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The Curated Shelf | Must Reads for book lovers 📚
17
items A curated collection of stories that stay with you long after the last page. This list is divided into five sections so you can explore by mood:
📖 Literary Fiction – Beautifully written, thought-provoking novels that linger in your mind and spark c...
Sections
6
Litfic
Romance
Sci-Fi
Horror
Mystery/Thrillers
Historical fiction
Litfic
A hauntingly beautiful coming-of-age story, written in lush prose. It delves into the complexities of female friendship, the weight of family trauma, and the sting of betrayal.
Sula by Toni Morrison, Paperback
Coming of age is never easy—but what happens when friendship makes it even harder? 💭 This book dives into the beauty and tension of female friendship, touching on growing pains, class divides, and the sting of jealousy. A heartfelt, thought-provokin...
Summer Sisters by Judy Blume
Coming-of-age fiction is my bread and butter—I’ll devour it every time. I loved the languid descriptions and the tenderness woven into each page. Every feeling, every moment of uncertainty was something to savor. Overall, it was exactly the pick-me-u...
The Family by Naomi Krupitsky
Yellowface was such an intriguing read. A lot of people say Juniper is insufferable, but I actually loved being in her head and watching her endlessly justify her actions—it felt so true to how guilt and shame really work. Some called the story repet...
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
Romance
If you’re craving a gorgeous second-chance romance filled with yearning and emotional depth, Kennedy Ryan delivers every time. Before I Let Go introduces rich, complex characters you can’t help but root for. Becoming emotionally invested isn’t option...
Before I Let Go (Skyland, #1) by Kennedy Ryan
✨ OMG I genuinely don’t understand any rating below 4 stars for this one!! ✨
This book made me fall in love with romance all over again. The pining? The slow character growth? The swoony tension?? Ughhh, chef’s kiss. 💌
The MMC is such a sweet (and...
The Neighbor Favor (The Greene Sisters, #1) by Kristina Forest
😭 “Whatever she needed, whatever made her happy, I’d give it to her. Even if it was a life without me.”
This book was such a delightful, heartwarming read. I loved how it explored insecurities in a way that felt authentic—showing how both character...
Sunny Disposition (Mendell Hawks #1) by Deanna Grey
A heartwarming look at modern marriage, full of love, growth, and the challenges that come with it. Honest, relatable, and deeply human—this story might just bring a tear to your eye.
After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Fake fiancée, billionaire chaos, and an MMC who’s 100% book-boyfriend material. So funny, so sweet, and honestly, I couldn’t stop grinning.
A Not So Meet Cute|Paperback
Sci-Fi
I Who Have Never Known Men delivers a frustratingly brilliant dystopian story with such delicacy and truth that it’s almost infuriating how helpless you’ll feel by the end. Many readers may find it vague, but I believe its ambiguity is exactly what m...
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
“Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall; Death is the fifth, and master of all. —Arctic proverb”
This is everything and more.
Even as science fiction/fantasy, the prose is incomparable. A feat for fantasy is to be understood, and this did that while also cre...
The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth, #1) by N.K. Jemisin
Wow, stunning, disturbing—everything I didn’t know I needed. A testament to human nature's ability to do things contradictory to our moral compass if it suits us. A look into the judgment we impose upon others, setting ourselves on higher pedestals, ...
Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
"You feel it just below the ribs," is an intoxicating and mind-spiraling dystopian in the most subtle way. The book reads as an older woman rambling about her life in a nonchalant way, though this could just be due to her being accustomed to the soci...
You Feel It Just Below the Ribs by Jeffrey Cranor
A heartwarming and thought-provoking quick read, this book invites you to relax into it while sparking thoughts and feelings about purpose and contentment. “Then how,” Dex said, “how does the idea of maybe being meaningless sit well with you?” Mossca...
A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot, #1)
Horror
A woman is confined to a country home by her husband, who’s also her doctor, insisting it’s for her own good. Though his intentions might seem well-meaning for the time period, his treatment only worsens her state, as he dismisses her thoughts and in...
The Yellow Wall-Paper
Mystery/Thrillers
If you love subtle suspense and complex emotions, this book is a must-read. The three main characters are fascinating—layered, compelling, and equally intriguing—and the tension between them keeps you hooked. While some characters could have been exp...
The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks
Historical fiction
A true page-turner, this story follows Mary, a southern girl navigating numerous trials and tribulations. The book introduces a host of characters in a way that’s easy to follow, keeping you engaged in her life and family. Fast-paced and compelling, ...
Mary Not Broken|Paperback