We read every day without fail - these are 8 books we just couldn't put down

There's nothing better than being so engrossed in a book that you just can't put it down. Whether it's a gripping story or beautiful prose, sometimes a book draws you in so completely that you try to spend every waking moment reading it - staying up late, reading on the commute, or squeezing in a few pages on your lunch break.

When you find a book you can't put down, you often end up racing through it in a matter of days - or even within 24 hours. And when it's over, you're left with that empty feeling no other novel seems to recreate - until you discover your next brilliant read.

With this in mind, we've asked some of our writers and editors, who are also keen readers, to share the books they couldn't get enough of. Let us know in the comments if you agree - or if there are any books you think should have made the list.

Good Material by Dolly Alderton, 2023

Nicola Roy, Senior Writer for Spare Time, said: "I love a good breakup novel just as much as the next person, but it's very rare that I've read one from the perspective of the man. This novel by Dolly Alderton does just that, in a hilarious yet heartbreaking way that kept me hooked until the very end.

"This story follows comedian Andy, who's had his heart shattered into a million pieces by ex-girlfriend Jen. In his eyes, they were the perfect couple, joined at the hip and looking forward to a beautiful lifetime spent together. When this comes to an abrupt end, we join Andy on the quest to get over the former love of his life, get back out there into the dating world, and throw everything into his (failing) career as a comedian - all while thinking of nothing but Jen and what she might be up to now.

"This was a brilliant novel, made all the more poignant when the perspective shifts to Jen at the end of the book, and we find out the real reason why their relationship failed. Andy is an infuriating character at times, but you can't help but root for him as he tries to navigate a life without Jen - a life which involves getting catfished, a brief stint of living on a boat, and his first ever 'situationship' with a much younger woman. I downloaded this to read on a four-hour journey to Marrakesh, and it made the time absolutely fly by."

Buy Good Material by Dolly Alderton

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell, 2019

Steffan Rhys, Head of Spare Time, said: "A lot of people have mocked me for how excitedly I've been telling them about my new discovery. I'd never heard of Lisa Jewell until a colleague recommended her a couple of months ago - now I'm on my fifth Lisa Jewell book.

"I could have chosen any one of them for this collection, but I'm going for the one that got me started: The Family Upstairs. This brilliant book centres on an abandoned mansion in Chelsea, London, where the bodies of three adults were discovered alongside a healthy baby in a cot, alive and seemingly well looked after.

"When that baby inherits the house 25 years later, she sets about uncovering its dark past. The book jumps between the present and the past, with a great twist. You can buy it on Amazon here or at Waterstones here. I've just started the sequel, The Family Remains."

The Hounding by Xenobe Purvis, 2025

Under 35 Spare Time Content Editor Talya Honebeek said: "Set in a small English village in the eighteenth century, The Hounding revolves around five sisters whose neighbours are convinced they're turning into dogs. What starts as a rumour quickly snowballs, sparking widespread fear and hatred across the village.

"It's written in such an interesting way, featuring chapters from the point of view of several of the villagers, while the sisters themselves are excluded from telling their own story. This is such an atmospheric read, and as the tension built up, I found myself incapable of putting it down, even late into the night.

"With less than 300 pages, it's one to really sit down and fully immerse yourself in. You can buy it on Amazon here or at Waterstones here. I can't believe this was the author's debut, and I'm already excited for their next book."

This Is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor by Adam Kay, 2017

Senior Writer for Spare Time, Phoebe Cornish, said: "There's no doubt that several years spent watching Holby City on a Tuesday evening played a part in piquing my interest in this book, but the raw insight from Adam Kay was truly captivating.

"The story is a non-fiction account of Adam's years spent as a junior doctor in the NHS, told through a series of arbitrary diary entries. It's incredibly raw in the sense that you don't know what you'll find on each page, which perfectly captures Adam's harrowing (but sadly not unique) experience in a poignant period of his life.

"Some entries are pages long, and others, reduced to a few telling words. It has footnotes laden with technical jargon that draw you deeper into the frantic ongoings of an NHS hospital.

"You'll laugh at situations that shouldn't be funny, only to realise they're the moments that define our shared humanity. In Adam's memoir, tragedy and comedy collide, which makes this book so hard to put down. I'm in no doubt I'm wiser and more grateful for ordinary life after reading this front to back on a few sunny days in summer 2018."

You can buy it here.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, 2015

Ketsuda Phoutinane, Spare Time Content Editor, said: "I might not be on holiday, but ACOTAR has been the perfect beach read. Even though I've been ignoring this BookTok favourite for years, it turns out I'm not above it. These books are absolute tomes, yet I inhaled the first three in a matter of days.

"For the uninitiated, ACOTAR is short for A Court of Thorns and Roses, the romantasy series turned global sensation penned by Sarah J. Maas. These doorstoppers are escapist and addictive, but also soapy, repetitive, and loaded with afterschool special lessons.

"The world-building of the first book invites you in, the second book's tale of love and personal growth is the strongest, whilst the third book lacked a heavy-handed editor. Irresistible and cringeworthy, you can bet I'll be reading the following two books next."

"And at the time of writing, the first book in the series is on sale for £2.29 on Kindle!"

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, 2015

Isobel Pankhurt, Spare Time Audience Writer, said: "This book actually got me out of a huge reading slump when I first read it back in the Covid lockdowns. The stress of everything going on in the world had made it rather difficult to enjoy a good book, but then for a couple of days I was whisked away into Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse (the same world in which she set two of her other book series, Shadow and Bone, and King of Scars).

"Six of Crows, set after the events of the Shadow and Bone trilogy, but before the King of Scars duology, follows a group of six outcasts, three of whom are members of a criminal gang, who are enrolled in a high-stakes heist, which sees them break into a high-security military base.

"While it may be a YA book, Six of Crows, which is told through multiple points of view, deals with some difficult themes, including addiction, trauma, and sex trafficking. So while it's certainly not a light-hearted read, it was still one that I whizzed through in just a couple of days, immediately finding myself reaching for the second book in the duology, Crooked Kingdom, which I read just as quickly as the first."

You can purchase the book from Waterstones here.

Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang

Rebecca Koncienzcy, Spare Time Content Editor, said: "After reading R. F. Kuang's Poppy Wars, I was very interested in picking up her next book, Yellowface; however, this was entirely different to her debut fantasy novel.

"Yellowface tells the story of a young writer, June Hayward, who is desperate for critical acclaim and fame, and the lies she is prepared to tell herself to get there. Darkly funny, Kuang takes a satirical look at racism and a peek behind the curtain of the modern literary world and how it is deeply interwoven with social media. And this is all written in a fun, accessible way, meaning I steamed through the book in a few days.

"I laughed out loud, asked myself serious questions and gasped at what became a suspenseful plot twist and an ending that will have you itching to talk about it with fellow readers. If you want a great holiday read that also gives you something to think about, this is it."

You can get a copy of Yellowface here on Amazon or Waterstones for less than £10.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, 2011

Deputy Spare Time Editor Sophie Law said: "I'm going to choose the book I'm currently reading and absolutely loving. I'm an avid reader, but usually quite slow, so I know something is good when I want to spend every waking moment reading.

"There's something about Madeline Miller's writing that pulls you in and doesn't let go. The story reimagines the Greek myth of Achilles through the eyes of Patroclus, and it's all about yearning, longing, and devotion. You don't have to know much about Greek mythology to follow the story either, because even though it's loosely based on it, it reads with the intensity of a love story, yet still feels unlike anything I've ever read.

"The language is lyrical without being unreadable, and it's so emotionally charged. Even though it's rooted in mythology, it reads with the intensity of a love story and the tension of an epic. I'm still thinking about it constantly - and I haven't even finished it yet!"

You can buy it here.

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