Books

What book do you think everyone must-read at least once? (Image: Getty)From the classics to contemporary literary fiction and everything inbetween, there are so many must-reads out there. If you are a bit of a bookworm you probably already have a list that you are working your way through - but you still may be missing a few.And here's where we can help - as these are the most voted for books that everyone should read at least once in their life, according to the book-lovers' website Goodreads.10. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. TolkienThis covers the three books of Tolkien's iconic trilogy that was famously adapted for film. The books follow The One Ring, which is a powerful artifact that has been faked by the Dark Lord Sauron and so it becomes hobbit Frodo Baggin's mission to destroy ...

Harrogate pals, from left, Zoe Lea, Nikki Smith (sitting), Lauren North (back) and Laura Pearson (Image: Courtesy Nikki Smith)Is there anything better than enjoying shared experiences with friends? Four author pals have revealed how their friendship was born at the world's best-known crime writing festival in 2019 – and it still going strong.Since meeting at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate, Lauren North, Nikki Smith, Zoe Lea and Laura Pearson have all become published writers. And this year, to add the icing to the cake, they all published books within four weeks of each other. As they prepare to enjoy their sixth festival together later this week – featuring crime writing stars including Irvine Welsh, Attica Locke, Lee and Andrew Child and Val McDermid – ...

Jennifer Lawrence and Liam Hemsworth in The Hunger Games (Image: Starz Entertainment/Lionsgate Films/Videocine)Readers have been voting for the best book series ever written over on Goodreads. From disturbing vampire romances to fantasy lands set far in the past or even further in the future, you will no doubt have read at least one of these books. With The Hunger Games trilogy coming out at number three, what will come out on top? Here are the top 10 book series according to readers. 10. Vampire Academy by Richelle MeadVampire Academy by Richelle Mead introduces Rose Hathaway, a dhampir (half-vampire, half-human) guardian-in-training, and her best friend Vasilisa "Lissa" Dragomir, a Moroi (mortal vampire) princess. After being in hiding for two years, they return to St. Vladimir's Acad...

The stars of the Twilight Saga film franchise (Image: Getty)Goodreads is the largest book site for readers and recommendations, so when it comes to a ranking, you know it's going to be reliable. But not all books get glowing reviews, in fact, some get quite the opposite. Readers have ranked their least favourite books on the platform, and one author of a certain series has received five spots in the top 10.Here are the top 10 worst books of all time according to ratings on Goodreads. READ MORE Spellbinding Rivers of London fantasy series might finally be cooming to TV Nigella Lawson names her favourite book - 'more savage' than Pride and Prejudice 10. The Da Vinci Code by Dan BrownDespite being a bestseller, this book gets the award for 10th worst book by Goodread readers. It i...

Aberdeen provides the backdrop to Ben Aaronovitch's brilliant new book, Stone & Sky (Image: Getty)Ben Aaronovitch is explaining his “gibbon ­theory of management” gleaned from nearly 15 years of trying to get his bestselling Rivers of London novels adapted for TV. From what I understand, it is something to do with the three types of characters populating the cultural industries: the creators, the deal makers and, er, the gibbons!“It’s gibbons because I always imagine them hooting at each other and showing their bums,” he chuckles. “They’re the kind of people who insist on a change to a plot idea – not because it’s any good but because they feel they should make their mark. Gibbons only care about advancing themselves up the corporate ladder, making a noise and stroking their own ego...

Nigella Lawson is well known for sharing her luxurious food recipes with the world through the television screen. However, she was once a book reviewer. Now the TV chef has revealed her favourite book and it is a period classic from 1817. The celebrity named as her favourite book Jane Austen's Persuasion - and described it as "savage".Persuasion was Austen's last novel, published alongside Northanger Abbey in 1817, six months after her death. Lawson said of the book: "Everyone has their Austen, and this is mine. Sparer, more savage - and also more poignant than Pride and Prejudice, this is a novel that tells us wisely and wittily about the nature of romantic entanglements and the follies of being human."She added: "It isn't riven with the deep, muscular ironies of, say, Emma, but there ...

Bestselling author Anthony Vicino is a serial entrepeneur who has read thousands of books - and there's some that he believes you should re-read annually.Below, the Express takes a look at the top 12 books Mr Vicino insists should be re-read year upon year to create the best life possible for yourself. He believes the trick is not to read more but to read better by using four steps to do so. Read, Reflect, Integrate and Repeat. Here are the keynote speaker's top 12 and why he thinks they are so beneficial. Meditations by Marcus AureliusHis first book was Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. Vicino said: "The beauty of this book is that this man, a Roman emperor, wasn't writing for an audience. He never intended for this book to be published."He said the fact it's "simple" and "easy to unders...

From the classics to epic series, there are so many must-reads out there. If you are a bit of a bookworm you probably already have a longlist that you are working your way through - but you still may be missing a few of the classics.Here's where we can help - as these are the best books of the 20th century, according to the book-lovers' website Goodreads.5. Animal Farm by George OrwellThe first book by Orwell to feature on the list, Animal Farm follows a group of farm animals as they revolt against their human owner, Farmer Jones. The book's main theme of power mirrors society. Initially, the animals achieve equality and therefore success, but quickly, the pigs abuse their power and exploit their fellow animals.4. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott FitzgeraldThe Great Gatsby is set in the Jaz...

Pedro Pascal has named some of his favourite books of all time. The Fantastic Four star, who previously described books as one of the 10 things he couldn't live without during a 2018 interview with GQ, spoke about books with a fan at a recent premiere.TikTok bibliophile @vaneschko_books shared a clip of Pedro sharing his top book choices with her 60,000 followers. Topping the list is Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, an 1866 classic diving into the psyche of a murderer dealing with guilt. This isn't the first time Pedro has shared his love for Crime and Punishment; during a Reddit AMA years ago, he said: "I know that sounds highbrow, but to be completely honest, it was a page-turner for me."East of Eden by John Steinbeck, a 1952 tale weaving the destinies of the Trask and Hamil...

Readers have been voting for their favourite book of the decade so far and it is a fantasy novel that has taken the crown. V. E. Schwab's The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is the choice of Goodreads reviewers. Published back in 2020, the story is set in 18th century France. It follows a French woman who makes a bargain that is life-altering.The book's synopsis reads: "A young woman named Addie makes a deal with a dark god to live forever, but in return, she is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. For 300 years, Addie wanders the world, leaving no trace, until she encounters a young man in a New York bookstore who remembers her. This encounter forces her to confront her past and the consequences of her deal."The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue's explores themes of memory, love, an...