Hands up if you’re guilty of scrolling through social media when you could be doing something a little more beneficial to your health 🙋♀️ One of my goals in 2023 was to make a conscious effort to detach from my devices, and I have to say, it has been a life changer: better balance, better moods and better sleep.
If you’re planning your own digital detox, I suggest one of my favourite pastimes – reading. Whether you’re planning a tech-free weekend, or you just want to switch off for an hour each night, here is an edit of books you can read in one-sitting should the mood strike.
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
- Book rating: ★★★★☆
- Spice rating: 2/5
- Pages: 377
“So, if you’re the ‘wrong kind of woman’, then I’m the wrong kind of man.” – stop.
One of my favourite books by Emily Henry, Book Lovers is the definition of a feel-good read.
Set in a small town, this enemies-to-lovers story leans into everything you love about a romcom without ever becoming cliché. As the title suggests, it’s a book written for book lovers, with smart characters, great banter and a romance that subverts your Hallmark movie tropes. The chemistry between Nora and Charlie is off the charts, and I adored every rival-filled quip, long look and literary chat that spiralled into chaos. Their families also both play a role in their growth and as a result, Nora learns to be more vulnerable with Charlie – leading to a romance that will sweep you off your feet.
Outside of the characters, I also loved this little town that gave off major Stars Hollow vibes. Full of quirky characters and cute stores, Sunshine Falls is the kind of place I’d love to get lost in. If you’re looking for a cosy romance read, Book Lovers may be the perfect book for you.
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Book synopsis
Nora is a cut-throat literary agent at the top of her game. Her whole life is books.
Charlie is an editor with a gift for creating bestsellers. And he’s Nora’s work nemesis.
Nora has been through enough break-ups to know she’s the woman men date before they find their happy-ever-after. That’s why Nora’s sister has persuaded her to swap her desk in the city for a month’s holiday in Sunshine Falls, North Carolina. It’s a small town straight out of a romance novel, but instead of meeting sexy lumberjacks, handsome doctors or cute bartenders, Nora keeps bumping into … Charlie.
She’s no heroine. He’s no hero. So can they take a page out of an entirely different book?
The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup, Caroline Waight (Translator)
- Book rating: ★★★★★ – 4.5 stars
- Pages: 519
- Now a TV show on Netflix
She’s thick, but she’s worth it. This is hands down one of the best thrillers I’ve ever read – God tier even – and I devoured it in one-sitting on a stormy night. The Chestnut Man is a true detective novel where a town is plagued by a dark and twisted serial killer. The stakes are high, the crimes are devilish and as the killer continues to outwit the cops, the author builds a tense atmosphere that will have you flipping the pages. With flawed characters, great twists, and crimes that will make your skin crawl, The Chestnut Man is unputdownable.
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Book synopsis
If you find one, he’s already found you.
A psychopath is terrorizing Copenhagen.
His calling card is a “chestnut man” – a handmade doll made of matchsticks and two chestnuts—which he leaves at each bloody crime scene. Examining the dolls, forensics makes a shocking discovery – a fingerprint belonging to a young girl, a government minister’s daughter who had been kidnapped and murdered a year ago. A tragic coincidence – or something more twisted?
To save innocent lives, a pair of detectives must put aside their differences to piece together the Chestnut Man’s gruesome clues. Because it’s clear that the madman is on a mission that is far from over.
And no one is safe.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (Grishaverse)
- Book rating: ★★★★★
- Pages: 465
- Companion series to Shadow and Bone, now a TV show on Netflix
“No mourners, no funerals.”
Words, feelings, thoughts – there are too many of them! After devouring the Shadow and Bone series in a matter of days, I was eagerly anticipating the adventure that awaited me in Six of Crows but holy shit, I was not prepared! From the writing to the world-building and character development, Bardugo looked at the Grishaverse and thought f*ck it, let’s turn the dial waaaaay up! Taking place two years after the events of Ruin and Rising, Six of Crows is a near-perfect fantasy read that is driven by greed, revenge and thievery – some of my favourite tropes. I was here for Kaz, Inej, Nina, Matthias, Jesper and Wylan every step of the way and thought this band of misfits made for the perfect team. Their love/hate banter is unparalleled and their development, both individually and as a crew, was fantastic. A great arm to what has quickly become one of my favourite YA fantasy worlds, Six of Crows is a fiercely descriptive story you won’t want to put down. All the stars.
