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At the point the first version of this article is being written, it has only been a few weeks after Easter and I can’t help but draw parallels between this post and Easter.
I know this sounds incredibly vague and possibly loon and if you’ve been around the blog, then you probably know my marked ability to, for the lack of a better word, perambulate into the worst tangents, but stick with me.
When I say that this post – a list of the best books about books — has a bit of that Easter spirit, I don’t mean the actual celebration (BTW, that would be cool too).
Rather, I’m referring to the Easter Eggs. I didn’t grow up with the culture of hiding and hunting down Easter eggs as an Easter tradition, but learning about and watching it sounds so thrilling.
Nowadays, we use the word Easter Egg to refer to the most delightful hidden treasures in something that will kick your serotonin into overdrive and there’s really no better way to describe these books.
I enjoy being swept into a book and there’s nothing that makes that feeling all the more heightened than when the plotline of a book is also focused on an actual book.
So, just like the picture-in-picture feature that made the entire 2010s an unstoppable riot, these must-read books about books will totally bewitch you body and soul.
There’s everything from thrillers centered around a book to a romance with a book theme and just trust me when I say you’re going to have so much fun with them.
1. The Great Passage by Shion Miura
Kohei Araki, a devoted dictionary creator, wants to appoint his successor after 37 years at Gembu Books, so he chooses Mitsuya Majime, a linguistics enthusiast.
Together with a new recruit and a senior scholar, they work on completing The Great Passage, a monumental Japanese language dictionary which would be the biggest project of his life.
In time, Majime discovers the power of words, forms friendships, and even finds an unexpected romance that changes his worldview.
2. The Dictionary Of Lost Words by Pip Williams
Esme grew up surrounded by words in the Scriptorium, where her father and a team of lexicographers worked on the Oxford English Dictionary.
One day, she finds the word ‘bondmaid’ missing and starts collecting neglected words, and she then realizes that words about women’s experiences often go unrecorded.
While helping with the Oxford English Dictionary, she secretly gathers words for her own project: The Dictionary of Lost Words.
Set during the women’s suffrage movement and World War I, this powerful historical fiction book about a book was everything it promised to be and more and I know you won’t regret reading it.
3. The Bookshop On The Corner by Jenny Colgan
Nina Redmond loses her job as a librarian in the city but decides to start anew in a quiet village.
So, she buys a van and turns it into a mobile bookshop with the primary goal of doing what she can to bring stories to people’s doorsteps.
As she settles into her new life, Nina finds joy, magic, a sense of belonging, and even a chance to create her own happy ending.
Jenny Colgan is one of the pioneering and super popular women’s fiction authors, so needless to say, The Bookshop On the Corner was emotive, sweet, and super heartwarming.
4. The Librarian by Christy Sloat
Emme unexpectedly finds herself in 1892 England after reading an antique novel in her Gram’s library.
There, she meets the charming Jack Ridgewell and discovers the reality of falling in love with a character from a book.
Now stuck between the two worlds, Emme must decide between her real life and her connection with Jack because when the story ends, Jack will disappear and leave Emme longing for their lost love.
Will she find him again, or is their love destined to remain within the pages of the book? You’ll need to read and see what comes after.
5. The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams
Gavin Scott’s marriage is on the rocks after discovering his wife has been faking orgasms.
Desperate to save his relationship, Gavin turns to an unconventional source: the Bromance Book Club, a group of alpha men who use romance novels to improve their love lives.
With their help, Gavin learns valuable lessons from a steamy Regency novel, Courting the Countess, in his quest to win back his wife’s trust and save his marriage.
Fun fact: This is the very first audiobook I ever listened to on Scribd (which has now rebounded to Everand) and I 100% loved every piece of it.
I know that the primary plot line sounds a little corny, but trust me when I say Gavin and the rest of his book club members turned friends are the most heartwarming bunch and you’re going to want to read their stories as well.
6. Gigi, Listening by Chantel Guertin
Gigi Rutherford, a romance bookstore owner, falls for Zane Wilkenson, the narrator of her favourite audiobook.
When offered a chance to meet him on a bus tour in England, she jumps at it, but when she gets there, Zane is missing and she is left with an eclectic group of travellers, including a chatty widow, a trivia enthusiast, and a bickering couple.
Chantel Guertin’s novel might not be the best example of a book about a book (since it isn’t exactly based on a book), but an audiobook narrator essentially kicks things into action in this one, so it passes muster as far as I am concerned.
7. The Editor by Steven Rowley
In the 1990s, James Smale finally sells his autobiographical novel to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, his editor at a major publishing house.
But as the publication date nears, James’ struggles with his unresolved family issues intensify to a feverish boil and he is unable to finish the manuscript.
Jackie, in turn, encourages him to confront his past, and this singular act encourages him to push the boundaries and the bond between them becomes stronger.
