Whatever your flavour, you'll find it here!

The first week of February 2025 is National Storytelling Week and so, as ResLife's resident English Literature graduate, I have bestowed the power unto myself to share the love of stories with you, my dear reader.

And how am I sharing this love?

By giving you a list of 15 extraordinary books that I cannot recommend strongly enough! Seriously these are amazing books! Whether you're into prose, poetry, photography, graphic novels, fiction, non-fiction and more, I have trawled the depths of my Goodreads account to find the best books I have read in the past five years.

So, what are you waiting for? Scroll on and discover your new favourite story!

#1: The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher

Genre: Autobiography/Memoir

Whether you’re a Star Wars fan or not, you are likely familiar with the image of Princess Leia and her iconic hairdo. But what a lot of people don’t know is that Leia’s 19-year-old actress, Carrie Fisher, was involved in a scandalous affair throughout the filming of the first movie. Her lover? 33-year-old movie icon, Harrison Ford.

Decades later, Carrie Fisher found the diaries she wrote during the affair and published them in all of their unfiltered glory, showcasing the highs and lows (mostly lows, let’s be real) of being 19 and hopelessly in love with somebody you can’t have.

Now, if you’re here just for the celebrity gossip this book may not fully scratch your itch. It’s a very earnest account, and more a look into the mind of a 19 year old girl than an assessment of what went on. Harrison Ford isn’t really a character, here, it’s the way he makes her feel—about him, about herself—that is under the microscope. But Fisher’s writing is exquisite, and resonated with me so deeply that I find myself coming back to this book again and again. It’s like a time capsule of girlhood in all its mess and heartache, and God it’s a good book.

#2: A Night To Remember by Walter Lord

Genre: Historical Non-Fiction

Have you ever watched James Cameron’s Titanic and thought "oh my God, I need more"? Me, too. Every single time. Which is why I’m such a big fan of A Night To Remember, which collects survivor testimonies from people of all ages and classes (crew included) to form a moment-by-moment, real life account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic.

If you want to feel like you were there, this is how to do it. This is one of those books you can’t put down, with all the drama and tragedy of that fateful night. I highly, highly recommend this read – and am about to start a re-read myself!

#3: I've Lived in East London for 86½ Years by Martin Usborne

Genre: Photography

I read this book, standing upright, while waiting for a friend in Foyle’s and oh how I nearly cried in public.

This is a photography book following Joseph Markovitch, who is 86 ½ years old and has only left London once in his life to go to the seaside with his mother. We join Joseph on a tour of East London; each page a new location and a new quote from this born superstar. He loves Nicolas Cage, never had a girlfriend (but would have married a six foot two Hispanic woman) and still dreams of becoming a ballet dancer.

Working and living in East London as I (and most Queen Mary students) do, this book feels extra close to the heart. It’s funny and sweet and oh so lovely, I strongly recommend it for anyone who wants to keep a little piece of East London for themselves.

#4: Axiom's End by Lindsay Ellis

Genre: Science Fiction

Allow me to collect myself before I talk about this, one of my favourite books in the world.

Axiom’s End is a first contact sci-fi novel that’s like Bumblebee, Arrival and Twilight all in one. It follows Cora—human—whose life is ✨ unconditionally and irrevocably ✨ changed when she is kidnapped by Ampersand—alien—in his attempt to recover a fellow alien from Earth. A fellow alien, who is in the custody of the US government.

 As you can imagine, things escalate from there.

So this book is the first in the Noumena series and I won’t lie, the second novel is very different in tone to this one. But if you’re looking for accessible, gripping, glorious sci-fi, Axiom’s End is my very, very strong recommendation.

#5: Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe

Genre: Mythological/Romance/Graphic Novel

Lore Olympus began as a webtoon in 2017 and ended in 2024 with a whopping 280 episodes. How I know it, though, is as a series of gorgeous hardback graphic novels. However you choose to read it, read it you should!

The series is a reimagining of the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone, where Olympus is brought into the modern day. An unassuming, sheltered minor goddess (Persephone) falls in love with the powerful and intimidating and dorky King of the Underworld (Hades), despite meddling family members and all of life’s messes trying to keep them apart.

This series is so lovely. It’s largely a rom-com, and boy is it funny, but readers should be aware that it deals with mature themes including sexual assault and mental health struggles before going in.

#6: The Dove in the Belly by Jim Grimsley

Genre: LGBT/Romance

Ever had butterflies in your stomach? How about a dove in the belly?

