The Ultimate Fiction Reading List: 50+ Books to Kickstart Your 2025 Reading Resolution

Today’s email is a guest post by Carter Dandridge, Partner and Director of Content at Cobble Hill.

If your new year’s resolution involves reading fiction, you’re in luck. Here are 50ish books I’ve read over the past few years and loved enough to recommend. They are in no order whatsoever. Enjoy!

Covenant of Water My top 2024 read! I loved this novel so much, I will definitely read it again one day. It’s long, it spans lifetimes, set in India, describes delicious food, doesn’t hold back from grief and heartbreak and is absolutely beautiful and brilliant in every way. 

God of the Woods This was one of my favorite books of the year, possibly because the setting reminded me of my own summer camp in Vermont, but also because of all the great female protagonists. It’s a mystery set at a prestigious summer camp in the adirondacks on the property of an affluent family with a dark past. 

Here One Moment The latest from Aussie author Liane Moriarty (Big Little Lies, 9 Perfect Strangers, etc) explores how people react when given information about their own impending death. The characters are fun and I read it super fast just to find out how it ends. 

The Mill House Murders I LOVED this whodunit mystery! I picked it up at a bookstore in Manhattan last summer because I liked the cover but it might change my reading trajectory for life (ie. I might only read classic mysteries forever and ever now). Imagine a Ruth Ware story (“one by one”) with Vanilla Sky vibes, all set in Japan. It reads like a beach read but you feel smart because it’s a translation

The Decagon House Murders While unrelated to the Mill House Murders, this classic mystery from the same author is similar with one character carry-over. A group of college friends who love mysteries spend a week on a deserted island and- obviously- start dying off one by one. It’s very, very good. 

A Visit from the Goon Squad and sequel A Candy House. Both books follow a group of friends from their teenage years in the '80s through their children's adulthood. The stories are funny and smart, and the writing is flawless. 

Zorrie A short fiction book following the life of a woman in Indiana- reminded me of my grandmother’s era.  

Lessons in Chemistry Adorable story blending cooking with chemistry. It tells the story after the love story. 

American Dirt This was a slightly controversial book following a mother and son trying to escape a violent gang in Mexico. I thought it was incredibly eye-opening into the violence and reality of crossing the border in order to live. 

Euphoria- Historical fiction (think: Circling the Sun, the Paris Wife) loosely about archeologist Margaret Mead and a riveting love triangle while studying indigenous tribes in New Guinea. It’s an intellectually stimulating, juicy page turner.

The Paper Palace- Another quick and easy read, this delightful work of fiction follows a middle aged mother of three over the course of a few (life changing)  days one summer when faced with the great love of her past. The real star of the novel is the tired, well-loved, family lake house in New England. 

Zero Days- Ruth Ware is my go-to beach read author. I’ve read The It Girl, Woman in Cabin 10, One By One and The Lying Game. Her latest, Zero Days, is just as addicting as the others. I like to listen to these while running, walking the dog, driving carpool or other not-so-fun activities to pass the time quickly.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow and Tomorrow I devoured this “big novel” about two friends-turned-business partners as they navigate life and the world of video game creation. I loved the complex characters, realistic relationships and glimpse of the creative process behind how the sausage is made in an industry I knew very little about. 

These Silent Woods I picked this up in a bookstore in Brevard last spring because the handwritten recommendation (in pencil, on an index card) was so endearing, and because it takes place in the Appalachian Mountains. It’s a complicated story about a simple life, and I read it in just a few days. 

Manhattan Beach After rereading my favorite book, A Visit from the Goon Squad (again) and then its sequel The Candy House (again), I did a deep dive into Jennifer Egan’s past and dug up one of her first novels. This follows a girl coming of age in Brooklyn during WW1 on an unlikely career path, navigating the New York gangster scene. It’s a dark, gritty look at a time and place where women were doing the most remarkable things for our country. Give it a go! 

Tom Lake Ann Patchett is my all time favorite author, and this newest book did not disappoint. It was a light, easy read about a woman recounting her past affair with a famous actor to her grown children, all home for the duration of the pandemic. Set in rural Michigan, it’s a feel good, Americana tale of sisters and daughters and lovers. 

Olive, Again: Elizabeth Straut is an incredible author, I’ve mentioned her books before (The Burgess Boys most recently). Many of her stories take place in New York City and a fictional town in Maine. She first wrote about Olive in Olive Kitteridge, a collection of short stories about the characters of the small Maine town. This long awaited sequel is as beautifully written and heartbreakingly funny as the first. 

The Death of Mrs. Westaway has held my attention over Thanksgiving break. I often recommend Ruth Ware books as beach reads- they are quick and easy mysteries set in England and you want to read them very, very fast. I’ve been listening to this one on Audible and find myself walking the dog an extra few blocks just to keep listening. 

The Circle is neither new nor that well-written, but man it’s a crazy book that sticks with you and makes you think very deeply about the technology you use daily. The fictional tale takes place in Silicon Valley at a big tech company like Google or Amazon and is scary close to reality and the bleak future ahead.