Friendship and the pain and beauty of confronting the truth about one’s past are primary themes of this book from start to finish and I’ll tell you for free that this book is heavy in the most sorrowful way possible.
8. The Book Of Speculation by Erika Swyler
Simon Watson is a young librarian who lives in a crumbling house overlooking the Long Island Sound.
His mother, a circus mermaid, drowned in the sea, and his sister, Enola, vanished years ago and now reads tarot cards at a carnival.
When an old book arrives, detailing strange events from a 1700s carnival, Simon fears that there might be a curse on his family – one that makes the mermaids in his family drown every July 24th.
For Simon, this is a chance to redeem himself after failing to protect his mother and he’s determined to save Enola before it’s too late.
This is another fantastic book about a book that’s thrilling and fantastic and so interesting and (feel free to insert as many adjectives as you think would convince you to read this book).
9. The Little Bookshop Of Lonely Hearts by Annie Darling
Posy Morland inherits a crumbling bookshop, Bookends, and must leave her beloved novels to save the business.
Alongside battling the shop’s decline, she locks horns with Lavinia’s grandson, Sebastian, dubbed and with only six months to turn Bookends around, Posy realizes she might be in way over her head.
As she fights to save the shop, Posy discovers that happy endings might be closer than she thinks and trust me when I say this bookshop-themed book is everything and more that you imagine it to be.
10. The Giver Of Stars by Jojo Moyes
Alice Wright marries Bennett Van Cleve and moves to small-town Kentucky, hoping for a fresh start.
And when Eleanor Roosevelt’s travelling library initiative calls for women to deliver books, Alice eagerly joins.
Led by Margery, a fiercely independent woman, they become the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky whose main goals are to bring books and knowledge to those in need.
11. Hell Of A Book by Jason Mott
In Hell of a Book, an African-American author sets out on a book tour to promote his bestselling novel.
The storyline of this sublime book runs concurrently with the plot of the character-author’s own story – it follows Soot, a Black boy from a rural town, and The Kid, a mysterious figure who appears to the author — and I promise it’s great.
Jason Mott’s novel is both heartbreaking and magical, and the many urgent issues at the heart of it are communicated with the most rich storytelling you’ll be totally drawn into the narrative from start to finish.
12. The Shadow Of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
In post-war Barcelona, Daniel finds a mysterious book by Julian Carax, who is pretty much unknown, and he becomes obsessed with finding the author’s other works.
But, he soon discovers a disturbing truth: someone is destroying all of Carax’s books and the more he explores, the closer he comes to revealing a dark secret involving murder, madness, and a tragic love.
Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s The Shadow of the Wind is a gripping tale of intrigue and suspense set against the backdrop of a healing yet haunted Barcelona and it’s another fabulous book about a book that will leave you spellbound.
13. Sorcery For Beginners by Matt Harry
Sorcery for Beginners follows Owen Macready, an ordinary 13-year-old who discovers a how-to manual for bringing magic back into the world.
Authored by Euphemia Whitmore and her aide Matt Harry, the book becomes Owen’s guide as he battles a school bully using magic.
But Owen’s actions soon attract the attention of dangerous adversaries, including a ruthless millionaire and anti-magic mercenaries and he gets thrown into the middle of a centuries-long secret war.
Owen must now decide how much he’s willing to risk to preserve magic in a world dominated by science, and if you’ve been on the hunt for another brilliant book about a book where a book sets things in motion in the story, you’re going to find this so much fun.
14. Last Chance Books by Kelsey Rodkey
Madeline Moore loves the smell of old books and plans to take over her family’s bookstore, Books & Moore.
But when a chain store called Prologue threatens their business, Madeline vows to fight back. Her enemy? Jasper, a charming employee at Prologue.
Despite his cuteness, Madeline sees him as the enemy in their book war and even a budding romance won’t be enough to stop her from doing what she can to prevent them from encroaching on her turf.
Last Chance Books is one of the best romantic books about books with the enemies-to-lovers trope and (un)healthy rivalry that’s the sweetest thing you’d ever seen.
15. The Readers Of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald
Sara travels from Sweden to meet her pen pal, Amy, in Broken Wheel, Iowa, only to find out that Amy has passed away.
And even though the town’s people are very welcoming, Sara feels lost until she decides to open a bookstore in Amy’s memory.
She hopes to share her love of books and convince the townspeople of the joy of reading, but her unconventional choices stir up secrets that could change the town forever.
This is yet another totally beautiful women’s fiction pick that’s heartwarming and beautiful in all the ways that count.
What do you think? Will you check out any of these books about books? Let me know which ones sound interesting in the comment section and I’ll appreciate any and all recommendations you have.
Don’t forget to check out the related posts below to get even more totally amazing book recs that will keep you glued to the pages for hours on end.
