AmazonChoosing a book to read can be a struggle. Do you go for a cult classic, a Man Booker Prize winner or something a friend has recommended? The choice can feel endless, and by the time you've scrolled through the book section on Amazon, you might very well end up watching Netflix.

With this in mind, we've asked some of our writers, who are also keen readers, to share their favourite books of all time. From a horror classic to a grizzly crime drama, a bestseller and a gripping sci-fi epic, there is something for everyone on our extensive list.

Let us know in the comments what your favourite book is, or if we've missed any that should have made the list.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1925

Rebecca Koncienzcy, a Content Editor for Spare Time, said: "The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is one of the only books I have ever re-read. Told through the eyes of Nick Carraway, it tells the story of Jay Gatsby, a mysterious millionaire in the Jazz Age who is desperate to be reunited with his former lover, Daisy.

"With themes of class, wealth, discrimination and a critical eye cast over the supposed ‘American dream’, this classic tragedy will anger your blood while painting the most beautiful Art Nouveau imagery.

"Many, if not all, of the characters are flawed and unlikeable, which, for me, makes them feel more real, showing an incredible depth of writing and observation of human behaviour that only a true master of their craft can do.

"And this is all tied together alongside overarching meta themes and a story filled with longing, hope and death, almost like a gothic novel.

"The Great Gatsby is only short, around 180 pages, and even though it was first published 100 years ago in 1925, its language, plot, and completely human narratives of lust and greed under the shimmer of a flapper girl’s sequined dress make it accessible to any reader."

Buy The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, 1961

Deputy Content Hub Director and Head of Spare Time, Steffan Rhys, said: "It was more than 25 years ago but I still vividly remember first reading those words on the first page of Catch-22, Joseph Heller’s satirical novel about a group of American soldiers in World War Two.

"Its main character, Yossarian, is in hospital with “a pain in his liver that fell just short of being jaundice”. It goes on: “The doctors were puzzled by the fact that it wasn’t quite jaundice. If it became jaundice, they could treat it. If it didn’t become jaundice and went away, they could discharge him. But this just being short of jaundice all the time confused them.”

"How could you not keep reading after that? It continues in this manic, eye-wateringly funny way for the next several hundred pages but it’s also a reflection on the absurdity of war, bureaucracy and humanity, raising questions as relevant today as when it was written in 1961, just 16 years on from the end of the war.

"The phrase 'catch 22', of course, has gone on to become one commonly used in the English language to describe a situation in which you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t."

Buy Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, 1847

Audience Writer for Spare Time, Isobel Pankhurst, said: "It’s so hard to choose a favourite with so many options out there, and I almost had to do a coin toss to choose between Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice. I guess I just really love a plot that can be simplified down to ‘people going to other people’s houses.’

"When I first read Wuthering Heights for A-Level English Literature, unlike plenty of other books I’d read for school, I immediately fell in love. Brontë’s atmospheric writing made me feel as though I was really transported to the Yorkshire Moors and witnessing the dramatic events of the novel myself.

"The ideas presented in the novel surrounding abuse, human nature, and the societal class structures are sadly just as relevant today as they were almost 200 years ago, making this a truly timeless novel.

"The characters are just as flawed and multifaceted as any real person, and Heathcliff’s gradual descent into what can only be described as true madness is a truly terrifying read.

"It’s a real tragedy that Wuthering Heights was Emily Brontë’s only novel, having passed away just a year after its publication, and it really leaves one wondering just what other stories she would have written had she lived longer."

Buy Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, 1940

Under 35 Writer for Spare Time, Ellen Jenne, said: "I didn’t read a book until I was 11. No, that’s not a joke. You couldn’t force me to read when I was younger, no matter how hard the primary school teachers tried. But somehow, nearly 20 years later, my literary orbit has been tipped upside down. Trying to choose a favourite book is incredibly difficult, but for anyone who knows me, knows I’m a sucker for a whodunnit.

"My love affair with Agatha Christie goes back 15 years, when I picked up And Then There Were None. It sounded ominous enough for me to pick it up and delve into the world of Soldier Island off the Devon coast, where 10 strangers are invited by Mr and Mrs U. N. Owen.

"The reason for their invitation? They're all guilty, in one way or another, as they’re indiscretions come to light. One by one, the strangers are picked off to the tune of a controversial rhyme, ‘Ten Little Soldiers’. The original rhyme was much more colourful.

"Murder is cunning, artistic and clever. But there’s no evidence of this enigmatic murderer, none whatsoever. Slowly, the party begins to dwindle, and everything becomes so very bleak. Whodunnit? Who do you trust? Simple: no one.

"Each of the strangers frolics around the island chasing their own shadows and ghosts who’ve come back to haunt them. Driven mad by their own guilt and delusion, the last stranger finds themselves at the noose. But left by who? They’re the last one left. Well, now, that would be spoiling it.

"And Then There Were None genuinely changed my life. I don’t think I’ve ever met another book which altered my perception of books and literature so much. Tense, thrilling, adrenaline-inducing, that’s what this book did for 14-year-old me. Think Fight Club-level twist.

"However, I’d felt like I’d heard this story before. One of the first stories I’d read at 11 was, unsurprisingly, an age-appropriate murder mystery detective story. A teenage spoof by Anthony Horowitz who perfectly curated murder for school pupils. I’ll never get bored of it, even though I know what comes at the end."

Buy And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, 2021

Under 35 Content Editor for Spare Time, Talya Honebeek, said: "I always find it so hard to choose a favourite book, and from Jane Eyre to Dungeon Crawler Carl, I have several very different answers to the question depending on my mood at the time.

