Binge-worthy Books: Literary Fiction

What book series or author have you bingeread?

When my family and I went into quarantine, I found myself wishing I could go back and unread some of my favorites so that I could experience binge-reading them again.

For instance, when I started Outlander, in 2014, almost all of the currently published books had been released. I didn’t go anywhere for weeks unless I absolutely had to, because I really just wanted to be home reading.

Same thing with Shadowhunters.

And if I’m being honest, I binged the Twilight series too. Say what you will about those sparkly vampires, but I was immensely entertained. #TeamEdward.

So, I came up with this idea for a blog post (that quickly turned into a series, because there are just too many good books) about which book series or author in each genre are most #bingeable?

With all of this time inside, by ourselves, we could all use some suggestions for entertainment.

For each genre, I’ve compiled list of suggested authors or series that I believe you could automatically buy in its entirety and not want to stop reading until you’ve finished them all. This list is far from exhaustive, so if you see anything missing, please let me know!!! I may add it to the list with credit, naturally.

First up:

Contemporary Fiction

1. Fredrik Backman

If you’ve never read any of his books, start now and start with Beartown. Oh wait, there’s also A Man Called Ove, and you can read it and watch the movie on Amazon Prime Video.

Then again, if you start with Beartown, you can immediately read the sequel Us Against You. Hmmmmmm….

Honestly, it doesn’t matter where you start, just buy any of them now, and you won’t be able to stop. His books are hysterical and so freaking insightful that having you mind blown becomes a common occurrence.

2. Richard Paul Evans

So, most people know Richard Paul Evans as a Christmas novel writer. In fact, I’ve come to depend on him for a new book every November to kick off my Holiday themed reading. But, I’m going to age myself by telling you I have been reading RPE books for almost 20 years. In my defense, I was 15 when I started.

My point is, RPE has been writing books for decades and has amassed quite a catalogue, so feel free to binge them all, but I suggest starting with The Locket Trilogy.

I loved book #1 so much that I posed with it in my senior picture, because it was and still is one of my favorite books of all time. I can remember being in my room as a teenager and not wanting to go anywhere or talk to anyone because I needed to READ.

That feels like the definition of bingeable.

3. Toni Morrison

If you read one Toni Morrison novel and like it, you will want to read them all. They are visceral, emotional, and poignant, with beautiful characters and stories that do not hold back.

The Bluest Eye is probably the most well known, but I could not put Jazz down.

4. Peter Pezzelli

This writer is not very well known, but his stories have such heart and glorious characters that I had to buy and read everyone one of them. Be prepared to deal with some emotion but also learn a lot about Italian food. Oh yeah, and you will laugh out loud.

5. Jodi Piccoult

My insta-friend, @sharkyreads, suggested this author be added to the list, and I had to agree. I’m going to be honest and tell you I find Jodi Picoult too depressing to read, but her books are ridiculously popular and highly readable. Not to mention, she has a huge catalogue, making her the perfect person to binge read while you have the time.

6. Jane Austen

I know that a lot of people are intimidated by classic novels, but Jane Austen might be the most highly readable of the bunch. Interesting characters, engaging stories, and oh, the romance.

The best part about deciding to binge Jane Austen are the depictions. After you finish each novel, you will have your choice from a plethora of adaptations to watch. My fav by far is Keira Knightley’s 2005 portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet in Pride & Prejudice. I have watched that movie so many times, but can never get enough.

Your thoughts?

So what do you think? Did I miss a literary fiction writer that you can’t get enough of? If so, drop your thoughts in the comments and come back tomorrow as we tackle the most binge-worthy Fantasy writers and series.