This book is young love in all its awkward, sweet, unbearable glory. It follows Ronny, a university student in the late 1970s who is quiet and secretive, and the unexpected connection he makes with confident jock Ben. Their budding relationship is delicate and unsure, but when both boys start to experience family issues they find themselves drawn closer together, with all the tenderness and tension it brings.

The Dove in the Belly explores young queer love and how it can withstand the intervention of real life problems. It’s one of the most grounded stories I’ve ever read and I found it very touching: this is slice-of-life fiction at its best.

Being set in the American south in the 70s, the universe of this book is not the most accepting of the LGBTQ+ community yet, so readers should be prepared for general homophobic attitudes and characters struggling with their own sexuality. However, on the whole, this book is a sweet read where everything turns out okay.

#7: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Genre: Mythological/Romance/LGBT

A modern day classic, for good reason.

The Song of Achilles is a retelling of the Greek myth of Achilles, who fought in the Trojan war alongside his lifelong companion Patroclus. Now, historians debate the relationship between these characters (are they in love or just guys being dudes?), but this portrayal is firmly a romance. Told from Patroclus’ point of view, the story follows the characters throughout their lives and details the events that make up the titular Song of Achilles.

I’m being vague on the plot because if you know, you know, and if you don’t I really think it’s worth going in spoiler-free. (But if you know, like I did, this book still packs a punch!)

All you need to know is: there are Greeks, there are Greek Gods, there’s a war, there’s a centaur, there is period-typical violence and misogyny and there are plenty of tears ahead. Excellent book.

#8: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

Genre: Fantasy

This is the second book that has ever made me cry (keep scrolling for the first) and oh man I cried.

The Bear and the Nightingale is the first book in a gorgeous trilogy. It’s a sort of grown-up fairytale set in a remote Russian village where the protagonist, Vasilia, delights in folk tales of the blue-eyed winter demon, Frost, and communes with the household spirits who keep him at bay. But when Vasilia’s new stepmother arrives from the big city, she forbids the family from honouring the household spirits, and so their protection from evil fades away. As the creatures of the forest creep nearer, Vasilia must call on the dangerous gifts she has long concealed to protect everything she loves.

Thinking about this book for too long makes me emotional, but I will press on. The Bear and the Nightingale is a glory, steeped in magic and heart and adventure. The household spirits are such a highlight, and by the end of the trilogy I loved Vasilia like she was my own daughter. If you like fairytales you’ll like this book, if you like wild and rebellious heroines you’ll like this book, and if you are a horse girl you will like this book. No further comment.

#9: The Ones We're Meant To Find by Joan He

Genre: Dystopian/Sci-Fi

Who remembers the glory days of YA dystopia? I’ve got a real treat for you.

The Ones We’re Meant To Find follows two sisters, Celia and Kasey, in a world where the steadily increasing number of natural disasters are slowly swallowing the earth whole. Celia has been trapped on an abandoned island for three years with no recollection of how she got there. All she knows is that she has a sister somewhere across the endless ocean that Celia must find again. Meanwhile, a world away, Kasey tries to retrace her missing sister’s steps through the futuristic eco-city they called home in hopes of finding the key to humanity’s survival.

This book is so twisty and delicious, I wish I could go back and read it for the first time again. If you think you know where it’s going, trust me, you don’t—and that’s the best part of it all. Do you like Black Mirror? Read this book.

#10: The Comeback by Ella Berman

Genre: Fiction

Hold onto your hats for this one.

The Comeback is about the fictional A-list child actress Grace Turner, who disappeared from the public eye under mysterious circumstances. Now, one year later, she is back in Los Angeles and determined to reclaim her life on her own terms. But when she is asked to present a lifetime achievement award to the director who controlled her every move for eight years, the secret that she spent a year running away from threatens to ruin her life once more.

This novel paints an incredible portrait of a spiralling child star, facing all the pressures and harsh realities of showbusiness. It’s the kind of heart-pounding, gut-wrenching character study that sits with you for years and years, but readers should be aware that this book is aligned with the #MeToo movement and so depicts abuse, substance abuse and mental health crises.

#11: The Lessons by Naomi Alderman

Genre: Fiction/LGBT

Did you like Saltburn? Then this book is for you!

The Lessons is actually so similar to Saltburn that for the first half of the movie I thought it was an adaptation of this book. When Barry Keoghan starts doing his thing (if you know, you know) is when the two plots diverge, never to meet again, so if you particularly liked the second half of Saltburn this book isn’t for you. But you should read it anyway.

