By hannah mcbride.

Ryan and Maddie's trilogy is concluded, but Hannah plans to write standalone romances, and there are still several loose ends to tie up :)

7. Plated Prisoner Series (ongoing)

By raven kennedy.

This is Auren’s Story: Fighting for freedom, beating her demons, and finding her voice.

6. Zodiac Academy Series (ongoing)

By caroline peckham and susanne valenti.

Zodiac Academy is a Dark Bully M/F Paranormal Romance series which follows Twins Tory and Darcy Vega who find out they’re Fae and have to learn to harness their power while trying to defend their throne from the four Heirs who want to claim it in their place.

5. The Bonds That Tie Series (completed)

Broken Bonds is a full length reverse harem PNR novel with material that may be difficult for some readers. This book will end on a cliffhanger. It's recommended for 18+ due to language and sexual situations.

4. The Bridge Kingdom Series (ongoing)

By danielle l. jensen.

Passionate and violent, The Bridge Kingdom is a seductive fantasy perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Thorns and Roses.

3. Blood and Ash/Flesh and Fire Series (ongoing)

By jennifer l armentrout.

Captivating and action-packed, From Blood and Ash is a sexy, addictive, and unexpected fantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Laura Thalassa.

2. Surviving Time Trilogy (complete) / Belgrave Dynasty (ongoing)

By calia read.

Contemporary Romance/Time Travel

1. Crescent City Series (ongoing)

By sarah j maas.

With unforgettable characters, sizzling romance, and page-turning suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom—and the power of love.

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best new book series

  • Book Recommendations & Lists

5 Book Series to Binge in 2023

5 Book Series to Binge in 2023

Hi friends! This post is a little late, I’ve had a rough week. I think I might move my blogging to the weekends, since work is so busy during the week. I usually post on Tuesdays, but now I’m going to try to post on Fridays/Saturdays now. Anyhow, let’s get into the 5 book series I want to binge in 2023.

These are series with the final book coming out in 2023, or ongoing series that I want to start. Let’s hop in!

{You might also like – 2023 5 Star Predictions }

Dangerous Damsels by India Holton

Elements of cadence duology by rebecca ross.

I’ve wanted to read A River Enchanted since it came out (the hardcover is stunning) and now the sequel is finally out, so I can just binge the whole book series. It has quite a good rating on Goodreads, and I’ve seen some people mention that it’s a cozy read. I am all about the cozy reads this year.

Elements of Cadence 1

A River Enchanted Synopsis

Jack Tamerlaine hasn’t set foot on Cadence in ten long years, content to study music at the mainland university. But when young girls start disappearing from the isle, Jack is summoned home to help find them. Enchantments run deep on Cadence: gossip is carried by the wind; plaid shawls can be as strong as armor, and the smallest cut of a knife can instil fathomless fear.

The capricious spirits that rule the isle by fire, water, earth, and wind find mirth in the lives of the humans who call the land home. Adaira, heiress of the east and Jack’s childhood enemy, knows the spirits only answer to a bard’s music, and she hopes Jack can draw them forth by song, enticing them to return the missing girls.

As Jack and Adaira reluctantly work together, they find they make better allies than rivals as their partnership turns into something more. But with each passing song, it becomes apparent the trouble with the spirits is far more sinister than they first expected, and an older, darker secret about Cadence lurks beneath the surface, threatening to undo them all.

The Anatomy Duology by Dana Schwartz

I’ve had the first book, Anatomy: A Love Story, on my shelf for a while. Gothic romance is right up my alley (I’m still gushing about Belladonna ) and I really want to give this duology a try. I find duologies (two-book series) much easier to binge than trilogies. Keep an eye out for my post about my favourite duologies coming soon!

Anatomy Duology 1

Anatomy: A Love Story Synopsis

Edinburgh, 1817.  Hazel Sinnett is a lady who wants to be a surgeon more than she wants to marry.

Jack Currer is a resurrection man who’s just trying to survive in a city where it’s too easy to die.

When the two of them have a chance encounter outside the Edinburgh Anatomist’s Society, Hazel thinks nothing of it at first. But after she gets kicked out of renowned surgeon Dr. Beecham’s lectures for being the wrong gender, she realizes that her new acquaintance might be more helpful than she first thought.

Because Hazel has made a deal with Dr. Beecham: if she can pass the medical examination on her own, the university will allow her to enroll. Without official lessons, though, Hazel will need more than just her books – she’ll need bodies to study, corpses to dissect.

Lucky that she’s made the acquaintance of someone who digs them up for a living, then.

But Jack has his own problems: strange men have been seen skulking around cemeteries, his friends are disappearing off the streets. Hazel and Jack work together to uncover the secrets buried not just in unmarked graves, but in the very heart of Edinburgh society.

The Blood Gift Duology by N.E. Davenport

I wasn’t a big fan of Red Rising, which this book series is comped to, but I’m a big fan of sci-fi, so I’ll give this a go. I love a good rebellion story, and I feel like I need to become obsessed with something again, and this series might be it.

Blood Gift Duology 1

The Blood Trials Synopsis:

It’s all about blood.

The blood spilled between the Republic of Mareen and the armies of the Blood Emperor long ago. The blood gifts of Mareen’s deadliest enemies. The blood that runs through the elite War Houses of Mareen, the rulers of the Tribunal dedicated to keeping the republic alive.

The blood of the former Legatus, Verne Amari, murdered.

For his granddaughter, Ikenna, the only thing steady in her life was the man who had saved Mareen. The man who had trained her in secret, not just in martial skills, but in harnessing the blood gift that coursed through her.

Who trained her to keep that a secret.

But now there are too many secrets, and with her grandfather assassinated, Ikenna knows two things: that only someone on the Tribunal could have ordered his death, and that only a Praetorian Guard could have carried out that order.

