The Reader’s Compass: 10 MUST-READS to widen your library
Books have the power to pull you right out of your stressful life and land you in a world that soothes, excites, and amazes you. Not only is reading a wonderful hobby with academic and linguistic benefits, but it also helps you expand your worldview.
Oftentimes, you might feel overwhelmed by an extensive gallery of books waiting to be explored. This feeling is also accompanied by societal judgment for not reading books that hold value in their point of view.
Fiction books, in general, are overlooked in comparison to self-help and autobiographical books, as they seem to have no academic value or learning objective, but the true essence of literature lies in such stories, where a new world is formed with words.
They build one's imagination and instill empathy as they understand the characters' minds. They feel for the characters, get attached, and build emotional intelligence by reading about the dynamics of the fictional world, which, sadly, is lacking in our fast-paced, cold world.
Here is a list of 10 MUST-read books from all genres to get you started on your reading journey (all fiction, cause they truly are the best!!)
1. Before the Coffee Gets Cold
● Writer: Toshikazu Kawaguchi.
● Genre: Contemporary Fantasy / Magical Realism.
● Publishing House: Picador (Macmillan).
Originally a play, this Japanese sensation is adapted into a novel that explores a small Tokyo cafe where customers can travel back in time, provided they return before their coffee gets cold. It is a heartbreaking examination of regret and the value of living in the present.
The dialogue and inner lives of the customers are highlighted rather than intricate world-building in this simple yet intensely emotional prose.
2. The Silent Patient
● Writer: Alex Michaelides.
● Genre: Psychological Thriller.
● Publishing House: Celadon Books.
This debut novel became a global phenomenon for its shocking "whodunit" twist. It centres on renowned painter Alicia Berenson, who shoots her husband five times in the face before remaining silent. The story unfolds through the eyes of Theo Faber, a criminal psychologist who is obsessed with uncovering her reasons and making her talk.
It demonstrates a brilliant control of intermittent tempo and storytelling.
3. Funny Story
● Writer: Emily Henry.
● Genre: Contemporary Romance.
● Publishing House: Berkley (Penguin Random House).
Emily Henry is often credited with revitalising the "Rom-Com" genre in literature. Funny Story follows Daphne, who finds herself stranded in a new city after her fiancé leaves her for his childhood best friend.
By a stroke of luck, she moves in with Miles, the ex-boyfriend of her fiancé's new fiancée, who is the only person who can relate to her situation. It is a tale of unexpected routes to happiness, healing, and finding family.
4. Sputnik Sweetheart
● Writer: Haruki Murakami.
● Genre: Literary Fiction / Magical Realism.
● Publishing House: Harvill Press / Knopf.
An unsettling tale of self-identity and unrequited love. The primary characters include Sumire, an aspiring writer, K, her closest friend and storyteller, and Miu, an old lady of business, with whom Sumire is crazily in love.
The plot takes a strange turn when Sumire disappears on a Greek island, considering the idea of parallel selves and the severe isolation of human life.
5. Six of Crows
● Writer: Leigh Bardugo.
● Genre: Young Adult High Fantasy / Heist.
● Publishing House: Henry Holt and Co.
This duology, set in the "Grishaverse", features a complex story and a wide variety of characters, making it a fan favourite. The story is about a criminal genius from Ketterdam, Kaz Brekker, who assembles an unlikely team to execute the impossible robbery at the Ice Court. Unlike the typical "chosen one" tales, the focus here is on the bitter truth of thieves' loyalty, trauma and their fight for survival.
6. Pride and Prejudice
● Writer: Jane Austen.
● Genre: Classic Regency Romance / Satire.
● Publishing House: T. Egerton (Original); Penguin Classics (Modern).
Without a doubt, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is an iconic novel that has gone down in history as one of the best romance novels ever written. The book presents a romantic plot while exploring the social issues prevalent at the time.
It tracks the life of Elizabeth Bennet, who tries to cope with the demands of marriage and social position in 19th-century England. Her constant exchanges of wits with the rich, mysterious Mr Darcy laid the foundation for the "enemies-to-lovers" theme, now a common feature of contemporary literature.
7. Fourth Wing
● Writer: Rebecca Yarros.
● Genre: New Adult Romantasy (Romance + Fantasy).
● Publishing House: Entangled: Red Tower Books.
A viral sensation that helped define the "Romantasy" genre. Violet Sorrengail is forced to enter the Basgiath War College to become a dragon rider, despite her physical fragility.
The stakes are lethal: dragons don't bond with "fragile" humans; they incinerate them. The book combines high-stakes military fantasy with a simmering, high-tension romance between Violet and the powerful, shadowed Xaden Riorson.
8. A Court of Thorns and Roses
● Writer: Sarah J. Maas.
● Genre: New Adult Fantasy / Romance.
● Publishing House: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Often abbreviated as ACOTAR, this series began as a Beauty and the Beast retelling but evolved into an epic saga of Fae politics and war.
Feyre Archeron, a mortal huntress, kills a wolf in the woods and is dragged into the magical realm of Prythian as punishment. There, she discovers that the "monsters" she feared are more complex and alluring than she ever imagined.
9. Blue Sisters
● Writer: Coco Mellors.
● Genre: Contemporary Literary Fiction.
● Publishing House: Fourth Estate (HarperCollins).
Following the success of Cleopatra and Frankenstein, Mellors returns with a story centred on the three remaining Blue sisters, Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky. A year after the death of their fourth sister, Nicky, the three siblings return to their family home in New York.
It is a raw, stylish, and deeply moving exploration of addiction, grief, and the complicated bonds of sisterhood.
10. Frankenstein
● Writer: Mary Shelley..
● Genre: Gothic Horror / Science Fiction.
● Publishing House: Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor & Jones (Original); Oxford World’s Classics (Modern).
Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus, was written by Shelley when she was just eighteen. It is regarded as the first authentic work of science fiction. The novel unfolds the story of Victor Frankenstein, a scientist who, through an unorthodox scientific experiment, gives birth to a being endowed with a mind of its own.
The book investigates ambition, the ethics of creation, and the basic human desire for approval and companionship.
You might not like every single book on this list, but one thing is for sure: you won't be disappointed by any of them. All these stories hold relevance and value in the literature world, with fanbases stronger than ever. Indulging in these books will surely help you understand and foresee your abilities and interests.
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