Reading is one of my favourite activities – and there is little I adore more than getting lost in someone else’s world. I really don’t mind which genres I read, as long as it grips me from the get-go, and I want to keep turning the pages. There’s nothing better than a book where you feel as though the characters are your friends, and once you’ve turned the final page, you mourn their loss.
But, while I am a prolific reader, I understand not everybody can read at the rate and speed I do, so you have to prioritise the books you want to read. That’s why I’m here to tell you the top five books you definitely need to read, based on the 100 books I’ve read so far in 2025. So, buckle up and feel free to jot down any that take your fancy.
5. Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One by Kristen Arnett
“Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One Before” is a short story by Kristen Arnett, a critically acclaimed author known for her witty, dark humor and poignant storytelling. This story was first published in The New York Times Magazine as part of its Decameron project in May 2020. The project commissioned contemporary writers to craft short stories inspired by themes of the pandemic, isolation, and human connection, modeled after Boccaccio’s The Decameron.
It horrified me, made me chuckle, and left me wanting more – three things my favourite books tend to do. It’s unique, weird as anything, but it’s also so much deeper.
Cherry is one of the messiest main characters I’ve read about in a long time, but I was rooting for her despite her flaws. While this book that will make you laugh, the story is guaranteed to pull at your heartstrings too.
4. The Conditions of Will by Jessa Hastings
Everybody wants the (final?) Magnolia Parks instalment in the form of the third Daisy Haites book – but somehow Jessa Hastings brought us something even more incredible. This book.
It was more mature than Magnolia Parks. It was deep, it left me speechless, had the perfect plot twists to keep me intrigued. And, there was a Magnolia Parks crossover that made me literally gasp, run to my partner, and try to explain what had happened, much to his confusion.
I don’t know what it is about Jessa Hastings’ writing, but she has me in a chokehold. In fact, someone joked on Goodreads: “Questioning if I finished this book or it finished me,” and that pretty much sums it up. Read it, even if it’s not your usual vibe.
3. So Thrilled For You by Holly Bourne
So Thrilled for You is a satirical novel written by Holly Bourne, an award-winning British author known for her honest and insightful approach to exploring mental health, relationships, and societal pressures. Released in 2023, this book takes a sharp, darkly funny look at the toxic nature of female friendship, competitiveness, and the pressure to lead a “perfect” life in a culture dominated by curated success and social media comparisons.
Set from the perspectives of four women – Nicki, Lauren, Charlotte and Steffi – the action occurs on a sweltering hot summer’s day, when tensions between the women rise. Something horrendous happens at one of the women’s baby showers, so police are called and they have to piece together what’s happened.
But the truth shocked me, and it will definitely leave you cold and feeling seriously uncomfortable. This is one of those books that I thought about for ages after I’d read it, and you will too.
2. Paradise Logic by Sophie Kemp
Paradise Logic is a debut novel by Sophie Kemp, published in July 2023. The book, set on a remote island in the tropics, functions as an exploration of isolation, tourism, desire, and existential longing. Its narrative follows a young woman who is invited by her childhood friend, Birdie, to visit Birdie’s family hotel on this secluded island.
Reality Khan escapes her mundane existence and embarks on this trip as a chance for something different — and a clash between fantasy and reality ensues. It’s safe to say it’s a fever dream of wild absurdity and jarring horrors.
It feels odd to say I enjoyed it, so I’ll have to say I thought it was great. Books that are character-focused rather than plot-focused are very much my thing, so this ticked that box. Reality Khan was such a unique and messy protagonist, I wanted more.
My only advice is to look up trigger warnings before reading.
1. Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix
Grady Hendrix has done it once more with this incredible book. Set in Florida in 1970, the book focuses on a group of pregnant teenage girls who are sent away to a maternity home for unwed girls.
When they find a book all about witchcraft, and their lives are completely transformed. At first, you may side-eye Grady Hendrix for attempting to write a book with such a feminist message at its core, but he handles it, as he does every other book he has feminist messages in, with grace and genuine allyship.
This book will infuriate you, make you feel physically sick, and highlight comparisons to today’s scary landscape – note, the concerning overturning of Roe v. Wade.
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