Bent on revenge as much as discovering the truth, Ikenna pledges herself to the Praetorian Trials–a brutal initiation that only a quarter of the aspirants survive. She subjects herself to the racism directed against her half-Khanaian heritage and the misogyny of a society that cherishes progeny over prodigy, all while hiding a power that–if found out–would subject her to execution…or worse.

Ikenna is willing to risk it all because she needs to find out who murdered her grandfather…and then she needs to kill them.

Aisling Sea Trilogy by Vanessa Rasanen

2023 is my year of fantasy romance, and this is a book series I really want to read. I want pirates, angst, and fun. There’s a found family, enemies to lovers, and only one bed. I am IN.

Aisling Sea Trilogy 1

On These Black Sands Synopsis:

He doesn’t mind killing people… he just prefers to do it on his own terms.

But the pirates have no say in who they kill on this island.

The council orders. The pirates obey.

This arrangement has kept Declan from setting foot on these shores for years… until a bit of bad luck forces him to return.

But it may prove a lucrative stop, if the rebel’s information is true.

Find the dagger. Escape this life.

But only if this damn stowaway doesn’t ruin everything first.

I love a good romance book series. While these are technically companion novels and not direct sequels, I still think it counts as a series. Romance series are so fun, since you get to follow the characters from other books even if it’s not their story currently being told. After my Bridgerton binge, I am in need of some fun regency romance.

Dangerous Damsels Series 1

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels Synopsis

A prim and proper lady thief must save her aunt from a crazed pirate and his dangerously charming henchman in this fantastical historical romance.

Cecilia Bassingwaite is the ideal Victorian lady. She’s also a thief. Like the other members of the Wisteria Society crime sorority, she flies around England drinking tea, blackmailing friends, and acquiring treasure by interesting means. Sure, she has a dark and traumatic past and an overbearing aunt, but all things considered, it’s a pleasant existence. Until the men show up.

Ned Lightbourne is a sometimes assassin who is smitten with Cecilia from the moment they meet. Unfortunately, that happens to be while he’s under direct orders to kill her. His employer, Captain Morvath, who possesses a gothic abbey bristling with cannons and an unbridled hate for the world, intends to rid England of all its presumptuous women, starting with the Wisteria Society. Ned has plans of his own. But both men have made one grave mistake. Never underestimate a woman.

When Morvath imperils the Wisteria Society, Cecilia is forced to team up with her handsome would-be assassin to save the women who raised her–hopefully proving, once and for all, that she’s as much of a scoundrel as the rest of them.

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5 thoughts on “ 5 book series to binge in 2023 ”.

OH MY GOSH BIANCA ALL OF THESE SOUND SO SO INTERESTING AND IM IN LOVE WITH THE POST?? also must join you in binge-ing all of these BECAUSE THEY SOUND AMAZING, DID I MENTION THAT?? i’m so sorry you had such a rough week and life’s been so busy lately BUT FINGERS CROSSED EVERYTHING GETS BETTER SOON AND HEY. TAKE ALL THE TIME YOU NEED AND FEEL FREE TO MOVE AROUND YOUR SCHEDULE AS YOU NEED IT OKAY?

am so excited for the favourite duologies post you mentioned 👀 and oh my gosh also THIS: “I feel like I need to become obsessed with something again” AM HONESTLY COMPLETELY WITH YOU ON THAT AND THEREFORE MUST READ THE BLOOD GIFT DUOLOGY TOO. AM FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE RECS THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THEM!!!

Binge-ing series is honestly the only way I ever finish any of them lol. It’s just the way it is now. I hope you give The Blood Gift Duology a try! Let me know what you think of it!

The only one of these that I hadn’t heard of before was The Blood Gift Duology. I haven’t read a single one of the books on this list, but a few of them are on my TBR. I hope you love them all! 🙂

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I didn’t know that A River Enchanted is a duology, but the sequel also sounds great!

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The best fiction books of 2023 & all time

From gripping sequels to debuts by fresh new voices, discover the best new fiction books of 2023. we also look back at the best fiction books of 2022 and share our edit of some of the best novels of all time..

best new book series

Albert Camus once said that ‘fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth’, and with these eight words he perfectly encapsulated the immense power of the novel. The best fiction teaches us history that the curriculum never did, sees us break in a new pair of shoes in a new city, breaks our heart and mends it –⁠ sometimes in the same chapter. It lets us breathe in a past era, step into fantasy worlds and even offers glimpses into dystopian futures. As 2023 marks another exciting year of new books, we've also collected the best fiction of 2022, and of all time. 

The best new fiction of 2023

By hernan diaz.

Book cover for Trust

Winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, Trust is undoubtedly one of the novels of the year. Everyone in 1920s New York knows of Benjamin and Helen Rask, the Wall Street tycoon and the daughter of bohemian aristocrats. They live in a sphere of untold wealth, but what is the true cost of their fortune? This mystery sits at the heart of a bestselling novel that all of New York has read. But, like all stories, there are different perspectives. Hernan Diaz tracks these narratives across a century and documents the truth-bending power of money, with provocative revelations at each turn.

Western Lane

By chetna maroo.

Book cover for Western Lane

Exploring themes of grief and sisterhood, this debut coming-of-age story packs all the feels into just 176 pages. Eleven-year-old Gopi has been playing squash for as long as she can remember. When her mother dies, her father enlists her in a brutal training regimen. Soon, the game has become her entire world, causing a rift between Gopi and her sisters. But on the court, governed by the rhythms of the sport, she feels alive. This novel beautifully captures the ordinary and annihilates it with beauty as we follow a young athlete's struggle to transcend herself. 

Everything's Fine

By cecilia rabess.

Book cover for Everything's Fine

This stunning debut is a whip-smart exploration of an age-old question: what have you got to lose when you fall in love? When Jess first meets Josh at their Ivy League college she dislikes him immediately: an entitled guy in chinos, ready to take over the world. Meanwhile, Jess is almost always the only Black woman in their class. And Josh can’t accept that life might be easier for him because he’s white. But when they end up working for the same investment bank, their tempestuous friendship soon turns into an electrifying romance, forcing Jess to question who she is and what she's willing to compromise for love. 

