There is nothing better than getting sucked into a book because each page sends you deeper into the plot, and also has you thinking deeply about what it all means long after you put the book down.
We are revisiting some of our favorite, most thought-provoking books to add a few new favorites to our list. Whether or not you’ve already checked out our favorites before, you’re in for a treat with some of our top new thought-provoking reads from the last few years.
This list of 10 thought-provoking books will have you googling the meaning of each, if not motivated to start a book club just to finally have someone to talk it out with.
Our best thought-provoking books include everything from historical thrillers to waxing philosophical novels, with a side of deeply emotional memoirs. No matter what you fancy, we’ve got you covered.
Note
Article updated on April 13th, 2025: We’ve updated this article by including newly published books that were thought-provoking for us. We also swapped some of the books on this list to better reflect the ones we’ve read since this article was published.
15. The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones
This chilling novel is set in the American West in 1912 and is told through a diary found by a pastor.
The diary was written by a Blackfeet native named Good Stab and chronicles Good Stab’s deeds as he seeks vengeance for the atrocities committed against his people during the conquest of the American West.
Why we recommend it: A perfect blend of historical fiction, vampire horror, and social commentary, I found this book addictive and truly perspective-shifting. A great choice for fans of Interview with the Vampire.
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14. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar
Kaveh Akbar’s debut tells the story of Cyrus, the orphaned son of Iranian immigrants who’s trying to keep his sobriety in the Midwestern U.S.
Guided by his love of poetry, Cyrus embarks on an epic journey to find meaning in the nature of death, haunted by the tender loss of his own parents and finding unexpected community and mentors along the way.
Why we recommend it: Akbar’s prose is incredibly beautiful, and the novel’s themes of identity, sobriety, and culture make this a fascinating read.
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Subscribe to our weekly newsletter13. Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
When brothers Peter and Ivan lose their father, they are devastated. Peter, an accomplished lawyer, begins to self-medicate as he attempts to lose himself in relationships with two different women.
Ivan, his awkward younger brother, becomes friends with an older woman named Margaret, and their relationship quickly escalates to something deeper as Ivan attempts to maintain a strong relationship with Peter.
Why we recommend it: This novel is a fascinating examination of modern masculinity, all told through Rooney’s trademark dialogue.
12. Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty
This suspenseful novel opens on a plane ride where a woman named Cherry predicts the deaths of each passenger on board.
As the weeks unravel, several of the passengers whose deaths were predicted as imminent begin to see Cherry’s other prophecies come true, and they begin to wonder about the meaning of their own time on earth.
Why we recommend it: I enjoyed the balance of tension and philosophical inquiry in this novel, as well as its deep emotional punch. Another success from Liane Moriarty.
11. I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue
This hilarious office comedy explores what happens when Jolene, an admin employee at a large corporation, accidentally gains access to her colleagues’ private emails and messages.
When Jolene discovers pending layoffs, she becomes determined to use her secret powers in order to save her own job. There’s only one catch: she’s falling for Cliff in HR, but if he finds out her secret, everything in Jolene’s world is toast.
Why we recommend it: I loved how humorous and earnest this novel was. It’s incredibly real and relevant to anyone who’s ever had an office job they hated.
10. Klara And The Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Kazuo Ishiguro is famous for his narrator’s thought-provoking dialogue, as well as specific attention to details for which the story is opened up bit by bit. Klara and The Sun is exactly that.
The setting of the book is quite vague; it could be any time in the recent past or near future, but scientific advancements are much further along (as they often are in Kazuo’s books), and it takes place in one of the U.S.’s biggest cities, although it remains unidentified. There in the shop window of a big city, is Klara, an AI robot who is waiting to be purchased while she admires the world outside and wonders about the emotions of humankind.
Shortly, she meets the little girl who will soon become her owner, as Klara’s purpose is to care for children, but the story unravels in mysterious ways as secrets about health, society, and the environment are revealed slowly. This book will make you think about the boundaries of love, the ethics of science and society, and where the world is heading.
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9. The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson
This groundbreaking memoir uses personal narratives to explore deep, philosophical questions.
At the core of the book is Nelson’s relationship with Harry Dodge, a genderfluid artist, and the couple’s own navigation of gender and sexuality through parenthood and Dodge’s physical transformation.
Why we recommend it: I loved how this book highlighted the experiences of queerness and family. Plus, Nelson’s writing is simply gorgeous.
8. Half Of A Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a very decorated author. Among other things, she is famous for an engaging TED talk, We Should All be Feminists. Among her work of novels is Half Of A Yellow Sun, which follows family and love through the Nigerian Civil War in the 60s.
Adichie did her research; she spoke with her family who had lived through the war to pull details from what life was like at that time and the sentiments of Nigerians across all lines, and through that, she creates the most beautiful and complete characters.
The main plot follows two twin sisters, who have chosen very different paths in life which leads them to live in different realities during the war. Next is their relationships that are challenged, as they are faced with the challenges of life and survival.
This book is thought-provoking because it provides a humanistic perspective on what civilians of war experience and the heartbreaking destruction that must be faced. Although these themes are difficult to process, Adichie’s magic somehow makes them digestible and so engaging that you won’t be able to put the book down.
7. The Shadow Of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Take a trip to Barcelona in 1945 as the city is recovering from the Civil War, as the story follows the coming-of-age of a young man as he embarks on a mysterious journey. As a child, his father took him to a secret library, where Daniel was allowed to take one book – little did he know that book would drag him into a mystery beyond him over the decades.
Among the intrigue of mystery mixed in with the heartbreak of coming of age, Zafron’s descriptions of Barcelona are enchanting.
This book was originally written in Spanish but has been translated into more than 40 languages because the book has engaged so many people internationally.
6. Wake Up And Open Your Eyes by Clay McLeod Chapman
This contemporary horror novel is sure to make you think with its social satire and commentary on current events.
In it, Noah is a normal guy living in modern-day America. Until he gets a weird voicemail from his mother, which pushes him to travel halfway across the country to check on her.
When Noah arrives, he finds his parents entranced in front of their television. Slowly, he realizes that an increasing number of people around him have been overcome by a media obsession that turns them into something akin to zombies…
Why we recommend it: This book is truly terrifying, both as a traditional horror tale and as a biting take on our current media climate.
5. The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Trigger warning: suicide
Phoebe arrives at a lavish hotel alone after separating from her husband. Her plan? End it all.
But when Phoebe learns that the hotel has been booked up for the wedding of a woman named Lila, her plan goes awry.
As Phoebe becomes increasingly involved with members of the wedding party, her own perspectives on life and love are unexpectedly challenged.
Why we recommend it: I loved how this novel treated issues of mental health, as well as the touching central friendship between Lila and Phoebe. It was incredibly moving.
4. Beloved by Toni Morrison
One of the most thought-provoking and mystical genres is gothic fiction, specifically Southern Gothic fiction dissects the complicated layers of history of the American South by examining lifestyles and perspectives across history, all while laying in some ghostly supernatural elements.
Beloved by Toni Morrison is next level when it comes to layers of society and perspective, and she is known for her significant contribution to Southern Gothic and horror fiction. Morrison intersects history, racial oppression in the U.S., and family ties to bring forward a powerful story of a woman, Sethe, and her family as they move on from slavery in the aftermath of the Civil War.
This book is a page-turner, and for every moment that is difficult to read, there is a beautiful one about healing and feminine power.
3. I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
Trigger warning: addiction, eating disorders, abuse
This devastating and brutally honest memoir traces the childhood of former child star Jennette McCurdy, known for her roles on shows like iCarly and Sam & Cat.
While the books has a little in the way of celebrity gossip (McCurdy writes candidly about her relationship with co-star Ariana Grande, for one), its true power lies in the manner in which McCurdy reckons with her own abusive mother, her experiences of addiction, and her attempts to overcome an out-of-control, shape-shifting eating disorder.
Why we recommend it: While I never watched iCarly, this memoir impacted me deeply. McCurdy’s insights are honest and somehow hilarious in spite of their darkness. One of my favorite books of the last few years
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2. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
This forthcoming novel focuses on two writers, Alice and Hayden, who are competing against each other for the career-making chance to write the biography of Margaret Ives, a fascinating recluse.
As Margaret gets to know each of the writers, they develop an unlikely kinship in spite of their at-odds working relationship. But can they fully trust Margaret?
Why we recommend it: I loved the enemies-to-lovers plotline in this book, as well as its juicy reveals and rewarding narrative structure.
1. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Post-apocalyptic books have a way of making you think about the future and how to best live your life in the moment. The Road by Cormac McCarthy follows a man and his son, who was born post-apocalypse, as he tries to guide him through this new world.
This beautiful tale between a parent and child, their journey through life, and the human nature of hope are all themes you can expect to be challenged by.
These have been our favorite thought-provoking books to add to your TBR. What have been your most eye-opening books lately? Anything to recommend to us? Let us know in the comments!
And as always, happy reading!
