8 award-winning books that deserve a spot on your bookshelf

Although poems, self-help, and classics are a favourite on the bookshelf, time and again we feel like there should be something new and fresh in our gallery. But as the confusion as to what buy next continues, and people are in a dilemma over favourite books, here we mention 8 award-winning books that one must read this year.

The first book on the list is the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It is a book about survival, loss, and resilience in the American Civil War time. The story features a mother and her daughter who try to understand life in a war-torn country, and how littlest things can become inspiration.
(Image: Alfred a Knopf Inc)

Next one that is a must read is a rather small book that won the Booker Prize in 2024 is ‘Orbital’ by Samantha Harvey. The book is set in space, and features astronauts as they orbit Earth, and share their personal experiences, fears, worries, and how both Earth and Humanity are related.
(Image: Vintage Digital)

A must-read book that might get a little 'heavy' for some readers is the one which recieved the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2024. The book is named ‘Vegetarian’ by Han Kang, and book is about the experience of a girl who decides to move to Vegetarianism in a country (South Korea) that thrives on non-vegetarian food. (Image: Random House)

Another exceptional book that deserves a spot on your bookshelf is a retelling of ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’. The book here is titled ‘James’, and it won the National Book Award 2024. In his novel, Percival shifts the perspective from Huck Finn to Jim, the enslaved man in Twain’s classic.

(Image: Doubleday)

Another must read book for 2025 is the Winner of the International Booker Prize, ‘Kairos’. 'Kairos' is the story of two lovers, one a young student, and the other an older, married man. But is their shared interest of music and art enough to keep them together? You can only read and find out!

(Image: New Directions)

A book that evokes a thousand emotions just by the name is this one. Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, this book mixes elements of ghost stories and philosophical musings, along with feelings and situations of grief, love, wit, and more.

For anyone trying to move beyond Classics and drama, this could be the perfect next read.

(Image: Alfred a Knopf Inc)

Another title that sparks intrigue and curiosity just by the name is this book. The recipient of the Pen/Faulkner Award, ‘What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez’ is a story of a Puerto Rican family who is searching for their missing daughter, and they get to know that she might be well and alive, and even feature on a TV show. (Image: Grand Central Publishing)

An award for the horror and spooky genre is the Bram Stoker award, and it was won by ‘The Reformatory’. The book won the Superior Achievement award, and is about a little boy who is sent to a correctional home as a punishment, but the place is filled with ghosts and spirits, and only they can help him. But, everything comes with a price! (Image: Saga Pr)