‘ The book of the moment . . It’s so good — funny, sexy, unafraid, brilliantly nuanced, completely unputdownable. ’ The Times on Everything's Fine

Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt

By lucinda riley.

Book cover for Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt

Paris, 1928. A boy is found, moments from death, and taken in by a kindly family who gives him a life he could never have dreamed of, but he refuses to tell anyone who he truly is. As he grows into a young man, an evil is rising across Europe and he knows he must soon flee again. The final novel in the Seven Sisters series ,  Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt,  reveals how the sisters came to be adopted by their beloved, mysterious father, drawing the epic series to a stunning, unforgettable conclusion. Finally, readers will know the answer to the ultimate question: who is Pa Salt?

Don't Miss

The Seven Sisters books in order: a complete guide

By kate morton.

Book cover for Homecoming

A gripping mystery set between Australia and London, Homecoming , is the long-awaited new novel by Kate Morton. When 89-year-old Nora's health takes an unexpected turn for the worse, Jess boards the first plane out of London, her home of twenty years, to be by her grandmother's bedside in Sydney. Soon, she discovers that the usually stoic Nora has been hiding a family secret and vows to get to the heart of the mystery of what happened on a fateful Christmas Eve sixty years before. 

To Paradise

By hanya yanagihara.

Book cover for To Paradise

This novel from the author of A Little Life spans stories of love, family, and loss over three centuries. 1893: New York is part of the Free States, and a member of a privileged family falls for an impoverished music teacher. 1993: Manhattan is being swept by the AIDS epidemic, and a Hawaiian man with a wealthy older partner must hide his family background. 2093: a world where plague and totalitarian rule is rife, a woman tries to solve the mystery of her husband's disappearance. This symphonic vision of America is a demonstration of Hanya Yanagihara's literary genius as she weaves three stories together. 

Bright Young Women

By jessica knoll.

Book cover for Bright Young Women

January 1978. Tallahassee. When sorority president Pamela Schumacher is startled awake at 3 a.m. by a strange sound, she’s shocked to encounter a scene of implausible violence – two of her friends dead and two others, maimed. The only person to see the man responsible, she is thrust into a terrifying mystery, entangled in a crime that captivates public interest for more than four decades. This extraordinary novel is inspired by the real-life sorority targeted by America's first celebrity serial killer in his final murderous spree. 

by Jane Harper

Book cover for Exiles

Small-town detective Aaron Falk returns in Exiles , the new novel from the bestselling author of The Dry , Jane Harper. When a young mother disappears on a warm spring night, leaving her baby alone in her pram at a busy festival, Falk begins to suspect that this is more than a cut-and-dry missing person’s case. A thrilling mystery novel with an evocative outback setting and heart-pounding twists, Exiles is a book you’ll want to discuss with everyone you know. 

Jane Harper's books in order: a complete guide

Before the coffee gets cold, by toshikazu kawaguchi.

Book cover for Before the Coffee Gets Cold

Translated by Geoffrey Trousselot

First published in the UK in 2019, this million-copy bestseller is now available in a beautiful collectible hardback edition – the perfect gift. In a small back alley in Tokyo, there is a café which has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time. This opportunity is not without risks: customers must sit in a particular seat, they cannot leave the café, and finally, they must return to the present before the coffee gets cold. Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s beautiful novel has stolen the hearts of readers the world over. Through it, we meet four visitors to the café and explore the age-old question: what would you change if you could travel back in time?

Sword Catcher

By cassandra clare.

Book cover for Sword Catcher

Two outcasts find themselves at the centre of world-altering change. In Castellane, Kel is stolen to become Prince Conor Aurelian’s body-double. As his ‘Sword Catcher', Kel lives for one purpose: to die for Conor. Lin Caster is an Ashkar physician, part of a community ostracised for its rare magical abilities. But events pull her and Kel together and into the web of the mysterious Ragpicker King who rules Castellane’s criminal underworld. Together, they’ll discover an extraordinary conspiracy. But can forbidden love bring down a kingdom? 

How (Not) to Have an Arranged Marriage

By amir khan.

Book cover for How (Not) to Have an Arranged Marriage

From Dr Amir Khan, this is a timely, heartfelt novel which looks at all aspects of modern arranged marriages. The golden child of his strict Pakistani parents, Yousef has his life planned out for him – medical degree, wife chosen by his family. . . Then Yousef meets Jess. A fellow medical student, Jess presents a complication to the plan. Suddenly, Yousef finds himself torn between two worlds – keeping each a secret from the other. Then, as graduation looms, Yousef’s mother informs him that she’s started looking for his wife.

The House of Fortune

By jessie burton.

Book cover for The House of Fortune

A glorious, sweeping story of fate and ambition, The House of Fortune is the sequel to Jessie Burton’s bestseller  The Miniaturist . Amsterdam, 1705. Thea Brandt is about to turn eighteen and she can't wait to become an adult. Walter, her true love, awaits Thea at the city's theatre. But at home on the Herengracht things are tense. Her father Otto and Aunt Nella bicker incessantly and are selling furniture so the family can eat. And, on her birthday secrets from Thea's past threaten to eclipse the present. Nella is feeling a prickling sensation in her neck, which recalls the miniaturist who toyed with her life eighteen years ago.

More Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up

By alexandra potter.

Book cover for More Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up

Thought things were all wrapped up for Nell? Think again. Falling in love may be easy, staying in love, however, can take work. . . Friendships are tested, the past won't stay there, celebrity-scented candles and Instagram filters are simply not working hard enough and it's time for Nell to escape to LA with her eighty-something best friend. Fortunately for us, it seems she has some more confessions to share. 

