35 Of The Best Books From This Decade That Everyone Should Read At Least Once In Their Life

This felt timely and was a great sequel to The Handmaid's Tale. It was filled with emotional payoffs for all the characters it introduced.

—emmanz

Circe gives an incredible backstory to the goddess witch from The Odyssey. The language is beautiful and you really feel for this character who has only ever been a footnote compared to Odysseus. There is love, heartbreak and disillusionment, and I think most women can relate to the storyline.

—ashleighb44d39a7ca

The Martian is still my favourite book to date. I've read it so many times, but I'm still not tired of it. I laugh at the jokes, I smile at the touching moments and I feel as if I'm actually reading the gripping diary of an astronaut on Mars. It's also funny, poignant and has an incredibly smart and charming protagonist, which is why I consider it to be the greatest book of this century by far.

—queenanna01

The Goldfinch is essentially a modern version of 19th century Dickensian classics. It's a great, big, fat story with themes of guilt, love, loyalty and betrayal. I know some people think it's too long, but I love it! It's just amazing and has such intricate characters.

—psu4c3

This book does a wonderful job of taking the reader on a journey. It takes us inside the hearts and minds of people, who have shut down as a protective measure, and shows us what happens when they decide to open themselves up and be vulnerable. It's not always smooth sailing, but the author does such a good job of showing the struggle all of us have when we decide to trust people.

—marthaj9

I read this book about a year ago and I still haven't stopped thinking about it. It was heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time.

—seashel

The Night Circus is beautifully written and a very deserving best seller. It made me believe in magic again.

—indianaj3

With the frequent attacks on LGBTQ rights from politicians and the violence and prejudice against the community, this books feels like one of the most important of the decade. It touches on current issues while making sure that we don't forget the horrors of the past. It's even narrated by victims of AIDS, which makes it even more poignant and heartbreaking.

—emmanz

The Girl on the Train was completely gripping. It turned an innocent past time of watching other people into a world of danger and intrigue. I loved it!

—georgea4cf7567f5

The Broken Earth series really blew me away. It has gorgeous storytelling, rich world building and it was refreshing to note the racially diverse, primarily POC characters. Incredible story aside, it was also hugely metaphorical for racial discrimination and segregation in a way that was really eye-opening to read. I still think about it every day since finishing it months ago.

—amberleighbauer

In my opinion, this is definitely the book of the decade, if not the century. It made me weep, laugh and feel everything in-between.

—moolikeaduck

The Red Rising series excited me in a way that hasn’t happened in a long time. I checked it out, just hoping to like it, and it turned out to be one of the best series of books I've ever read. I can't believe I'm saying this, but it rivals Harry Potter in emotional impact for me.

—jessicah167

This book broke me several times over with its incredibly woven narrative. Every "life" was compelling and it made me love the incredible Kate Atkinson even more.

—lisah42e99b30d

No book has ever made me feel as much as this one did. And even though it was a harrowing and heartbreaking journey, this book will always stay with me.

—judewillem

Pachinko was an eye-opener about how horrible it was for Koreans, especially women, living in Japan during the annexation. It changed my views on my family, life and culture, and I would 100% recommend it to everyone.

—catosaurus

I am currently loving Where the Crawdads Sing. It is such a powerful read and I can't wait to finish it.

—cdhc99

The writing in this book is so phenomenal and the characters have such fantastic depth. I highly recommend this book to everyone!

—amandam69

From the character development to the writing, this book is utter perfection and one you will never forget. It has tales of friendship, family and love, and shows such a good representation of life in its simplest state.

—hamiltonandlaurens

Besides being extremely relatable and funny, there are also important life lessons in the series which I love!

—oddballsohungry

This incredible fantasy series is the perfect blend of Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones. Plus, it has a very strong female presence!

—quickhammer

Definitely Scythe by Neal Shusterman! It's a YA book about the meaning of death and murder and the sacrifices humanity may have to make to reach immortality. It's so good!

—colleend9

I loved Ready Player One! It was absolutely riveting, from start to finish.

—ianms

This is, hands down, my favourite book series EVER. It's got magic, multiple dimensions, pirates, princes and a badass gender-queer character. I highly recommend it!

—corynm2

Before We Were Yours is based on true historical events in the late 1930s where poor children were put into orphanages and sold to wealthy families. I could not put it down once I started it!

—mollse1217

Do you love the Ocean's 11 movies? Did you ever think to yourself, "The only thing that would make these movies better is some actual magic?". Well, let me introduce you to Kaz Brekker and her crew who try to pull off a near impossible heist and make themselves a tonne of money.

The books are well-placed, the characters are fully fleshed out and have depth and the plot will keep you guessing right up until the end. The books are so good, I've reread them at least five or six times.

—d4bed79fe9

The Snow Child is a mix of historical fiction and fantasy. I read it at Christmas one year and it was so magical, it's stayed with me all this time.

—rachelsporyh

As a white person who thought she was pretty aware of the racial struggles going on in America and the world, this book really showed me how little I really knew. It taught me that we need to stop pretending we know what people of colour are going through because we don't. Instead, we need to listen to their stories, their experiences and their fears to fully understand.

—sophialorsch

This book really helped me reflect on life and how to be better. It was really inspirational and I probably think about it at least once every day.

—aquadog0619

The brilliant writing will make you fall in love with the characters in A Court of Mist and Fury. They're still in my heart and there are so many quotes from this book, as well as the series as a whole, that I live by daily.

—typo26

I finished It Ends With Us in one sitting, not because it's short, but because it's so captivating. It truly opened by eyes about domestic abuse. I was one of those people who would say, "Well, why doesn't she just leave him? Why is she staying?". But this book taught me that it's not as simple as leaving when they raise a hand on you. It's a vicious cycle of having a 1000 reasons to stay instead of leaving because of one little "fight".

That's why I think everyone should read this book. It will help you empathise instead of just sympathising with someone who has been abused.

—anugyarijal

I have loads of books in mind but Fangirl has to be one of my favourites.

—chasingliberty

This book is just perfect and there's no need to say anything more.

—kkohl1704

I'm not even sure how many times I've read The Orchadist, but it's still magical each and every time. I even went to Coplin's tour when the book came out and treasure the signed copy I got from her. And if you need any more convincing, it's a New York Times best seller and was critically acclaimed by the NPR and Oprah!

—likelysam

This was the first book that completely blew my mind! I kept having to stop while reading because the twists kept getting crazier and crazier. And then once I finished, I just sat there in shock.

—chrisliej2

Normal People is a truly beautiful novel. It's hard for me to put into words how I felt about reading it, but it's a book that will stay with me for years to come.

—annie_oakley90