15 Fashion Journal readers share their favourite book of the last year

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For bibliophiles and sporadic readers alike, every year brings its own ‘desert island’ read – the book you could talk about for hours; the one you continue to think about long after the last chapter is closed. In the time frame of a year, your chosen book can also reflect the ebbs and flows you felt over that time. You might’ve read a happy book in a sad moment, been guided by a particularly poignant novel in a period of crisis or re-read an old favourite to feel a familiar and comforting warmth.

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You might’ve read a happy book in a sad moment, been guided by a particularly poignant novel in a period of crisis or re-read an old favourite to feel a familiar and comforting warmth. Below, 15 Fashion Journal readers reflect on their favourite books of the past year.

Freya, 23, she/her

I gobbled up Love and Virtue by Diana Reid on holiday earlier this year. It’s whip-smart and challenging at times, but full of beautiful prose and interesting character dynamics. I can’t wait for her next book!

Find it here.

Saoirse, 25, she/her

Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors. I honestly couldn’t tell you anything that happens… it follows a couple meandering through life but there’s no real climax. But in saying this, every time I think about it or see it in a bookstore I get a warm feeling in my chest.

Find it here.

Dahlia, 21, she/her

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. This book had me gripped from the beginning. I loved the dual perspective of the narrators and their [different] interpretations of life.

Find it here.

Lilah, 28, she/her

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover is a moving romance novel with an underlying theme of domestic violence, inspired by the author’s own family.

Find it here.

Marguerite, 34, she/her

How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu follows intricately linked characters over hundreds of years as humanity struggles to rebuild itself in the aftermath of a climate plague. Expertly plotted, brilliantly written and full of compassion, this is the most unique and unexpected book I’ve read all year.

Find it here.

Edith, 26, she/her

Who Gets To Be Smart by Bri Lee.

Find it here.

Alex, 18, they/them

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro is an incredibly vivid novel with captivating, heartbreaking and beautifully reflective prose. I’ve formed emotional connections to characters I’ll never forget about.

Find it here.

Jill, 24, she/her

Hot Milk by Deborah Levy. The book follows a tragically sexy barista who goes to Spain to heal her neurotic mother while also dealing with the absence of her father. She falls into love and lust… this book is sure to sting.

Find it here.

Maia, 23, she/her

Queen of Nothing by Holly Black is reminiscent of good old high school YA novels but with enough twists to keep it fresh. It features very complex characters – no one is painted entirely good or bad. Lovely, tricky, fairy language.

Find it here.

Sofia, 26, she/her

Of a Boy by Sonya Hartnett. I was recommended this read by my boyfriend! This book is very well written with thoughtful prose and told through the eyes of a young boy. Tore me apart as it involves very complex themes, but I would recommend it to anyone who wants to broaden their literary scope.

Find it here.

Akua, 22, she/her

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. I adored this exploration of the complexity of love in a dystopian world. [I loved] the sadness, the yearning for human connection regardless of species… I think it was an amazing way to meld dystopia and philosophy (my fave genres).

Find it here.

Yael, 26, she/her

Love and Virtue by Diana Reid was easily my favourite book of the last year and possibly ever. It really makes the reader question morality in such a subtle and clever way. It’s also great if you’re like me and loves a campus novel.

Find it here.

Harriet, 26, she/her

I picked up A Secret History by Donna Tartt at a ‘take a book, leave a book’ library. It was engaging, dramatic and honestly an easy read that still felt somewhat intellectually stimulating. Great book for a commute read and a reminder that the classics are a thing.

Find it here.

Isla, 24, she/her

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. It was such a page-turner and nothing like I would imagine but in the best way possible. Poignant and powerful.

Find it here.

Andrew, 22, he/him

Ametora by W. David Marx. It perfectly describes the social and cultural events that have shaped both Japanese and American modern-day fashion

Find it here.

For more of the best books this year, head here.