‘ The story of Nell Stevens’ struggle through her imperfect, messy life doesn’t just make brilliant fiction, it’s turning into a cultural revolution! ’ Matt Cain

A complete guide to Alexandra Potter's books

Christmas by candlelight, by karen swan.

Book cover for Christmas By Candlelight

As Christmas approaches and snow falls, high-flier Libby and her new boyfriend head home from a wedding to attend her university reunion at Archie Templeton's grand family estate. Stranded by the snowstorm, they're forced to spend the night. At first, being snowed in together is fun as the old friends wait in high spirits for the farmer to clear a path. But as hours pass with no news, everyone grows restless. Then the power goes out. Hunkered down together by candlelight, they reminisce about old times, and tensions soon start to rise. Secrets from the past begin to unravel and Libby is confronted with a truth she has long tried to deny.

The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything

By kara gnodde.

Book cover for The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything

Devoted siblings Mimi and Art Brotherton have always come as a pair, bound together by the tragic death of their parents. Art is a mathematical genius, and believes everything – even love –  can be boiled down to equations and algorithms. Then Mimi meets Frank, who definitely isn't algorithm approved and soon the siblings' relationship is pushed to breaking point. Something about Frank doesn't quite add up, and only Art can see it. This tale of love and loss is unique, funny and uplifting – true love, in all its forms, is more than a numbers game.  

by Sarah May

Book cover for Becky

Aspiring journalist Becky Sharp has one goal: to reach the top of the career ladder at the  Mercury , London’s top tabloid during the industry’s celebrity-obsessed 1990s heyday. But for Becky, no matter how many champagne-fuelled parties she covers or celebrity scoops she publishes, her past threatens to stop her from bagging her dream job. A nostalgia-filled trip through the heady, Britpop-obsessed world of 90s London Becky is a dark, witty novel that you won’t want to put down.

Young Mungo

By douglas stuart.

Book cover for Young Mungo

The extraordinary, powerful second novel from the Booker prize-winning author of  Shuggie Bain ,  Young Mungo  is both a vivid portrayal of working-class life and the deeply moving story of the dangerous first love of two young men: Mungo and James. Young Mungo  is a gripping and revealing story about the meaning of masculinity, the push and pull of family, the violence faced by so many queer people, and the dangers of loving someone too much.

Douglas Stuart on his favourite LGBTQIA+ books

Once a monster, by robert dinsdale.

Book cover for Once a Monster

Perfect for historical fiction fans who love a mythical twist, this imaginative retelling of the story of the Minotaur is steeped in the grime of Victorian London. Ten-year-old mudlark Nell discovers a body on the shore. It’s not the first corpse she’s encountered, but by far the strangest. Nearly seven feet tall, the creature has matted hair covering his legs, and on his head are the suggestion of horns. Nell’s fellow foragers urge her to steal his boots and rifle his pockets, but as she ventures closer it becomes clear that the figure is not dead after all. 

Stone Blind

By natalie haynes.

Book cover for Stone Blind

Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2023, this retelling of the famed myth of Medusa asks who the real monsters are. The sole mortal raised in a family of gods, Medusa is alone in her ability to experience change and to be hurt. Then, when the sea god Poseidon commits an unforgivable act in the temple of Athene, the goddess takes her revenge where she can – and she is changed forever. Writhing snakes replace her hair, and her gaze now turns any living creature to stone. Unable to control her new power, she is condemned to a life of shadows and darkness. Until Perseus embarks upon a quest . . .

by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi

Book cover for The Centre

Anisa spends her days writing subtitles for Bollywood films in her London flat, longing to be a translator of literature. Her boyfriend, Adam, on the other hand, has an extraordinary aptitude for language – or so Anisa thinks. But after learning to speak Urdu practically overnight, Adam reveals his secret – the Centre: an elite programme that guarantees fluency in any language in just ten days. Anisa can't help but enrol and is quickly seduced by all that it's made possible, however, she soon realizes the disturbing, hidden cost of its services. This page-turning debut announces the arrival of an extraordinary new talent. 

Open Throat

By henry hoke.

Book cover for Open Throat

A queer and dangerously hungry mountain lion narrates this fever dream of a novel, carrying us on a universal journey through a wondrous and menacing modern day L.A. The lion spends their days protecting a nearby homeless encampment, observing hikers and grappling with the complexities of their own identity. When a man-made fire engulfs the encampment, the lion is forced from the hills down into the city where they confront the cruel inequalities of Los Angeles. But even when salvation finally seems within reach, they are forced to face the question: do they want to eat a person, or become one?

The Passenger

By cormac mccarthy.

Book cover for The Passenger

A sunken jet. Nine passengers. A missing body. The Passenger  is the story of a salvage diver, haunted by loss, afraid of the watery deep, pursued for a conspiracy beyond his understanding, and longing for a death he cannot reconcile with God. The first of two eagerly anticipated novels from literary great Cormac McCarthy The Passenger is followed by Stella Maris  –  both are too good to be missed. 

A guide to the literary great: Cormac McCarthy

The minuscule mansion of myra malone, by audrey burges.

Book cover for The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone

The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone  is a charming and magical debut novel, with a love story at its heart. Thirty-four year-old Myra Malone blogs about a dolls' house online. Across the country, Alex Rakes, heir of a furniture business, encounters two Mansion fans trying to recreate a room from Myra's stories. To his disbelief, Alex soon recognizes that it's his own bedroom being recreated, in minute scale. Searching for answers, Alex begins corresponding with Myra. Together, the two unwind the lonely paths of their twin worlds. 

The High Notes

By danielle steel.

