28 Great Books You Won’t Be Able to Put Down

The People We Hate at the Wedding, by Grant Ginder

An estranged family flies en masse to London for a wedding complete with fancy hotels and trendy restaurants. What could possibly go wrong?     

To buy:  amazon.com.

The Last Time I Lied, by Riley Sager

Four girls share a cabin at Camp Nightingale, but only one returns home. Emma, now a successful artist in New York, is haunted by the disappearance of her friends and returns to the summer camp as a painting instructor to piece together what really happened that night.

To buy: amazon.com.

Walks With Men, by Ann Beattie

This transfixing 112-page novella by the acclaimed prose stylist explores a troubled May-December romance.

To buy: amazon.com.

The Bright Hour: A Memoir of Living and Dying, by Nina Riggs

This memoir, published posthumously, sets out to answer the question: How do you make your life meaningful when you know your time is limited?

To buy: amazon.com.

Wine. All the Time.: The Casual Guide to Confident Drinking, by Marissa A. Ross

In this hilarious and unpretentious guide, comedian-turned-wine critic Marissa Ross walks readers through the basics to picking out a great bottle of wine at any budget.

To buy: amazon.com. 

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, by Gail Honeyman 

Eleanor, an awkward woman living a perfectly average life begins an unorthodox friendship with the IT guy in her office, who teaches her about love and how to live a life that's more than just fine.

To buy: amazon.com.

Made for Love, by Alissa Nutting

A woman moves into a trailer park full of senior citizens with her father in order to escape from her obsessive tech-mogul husband.

To buy: amazon.com. 

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, by Aimee Bender

Fans of magic realism should dig into this tale of a young girl whose mother’s despair is a key ingredient in her desserts.

To buy: amazon.com.

How Did You Get This Number, by Sloane Crosley

In this hilarious collection of essays, Crosley comments drolly on her adventures traveling around the world.

To buy: amazon.com.

If You See Me Don’t Say Hi, by Neel Patel

This collection of short stories told from the perspective of different first-generation Indian Americans aims to unravel stereotypes by introducing surprising, yet relatable characters in each piece.

To buy:  amazon.com.

Alone Time, by Stephanie Rosenbloom

​​Four cities, four seasons, and countless tables for one. In this memoir, Stephanie Rosenbloom explores the joys of solo adventuring.

To buy:  amazon.com.

Lincoln in the Bardo, by George Saunders

George Saunders weaves a riveting narrative of both truth and fantasy, constructing the imagined life—and afterlife—of President Abraham Lincoln’s deceased son, Willie.

To buy:  amazon.com.

Swearing Is Good For You, by Emma Byrne

A damn good read, packed with scientific proof that sometimes it's OK to drop a few f-bombs. 

To buy:  amazon.com. 

The Finnish Way, By Katja Pantzar

Learn to do as the Finns do in this charming, approachable book about sisu and the benefits of movement, being in nature, and healthy eating.

To buy:  amazon.com. 

Pantsdrunk (Kalsarikanni), by Miska Rantanen

The Finnish term “kalsarikanni,” translated as “pantsdrunk,” means exactly what it sounds: drinking at home, alone, in your underwear. This adorably illustrated guide will help you relax and de-stress. 

To buy:  amazon.com.

The Real Lolita: The Kidnapping of Sally Horner and the Novel That Scandalized the World, by Sarah Weinman

This in-depth exploration of the 1948 abduction of 11-year-old Sally Horner makes the case that Horner was the real-life subject of Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita.

To buy: amazon.com.

Vox, by Christina Dalcher

Set in future America where women can only speak 100 words a day, Vox tells the story of Dr. Jean McClellan and her struggle to make herself—and all female voices—heard.

To buy: amazon.com.

The Shortest Way Home, by Miriam Parker

When Hannah finds herself with everything she’s ever wanted (at least she thinks so?), she can’t resist giving it all up for a dream she never knew she had.

To buy:  amazon.com. 

What You Don’t Know About About Charlie Outlaw, by Leah Stewart

A quirky tale of two Hollywood stars who break up only to find themselves needing each other more than ever—especially after one of them is kidnapped on a desert island.

