When you want to read a book in English, it can be hard to know where to start.
There are millions of books for you to choose from!
You are reading: Best books to learn
what books should I try to read?
Why not start with the same books that native English speakers read?
You may think that best-selling books (popular books) are too difficult for an English learner to read. but in reality, popular books are perfect for learning English as they are often written in plain English.
To become truly popular, books must attract many people. this means that they should be interesting and easy to understand.
The benefit of reading bestsellers is that you are reading the same books that real English speakers read.
You can learn a lot of vocabulary from them and, more importantly, you can learn more about the culture of the native speakers.
You’ll also be able to discuss current books and popular authors with other readers (even native speakers), since many people read best-selling books.
All this means that bestsellers can teach you a lot, and you can definitely read them!
Before choosing a book, however, you should choose a genre.
download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable pdf that you can take anywhere. click here for a copy. (download)
See Also: 8 Books to Teach Social Skills to Kids in Your Classroom | Teach Starter
what is a genre?
A genre is a category of book or a specific type of writing. there are many genres, and you probably already know some of them. some genre examples include horror, mystery, sci-fi, fantasy… you get the point!
What kind of books do you like to read? decide on a genre before deciding on a book. otherwise, you might end up trying to read a book that doesn’t interest you that much.
You may like historical fiction but you may not like science fiction (that’s science fiction for short!). Or you could hate romance but love a good adventure story.
learn what books you like and you will enjoy the books you study more!
Videos are organized by level (beginner to advanced) and topic (“arts and entertainment,” “business,” “science and technology,” and more).
Let’s read some popular English books and improve your English reading skills!
thriller and suspense
A thriller is the kind of book that makes your heart race. many suspense novels are “page turns”. it makes you want to keep reading and turning the pages to find out what happens next.
suspense books are a lot like thrillers and can be even more exciting or terrifying. they’re the kind of books you don’t want to read alone at night.
These two are often considered almost the same genus, because they are so similar. you’ll like them if you’re into police dramas, murder mysteries or just a good fast-paced novel.
thrillers and suspense novels use a lot of action words and often have a lot of realistic dialogue. So if you’re looking for a fun way to learn new and exciting words and phrases, these books are the perfect place to do it.
1. “leaving time” by jodi picoult
what this book is about: a 13-year-old girl searches for her mother, who disappeared after a terrible accident. she gets help from a psychic and a detective. together, they discover that sometimes asking questions gives them answers they didn’t want to know…
The English of this book: This book can be a bit difficult, since it is not a typical thriller. it focuses more on how people think than on their actions. more advanced readers will enjoy this one.
2. “the first to die” by james patterson
What this book is about: Four women team up to catch a killer who is murdering people in terrible ways. this is the first in a series, so if you like this one, you can keep reading about this women’s team.
The English in this book: Patterson’s writing is pretty easy to understand and he has tons of great action words to learn.
3. “three” by ted dekker
What this book is about: Imagine you are driving your car when the phone rings. the person on the line says you have three minutes to confess your sin to the world, or your car will blow up. what do you do? In this book, a killer is after Kevin Parson for something he’s not sure he did. follow the exciting journey.
The English of this book: The writing of this book is as easy as Patterson’s, but the story may be a bit more difficult to follow.
4. “Messrs. Mercedes” by Stephen King
What this book is about: This book is the first of a trilogy, or a set of three books. in it, a retired policeman tries to stop one man from killing thousands of people. Will he be able to stop the terrible event in time?
the english in this book: stephen king is one of the best known authors in the horror genre (scary stories) today. His language is a bit more advanced, and his characters are very realistic, which makes this a good book to see how people talk.
5. “silent scream” by angela marsons
what this book is about: someone is killing children. Detective Kim Stone is about to find out that they’ve been killing for far longer than anyone imagined. But can Stone stop the killer before she strikes again?
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The English in this book: This book is a little more advanced in its writing style, but should be readable by upper-intermediate learners. Marsons is a British author, so some of the language and dialogue is British-specific (such as calling people “Boss”). This is a great book for learning “Brits”, ways of speaking that are specific to the UK.
romance
romance books explore relationships, finding mr. right (a perfect boyfriend or husband for someone) or characters that are about love or sex. some romance novels have sexual content and themes. others, often called “chick lit,” are lighter in tone and more about interactions between people. romance novels are usually written for women, but a well-written relationship story can be enjoyed by anyone.
Some of the language in romance books can become “vaporous” or sexual in nature. But romance novels are also great for describing how people look, feel, or act. many of the books show ways that women can talk to men, for example, or ways that men can talk to women. you might even get some ideas on how to flirt in English.
6. “until the end of time” by danielle steel
what this book is about: does love last forever? the couples in this story believe so. This is a love story that not even death can destroy.
the English of this book: the writing of this book is a bit verbose (it uses a lot of words), but the language is simple enough for an intermediate level learner to follow.