Book cover for The High Notes

A moving and uplifting story of following your dreams against the odds from the billion copy bestseller, Danielle Steel. Abandoned by her mother and neglected by her rodeo cowboy dad, Iris started singing in downtrodden bars across Texas when she was just twelve. After many years on the road with different bands suffering at the hands of greedy managers with no scruples, she finally gets a lucky break when she meets Boy, another talented singer, in Jackson Hole. Together they make their way to New York where Iris’s talent is recognized and nurtured by one of the top agents in the business. But then tragedy strikes. 

by Kate Foster

Book cover for The Maiden

Edinburgh, October 1679. Lady Christian is arrested and charged with the murder of her lover, James Forrester. News of her imprisonment and subsequent trial is splashed across the broadsides, with headlines that leave little room for doubt:  Adulteress. Whore. Murderess. Only a year before, Lady Christian was newly married, leading a life of privilege and respectability. What led her to risk everything for an affair? And does that make her guilty of murder? Inspired by a real-life case, this is a remarkable story with a feminist revisionist twist, giving a voice to women otherwise silenced by history.

The Square of Sevens

By laura shepherd-robinson.

Book cover for The Square of Sevens

A historical fiction novel packed with fortune-telling, travels and mystery, The Sqaure of Sevens an epic and sweeping novel set in Georgian high society. A girl known only as Red, the daughter of a Cornish fortune-teller, travels with her father making a living predicting fortunes using the ancient method: the Square of Sevens. When her father suddenly dies, Red becomes the ward of a gentleman scholar. But soon, she can't ignore the burning questions about her family. The pursuit of these mysteries takes her across the country in an tale of intrigue, heartbreak and audacious twists. 

‘ Can you name a book you have read so far this year that you know is 100% going to be in your top 10 books of the year list? This is mine. ’ @bookishreadsandme

Promise Boys

By nick brooks.

Book cover for Promise Boys

Thought-provoking and timely, Promise Boys is the new YA mystery novel that will have everyone talking in 2023. For J.B., Ramón, and Trey, attending the prestigious and ultra-strict Urban Promise Prep School is a golden ticket to college and avoiding the fates of many of the men they grew up around. That is until their principal is brutally murdered, and the boys emerge as the police’s main suspects. As they fight to investigate the crime and fight the prejudice of those around them, the trio are locked in a battle to find the real culprit and clear their names before it’s too late.

by J.F. Murray

Book cover for Fling

When Tara and Colin’s marriage starts to fall apart, they both find themselves looking to a controversial new dating app called Fling to find someone new. After meeting someone who is a 100% match, they both embark on affairs with who they believe are exciting new partners. A hilarious romance novel that will make you question what true love really means, Fling is a novel that asks – what if the person you were looking for was in front of you all along?

by Juan Gómez-Jurado

Book cover for Red Queen

Soon to be a major TV series, this serial-killer thriller is packed full of mystery with a fascinating lead character. Antonia doesn’t go outside much. Why would she when she can solve crimes from her attic in Madrid? She also never gets visitors. That's why she really doesn't like it when she hears unknown footsteps coming up the stairs. And whoever it is, Antonia is sure that they are coming to look for her. . .

Other Women

By emma flint.

Book cover for Other Women

Emma Flint’s evocative historical novels transport you to another time and place. In her new book, Other Women , the destination is London, devastated by the impact of the Great War. For unmarried Beatrice Cade, the war has robbed her of the chance to find true love and have a family, just like it has for millions of others. One day a chance encounter changes her life, and she falls head over heels in love with someone she should never have met. An enthralling tale of obsession, murder and lives intertwined by forbidden love, Other Women is a novel that you won’t be able to put down. 

Lessons in Chemistry

By bonnie garmus.

Book cover for Lessons in Chemistry

In the 1960s, Elizabeth Zott, a brilliant chemist, defies gender norms at Hastings Research Institute. Her unique bond with Calvin Evans, a Nobel-nominated scientist, sparks true chemistry. Later, she becomes an unlikely star on "Supper at Six," revolutionizing cooking with science. As her fame grows, she challenges the status quo, daring women to break barriers. Resistance follows, but Elizabeth remains unwavering in her quest for empowerment.

The best fiction of 2022

The atlas six, by olivie blake.

Book cover for The Atlas Six

Bestselling fantasy  sensation The Atlas Six  follows six young magical practitioners as they compete to join the secretive Alexandrian Society, whose custodians guard lost knowledge from ancient civilizations. Their members enjoy a lifetime of power and prestige. Yet each decade, only six practitioners are invited – to fill five places. Following recruitment by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they travel to the Society’s London headquarters. Here, each must study and innovate within esoteric subject areas. And if they can prove themselves, over the course of a year, they’ll survive. Most of them.

Discover more unmissable reads from Olivie Blake

The lamplighters, by emma stonex.

Book cover for The Lamplighters

Inspired by true events, Emma Stonex’s debut novel is a riveting mystery which will grip the reader, and a beautifully written exploration of love and grief. In Cornwall in 1972, three keepers vanish from a remote lighthouse, miles from shore. The door is locked from the inside, and the clocks have stopped. What happened to those men, and to the women they left behind? 

The Murders at Fleat House

Book cover for The Murders at Fleat House

When a pupil suddenly dies at an exclusive boarding school in deepest Norfolk, the headmaster is keen to brand it a tragic accident. But the local police are not so sure, and Detective Inspector Jazmine ‘Jazz’ Hunter returns to the force to investigate. Together with trusty sergeant Alastair Miles, she enters the closed universe of the school. And as Jazz begins to probe Charlie Cavendish’s unsettling demise, things take a deeply troubling turn.

Discover Lucinda Riley's standalone books

By raven leilani.

Book cover for Luster

Raven Leilani is a funny and original new voice in fiction. Her razor-sharp yet surprisingly tender debut is an essential novel about what it means to be young now. Edie is messing up her life, and no one seems to care. Then she meets Eric, who is white, middle-aged and comes with a wife who has sort-of-agreed to an open marriage and an adopted black daughter who doesn’t have a single person in her life who can show her how to do her hair. And as if life wasn’t hard enough, Edie finds herself falling head-first into Eric’s family.

The Christie Affair

By nina de gramont.

