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These are my favorite books that I have read in adulthood. In 2025, I will be doing a series on my favorite books from childhood, middle school, and high school. Stay tuned! As a prolific and sentimental reader, narrowing down my favorite books was no easy feat. Ultimately, these books have made me think, feel, and stuck with me. Additionally, there are many books I admire throughout genres. You can check out more book recommendations from me under "Favorite Genres."
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is a fantasy novel, sometimes regarded as magic realism. "The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night." In addition to this enticing, magical event, this story is also about love.
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante is book one of the Neapolitan novels, made up of four books. I adore this entire series, though, book one remains my favorite. Elena Ferrante is an Italian author who writes under a pen name. This series follows the friendship of two girls as the grow up in 1950s Naples Italy to present and is translated by Ann Goldstein.
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch is a science-fiction thriller that you will want to devour in one sitting. This book is hard to put down. Main character, Jason, finds himself in a parallel word and it only gets more wild from there.
The Hocus Pocus of the Universe by Laura Gilpin is a poetry book that was published in 1976 by Doubleday has long since been out of print. It won the 1976 Walt Whitman award from the Academy of American poets. This book includes the famous poem, Two-headed Calf. Snippets of the book can be found online. The best way to find a copy for yourself is to contact a rare book dealer or check the Internet archive.
Hypochondria, Least Powerful of the Greek Gods by Emily Paige Wilson is a poetry book with beautiful imagery. The book imagines hypochondria as a Greek god and puts her alongside well-known gods from Greek mythology.
Bunny by Mona Awad is categorized as horror, but I regard it as weird fiction—a fun genre to explore. This book follows our main character, Samantha, through her MFA program. This book feels like a fever dream in the best way.
Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAllister is a mystery/thriller and is currently available on Kindle Unlimited. This book made me fall in love with Gillian McAllister's writing. You will see many of her books highlighted on this blog. This was the book that got me into exploring the thriller genre. I appreciate that it tells an interesting and meaningful story.
Kala by Colin Walsh is a mystery/thriller set in Ireland. In addition to being a wonderful story in its genre, it also explores friendship through a unique lens. This is Walsh's debut and I look forward to reading whatever is next from him.
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi is book one of five in a series of the same name. This book takes place in a café where time travel is possible, in which the manner of time travel is fresh and creative. Different characters' stories intertwine in a beautiful way. This book is my ideal form of cozy and emotional.
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh is a novel that focuses on mental health. In the year 2000, one woman decides she will sleep for an entire year. She believes this will cure her and prepare her for whatever is next in her life. This book is strange and disorientating.
One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories by B.J. Novak is a short story collection. I would be lying if I said I didn't pick this up because I am fan of Novak's writing on The Office. This was the first story collection I read and it exceeded my expectations. I used many stories in this collection in undergrad when studying Bakhtin's Carnivalesque theory. Here you'll find humor, love, and stories that challenge your perception.
The Love that Split the World by Emily Henry is a young adult fantasy romance. I do not read YA often as of late, but this book has stuck with me since my YA years. This explores love in parallels worlds through breathtaking concepts and language.
I Do Everything I'm Told by Megan Fernandes is a poetry book that focuses on place while exploring the self. The language flows seamlessly and is a great example of what poetry can be and bring.
The Night Shift by Natalka Burian is science-fiction/fantasy novel. In New York City, protagonist, Jean discovers secret passageways, referred to as shortcuts, that allow her to jump through time. This novel asks characters to confront their past and present in order to reshape their futures.