The Lessons depicts a group of hedonistic Oxford students and their charismatic leader, Mark, who is as troubled and unpredictable as he is intoxicating. James, a student from a far less privileged background who is desperate for a place to belong, develops a starry-eyed infatuation with Mark that spans years, as Mark’s selfishness and debauchery gets worse and worse…

I loved this book!!! James’ longing feels so tragic and real and (sadly) relatable (let’s not talk about it) that I spent the entire final act aching for him. Naomi Alderman’s writing style is so poignant, this is a book that will stay with you for a long time. Readers should be aware that there is some self harm, suicidal ideation and abuse between characters.

#12: Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo

Genre: Fiction

Current events in South Korea led me to read this acclaimed book by Cho Nam-Joo late last year and I flew through it.

The book follows its titular character, Kim Jiyoung, across her whole life as recounted (in third person) to a psychiatrist after she experiences an incident of psychosis at her in-laws’ house. From childhood through school, university and finally adult life, Jiyoung’s experience as a woman in South Korea is put bluntly to page, as are the impacts of the misogyny that she endures.

Credited for “launching Korea’s new feminist movement,” I expected this book to be a lot heavier and to depict some exceptional horror in order to shock its readers into action, but it doesn’t do that. Instead, everything that happens to Jiyoung is commonplace and normalised, both in Korea and abroad, and I would argue that that is what makes this book so impactful.

Rather than preaching to its reader or trying to put us in the place of the victim, Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 tells us what life is like for many women in South Korea (backed up by research papers and studies which the author refers to throughout) and trusts that the facts of such an average life will move the reader on their own. It certainly worked for me, and gave me a better insight into the struggles that are generating discussion worldwide.

I highly recommend this book to all readers, though you should be aware of the upsetting themes and depictions of everyday misogyny throughout.

#13: Unfortunately, It Was Paradise: Selected Poems by Mahmoud Darwish

Genre: Poetry

Mahmoud Darwish was a Palestinian poet and author who published more than 40 books of poetry and prose before his death in 2003. He is now called “one of the most important poets in the Arabic language.” In Unfortunately, It Was Paradise a number of poems written across his life are compiled into one breathtaking collection, in which Darwish explores a number of topics from travel to home, beauty and tragedy, humour and love in all its forms.

Now, I read a lot of poetry and I must admit I tend to like a very specific flavour (almost every book on this list has a prominent romance plot, did you notice?), so such a broad collection like this one was new for me. Nevertheless, I found myself hanging onto Darwish’s every word and was quite profoundly moved by a lot of his writing. His narrators feel real and full of life, so if there are any poetry fans reading (or people who want to get into poetry!) I would highly recommend this collection.

#14: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Genre: Fiction

It’s been a good few years since I read this book—which I did all in one sitting and through countless tears—but I know it was impossible to put down.

A Thousand Splendid Suns spans a period of over 40 years, from the 1960s to 2003, and follows the lives of two Afghan women: Mariam and Laila. Mariam, an illegitimate child, suffers from the stigma surrounding her birth and the abuse she faces throughout her marriage. Laila, born a generation later, lives a privileged youth—until she is also forced to accept a marriage proposal from Rasheed, Mariam’s husband.

This book is beautiful and painful in all the best ways. I would go so far as to call it a modern classic, and a highly recommend read. Please be aware that abuse, misogyny and all that comes with it is a large theme of this book.

#15: Juniper and Thorn by Ava Reid

Genre: Dark Fairytale/Romance

One for fans of the Brothers Grimm, Juniper and Thorn is a dark fairytale that is not for the faint of heart, but I (longtime member of the faint heart club) loved it.

The book follows a young witch, Marlinchen, who lives with her two sisters and their tyrannical father in a city that is turning away from old-world magic in favour of its own industrial revolution. At night the girls sneak out to enjoy the city and Marlinchen is enamoured by the recently established ballet theatre, where she meets a dancer who quickly captures her heart. But Marlinchen’s father is even more monstrous than he seemed, and Marlinchen’s world soon starts to unravel just as she is beginning to find her own place in it.

This novel has adult themes and some squeamish or unsettling content, as well as abusive dynamics between characters that readers should be aware of going in. That being said, it is one of my favourite books. The romance is romantic, the stakes are very high, and it kept me guessing throughout.

This book isn’t for everyone, but good lord it is for me!

And that's all!

I sincerely hope you have found something in this list that interests you, and if not you should read it again to make sure. (Just kidding! Mostly)

But the biggest thing you should take away from this article is that reading is fun, it's your fastest ticket to experiencing an entirely new world, and in times like these who doesn't need a little escapism? Let us know if you try any of the books on this list, and feel free to let us know about your current read over on Instagram!

Happy reading 📚