Book cover for The Christie Affair

In 1926, Agatha Christie disappeared for eleven days. Only one person knows the truth of her disappearance – her husband's mistress. The world of Agatha Christie is glamourous parties full of socialites, and country house weekends. But the world of Nan O'Dea is very different. A tough London upbringing followed by a life in Ireland marred by tragedy, Nan has fought her way back to England – with her sights set on Agatha. Despite their differences, the two women will become the most unlikely of allies. And during the mysterious eleven days that Agatha goes missing, they will unravel a dark secret that only Nan holds the key to . . .

Disorientation

By elaine hsieh chou.

Book cover for Disorientation

When twenty-nine-year-old Ingrid Yang finally completes her dissertation on canonical poet Xiao-Wen Chou she never wants to hear about 'Chinese-y' things ever again. Finding a strange note in the Chou archives, she thinks she has found a way out of the academic labyrinth. But Ingrid is accidentally in deep, and the note leads to a huge discovery, one which upsets her life and the lives of those around her. With two trusty friends Ingrid sets off on a rollercoaster of campus protests and drug hallucinations, leading her to confront her relationships with white men and institutions – and herself.

The Attic Child

By lola jaye.

Book cover for The Attic Child

It's 1907, and twelve-year-old Celestine is locked in the attic of a house by the sea. He has been forcibly removed from his home in Africa and is treated as a servant. He dreams of home and family, even as his mother's face, and his real name, begin to fade. Decades later a young orphan girl is banished to the same attic. Under the floorboards she finds mysterious artefacts, and on a wall there is a sentence etched in a language she does not recognise. What she does recognise though, is that she is not the first child to be held captive in the attic. This must-read novel is a tale of love, loss and family secrets that shines a light on the early Black British experience. 

The Dance Tree

By kiran millwood hargrave.

Book cover for The Dance Tree

It's 1518 in Strasbourg, and in the intense summer heat a solitary woman starts to dance in the main square. She dances for days without rest, and is joined by hundreds of other women. The city authorities declare a state of emergency, and bring in musicians to play the devil out of the dancing women. Meanwhile pregnant Lisbet, who lives at the edge of the city, is tending to the family's bees. The dancing plague intensifies, as Lisbet is drawn into a net of secret passions and deceptions. Inspired by true events, this is a compelling story of superstition, transformative change and women pushed to their limits.

The Exhibitionist

By charlotte mendelson.

Book cover for The Exhibitionist

Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2022, in The Exhibitionist we meet the Hanrahan family. They are gathering for a momentous weekend as famous artist and notorious egoist Ray Hanrahan prepares for a new exhibition of his art. His three children will be there: beautiful Leah, sensitive Patrick, and insecure Jess. And what of Lucia, Ray’s steadfast and selfless wife? She is an artist, too, but has always had to put her roles as wife and mother first. But Lucia is hiding secrets of her own, and as the weekend unfolds and the exhibition approaches, she must finally make a choice. 

The Four Winds

By kristin hannah.

Book cover for The Four Winds

Delia Owens, author of Where the Crawdads Sing , called Kristin Hannah's novel ‘powerful and compelling.’ Elsa Martinelli finally has everything she had wished for – a family, a home and a livelihood on a farm on the Great Plains. But when drought threatens her family and community, Elsa must decide whether to stay and fight for the land she loves or flee to California in search of a better life. 

A Guide to Kristin Hannah's books

By sally hinchcliffe.

Book cover for Hare House

On a crisp autumn day a woman travels to London, having left her post at a London girls school in murky circumstances. She starts to explore the land around her cottage on the isolated Hare House estate, walking the moors and woodland. And she begins to hear unsettling stories, of witches, strange clay figures, and young men scared out of their wits. Having made friends with her landlord Grant and his sister Cass, doubts begin to descend. And when a snowfall traps the inhabitants of the house together, the tension escalates . . .

The Paper Palace

By miranda cowley heller.

Book cover for The Paper Palace

In a picturesque Cape Cod setting, Elle Bishop starts her day with a swim near The Paper Palace, her family's vacation home as memories of a passionate secret encounter from the night before flood her mind. This defining moment sets off a chain of events that span twenty-four hours and fifty years, leading Elle to make a life-altering decision after a shocking betrayal. This page-turning summer read is both a No. 1 New York Times bestseller and a Reese Witherspoon Bookclub pick. 

How to Kill Your Family

By bella mackie.

Book cover for How to Kill Your Family

I have killed several people (some brutally, others calmly) and yet I currently languish in jail for a murder I did not commit. In prison, Grace Bernard reflects on her past actions with an unsettling mix of sadness and pride. Having taken the lives of several family members as revenge for her absentee millionaire father's callousness, Grace once reveled in her dark mission. With a calm ruthlessness, she executed her plan, leaving a chilling trail of death. However, fate now finds her behind bars, wondering if her twisted tale will ever be discovered – a story of vengeance, class, family, love, and murder.

The best fiction books of all time

By emma donoghue.

Book cover for Room

Shortlisted for both the Booker Prize and the Women’s Prize for fiction, Room is a unique novel, about survival and innocence. Jack lives with his Ma in Room, which has a locked door and a skylight, and measures 11 feet by 11 feet. He loves watching TV, and the cartoon characters he calls friends, but he knows that nothing he sees on screen is truly real – only him, Ma and the things in Room. Until the day Ma admits that there’s a world outside. Now also a major film, Room is the story of a mother and son, told in Jack's voice, whose love lets them survive the impossible. 

A complete guide to Emma Donoghue's books

A little life.

Book cover for A Little Life

Shortlisted for both the Booker Prize and the Women's Prize and now adapted into a West End play , A Little Life is undoubtedly one of the novels of the century. Hanya Yanagihara's flawless character development transports us into the lives of Jude, Willem, JB and Malcolm. We follow the central characters as they try to make their way in New York. Gradually, it is Jude and his unspeakable childhood that is revealed. By midlife he is both a terrifyingly talented litigator and an increasingly broken man, his mind and body scarred by trauma. The book follows Jude for decades, yet ultimately tells a story of love and friendship. 

