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  • Experts

Discover more books like the books you already love

When you finish a book you love, it's tempting to want to read a novel just like it next, or at least one that's very similar. That may be a book by the same author, or it might be about the same subject or in the same genre. How to find a similar book is not always easy.

In our ‘books like’ section, Five Books editors hunt for books that are like some of the most popular books available in English. They're very personal takes, because what you love in a book can vary greatly from person to person. Two people might consider War and Peace their favourite novel (say), but one love it for the war parts—and its analysis of what made Napoleon so successful in conquering Europe—while another reader might skip the battle scenes altogether and read only the peace bits. Still, these are our handpicked selections of books like Bad Blood, books like Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and more.

    Loved Heartstopper? We think you’ll like these books too

  • Read
    Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

    1

    Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
    by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

  • Read
    The Times I Knew I Was Gay by Eleanor Crewes

    2

    The Times I Knew I Was Gay
    by Eleanor Crewes

  • Read
    Given by Natsuki Kizu

    3

    Given
    by Natsuki Kizu

  • Read
    Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

    4

    Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
    by Becky Albertalli

  • Read
    Late to the Party by Kelly Quindlen

    5

    Late to the Party
    by Kelly Quindlen

Loved Heartstopper? We think you’ll like these books too

Alice Oseman’s heartwarming YA webcomic has taken the world by storm. As fans anxiously await the second season of the hit TV adaptation, we recommend five more books like Heartstopper, including a popular manga series, a graphic memoir of coming out, and age-appropriate LGBT romances set in high school

    Loved Where the Crawdads Sing? We think you’ll like these books too

  • Read
    The Marsh King's Daughter by Karen Dionne

    1

    The Marsh King's Daughter
    by Karen Dionne

  • Read
    Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover

    2

    Educated: A Memoir
    by Tara Westover

  • Read
    The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

    3

    The Snow Child
    by Eowyn Ivey

  • Read
    The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

    4

    The Great Alone
    by Kristin Hannah

  • Read
    The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

    5

    The Vanishing Half
    by Brit Bennett

Loved Where the Crawdads Sing? We think you’ll like these books too

Delia Owens’ bestselling coming-of-age tale is a moving tale of survival, independence, and the power of human connection. The book will find a new audience this summer, when a big screen adaptation is scheduled for release, starring Daisy Edgar-Jones. But if you’ve read it already and just can’t wait for the movie, here are five books like Where the Crawdads Sing that we think you’ll love.

    Loved Dune? We think you’ll like these books too

  • Read
    Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov

    1

    Foundation Trilogy
    by Isaac Asimov

  • Read
    The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin

    2

    The Left Hand of Darkness
    by Ursula Le Guin

  • Read
    Hyperion by Dan Simmons

    3

    Hyperion
    by Dan Simmons

  • Read
    The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

    4

    The Fifth Season
    by N.K. Jemisin

  • Read
    Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson

    5

    Red Mars
    by Kim Stanley Robinson

Loved Dune? We think you’ll like these books too

Frank Herbert’s science fiction epic Dune, first published in 1965, is finding a fresh audience thanks to a new, big-budget Oscar-winning film adaptation starring Timothée Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson. If you have recently read the book and find yourself now with a hitherto-unexplored hunger for space opera, here are five novels that we think you’ll like if you enjoyed Dune.

    Loved The Hunger Games? We think you’ll like these books too

  • Read
    Divergent by Veronica Roth

    1

    Divergent
    by Veronica Roth

  • Read
    Cinder by Marissa Meyer

    2

    Cinder
    by Marissa Meyer

  • Read
    The Maze Runner by James Dashner

    3

    The Maze Runner
    by James Dashner

  • Read
    Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

    4

    Shatter Me
    by Tahereh Mafi

  • Read
    Legend by Marie Lu

    5

    Legend
    by Marie Lu

Loved The Hunger Games? We think you’ll like these books too

Suzanne Collins’ trilogy for young adults was an instant hit, and has been adapted into a series of Hollywood movies starring Jennifer Lawrence as the reluctant heroine and huntress Katniss Everdeen. If you are looking to immerse yourself in another gripping dystopian world, look no further. Here are five more books like The Hunger Games.

    Loved The Song of Achilles? We think you’ll like these books too

  • Read
    The Silence of the Girls: A Novel by Pat Barker

    1

    The Silence of the Girls: A Novel
    by Pat Barker

  • Read
    The Last of the Wine by Mary Renault

    2

    The Last of the Wine
    by Mary Renault

  • Read
    The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

    3

    The Penelopiad
    by Margaret Atwood

  • Read
    Lavinia

    4

    Lavinia

  • Read
    A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes

    5

    A Thousand Ships
    by Natalie Haynes

Loved The Song of Achilles? We think you’ll like these books too

Madeline Miller’s bestselling debut novel The Song of Achilles is a mythical retelling of The Iliad from the perspective of Patroclus. The Song of Achilles, which saw Miller shortlisted for the title of Stonewall Writer of the Year, is a parable of love and loss, with Miller’s beautiful prose captivating the masses and leaving many of us hungry for more. If you have wolfed down Miller’s other bestselling novel Circe and you’re still left wanting more, here are some of our recommendations.