"But one book I could read any day of the week is Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. It follows Ryland Grace, the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission to save Earth — except he doesn’t know it yet. We meet Ryland as he wakes up from a very long sleep and realises he’s totally alone… and millions of miles from home. As his memories start to return, he sets out to find a way to save humanity from extinction.

"This is sci-fi, with emphasis on the sci. Don’t be put off though, because while there’s a lot of scientific language and terms, it’s written in an accessible and often humorous way. The novel is split into the present day and Ryland’s memories of life before being sent to space, and each section is equally engaging, with twists and turns in all the right places.

"I was so invested in Ryland’s story, and I still think about the ending of this book all the time. I have both read it and listened to the audiobook, and would absolutely recommend either."

Buy Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

How To Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie, 2021

Deputy Editor for Spare Time, Millie Bull, said: "It's not often I buy a book because I like its cover and title, but I must admit Bella Mackie's bright pink debut novel drew me in.

"The story centres on the formidable Grace Bernard, a young woman who discovers her absentee father is Simon Artemis, a self-absorbed millionaire businessman who rejected Grace's dying mother's pleas for help. In light of this knowledge, Grace decides to kill every single member of his family, including him. However, before she can complete her revenge scheme, she is imprisoned for a murder she didn't commit.

"Grace narrates her story from a journal in Limehouse prison, recounting every meticulously planned murder and elaborate scheme. Grace's character is dark and cynical yet likeable. You can understand where her lust for revenge and dislike for the upper classes stem from, while simultaneously feeling horrified when she coolly murders her own cousin.

"She's the classic female antihero we hate to love: brave, analytical, ruthless, and a force to be reckoned with.

"I loved Grace's character, Mackie's fabulous use of description and even the imaginative details of each murder, but the ending will divide you. I still can't decide what I think about it, despite finishing the book a few years ago.

"It's also the perfect novel to read with a devilish smirk around your family..."

Buy How To Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, 1818

Katherine McPhillips, an Audience Writer for Spare Time, said: "I first read Frankenstein when I was going through an embarrassing goth stage when I was 14, but the story has stuck with me throughout my adult life. It is a fairly short book, but I think it has held up over the last 200 years as both Dr Victor Frankenstein and his creation have such a fascinating relationship that you constantly question who the real monster is.

"However, I think what makes people relate to the story in modern times is that it is not just about the supernatural, but what happens when people become lonely and have no one to fall back on for support. It is a book that makes you reflect on your own life and what you do for your own local community, which is why I think I always return to reading it at least once a year."

Buy Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, 1818

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, 2015

Deputy Editor for Spare Time, Sophie Law, said: "Few books have resonated so deeply with me that they have been difficult to forget, lingering long after I turned the last page. Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life is undoubtedly one of those rare gems — I personally think it's a modern masterpiece and one of the few novels that has made me sob multiple times.

"At the heart of A Little Life are four friends — Jude, Willem, Malcolm, and JB. The story follows their lives from their days as college roommates in Boston to lifelong friends living in New York City. Yes, this novel tackles some tough subjects like trauma and sexual assault, which have drawn some criticism. However, the way the author explores themes of friendship, love, and loyalty, and the bonds shared by these four friends, through every high and heartbreaking low, is extremely profound.

"The author crafts the characters so deeply that they feel like real people you've known personally. Jude, in particular, becomes a character you simply can't forget, and the story stayed in my mind for weeks afterwards."

Buy A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

The Secret History by Donna Tartt, 1992

Spare Time Under 35 writer, Nicola Roy, said: "The term ‘modern classic’ gets thrown around a lot, but I really believe that The Secret History by Donna Tartt falls under this category. This is one of those highly recommended TikTok books, but one that actually made such an impact on me that I’d now consider it one of my favourites ever.

"It’s a murder mystery, but not as you know it. The book was published back in 1992, and follows the story of a group of students at a New England university who have committed an unspeakable crime and are trying to navigate how to deal with the situation. The main character, Richard, is the new student at the school and found himself so enamoured with this odd yet alluring, beautiful and wealthy group of people that he’d do anything to fit in with them.

"Reading this made me feel very sophisticated as there’s a lot of reference to Greek classics in there, but it’s funny and heartbreaking at points too — there’s really never a dull moment. It’s also considered one of the foundational works of the ‘dark academia’ aesthetic, with a moody and gothic feel.

"Donna Tartt’s writing is so vivid and descriptive that I had dreams about this book when reading it, despite never having seen any of the characters. It’s a bit of a slow burn at first, but once you figure out what’s going on, it’s unputdownable."

Buy The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann, 2017

Content Editor for Spare Time, Ketsuda Phoutinane, said: "Killers of the Flower Moon was so unputdownable I could’ve devoured it in one sitting. Eye-opening, heartbreaking, utterly compellingly written, it’s one I’d recommend right away to anyone in a reading rut, as I had been. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read.

"Before this book, I’d written off non-fiction, but it turns out I was just unfamiliar with narrative non-fiction, which I’ve understood to mean actually-interesting-to-read non-fiction, of which David Grann is a master of the genre.

"The book focuses on members of the Osage Indian Nation of Oklahoma who were the richest people in the world in the 1920s after oil was discovered on their land. But one by one, members begin to die in circumstances ranging from mysterious to violent. One of the prime targets was the family of Mollie Burkhart. The book is riveting as the chilling story unravels and intersects with the fledgling early days of the FBI.

"Ideally, you’d not have seen the film version. The 2023 Martin Scorsese film starring Lily Gladstone and Leonardo DiCaprio approaches the events of the book differently. Without spoilers, the book is set up more as a murder mystery."

Buy Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann