Clear Your Weekend: 8 Stunning Literary Novels You Won't Be Able To Put Down

Don't get me wrong. I love a sugar-coated page turner as much as anyone. But sometimes I want a novel that will genuinely change my life, leave me breathless, teary-eyed, and forever altered. In my quest to be moved, I always turn to literary fiction. Here are our favorites to add to your bookshelf or suggest at your next book club!

Our favorite literary fiction to add to your spring TBR.

Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

Here is an acclaimed literary novel about a young woman struggling to make ends meet while navigating single motherhood. So where does she turn? OnlyFans, of course. It is weird, realistic, and surprisingly moving, and the humor sneaks up on you in the best way. The Apple TV+ series adaptation starring Elle Fanning and Michelle Pfeiffer comes out this month.

Writers and Lovers by Lily King

If you are looking for a novel that captures the unique exhaustion of being a 30-something woman, look no further. It centers on Casey, who desperately wants to escape into her creative world but can barely find the time while juggling work, finances, and the relentless demands of adulthood.

My Husband by Maud Ventura

This one is for anyone who has ever wondered whether their partner loves them as fiercely as they claim. A wife becomes consumed by the question of whether her husband's feelings match her own, and what she is willing to do to find out makes for a genuinely unsettling read.

Normal People by Sally Rooney

Normal People examines the uncomfortable side of romance. Instead of the picture-perfect couples you find in breezy rom-coms, Rooney refuses to shy away from the grittier, messier aspects of love. It is heartbreaking, uncomfortable, and deeply human. You can also tune into the Hulu series adaptation after reading!

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

There’s a reason this novel has so much acclaim. It’s simply heartbreaking, in all the best ways. If you love stories about close friendships that will leave you ugly crying, look no further. It follows four college friends as their lives intertwine across decades in New York City, weaving together ambition, trauma, and the profound bonds that hold people together.

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

If you love character studies that focus on sisterhood, race, and identity, you need this book in your life. Brit Bennett tells the fascinating story of twin sisters with starkly different lives as they navigate the world as Black women in America. One sister leans deeply into her identity and carries her roots with pride. The other passes as white, trying to assimilate in a world where she feels unsafe as her true self. Stunning from start to finish.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

I cannot tell you how many times this book has been eagerly recommended to me by my closest friends. After reading the whole thing in one weekend, I finally understand the hype. It is a beautiful, decades-spanning portrait of a platonic love unlike anything else I have ever read.

Concerning My Daughter by Kim Hye-jin

This fascinating read is about a mother and her 30-something daughter, who refuses to grow up, in the mother’s eyes. What will it take for them to heal their bond when they move in together after years apart? What unfolds is a nuanced, sometimes painful look at how love and disapproval can exist in the same breath.

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