To buy: amazon.com.

When Life Gives You Lululemons, by Lauren Weisberger

Emily Charlton is back, and this time she’s facing something even scarier than Miranda Priestly: suburbia.

To buy: amazon.com.

Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks for Me & You, by Lin-Manuel Miranda 

You know you want Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda to be your best friend. While you may not be able to join his entourage and follow him around all day, you can get his book. Inspired by his lovely messages to his fans on Twitter, this illustrated collection of sayings will encourage you to seize the day, the night, and all of the other hours in between.

To buy: amazon.com.

RELATED: 5 Good Books to Read While Breastfeeding

Becoming, by Michelle Obama

Former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama has lived an accomplished life, but it hasn’t been without hardships. In Becoming, Obama weaves the story of her inspiring life, from the years she spent growing up on the South Side of Chicago to her life in the White House. You will earn to a new appreciation of the former First Lady when you learn about all the things she’s experienced—and triumphed over—and her story will inspire you to live a more daring life.

To buy: amazon.com.

RELATED: 5 Good Books to Read to Feel Happy

Overwhelmed, by Brigid Schulte

You’ve probably heard by now that you won’t be sleeping much after you welcome your bundle of joy (and noise) into the world. Parenthood can be challenging and exhausting, but you don’t have to feel like you’ve lost yourself while you’re creating a life for someone else. Journalist Brigid Schulte lays out how our always-on culture can get the best of us and what you can do to take back some time for yourself.

To buy: amazon.com.

RELATED: 5 Good Books to Read During Pregnancy

Kafka on the Shore, by Haruki Murakami

A novel of fantastical magic realism, Kafka on the Shore has a vivid, dreamy plot. Even more accomplished is the novel’s turn of phrase, like this quote: “Anyone who falls in love is searching for the missing pieces of themselves. So anyone who’s in love gets sad when they think of their lover. It’s like stepping back inside a room you have fond memories of, one you haven’t seen in a long time.” With hundreds of lines like that one, Kafka on the Shore will have you going back again and again to find more gorgeous words to describe your own ardor.

To buy: amazon.com.

RELATED: 6 Good Books to Read When You’re In Love

I Remember Nothing, by Nora Ephron

Do you have one of those friends that can complain about anything, but their complaints are entertaining, literary delights? No? Well, Nora Ephron can satisfy that itch. In I Remember Nothing, Ephron, the late writer and creator of beloved movies like You’ve Got Mail, holds forth on the weird and wonderful changes that define modern life. Don’t read this book in public: People will keep giving you weird looks when you can’t stop laughing.

To buy: amazon.com.

RELATED: 4 Good Books to Read When You’re Having a Bad Day

Flâneuse, by Lauren Elkin

Each of us holds a desire to wander, but for Lauren Elkin, the urge is irresistible. In Flâneuse, Elkin meanders through the great cities of the world, including New York, Paris, Venice, and London, ruminating on the culture of strolling through cities and what it means to explore as a woman.

To buy: amazon.com.

RELATED: Good Books to Read When You Need a Vacation, But Can’t Get Away

The Wedding Date, by Jasmine Guillory

If you’re about to get married, and you’re planning a huge party for your nuptials, take a minute to see your wedding from your guests’ perspective: attending a wedding without a plus one has the potential to be nerve-racking. In Jasmine Guillory’s fun romance, The Wedding Date, Alex Monroe and Drew Nichols solve their potential date-less embarrassment by faking a relationship, and the result is as juicy and delightful as you can imagine.

To buy: amazon.com.

RELATED: 5 Good Books to Read Before You Get Married

The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield

The Thirteenth Tale is a novel for book lovers, but it’s anything but cozy. Biographer Margaret Lea is tasked with telling the life story of the enigmatic author Vida Winter, whose lauded collection of stories is missing the eponymous 13th tale. As Winter unravels her life’s story for Lea, her mysterious past of Victorian-gothic proportions unfolds.

To buy: amazon.com.

RELATED: 7 Good Books to Read In Winter