If you’re on BookTok, you’ll know the feeling: endless recommendations, passionate reviews, and that you need to read just one more chapter. It’s safe to say BookTok has changed the way I read, and I’m loving every page of it.
So, as the year winds down and summer stretches ahead, I’ve pulled together my absolute favourite reads from this year – the ones that have lingered long after I’ve turned the final page.
From psychological thrillers to fantasy romances, these books kept me up late and gave me all the feels. Don’t worry, no spoilers here!
Verity by Colleen Hoover
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Gasping, squealing, and a bundle of anxiety. This book had me feeling all the feels.
In saying that, it’s my favourite book of all time.
This is not your average romance novel. It’s dark, twisted, and keeps you guessing till the very end. Just when you think you’ve figured out the truth, bam, another twist.
Verity follows Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin, who lands a seemingly perfect job: finishing the bestselling book series of famous author Verity Crawford, who’s been injured in a mysterious accident. Lowen moves into Verity’s home to go through her notes, but instead, she stumbles upon an unsettling, unpublished manuscript, a chilling autobiography that reveals shocking secrets about Verity’s life, marriage, and family.
As Lowen digs deeper, she begins to question everything, including her own safety, and is drawn into a web of lies, obsession, and betrayal.
When I first read the blurb, I thought, meh. But wow, am I glad I kept reading. Easily one of the best thrillers I’ve ever read.
A Court of Thorns and Roses Series by Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
This series, especially the first book, is everywhere. Every airport, every plane I board, someone’s got a copy. And let me tell you, it’s absolutely worth the hype. It’s quickly become one of my all-time favourites.
I’ll admit, I was sceptical at first. It’s all over TikTok, and it’s about fairies, definitely not my usual vibe. I’m a Harry Potter fan, sure, but fairies? Not so much. Yet, by the end of the first book, I was hooked, even through the occasional cringe-worthy fairie spicy scenes.
The first book follows Feyre, a fiercely independent young woman who’s pulled into the dangerous world of the fae after killing a wolf in the woods, only to learn it was no ordinary wolf.
Stay with me here!
Forced to live with Tamlin, a fae lord cursed under a mysterious spell, Feyre becomes entangled in a dark, magical world where her own survival depends on her wit and courage. (Crazy right?).
As the series progresses, the stakes get higher, with Feyre facing unimaginable challenges, complex alliances, and a slow-burn romance that’s both thrilling and deeply emotional. I devoured the entire series in three months. It’s packed with adventure, romance, and a surprising depth that really stays with you.
One Day by David Nicholls
Genre: Romance
Spice level: 🌶️
After watching One Day on Netflix (my favourite series ever), I had to read the book – and it didn’t disappoint. The novel feels even richer than the series, capturing the bittersweet beauty of love, life, and timing.
It follows Dexter and Emma, two people who connect after their university graduation and reunite on the same day every year for the next 20 years. Through breakups, career shifts, and personal struggles, their lives continue to intertwine in surprising ways.
The story is simple yet powerful, revealing how relationships evolve over time. If you haven’t seen the show, do yourself a favour and read the book first. It’s a total tear-jerker that had me crying by the end, with characters that feel heartbreakingly real and relatable.
Normal People by Sally Rooney
Genre: Psychological Fiction
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
What originally drew me to this book was my friends raving about the series. I haven’t watched it yet, but after reading the novel, I can see why it’s so beloved.
While it reminds me a bit of One Day, it’s quieter, more restrained, a story that feels almost as if it’s written in black and white. It lacks the brightness and excitement of One Day, but that’s precisely where its beauty lies. This is a story about normal people, doing ordinary, often mundane things, and yet it’s deeply moving and thought-provoking.
The novel follows Marianne and Connell, two people from a small Irish town whose lives keep crossing as they navigate their complex relationship over several years. It’s raw and emotional, tracking Marianne’s journey through the stages of her life and revealing how she grows, stumbles, and learns to see herself in new ways. The characters face love, heartbreak, mental health struggles, and questions of self-worth, all in a way that feels intensely real.
In a world of social media where everyone seems to be living their best lives, this book really does remind me that life isn’t a movie. And it can be messy, dull, and imperfect.
But that’s where the beauty of this novel truly shines. It captures the gritty, mundane moments that define us, making it both relatable and really just human.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Genre: High Fantasy Romance
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
This book is the sole reason I show up to uni with bleary eyes, already needing two coffees before 10 a.m. As a fan of Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and The Hobbit, I knew this would be an instant hit.
Imagine Game of Thrones meets dragons and teens training at an elite battle school, where survival isn’t guaranteed, and everyone’s vying for power.
The story follows Violet Sorrengail, a bookish girl (like us hehe) unexpectedly thrust into a world of brutal combat and political intrigue. With her life on the line, Violet has to navigate deadly rivalries, learn to control her dragon, and handle a thrilling friends-to-enemies-to-lovers arc with a fellow cadet who may be hiding his true motives.
The world is gritty and dangerous, the stakes are high, and the story grips you right from page one. If you’re looking for an addictive fantasy escape, this is it.
I’m currently devouring the second book, Iron Flame, and honestly don’t want it to end, it’s that good. Even Millie Bobby Brown “couldn’t put it down!” And who can argue with the queen?
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