Books

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more I read every day — here are the 8 best books I've read in 2025 (Image: Getty)I love to read but, with so many different things constantly competing for our time and attention, it’s not always easy to find the time. Usually, I’ll end up squeezing in a half hour or so at the very end of the day while lying in bed. Reading is a great way to calm the mind to prepare for sleep and I find it more and more important as a way of switching off the stresses of the day.Research suggests you are actively improving your health by reading, whether it’s by activating more parts of your brain, or strengthening it and allowing you to process information better in future. Research has also s...

Dame Jacqueline Wilson, the beloved author, has just released her latest adult novel, Picture Imperfect, a sequel to the 1999 hit Illustrated Mum. The new book revisits Dolphin, the character from the original story, who is now 33 years old.Readers are taken on a journey through Dolphin's life, discovering how it has changed and yet remained remarkably similar in some ways. To mark the occasion, Dani Harmer (better known as Tracy Beaker!) and Dame Jacqueline held a conversation at HOME Theatre in Manchester.During the event, Harmer asked numerous questions about the new release, leaving many authors in the audience stunned by one of Jacqueline's responses.The acclaimed author confessed that she had dreamt of becoming a writer since her primary school days. However, coming from a "counci...

A book-lover asked whether people could share the books that they didn’t understand the hype around. Taking to the ‘suggest me a book’ Reddit thread, they wrote: “Overrated books people pretend to love…but actually left you feeling empty?”They wrote: “Be honest! We’ve all finished a 'must read masterpiece' and thought…. 'THAT'S IT!?' I want to know the books that everyone hypes but secretly felt hollow, boring, or try-hard to you.“For me, it was ‘The Great Gatsby’. I get the symbolism and beautifully written, but honestly, to me it just felt like rich people being miserable for 200 pages. What about you guys?“And if you’ve got an underrated book that deserves the hype instead, even better, please lemme know. Would love some recs”.Many people jumped in the comments section to share the b...