7. “one for the money” by janet evanovich
what this book is about: stephanie plum needs money, and she needs it fast. her so she hunts down people who should be in jail, starting with a guy she has a history with.
The English of this book: Fast-paced and easy to follow, this is a great book for intermediate readers. the book is written from the point of view of the main character and uses a very conversational tone. it’s written the way stephanie plum would actually speak. perfect for learning how native English speakers speak!
8. “i have your number” by sophie kinsella
What this book is about: A woman preparing for her wedding loses her cell phone. No problem! she decides to use the cell phone that she found in the trash of her hotel. So what if the man the phone belongs to doesn’t think it’s a good idea?
The English of this book: This is another great book for learning how people speak, as it is written in the first person. in other words, it is written as if the main character is speaking or thinking. it’s a fun read that’s not too hard to follow.
9. “Fifty Shades of Grey” by E.L. james
what this book is about: when ana steele goes to an interview, she is fascinated by the handsome and intelligent christian grey. the two begin a very physical relationship that is all about control. This book is packed with unconventional (less common) sexual material, and it’s for mature (adult) audiences only!
The English of this book: The language of this book uses many colorful words to describe even the smallest moments. it’s a great place to learn lots of new words, especially adjectives (words that describe).
10. “sincerely, carter” by whitney grace williams
what this book is about: what happens when you fall in love with your best friend? watch as a relationship slowly transitions from close friendship to romance.
The English of this book: This is a simple and fun book that uses realistic conversations and moments. It’s told from a man’s point of view, which makes it different from many other romance novels.
fantasy
sometimes a good fantasy book lets you explore magical lands. other times, it brings otherworldly (not this world) creatures into our own ordinary world. Whichever fantasy you prefer, this genre takes you away from the real world.
Fantasy books often have interesting descriptions and characters, which makes them great for learning synonyms (words that mean the same thing as others) and words. common to describe a person. Since fantasy doesn’t have to follow the laws of reality, anything can happen in these books!
11. “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” by J.K. paddle
What this book is about: Young Harry Potter lives a sad life in a small cupboard under a staircase. One day he receives an invitation to Hogwarts, a school where children learn magic. his life changes forever.
English in this book: “Harry Potter” is written for young adults, so the writing is very simple but full of life. It’s also a British book, so if you’re learning British English, you can find some UK-specific writing here.
Indeed, the strength of the “Harry Potter” series is that it is available in multiple formats.
as our host on the fluentu youtube channel explains, you can read “harry potter” like a book, listen to the audiobook and watch the movies with subtitles in english and your native language. This makes it easier for you to understand, and you can improve your English language skills while enjoying the world of Harry Potter!
In addition, “Harry Potter” is available in many languages around the world. In fact, it is very likely that you already know the plot and even that you have already read or seen “Harry Potter”. This makes it easier to understand and you can concentrate on building your vocabulary and mastering English grammar.
12. “the girl with all the gifts” of m. r. tortoiseshell
what this book is about: a girl has special gifts, but they don’t make her happy. instead, she is investigated and treated like a laboratory animal (she could turn on her protectors at any moment…).
The English of this book: This book is different because it is written in present tense: everything is happening now. Since it’s also told from a girl’s point of view, the writing is very simple, so you can focus on the strange story.
13. “the ocean at the end of the road” by neil gaiman
what this book is about: one day, a boy discovers that the family that lives at the end of the road is a bit… strange. This doesn’t stop him from befriending the youngest of the family and embarking on a strange and magical journey.
English in this book: Gaiman is a master storyteller. this book ranges from simple to difficult, making it more suitable for an advanced reader.
science fiction
Often shortened to “science fiction”, science fiction is a type of fantasy having to do with technology, science, or outer space. Most of the time, the books are based on real science, but they’re not really about real things that happened. one of the most famous examples of science fiction is “star wars”. so if you’re a fan of the movies, you might like these sci-fi books.
Science fiction books can teach more than just English: they can teach science and technology terms. even if the way science and technology is used in the books is not real, many of the words and terms are real. you can learn words about outer space, words you’d hear in a science lab, and much more.
14. “the martian” by andy weir
what this book is about: an astronaut becomes the first man to walk on the planet mars, but then things go terribly wrong. Presumed (believed to be) dead and completely cut off from the rest of the universe, the astronaut has to use his abilities and intelligence to find his way back home.
The English in this book: This book is full of spatial words and terms! There is very little dialogue since the main character is alone on Mars, but you can learn many words about Mars, astronauts, and other space topics.
See Also: Philosophy Books For Children | Five Books Expert Recommendations
A movie was made of this book, so you can read the book, then watch the movie, and compare the two. what did they change?
