Bestselling author and BookTok sensation Colleen Hoover spent a decade in social work and education before transitioning to writing full-time. Since self-publishing her debut novel Slammed in 2012, she’s amassed a cult-like following for her contemporary romance and young adult fiction, which explore the complexities of trauma and healing in young people. As of this year, Hoover’s the third most-followed author of all time on Goodreads (after mainstays Stephen King and Bill Gates), and her books have sold more than 20 million copies.
Following the runaway success of Slammed – the story of a teen reeling from her father’s death – Hoover has built a readership almost religious in its fervor, with legions of TikTok fans obsessively anticipating her latest releases. Her most-hyped books include the 2016 blockbuster It Ends With Us, which shines a light on domestic abuse and familial violence, and 2018’s Verity, a psychological thriller that unpacks a picture-perfect couple’s courtship. In addition to a backlist of nearly two dozen novels and novellas, Hoover runs the book subscription service The Bookworm Box and hosts the annual Book Bonanza event, both of which donate all proceeds to charity.
As part of Goodreads‘ ten-year anniversary celebration, Hoover was among several popular authors asked to share their ten most beloved books with the site. From Judy Blume to Kurt Vonnegut, find her recommendations below, and complement with the bookshelves of YA favorites Jodi Picoult, John Green, and Nicholas Sparks.
Where The Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein (also rec’d by LeVar Burton)
In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume (also rec’d by Nicholas Sparks)
Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes
The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende
The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay
Easy by Tammara Webber
Every Day by David Levithan
The Andy Cohen Diaries: A Deep Look at a Shallow Year by Andy Cohen
Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut (also rec’d by Drew Barrymore)
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
(via Goodreads)