The Miniaturist

Book cover for The Miniaturist

Beautiful, intoxicating and filled with heart-pounding suspense, Jessie Burton's historical novel set in Amsterdam is both a bestseller and a major BBC TV series. In 1686, Nella Oortman arrives at a lavish house to marry merchant trader Johannes Brandt. Instead of a warm welcome, she encounters his sharp-tongued sister, Marin. Johannes gifts her an intricate miniature replica of their home, to be furnished by a mysterious miniaturist whose creations eerily reflect reality. As Nella delves into the secrets of the Brandt household, she unveils escalating dangers. Is the miniaturist holding their fate?

Station Eleven

By emily st. john mandel.

Book cover for Station Eleven

On a snowy night in Toronto, renowned actor Arthur Leander dies on stage, coinciding with the arrival of a devastating virus in North America. Two decades later, Kirsten, a member of the Travelling Symphony, brings Shakespeare's words to life in the settlements that have emerged post-collapse. However, her newfound hope is jeopardized, prompting a critical question: in a world devoid of civilization, what is worth safeguarding? And to what lengths would one go to ensure its preservation? A dreamily atmospheric novel set in the eerie days of civilization's collapse, Emily St John Mandel's Station Eleven is also an HBO TV series. 

Emily St. John Mandel's books in order

Shuggie bain.

Book cover for Shuggie Bain

Douglas Stuart’s blistering, Booker Prize-winning debut is set in a poverty-stricken Glasgow in the early 1980s. Agnes Bain has always dreamed of greater things, but when her husband abandons her she finds herself trapped in a decimated mining town with her three children, and descends deeper and deeper into drink. Her son Shuggie tries to help Agnes long after her other children have fled, but he too must abandon her to save himself. But he believes that if he tries his hardest he can be like other boys and escape this hopeless place.

A Thousand Ships

Book cover for A Thousand Ships

While the names Odysseus, Achilles and Agamemnon are synonymous with epic tales of battle and bravery, the women of Homer’s epics have largely been sidelined, if not entirely forgotten. From Helen to Penelope, Natalie Haynes gives a voice to the women, girls and goddesses who have been silenced for so long in this retelling of the story of the Trojan War from an all-female perspective. Shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction, A Thousand Ships is a historical must read and a feminist masterpiece . 

The Shape of Water

By andrea camilleri.

Book cover for The Shape of Water

The Shape of Water  is the first in Andrea Camilleri's wry, brilliantly compelling Sicilian crime series, featuring Inspector Montalbano. When two employees of the Splendour Refuse Collection Company discover the body of engineer Silvio Luparello, one of the local movers and shakers, apparently deceased  in flagrante  at the Pasture, the coroner's verdict is death from natural causes. But Inspector Salvo Montalbano, as honest as he is streetwise and as scathing to fools and villains as he is compassionate to their victims, is not ready to close the case – even though he's being pressured by Vigàta's police chief, judge, and bishop.

All the books in Andrea Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano series

Normal people, by sally rooney.

Book cover for Normal People

Normal People has sold over one million copies and been adapted into a hit TV series. The story follows Connell and Marianne who, despite being from different worlds, form an unspoken connection at school which then follows them to Trinity College. Marianne and Connell circle one another, straying toward other people and possibilities but always magnetically drawn back together. Then, as she veers into self-destruction and he begins to search for meaning elsewhere, each must confront how far they are willing to go to save the other. Sally Rooney's characteristically subtle yet intense prose marks her as one of the best writers of our times. 

Nineteen Eighty-Four

By george orwell.

Book cover for Nineteen Eighty-Four

One of the most influential fiction books of all time, 1984 is George Orwell's terrifying vision of a totalitarian future in which everything and everyone is slave to a tyrannical regime led by The Party. The novel has a fascinating history, from the phenomenon it became on publication to the impact it has had on the English language.

The Handmaid's Tale

By margaret atwood.

Book cover for The Handmaid's Tale

This novel has become a cultural byword for all things dystopian. The book is set in the fictional Republic of Gilead, a religious totalitarian state in what was formerly known as the United States. In an age of declining birth rates, Offred, along with her fellow Handmaids, are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Yet even a repressive state cannot eradicate hope and desire. Funny, unexpected, horrifying, and altogether convincing,  The Handmaid's Tale  is at once scathing satire, dire warning, and tour de force.

The Great Gatsby

By f. scott fitzgerald.

Book cover for The Great Gatsby

Evoking the glitz, glamour and the dark side of 1920s,  The Great Gatsby  is a cynical look at the limits of the American Dream and a must read for all fans of fiction. Gatsby lives mysteriously in a luxurious Long Island mansion, playing lavish host to hundreds of people. And yet no one seems to know him or how he became so rich. He is rumoured to be everything from a German spy to a war hero. People clamour for invitations to his wild parties. But Jay Gatsby doesn't heed them. He cares for one person alone – Daisy Buchanan, the woman he has waited for all his life. Little does he know that his infatuation will lead to tragedy and end in murder.

Classic books to read at least once in your lifetime

By gillian flynn.

Book cover for Gone Girl

This twisty psychological thriller became a phenomenon when it was published, selling over twenty million copies worldwide and being adapted into a hit film starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike. When Nick Dunne wakes up on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary to find his wife missing, he quickly becomes the police’s chief suspect. Amy’s friends reveal she was afraid of him, there are strange searches on his computer and persistent calls to his mobile phone, but Ben swears he knows nothing about any of this. So what really happened to Amy Dunne? 

Girl, Woman, Other

By bernardine evaristo.

