Yes, we admit it: this piece carries a touch of activism. It rises like a small wave among those who still defend the pleasure of reading “a real book” — not a smartphone. A book with pages you can touch, stain, fold, crease, even tear. No scrolling to keep the story going, just a cardboard bookmark marking the silent dialogue between you and the page.

Another nostalgic ode to literature? Perhaps. And yet… remember when everyone predicted the death of bookshops the moment smartphones, tablets, and their glowing e-libraries took over our hands? Well, here’s the truth, dear friends.

Sixty percent of Brussels residents still read at least one book a year — most of them women (67%, says Statbel).
The long-announced decline of reading? It never arrived. In fact, a RISE study covering nineteen European countries reveals that the share of readers and book buyers is actually growing.

And here’s the best part: 18- to 24-year-olds read just as much as adults.
So let’s end this little overview with a heartfelt salute to Brussels youth: keep going, dear teens — you make us proud.

So now that we’ve brushed aside the doomsayers with a single flick of the wrist, let me tempt you with five little pitches — just enough to make you fall in love with this fantastic quintet.

Imagine them in hardback form, pages still breathing the scent of fresh ink as you unwrap them at home. And truly, all five deserve a place on your winter reading list.
Now, I would suggest to better give a preference to buy these little marvels speaking with your bookstore owner, you can also click on a simple button to get them at home (buy at least 2 of top list!), but whatever your way, have a great readings!

THE SECRET OF SECRETS

Dan Brown – September 2025

Robert Langdon returns for what may be his most ambitious quest yet — a breathtaking chase through ancient manuscripts, encrypted frescoes, and forgotten scientific archives.
With scenes set in crypts, astronomical observatories, and hidden laboratories, the novel blends myth, mathematics, and cutting-edge science. The result is a story that crackles with intellectual excitement, while delivering the cinematic tension and playful riddles that have made Dan Brown a global phenomenon.

THE EMPEROR OF GLADNESS

Ocean Vuong – May 2025

Ocean Vuong crafts a deeply intimate novel where memory flows like a river — shifting, shimmering, sometimes overwhelming. Through a narrative both fragile and fierce, he explores the contours of grief, desire, and identity with a lyrical precision that turns every page into a quiet revelation.
Vuong leads us into spaces where language becomes sanctuary, where the boundaries between past and present dissolve into tender echoes.
It is a story that embraces vulnerability, transforms pain into poetry, and invites the reader to inhabit a world where beauty and sorrow coexist in perfect balance.

THE DOORMAN

Chris Pavone – 2025

At the entrance of a luxury Manhattan building stands a man who sees everything — and says nothing. But when a tenant disappears and a strange visitor starts asking too many questions, the doorman becomes the unwilling guardian of a conspiracy that stretches far beyond his lobby.
As secrets unravel and alliances shift, the story moves with the slick tension of a noir film, charged with sharp dialogue and unexpected turns. It’s a novel about power, trust, and the invisible lives that unfold behind closed doors — perfect for readers who love thrillers with brains, style, and emotional depth.

JAMES

Percival Everett
Pulitzer Prize 2025

A sweeping, luminous novel about one man’s hunger for dignity in a world that insists on denying it. James is a character whose resilience glows through every page — a life shaped by injustice but not defined by it. The writing is subtle, the emotional beats precise, and the story resonates with the timeless force of great American literature.
This novel moves between intimate reflection and broader social commentary, offering a portrait both personal and universal. It invites readers to witness the inner world of a man searching for belonging, freedom, and the right to simply exist. A powerful, enduring work destined to become a classic.

THE GIRLS WHO GREW BIG

Leila Mottley – June 2025

Three teenage girls in a sweltering Florida summer fight to carve out a place for themselves in a world that keeps shrinking their possibilities.
It’s a novel full of heat — emotional, social, and atmospheric — where each girl’s voice bursts with vulnerability and defiance.
With its charged, youthful energy and its deeply human tenderness, this book is a celebration of becoming, of surviving, and ultimately of growing beyond everything that once held you back.