How to Sell a Haunted House Get ready, this is the wildest ride ever. Written by a Porter Gaud grad and set in Charleston, it’s an insane thriller that will take your breath away. One word: puppets. 

Among the Bros Another Charleston local story! This true story documents the College of Charleston fraternity drug ring about 10 years after I graduated from CofC. It’s fascinating and I couldn’t put it down.

Quietly Hostile Samanta Irby is a hilarious essayist- I love all of her books. I listened to this newest one while meticulously varnishing a door in my garage (a 16 day process…apparently) and was cracking up. She’s crass and honest and hysterical and her pure obsession with Dave Matthews and his lyrics is reason enough to give her a go. 

We are Never Meeting in Real Life Maybe read this Samantha Irby first? She wrote it before the one above. But honestly all of her books are so hilarious, you can read them in any order. 

The Women I hated this for the first 50 pages. Kristin Hannah (“The Nightingale”) can be utterly predictable and clique, but dang she tells a great story. I got so sucked in, I immediately started researching the Vietnam War afterwards and learned so much. It’s a story that sticks with you long after the last page. 

The Boys in the Boat (Kids Edition)  My 11 year old son and I listened to this one together on a road trip and it hit the spot and was so perfectly timed: the true story of Olympic gold medalists and boys coming of age together away from their families. The adaptation for young readers was great, and I can’t wait to watch the movie with him as soon as he’s back!

My Side of the Mountain This was another kid-friendly audiobook. It was actually my 4th grader’s summer reading assignment so we listened to it as a family on our drive to NJ (as approved by the teacher). Such a classic story with great life lessons of resilience and determination. Great for the whole family. 

Beloved This Toni Morrison classic was my Book Club assignment for October, when we typically read something spooky. It was spooky, but in a literary way that felt good to read if you know what I mean (took me back to English class at CofC in the best way possible). I loved it so much. 

I Have Some Questions for You   This is a good, entertaining story that I flew through in a few days. All you need to know is New England Boarding School 90s Murder Mystery. Bam. 

Remarkably Bright Creatures Just the best little story in the world! This is “the octopus book” you’ve been hearing about for years, but it’s so much more than that. It’s a touching page turner following several fascinating characters in a small coastal town. And yes there’s an octopus and he’s awesome. 

The Falcon Thief It's a true crime, cat and mouse tale of the underground, rare bird market. The story delves into the history of endangered bird sales, following both the criminal and the detective determined to catch him. It's fascinating! 

Weyward  The debut novel from Emilia Hart follows 3 women at different points in history, all connected by a shared ability to commune with nature in a very witchy way (one is on trial as a witch in the 1600s). I loved it so much! It was empowering and wildly entertaining. I actually listened to the audible version, and if you know my penchant for British narrators, you'll know I loved every minute.

Lost Apothecary After Weyward, I needed more witches so my friend gave me this. It’s a bit of a mystery, a bit of a breakup anthem, all weaving past and present stories of feminism and power. 

Beautiful World, Where Are You by Irish author Sally Rooney ("Normal People" and "Conversations with Friends"). Like her previous novels, this one follows 2 average millennials in their 20s navigating life, love, sex and friendship, punctuated by chapters of intelligent, insightful discourse between characters. Sally Rooney is a smart girl and it shows. 

The Woman in Me OMG this Britany Spears memoir is so good, I can’t stand it. Listen to it because Michelle Williams does Brit Brit’s twang so well. This should honestly be mandatory reading for any female who grew up in the 90s. 

Now is Not the Time to Panic Kevin Wilson (head of the English dept at Sewanee) is the southern gothic author of our time. His books are so off the wall and hilariously beautiful, I love them all. This might be his greatest masterpiece though, it’s fantastic. 

Nothing to See Here This was the first Kevin Wilson book I read, and maybe the most famous, and it’s great. It’s weird. Children burst into flames and the nanny has to “solve it.” It’s so funny and clever. Other great books from him are “Perfect Little World” and “Tunneling to the Center of the Earth.” 

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder This easy book follows Lenny Marks- adult foster child, teacher and possibly on the spectrum protagonist- as she navigates a big life event. There are a few surprises and it has a lovely ending. 

Pineapple Street I love a big messy family novel, and this is certainly that. Plus, it’s set in the same neighborhood of Brooklyn that I lived in. 

My Sister the Serial Killer This book is kinda crazy but it’s so short you barely have time to process it. It’s a thriller from a young British-Nigerian female author, set in Nigeria. 

Cursed Bunny Short stories, chilling tales, translated from Korean…what could go wrong? These stories haunt my thoughts often. 

This Other Eden This book broke my heart into a million pieces, and then it did it again. It’s so sweet, so shocking. Based on true events, you will research the hell out of it after. 

The Rose Code Kate Quinn is a lovely writer, and this story will take you back to your WW2 fiction days of yore. It’s a look into the life of the women cracking Nazi codes for the British. 

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