Books that changed my life
I don’t hand out five-star ratings often. In fact, I’ve built a very specific, highly unofficial ranking system based on things like: how long I think about the book after finishing it, how many pages I dog-ear, and how tempted I am to text someone a quote at midnight. So when a book clears five stars, it means it’s actually stayed with me.
These are the ones that did. Some found me at exactly the right time. Some ruined me a little bit (in a good way). Some made me want to write more, feel more, do better. They’ve become part of the way I see the world.
If you’ve read them, you already know. If you haven’t — I really think you should.
1. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
This book made me realise how powerful, clear, controlled writing can be — especially when everything underneath it is completely unravelling. She captures the way your brain short-circuits in loss — when you know someone is gone, but still expect them to walk in the door. It changed how I think about time, memory, and survival. How your life can change in an ordinary instant.
2. Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
This book nails that strange, in-between feeling of your early twenties — where everything feels big and ridiculous and a bit lonely, even when you're surrounded by people. It’s funny and chaotic in a way that doesn’t feel forced, and it captures the mess of dating, moving, and figuring yourself out. What stuck with me most wasn’t the romance, but the reminder that friendship can be just as defining.
3. Women Who Love Too Much by Robin Norwood
This one isn’t exactly light reading, but it got me thinking about how easy it is to mistake unhealthy patterns for love. The book is clear and honest. It helped me spot things I’d been ignoring - like chasing people who weren’t really good for me. I found myself underlining more than I expected. If you’ve ever stuck around longer than you should have, this one’s worth a look.
4. A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf
This short essay cuts straight to the point about how women have been excluded from creative and intellectual spaces for centuries. Woolf’s clarity and insight made me rethink the importance of claiming space for my own voice. Every time I return to it, I’m reminded why writing matters—and why pushing into places where we’re not expected is necessary.
5. On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
This book reads like a poem—fragile and intense. It’s a letter from a son to his mother, exploring identity, family, and the things we don’t say out loud. The writing stopped me more times than I expected, making me slow down and really feel the weight of each sentence. It’s not an easy read, but it’s one that stays with you long after you finish it.