If you’re interested in how accurate the information in this book is, there’s a video of a NASA scientist talking about it on fluentu.
You can watch this clip on fluentu, as well as many other native English videos, including movie trailers, news segments, funny commercials, and more. You can also practice your reading with these videos as each clip has accurate subtitles and a transcript. You can even click a word in the captions to see a definition or add it to your flashcards to practice later.
Using a program like fluentu alongside your reading is a great way to work on different areas of your learning with topics you enjoy.
15. “the atlantis gene” by a.g. riddle
What this book is about: Scientists discover a secret that has existed since the beginning of mankind. now it’s up to two people to keep this secret from an organization that will stop at nothing to get it (including killing almost the entire human race).
the english in this book: “the atlantis gene” is like a science fiction thriller. it has a lot of action words, with some scientific terms. this combination makes it a bit more difficult to read and great for more advanced learners.
16. “ender’s game” by orson scott card
what this book is about: the universe is at war and children are taken to the army when they are young. An extraordinarily intelligent boy must grow up in this world full of fights, fulfilling the earth’s hopes of defeating the alien enemies, whether he wants it or not.
The English of this book: Although the “ender’s game” is about a boy, the language can be a bit difficult at times. this book is about leadership and being accepted by society, but it is also a book about government and the military. there is a lot of vocabulary to be found for all those topics.
mystery
Mysteries are also called “who knows” because they make you try to find out who committed a crime. a lot of mysteries are also thrillers, but a lot of mysteries are slower paced and focus on, well… the mystery side of things.
It’s fun to read a mystery novel and try to guess who the criminal is before the detective in the book does. Since many of the characters in these books are lying, if the author is good, you can learn to recognize that someone is acting suspiciously (guilty) by his body language and the way he talks.
17. “evil under the sun” by agatha christie
What this book is about: The Agatha Christie books are older than many of the other books on this list, but they are some of the best examples of classic mystery books. In it, brilliant Belgian detective Hercule Poirot investigates the death of a woman while on vacation. Trouble seems to follow poirot wherever he goes!
The English in this book: Since this is an older book, some of the language is old and hard to read. the way people talk in the book may no longer be the way people talk in real life. if you’re interested in beautiful and lesser-known words like picturesque (beautiful, like a picture) or bulge (something that protrudes from something else), you’ll find them here!
18. “nine lives to die” by rita mae brown
what this book is about: a small town in virginia is having problems with suspicious deaths and bloody fingers. who is causing all this trouble? In this mystery, the animals have their own opinions on the case!
The English of this book: This is a “cozy” mystery, a simply written story about a sleepy little town. the characters are listed at the beginning, so you won’t have a problem following them. the simple language and realistic dialogue (even between animals!) make it a great place to learn how natives speak.
19. “the murder of cinderella” by mary higgins clark
What this book is about: This series is about a TV show that looks at old cold cases. In this book’s episode, the TV show features a woman who was found dead with one shoe missing…just like in the Cinderella fairy tale.
The English of this book: The writing of this book is a bit more advanced, but it is quick and easy to follow.
non-fiction
It’s hard to recommend non-fiction books (books about things that are real or really happened), because what you like depends on your interests! there are many interesting nonfiction books out there, and you’ll need to explore until you find a topic that sounds interesting to you.
You can learn whatever you want from non-fiction books. If you’re interested in food, fashion, or horses (or whatever!), you can learn terms and words related to those topics in a book.
here are some good places to start.
20. “stiff” by mary roach
what this book is about: what happens to our body after we die? If you’ve left your body to science, you can end up anywhere from a “body farm” to a college for beauty stylists.
the english of this book: mary roach writes in a very conversational and friendly manner, and explains anything scientific as if she were talking to a friend. here you will find scientific and most common words about life and death.
21. “the wright brothers” by david mcullough
What this book is about: Learn the story of the two brothers who built the first airplane in this bestselling biography (a story about someone’s life).
The English of this book: This biography is more advanced, beautifully written but using a lot of difficult language. there are words about history and growth, and many descriptions of both things and people. This book is full of great vocabulary words!
22. “outliers” by malcolm gladwell
what this book is about: what makes a person successful? You may think it’s all about intelligence and personality, but Malcolm Gladwell writes about how important his environment (the things and people around him) is to his success.
The English in this book: “Outliers” is a great book for more advanced English learners who are interested in learning words and phrases about psychology and how people work.
There are even more genres that we haven’t explored in this article. you can find a book about anything!
For more bestselling book ideas, visit Amazon’s bestseller section or the New York Times bestseller list.
relax with a good book and a drink, and enjoy learning!
download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable pdf that you can take anywhere. click here for a copy. (download)
See Also: 8 Books to Teach Social Skills to Kids in Your Classroom | Teach Starter