Books

As an avid reader, I tend to tear through books, often reading several novels a week. But the more I read, the easier it becomes for me to predict what will happen at the end of any given book. While I don't particularly mind this—and in fact love a trope-filled romance every now and again—there's nothing better than finding a book that completely surpasses any expectations I had for it. Crazy twists, unexpected villains and shocking endings are all very welcome  on my bookshelf. With that in mind, here are five books I've read this year that kept me guessing until the very end, with picks across the literary fiction, fantasy, science fiction and non-fiction genres.1. The Rabbit Club by Christopher J. YatesAn American teenager arrives at Oxford and quickly finds himself drawn into the m...

Sally Rooney is the brains behind best-sellers such as Conversations with Friends, Normal People, Beautiful World, Where Are You, and Intermezzo. The Irish author's novels have been translated into more than 47 languages, and have garnered both critical acclaim and commercial success, with both of her first two works were adapted into the television miniseries Normal People (2020) and Conversations with Friends (2022). Many regard Rooney as one of the foremost millennial writers, and in 2022, Time named her among the 100 most influential people in the world.She is widely considered a leading literary voice representing the concerns of contemporary Irish youth. Her books, which are mostly targeted at younger readers reside mainly in the coming-of-age genre.Here, we have listed her top fo...

As someone who spends hours upon hours reading each week, I have struggled to really get into any books this year. I have even tried dabbling in new genres, but there is one kind of book that I can always rely on, and that is a will-they-won't-they romantic tale. My best friend recommended this one to me, saying she read it so quickly and that I HAD to give it a go. So that I did. The author, Emily Henry, knows exactly what she is doing when it comes to a romance novel, having written six of them. The beauty of Henry's books is that they feel grounded and realistic, not dreamlike and wishful. Happy Place is my choice for book of the year...so far at least. The book's synopsis reads: "Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pe...

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more Autumn is the perfect time to try your first cosy fantasy - or find a new favourite (Image: Getty)With the days becoming chillier, pumpkin spice everywhere and just a matter of weeks before the clocks fall back, we're officially in cosy season. And with the evenings already growing ever darker, there's nothing better than curling up on the sofa (preferably with candles lit and snacks on hand) and diving into a good book. This time of year always brings about a resurgence of interest in the cosy fantasy genre, with search interest in 'cosy romance' and 'cosy books' now at an all-time high, according to Google Trends data. But Lucy Jane Wood, the author of Rewitched and Uncha...

Emily Henry has become known as one of the very best romance writers of the moment. The author has written five consecutive bestselling  novels in the past four years, with her most recent release being A Great Big Beautiful Life. She is known for her impeccable love stories that will have you hooked.Each one of her books is in development with adaptations - including one series and four movies, with Henry writing the script for one (Funny Story) herself.But if you have yet to read one of her books, where to start? Harper's Bazaar has created a list of Henry's books covering everything from friends-to-lovers, forced proximity, and even second-chance romance struggles. Here are the top five.5. Great Big Beautiful LifeThe story's synopsis reads: "Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still d...

Giovanna Fletcher is a bestselling author who has written 13 books throughout her career, which also involves acting and podcasting. She has achieved number-one bestseller status for several of her works, including her non-fiction book Happy Mum, Happy Baby and her novel Walking on Sunshine. She is also a co-author, with her husband Tom Fletcher, of the bestselling YA novel Eve of Man. The fans of her books have taken to Goodreads to rate her novels. Here we have compiled a list of the top seven reads from Fletcher.7. Always With Love (Billy and Me, #2)A summary of the storylines follows: "The next much-anticipated romantic chapter in Billy and Sophie's love story from bestselling author Giovanna Fletcher."Sophie's got used to being the girlfriend of Billy Buskin, the biggest movie star...

It’s up there with The Hunt For Red October by Tom Clancy, Freddie Forsyth’s The Day of the Jackal and Team Yankee, Harold Coyle’s brilliant 1987 novel imagining World War Three played out as a conventional conflict across the battlefields of Western Europe.The eighth book by US Navy Seal turned author Jack Carr, who made his name with The Terminal List in 2018, adapted into the unmissable Amazon Prime series starring Chris Pratt as Navy Seal Jack Reece, stands alongside them all.It’s a tale so gripping you’ll have trouble putting it down. But like all good fiction, it’s historically thought-provoking and intelligent, set against the backdrop of Vietnam and the Cold War and featuring real-life events and characters. I typically read four or five books a week, plenty of thrillers and cri...

With summer officially over and chillier temperatures now setting in, there's no better time to curl up on the sofa with a good book (snacks and cosy candles optional, but advised). But do you go for a new release or an old favourite? An autumn-appropriate read or a summery romance to transport you back to warmer days?If you do fancy something fresh, October is full of exciting new releases, perfect for spooky season and beyond. There's new releases from the likes of Freida McFadden and B.K. Borison, as well as Joe Hill's first book in almost a decade. This list features 10 recommendations spanning all genres, with a mixture of big releases and hidden gems, so you can find your next favourite read.1. King Sorrow by Joe HillSix friends make a deadly deal with a dragon in King Sorrow, Joe...

Mary travelled to China to investigate pig-to-human organ transplants (Image: Jen Siska/Getty)When science writer Mary Roach lay down inside an iron lung, she hoped to spend a night allowing the mechanical respirator to expand and deflate her lungs — as thousands of polio sufferers did during epidemics in the mid-1900s. The patient lies inside a large, airtight metal cylinder, leaving only their head exposed. The machine then uses negative pressure to control the lungs like a bellows, mimicking natural breathing.It's pretty simple, in theory. However, once in position and listening to its chugging motor, Mary discovered that the sensation of having a machine breathe for you is an uncomfortable one. She writes in her new book, Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy: “You most decid...

President Donald Trump has denied that he ever said he needed “the kind of generals that Hitler had”, as reported by The Atlantic before the 2024 election.Now the Commander in Chief is set to attend a last-minute meeting tomorrow at Quantico, a Marine Corps base just 30 miles south of the Pentagon.The newly redubbed War Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered hundreds of senior military leaders stationed around the world to be present.And now a former general and a military historian are predicting that POTUS will demand total allegiance to him, just as Adolf Hitler did prior to World War 2.Philip Kay-Bujack, the author of the newly published Hermann Balck: Hitler’s Forgotten General, exclusively told Daily Express: “On November 5th 1937, Adolf Hitler summoned all of his senior generals and ...