10 Books That Make You Forget You’re Reading

There is truly no better feeling than getting so swept away by the book you’re reading, you forget that’s what you’re doing. The pages turn fast, almost sub-consciously, as you’re fully immersed into the characters and setting. These are the books that make you forget you’re reading (of course, with the caveat that results may vary between readers).

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

It’s not surprising when books that make you forget you’re reading rocket to the top of the best seller list – everyone loves the feeling! Case in point: Gone Girl, the mystery-thriller that everyone was reading and talking about for a while there. The prose might not be breathtaking or highly literary, but the plot and the characters are just so juicy, and the twist so incredible and unexpected, that you won’t be able to look away. The reviews are full of people who are shocked that they devoured the whole thing in a single sitting, so don’t be surprised if you experience the same. Read my full review of Gone Girl here.

Daisy Jones And The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

It’s counter-intuitive, but often epistolary novels are the books that make you forget you’re reading. Even though they deliberately draw your attention to the form and style of the story, you find yourself swept away when the writer is talented enough to make it an unputdownable read. Daisy Jones And The Six is one such novel. The story is presented as a transcript of a Behind The Music-esque documentary about a fictional ’70s band with Fleetwood Mac-level drama going on off-stage, and it’s every bit as gripping as all the BookTokers promise. Read my full review of Daisy Jones And The Six here.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Books that make you forget you’re reading aren’t all high-stakes, high-drama. Some of them are just cozy and lovely, with characters so endearing you forget for a moment that they’re not actually your real-life best friends. A Man Called Ove is an unexpectedly heartwarming read about a cantankerous middle-aged widower who’s brought back to life by the rambunctious neighbour family who moves in next door. This book is so beloved, it took Fredrik Backman from a life of obscurity as a quiet Swedish blogger to an international best-selling author in high demand. Read my full review of A Man Called Ove here.

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

In Cold Blood isn’t just a breathtaking read for the true crime girlies – anyone could easily find themselves forgetting they’re reading in this classic non-fiction novel. Truman Capote had a singular talent for immersing the reader in the world he saw. He spent years researching and writing this account of the murders of the Clutter family, and every detail makes it into the story. Okay, sure, he might have fudged a couple of details, but when the book is this good you’ll likely find yourself willing to forgive a liberal application of the creative license. Read my full review of In Cold Blood here.

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

If you’re anything like me, you might find yourself skeptical that any fantasy could make it onto a list of books that make you forget you’re reading. Trust me when I say that Piranesi will have you eating your words. It’ll likely take you a while to settle into it, the first third of the book or so won’t fly by necessarily, but it will win you over. The delightful narrator – who is unreliable, but not unlikeable, imagine that! – has a cracking story to tell and a series of mysteries to solve, not the least of which is how he came to be living in a labyrinth so large it has its own weather systems. Do yourself a favour and give Piranesi a chance. Read my full review of Piranesi here.

Room by Emma Donoghue

Finding yourself so immersed in a book that you forget you’re reading isn’t always a good thing. In the case of Emma Donoghue’s Room, it can be so scary and claustrophobic that you might want to schedule frequent breaks to reacquaint yourself with the safety of your real world. The story is based on the crimes of Josef Fritzl, a young woman and her child (the product of repeated and prolonged sexual abuse) held against their will in a small room with no contact with the outside world, other than their abuser. Donoghue is a highly skilled writer, and in some ways it actually works against her in such a terrifying nightmare-inducing tome. Read my full review of Room here.

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

I completely lost myself in Charles Dickens’ epic David Copperfield – but I recognise that not many folks find themselves forgetting they’re reading a hefty classic book written in 19th century English. So, in its place, I highly recommend Demon Copperhead, a contemporary adaptation that’s perhaps more broadly readable but every bit as brilliant. Barbara Kingsolver transplants Dickens’ story to today’s southern Appalachia, where an orphaned boy put to work too young must overcome poverty and hardship with little more than his sharp wits and a fierce determination to survive and overcome. Read my full review of Demon Copperhead here.

My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult

If you’re the kind of person who loves an ethical quagmire, who will debate the merits with a brick wall if given half a chance, you’ll find a good moral dilemma makes for a great book that will make you forget you’re reading. My Sister’s Keeper is one of the contemporary classics, a book that will force the reader to interrogate their own ethics and make a decision that might match up with the story, or it might not. A young girl, genetically engineered to be the perfect donor for her terminally ill older sister, takes a stand and refuses to give up any more of her own body parts (against her parents most fervent wishes). Unfortunately, the bonds of sisterhood can’t be so easily severed. Read my full review of My Sister’s Keeper here.

The Martian by Andy Weir

Okay, fine, you might have to suspend your disbelief for a little while to truly forget you’re reading The Martian – given the state of the superpowers of the world, it’s hard to imagine that any of them will get it together to send a manned mission to Mars, let alone a rescue mission to save the astronaut left behind in a tragic accident. But Andy Weir crafts a narrator’s voice so compelling, so clever and funny, that you’ll likely find yourself swept away anyhow. Mark Watney faces his fate, an uphill battle to survive against overwhelming odds in complete isolation, with good humour and creativity – you’ll find yourself hoping you can be so plucky in the face of your own problems. Read my full review of The Martian here.

The Cry by Helen Fitzgerald

I found myself so captivated by the BBC One adaptation of The Cry that I couldn’t look away – I watched the entire series in one sitting. So, it’s hardly surprising that I would recommend The Cry as one of the books that will make you forget you’re reading, seeing as it’s every bit as brilliant as the on-screen version. It’s a dark, psychological thriller with a gripping moral dilemma, and the heart-stopping high stakes of a missing infant – perfect for anyone who enjoys a story about good people doing bad things. Read my full review of The Cry here.

Of course, it’s wonderful to read books that make you forget you’re reading, but you don’t want to actually forget what you’ve just read. Here’s how to make sure you remember what you read.