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Book synopsis
Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price – and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone …
A convict with a thirst for revenge
A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager
A runaway with a privileged past
A spy known as the Wraith
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes
Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction – if they don’t kill each other first.
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
- Book rating: ★★★☆☆
- Pages: 352
This family sucks, but that final twist, phenomenal. Daisy Darker is a murder-mystery where the killer and a family of potential victims are stuck at a remote beach house together. As the bodies pile up, tensions build, secrets are revealed, and we’re led to a final twist I honestly didn’t see coming. A solid middle-ground thriller, this is perfect for those wanting to ease into the genre.
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Book synopsis
Daisy Darker’s family were as dark as dark can be, when one of them died all of them lied and pretended not to see . . .
Daisy Darker is arriving at her grandmother’s house for her eightieth birthday. It is Halloween, and Seaglass – the crumbling Cornish house perched upon its own tiny private island – is at one with the granite rocks it sits on.
The Darker family haven’t all been in the same place for over a decade, and when the tide comes in they’ll be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours.
When the tide goes back out, nothing will ever be the same again, because one of them is a killer …
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
- Book rating: ★★★★☆
- Spice rating: 2/5
- Pages: 365
The Hating Game is a cute AF romance that will give you all the feels. While the book as a whole doesn’t add anything new to the genre, the workplace rival-to-lovers romance is slow, hilarious and full of moments that gave me secondhand embarrassment – all of which add to the enjoyment of the book. This was my first Sally Thorne novel but it won’t be my last. Her writing style is fantastic, her steamy scenes are sweet, and I loved the little ways she fleshed out each character. A great one-sit read that doubles as the perfect holiday book.
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Book synopsis
Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no problem displaying their feelings through a series of ritualistic passive aggressive manoeuvres as they sit across from each other, executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company. Lucy can’t understand Joshua’s joyless, uptight, meticulous approach to his job. Joshua is clearly baffled by Lucy’s overly bright clothes, quirkiness, and Pollyanna attitude.
Now up for the same promotion, their battle of wills has come to a head and Lucy refuses to back down when their latest game could cost her her dream job. But the tension between Lucy and Joshua has also reached its boiling point, and Lucy is discovering that maybe she doesn’t hate Joshua. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
- Book rating: ★★★★★
- Pages: 409
With a 1950s backdrop that adds its own complex societal issues into the mix, Last Night at the Telegraph Club is more than just a love story.
What I loved about this book is the layered plot – we watch two girls fall in love while also exploring the importance of connection, family, identity and friendship. The characters are also well developed and whether we were sitting in the club, dancing in a living room or lounging around in the park, I felt like I was right there alongside these women. Lily is the sweetest lead ever and her inner turmoil gave great context to the world and the time she was living in. Watching her come into her own, realise it was okay to disrupt the norm and fall head over heels for Kath was such a beautiful reading experience. Kath was equally as adorable and I loved watching these two grow closer.
If you love a contemporary romance, great character work, and you’re just looking to read something that gets you in your feels, don’t pass up Last Night at the Telegraph Club.
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Book synopsis
A story of love and duty set in San Francisco’s Chinatown during the Red Scare.
“That book. It was about two women, and they fell in love with each other.” And then Lily asked the question that had taken root in her, that was even now unfurling its leaves and demanding to be shown the sun: “Have you ever heard of such a thing?”
Seventeen-year-old Lily Hu can’t remember exactly when the question took root, but the answer was in full bloom the moment she and Kathleen Miller walked under the flashing neon sign of a lesbian bar called the Telegraph Club.
America in 1954 is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love, especially not in Chinatown. Red-Scare paranoia threatens everyone, including Chinese Americans like Lily. With deportation looming over her father – despite his hard-won citizenship – Lily and Kath risk everything to let their love see the light of day.
Honourable mentions
Once you’ve made your way through those, here are a few other one-sit reads we recommend.
- The Whisper Man by Alex North: thriller
- The Guest List by Lucy Foley: thriller
- Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent: fantasy, kindle unlimited
- The Stars Burn Bright by Lynda Tomalin: contemporary YA
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid: historical fiction, romance
If you have any tips for taking a digital detox, let us know in the comments.
Happy reading x
Article includes a sponsored mention from Penguin Books New Zealand.
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Written by Monique Renee
Usually barefoot and deep in wanderlust mode, Mon loves binging Netflix, cuddling babies and stalking through IG looking for boho decor inspo and new books to read. You’ll usually find her on holiday, planning a holiday or thinking about holidays.
Favourite Instagram to follow: @the_female_lead
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