    Loved Wolf Hall? We think you’ll like these books too

  • Read
    The Fifth Queen: A Novel of the Court of Henry VIII by Ford Madox Ford

    1

    The Fifth Queen: A Novel of the Court of Henry VIII
    by Ford Madox Ford

  • Read
    Rizzio: A Novella by Denise Mina

    2

    Rizzio: A Novella
    by Denise Mina

  • Read
    Painter to the King by Amy Sackville

    3

    Painter to the King
    by Amy Sackville

  • Read
    Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar, translated by Grace Frick

    4

    Memoirs of Hadrian
    by Marguerite Yourcenar, translated by Grace Frick

  • Read
    Be Like the Fox: Machiavelli's Lifelong Quest for Freedom by Erica Benner

    5

    Be Like the Fox: Machiavelli's Lifelong Quest for Freedom
    by Erica Benner

Loved Wolf Hall? We think you’ll like these books too

If you adored Hilary Mantel’s double-Booker-Prize-winning trilogy Wolf Hall, here are five more books like it: four works of historical fiction and one nonfiction title which we believe—for one reason or another—will go some way towards filling the Cromwell-shaped hole in your life.

    Loved The Thursday Murder Club? We think you’ll like these books too

  • Read
    The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood

    1

    The Marlow Murder Club
    by Robert Thorogood

  • Read
    Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey

    2

    Brat Farrar
    by Josephine Tey

  • Read
    A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie

    3

    A Murder is Announced
    by Agatha Christie

  • Read
    The Quiche of Death by M C Beaton

    4

    The Quiche of Death
    by M C Beaton

  • Read
    Cast, in Order of Disappearance by Simon Brett

    5

    Cast, in Order of Disappearance
    by Simon Brett

Loved The Thursday Murder Club? We think you’ll like these books too

What books are like The Thursday Murder Club in offering light entertainment and making fun of the murder-mystery genre? Five Books editor Sophie Roell, an avid reader of murder mysteries, has some recommendations.

    Loved Harry Potter? We think you’ll like these books too

  • Read
    The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

    1

    The Lightning Thief
    by Rick Riordan

  • Read
    His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman

    2

    His Dark Materials
    by Philip Pullman

  • Read
    Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

    3

    Akata Witch
    by Nnedi Okorafor

  • Read
    The Lost Twin (Scarlet and Ivy, Book 1) by Sophie Cleverly

    4

    The Lost Twin (Scarlet and Ivy, Book 1)
    by Sophie Cleverly

  • Read
    The Thieves of Ostia by Caroline Lawrence

    5

    The Thieves of Ostia
    by Caroline Lawrence

Loved Harry Potter? We think you’ll like these books too

When you’re looking for books like Harry Potter, it’s worth trying to pin down exactly what aspects of the series it is you’re trying to relive. Here, Sophie Roell, Editor of Five Books, tries to break it down and offers some ideas of other books you might enjoy.

    Loved The Handmaid’s Tale? We think you’ll like these books too

  • Read
    The Children of Men by P D James

    1

    The Children of Men
    by P D James

  • Read
    The Power by Naomi Alderman

    2

    The Power
    by Naomi Alderman

  • Read
    The Water Cure by Sophie Mackintosh

    3

    The Water Cure
    by Sophie Mackintosh

  • Read
    The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin

    4

    The Left Hand of Darkness
    by Ursula Le Guin

  • Read
    Women and Power: A Manifesto by Mary Beard

    5

    Women and Power: A Manifesto
    by Mary Beard

Loved The Handmaid’s Tale? We think you’ll like these books too

Margaret Atwood’s landmark work of speculative fiction was first published in 1985—and returned to prominence after a hit television adaptation underlined its continued relevancy in Donald Trump’s America. Whether you are a faithful fan of many years, or a recent convert to Atwood’s work, you are probably looking for more books like The Handmaid’s Tale—and we can help.

    Loved Normal People? We think you’ll like these books too

  • Read
    Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

    1

    Conversations with Friends
    by Sally Rooney

  • Read
    Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan

    2

    Exciting Times
    by Naoise Dolan

  • Read
    Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

    3

    Americanah
    by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

  • Read
    The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides

    4

    The Marriage Plot
    by Jeffrey Eugenides

  • Read
    Bad Behavior: Stories by Mary Gaitskill

    5

    Bad Behavior: Stories
    by Mary Gaitskill

Loved Normal People? We think you’ll like these books too

Sally Rooney’s second novel, Normal People, has been that rare beast: literary heavyweight and fixture on the bestseller lists, both. If you’ve read the book, watched the show, and still hunger for more, here are our suggestions for what to read after Normal People.

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