All the best books the What’s The Best team is reading this month

Looking for a good book to dive into? Take a look at our recommendations.

Best books to read

by Tayo Andoh |
Updated on

There’s nothing quite like the bliss of sitting back, relaxing and immersing yourself in a great book. Whether you fancy an edge-of-your-seat drama, a thriller, or maybe a thought-provoking read, there are plenty of amazing books out there that are ready to provide a bit of escapism. As summer draws closer, so does the prospect of much-needed holidays, a dip in the swimming pool, or even a spot of sunbathing at home if the weather behaves.

So, it’s only right that you're accompanied by a book that will see you through your day the right way. We know that navigating your way through the world of books and making the all-important decision of selecting the one you want to dedicate your time to can be a difficult task. Some impressive titles have graced the market, and even the bestselling list from The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell to The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.

Alternatively, if you’re looking to take away a bit of knowledge from a read, The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield and Women vs Hollywood: The Fall and Rise of Women in Film by Helen O’Hara will give you food for thought.

If your reading list is looking a little sparse, the What’s The Best team has you covered. From page-turners to classics, we’ve created an extensive list of great reads that will have you spoilt for choice.

Related: The best spiritual books to set you on a path of self-healing

The best books as recommended by the What's The Best team

Books on a white backgroundPhoto: Amazon
Price: £54.99

Chosen by Deputy Commercial Content Editor, Jade Moscrop, "I've been obsessed with The Handmaid's Tale ever since I first read it, and to celebrate the new season, I just had to pick both of these up again. The books differ somewhat from the series, so it's like another little adventure into the world of Gilead. If you're a fan of the show, you need these on your bookshelf."

Books on a white backgroundPhoto: Amazon
Price: £13.41

Chosen by Group Commercial Editor, Adam Binnie, "I once read a book by a Vietnam War helicopter pilot who described the process of flying his machine so vividly, I remain pretty convinced I could give it a good go myself. The Young Team offers a similarly immersive window on gang culture, drug use and crime in North Lanarkshire - a world I now find much more familiar than before. The book's brilliance lies in making what is likely to be a strange world for the reader feel more like home with each page, and it does so primarily by immersing you phonetically in the unique language and dialect of the area - alien at first but increasingly translucent as you learn its nuances. It's not strictly a true story, but one where author Graeme Armstrong draws on his own teenage years to inform the narrative. That means it sits within a sweet spot of being more authentic than pure fiction but less self-conscious than an autobiography. It feels real and doesn't hold back, essentially. At times it's uncomfortable and challenging in subject matter, and at others funny and uplifting. But the biggest challenge really is not reading the whole thing in one go."

Book on a white backgroundPhoto: Amazon
Price: £9.97

Chosen by Senior Commercial Content Writer, Lily Anderson, "Iu2019ve been meaning to read The Power for a while, loads of people were recommending it to me, but it wasnu2019t until recently that I picked it up. Once I started reading this feminist meets dystopian novel by Naomi Alderman, I was hooked. Without giving away any spoilers, this story follows various women across the world who are discovering they have 'the power'. I love that this book examines what would happen if gender roles were reversed, and explores what could happen if women shifted into power."

Book on a white backgroundPhoto: Amazon
Price: £17.74

Chosen by Senior Commercial Content Writer, William Lobley, "Out is a crime thriller like no other. The tale follows four women working the night shift at a Tokyo bento factory who, following a murder, find themselves inexplicably drawn into a twisted sisterhood laced with darkness and freedom.u201d

Book on a white backgroundPhoto: Amazon
Price: £10.63

Chosen by Commercial Content Writer, Caitlin Casey, "The Midnight Library is an eye-opening, light-hearted book thatu2019s a perfect summer read, out in your garden or when cosying up in bed. I did not expect to like this book as much as I did, but it was easy to read and a complete page-turner. It will feel intense at the start because it dives into mental health issues and general life problems, but I promise you itu2019s worth the read. Made me feel positive about not having it all together!"

Book on a white backgroundPhoto: Amazon
Price: £14.00

Chosen by Commercial Content Writer, Ellen Kinsey, "This book completely changed my mindset, so I would definitely recommend this book to anybody who loves books on self-development. If you loved The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, you would enjoy this book. It is an adventure book that tells the story of a man who travels to Peru to learn about a mysterious ancient Mayan manuscript that talks of nine insights. These insights discuss various spiritual and psychological ideas such as your programming from childhood, your control dramas, the energy you gain and lose from being around certain people and places and your outlook on life. Such an amazing read from start to finish."

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Chosen by Deputy Commercial Content Editor, Natalie Corner, u201cIu2019m a fan of The Devil Wears Prada and, of course, having Emily Charlton back makes it all the more enjoyable. There is a lot to unpack with the three main characters all having varying problems within their marriages, family lives and scandals, but it was an easy read and I loved that they all flitted between the glamour of New York and the unexpected dark underbelly of the suburbs.u201d

Book on a white backgroundPhoto: Amazon
Price: £27.99

Chosen by Senior Commercial Content Writer, William Lobley, "In Women vs Hollywood, Empireu2019s Helen Ou2019Hara explores what, for decades, has been largely ignored and misrepresented: the history of womenu2019s role in the development of cinema and its politics. This is a book that is as important as it is fascinating."

Book on a white backgroundPhoto: Amazon

Chosen by Deputy Commercial Content Editor, Natalie Corner, "Greek mythology and witches. Whatu2019s not to love? Circe is an outcast from her family but bound to live for hundreds of years as a lesser god than her Titan father Helios. An alternate adaptation of the Greek story of the Odyssey, the core of it is all about love and sacrifice. Excellent book to really get lost in."

Book on a white backgroundPhoto: Amazon
Price: £49.73

Chosen by Automotive Content Writer, Chris Williams, "A story of female leadership and courage that far surpasses any Ted Talk. Arguably Nevil Shuteu2019s best work but remains true to his classic formula of ordinary people tossed into an extraordinary adventure."

Book on a white backgroundPhoto: Amazon
Price: £17.86

Chosen by Commercial Web Producer, Lindsay Brown, "This book had me gripped from the moment I started it. I could tell straight away it was going to be full of twists I didn't see coming, and I wasn't disappointed. Told from the views of three different people, it really kept my interest and told the story in a variety of ways. Would definitely recommend to friends."

Book on a white backgroundPhoto: Amazon
Price: £10.45

Chosen by Senior Commercial Content Writer, William Lobley, "John le Carru00e9u2019s first book is a lean and precise page-turner and a cornerstone of Cold War espionage fiction. The book is also the debut of the now-iconic George Smiley, the unassuming and somewhat disenfranchised British intelligence agent."

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Tayo Andoh is a Storytelling Executive for WhatsTheBest, and also writes for Yours, Mother&Baby, Heat and Closer. She has a passion for DJing, beauty and spirituality.

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