Book cover for Girl, Woman, Other

This 2019 Booker Prize winner follows twelve characters on their personal journeys over the last one hundred years. From Newcastle to Cornwall and the beginning of the twentieth century to the modern day, each of them is searching for something. These wonderful interwoven stories address issues of race, identity and womanhood. Joyfully polyphonic and vibrantly contemporary, this is a gloriously new kind of history, a novel of our times: celebratory, ever-dynamic and utterly irresistible.

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10 Best Completed Book Series To Binge Read Right Now

We don't want these book series to end!

The fantastic feeling of finally finishing a book is overrated. Sure, you're one step closer to your reading goal , but the ludicrous pang in your chest reminding you that those beautiful characters will not be waiting by your bedside desk when you come home that night? Severely underrated. So maybe it's time you spruce things up a little and add a few series to your everyday reading mix .

RELATED: Best Cozy Mystery Books To Binge-Read This Weekend

Assuming you've made up your mind and are reading to discover the gorgeous sights a book series offers, you might be a little skeptical about the wait for the next book in the series. It's time you're in on the secret, too: start with an already completed series and see where it takes you.

Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

Louise le Blanc fled her coven two years ago. Whether he didn't know where she was stepping into danger or just chose to ignore the threats, only she knew. But in this crooked city of Cesarine, witches like her are hunted and killed. The church's huntsman, Reid Diggory, has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. They were never meant to meet , but a wicked spell leads them to an impossible union: holy matrimony. Unable to deny her feelings any longer, Lou must make a choice. And love will fool all of us.

With three books in the box set, Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin is a slow-paced series with brilliant characters and an unputdownable plot.

Summer by Jenny Han

Everything good and magical happens between the months of June and August . That is the motto Belly lives her life by. She spends every summer at the beach house with Susannah. Still, she especially misses Jeremiah and Conrad: sometimes brother figures, sometimes crushes, but always boys she has known since her very first summer. Until one terrible yet wonderful summer, when everything is about to change. But maybe, change is for good.

From the author of To All The Boys I've Loved Before , the Summer series by Jenny Han is assured to make you love summer .

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Juliette Ferrars is a 17-year-old girl cursed with a lethal touch. She is a tortured soul stuck in a poisonous body. So when her captors decide it's time to put her to work, she has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

Told from alternating POVs of Juliette Ferrars, Aaron Warner, Adam Kent, and Kenji Kishimoto, the Shatter Me series will steal your heart and keep it sealed until the very end. The series hosts six books and five novellas with fascinating characters and a captivating plot.

Slammed by Colleen Hoover

Still grieving the loss of her father after his unexpected death, eighteen-year-old Layken "Lake" Cohen does everything in her power to hide her pain and be a rock for her mother and younger brother. When they are forced to move, she establishes an instant connection with their new neighbour, Will Cooper. But their entire relationship is rocked when their status quo is redefined the morning after their first date.

While Colleen Hoover is known for writing masterpieces that shake you to your core , Slammed is one of her only New Adult novels, offering a fresh take on pain through Lake and Will's life.

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

In a world divided by blood - Mare Barrow was born in the poverty-stricken Red-blooded commoners. The Silver elites who rule them are possessors of power, both political and superpowers, and they're Gods, and Mare detests them. So when she finds herself working in their palace, she's ready to bring them down. The weapon: her hidden superpower. It isn't that simple, though. After a whiff of her powers, the Silvers declare her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince.

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With betrayal as the only certainty in its wars , Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard comprises four books and six novellas, available for reading in two orders based on alternate timelines.

Off-Campus by Elle Kennedy

One of the best sports romance series in existence, Off Campus , follows a group of college hockey players traversing a world of betrayal and heartbreak on their way to finding true love. But it won't be that simple.

Off Campus by Elle Kennedy is available on Kindle with five books and two novellas in its set. The characters and plot are captivating enough that you won't be convinced with just one series but worry not because its spinoff, Briar U, is waiting for you to pick it up as soon as you finish Off Campus .

The Folk of the Air by Holly Black

She was seven when her parents were murdered, and she and her sisters were forced to live in the High Court of Faerie. Now seventeen, Jude wants to fit in a world that despises her and wishes her dead. So she'll do anything to belong, including defeating Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

A dark, brutal YA fantasy, The Folk Of The Air by Holly Black features luxuriant descriptions of the Faerie, a unique premise, fast-paced twists, and tons of political intrigue.

The Brown Sisters by Talia Hibbert

Talia Hibbert 's passion for writing about diverse characters is something readers have adored to bits, but this series is the cherry on the best cake you've ever had. The Brown Sisters series follows three quirky sisters as they find their way into the men of their dreams and a happy ever after we all covet.

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While the praise for these books is endless, it is notable to mention that all these books offer body positivity: all three female MCs are curvy, and they own it. The books also represent autism in a positive light and talk about bisexual characters who aren't afraid to embrace themselves.

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Scarlett Dragna has never left her tiny island. The home she shares with her younger sister Donatella and their cruel and powerful father. After years of yearning to see the Caraval , all her hopes are crushed when her father arranges a marriage for her. But imagine her surprise when her long-awaited invitation finally arrives, except as soon as they reach, Tella gets kidnapped by Caraval 's mastermind organizer, Legend.

Lush with all the tropes you'd love to see in a YA fantasy tale, Caraval by Stephanie Garber is a magical tale you won't be able to put down. What sets it apart from other fantasies is the ultimate focus on an indestructible bond between two sisters instead of a whirlwind romance or solving an age-old magical mystery.

Addicted by Kristie & Becca Ritchie

While the series initially starts as the heartwarming love story of rich delinquents Lily Calloway and Loren Hale, it soon unfurls into love stories of the Calloway sisters and some of Lily's other friends. Over the ten books in the series, Krista Ritchie and Becca Ritchie take you through a rollercoaster of emotions that'll have you crying for your life to be written by them.

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The Addicted series spans 17 years, three love stories and the births of 13 children. While the books focus on different couples, it's one continuous story and should be read in a fixed order.

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