What to read if you don’t know what to read

Hi friends! Today I’m giving some recommendations for what books to read if you don’t know what to read. Sometimes it can be hard to find a book you’re in the mood for, and you don’t want to read a ton of synopses.

So today, I’m going to try to pitch these books in a sentence or two. I’ve organized them based on things that I tend to gravitate towards when I’m not sure what to read.

Something fun, underrated, and easy to read

The Majesties by Tiffany Tsao (adult contemporary): two sisters are life-long best friends, until one of them poisons their entire extended family. The surviving sister relives parts of their life to determine why her sister poisoned the family.

The Subtweet by Vivek Shraya (adult contemporary): a cover artist covers an indie artist’s song, which goes viral. They become friends, until one of them subtweets the other.

Ties That Tether by Jane Igharo (adult romance): a Nigerian woman promises her father on his deathbed that she’ll marry a Nigerian man. She has a one night stand with a white man, and they end up finding each other again.

Social Creature by Tara Isabella Burton (adult contemporary): poor girl is best friends with a rich bitch with jealousy issues. They party a lot, until the jealousy becomes too much.

Opposite of Always by justin a. reynolds (YA romance): a guy meets a girl at a party and they fall in love. She dies, and he learns he’s in a time loop until he can save her.

Popular books everyone has read

Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney (adult contemporary): bisexual woman and her ex befriend an older, married woman. The disaster bi hooks up with her friend’s husband and deals with a lot of emotions.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (adult contemporary with hints of romance): old Hollywood starlet tells a journalist about her seven husbands and her one true love.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (adult romance): the first son of the US falls in love with the Prince of England. Not really an enemies to lovers situation, more like a reluctant friends to lovers situation.

The One by John Marrs (thriller/sci-fi): there is a test to determine your genetic soulmate, and five people take the test. Unsurprisingly, things go awry. Would also work if you want something fast-paced.

Something fast-paced

Middlegame by Seanan McGuire: man wanting to be a god creates a set of twins and separates them at birth. We follow them as they reunite every seven years and discover their magical powers.

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch: a physicist is kidnapped by himself from another timeline and desperately tries to get back to his original timeline.

A thriller

Necessary People by Anna Pitoniak: a poor woman is best friends with a rich bitch with jealousy issues, and they both work at a news agency. Jealousy gets the best of them.

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware: a woman is on trial because she is suspected of killing a child, after she becomes a nanny at a secluded house and is convinced the house is haunted.

Short stories

Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado: just some really well-written short stories that are weird, fantastical, and fun.

Graphic novels

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson: shapeshifter begins to work for the supervillain in town, and they discover government corruption. Very fun.

Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu: figure skater who loves to bake goes to college and joins their hockey team. He is gay, and the team is very accepting and loves him and each other.

So there are some books I think you should read if you’re stuck on what to read! All these books got either four or five stars from me, and they’re all very fun. Please let me know if you decide to read any of these!

Have you read any of these? What are your go-tos when you don’t know what to read? Let me know!

Ally xx

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