Five Books That Unravel More Than Just Their Narratives
By Mahjabin Rahman
Here’s the thing: I’ve always believed that the best stories aren’t the ones that we just enjoy, but the ones that shift something in us. Not always in big, dramatic ways, but quietly. Just a sentence that lingers is enough. A character that feels uncomfortably familiar. A moment that we’ve felt but never said out loud. Lately, I’ve been searching for those kinds of books, the ones that don’t just tell a story, but also make you feel and stay with you long after.
This time, I picked five very different books, not all shiny new releases, but each carrying something sharp, strange or striking beneath the plot. It’s a total mixed bag. Some are hilarious, some are unsettling, one might send you into a low-grade existential crisis. All of them dig deeper than they first let on.
Yellowface
This year’s reading goal was “try new genres, don’t be boring” and this was the first book I tackled for this goal. R.F. Kuang’s Yellowface, dives into the messiness of the publishing world. It feels like if you put sharp satire and a crime thriller into a blending machine and hit “chaos.” At the beginning, it’s funny and a little over-the-top, but then BAM! As the story unfolds, it starts to feel a lot darker and disturbingly real. It follows a struggling writer who makes a split-second decision that lands her instant literary fame – only, the success isn’t exactly hers to gain. No spoilers, but the tension builds fast and doesn’t really let you look away. What makes Yellowface such a solid read is how it juggles humor, discomfort and insight so seamlessly. It’s bold, smart, and a little too honest – in the best way.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
I always thought fantasy books came in duology or trilogy with dragons and maps, but this one? A standalone, and a damn good one. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab genuinely made me FEEL. Like, all the things. From joy to loneliness to longing to frustration – ohh you name it. The main character is in her early 20s, which made her instantly relatable. As young adults, we often feel trapped by expectations, by routines, by all the rules we never agreed to. That’s exactly what happens to Addie, a young woman in 18th-century France who just wants to live her life on her own terms(relatable). So she makes a desperate deal to escape her reality, and while it gives her freedom, it also comes with a twist that changes everything.
The Vegetarian
Honestly – I didn’t even know about this one until Han Kang bagged the Nobel Prize in 2024. That’s when it suddenly started to show up everywhere, and I thought, okay, let’s see what the hype is all about. Funny thing is, the book came out back in 2007, but I’m kind of glad I didn’t read it earlier. It’s like, to get this kind of story, you need a few mileage and maybe some bad decisions. And when you’re old enough to recognize quiet rebellion that’s when it hits you. The plot is, a woman in South Korea decides to stop eating meat, simple right? Ohh no, nothing is simple in this world. It’s just the start of a haunting, poetic, a little surreal, and deeply unsettling story.
First-Time Caller
First Time Caller by B.K. Borison, a 2025 release, totally caught me off guard, in a good way. The setup is a late-night radio show soon, but it evolves into a tense, emotional experience where every caller is a mystery and every secret feels like it’s about to explode. I actually felt like I was eavesdropping, not just reading. Borison’s writing is fresh and real; she combines tension with moments that quietly hit you emotionally.
Lady Macbeth
I’ve read books by Ava Reid, and her writing always has this creepy, atmospheric quality, which I love! So when I picked up Lady Macbeth, I already knew it was going to have that gothic vibe. And I was right. But I had no idea that it would be or could be anything more than a gothic romance. Reid turns this story about a woman, not just the infamous figure we know from Shakespeare, but a fully fleshed-out character who is angry, ambitious, intelligent and deeply human. Her journey is heavy and brutal at times, but also strangely empowering. Watching her rise, break, and still keep going? That felt like the real story all along.
Some stories have a different impact on us because they echo something true, something you didn’t know you needed to hear until you see them between the lines. So yeah, not your average book recs. But if you want stories that mess with your head and maybe leave a bruise or two? This list will do it.
