Books to Read, According to Your Astrological Sign
We can’t count the number of “you’re gonna love it” book recommendations we’ve fielded from friends, family, and colleagues, only to have the suggested prose prove underwhelming. We get it — not every story can (or should) appeal to every reader, which got us thinking: Instead of crowdsourcing our next great read, maybe we’d be better off selecting works based on our personality types as guided by the stars.
After consulting crystal healer Mazz Hanna, who creates customized Crystal Astrology Kits for each star sign, we’ve devised the ultimate summer reading list based on leading attributes for each star sign, including fiery Leos who identify with other strong leaders; rebellious Pisces who will find their own road to enlightenment, thank you very much; and adventure-oriented Sagittarians looking for their next big thrill. Find how your sun, moon, or rising sign cosmically align with the best books in the universe, ahead.
Intellectual Aquarians are equal parts natural-born leaders and free spirits who are known for being open minded, if not a little rebellious. It’s a combination that perfectly aligns with the philosophy of this counterintuitive self-help book, in which author Mark Manson explores how missteps — not wins — have guided him to lead a kinder, happier life.
SHOP: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life, $21.99, available at Barnes & Noble
Endlessly loving and emotionally-intelligent Pisces feel all the feels. Because those who fall under this star sign often work to balance the needs of their inner selves with the outer world, this book of advice on how to nurture relationships from a PhD and one-time marriage counselor — which has spent more than 300 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list and sold more than 13 million copies — will make a great addition to the Pisces’ book collection.
SHOP: The 5 Love Languages : The Secret to Love That Lasts, $12.73, available at Books-a-Million
There’s a reason ambitious Aries are good at parties: They’re known to be effortlessly charming and confident. What better for this lot than an effervescent book by fiction’s good-time king, Kevin Kwan (known for the Crazy Rich Asians series)? In his latest novel, Kwan pays homage to A Room With a View, by creating a decadent world in which protagonist Lucie Tang Churchill juggles feelings for her billionaire fiancé and a hard-bodied babe with wealth of his own. If outgoing Aries can’t party in Capri or East Hampton this summer, this book will take them there.
SHOP: Sex and Vanity, $26.95, available at Barnes & Noble
Humble, hard-working, and stable Taurus will likely relate to author Emmanuel Acho, who uses a clear-eyed and full-hearted approach to address systematic racism. “There is a fix. But in order to access it, we’re going to have to have some uncomfortable conversations,” the author says. Both strong-willed and calming, the Taurus spirit isn’t afraid to uncover inconvenient truths in the name of progress — and this book proves a compelling way to start.
SHOP: Uncomfortable Conversations With a Black Man, $23.45, available at Books-A-Million
Consummate social butterflies and multi-taskers, Geminis like to keep it moving at all times. This page-turner by Taylor Jenkins Reid tracks the frantic rise and fall of a rock band in 1970s Los Angeles, something that serves as a perfect backdrop for the sometimes flighty twin sign. Those who tend to think the book is always better than the TV show will want to sink their teeth into this slice of historical fiction, stat: a miniseries adaptation starring Riley Keough and Sebastian Chacon is in prepreduction now.
SHOP: Daisy Jones & The Six, $14.99, available at Barnes & Noble
If anyone has been waiting to hear Edward Cullen (from the famed Twilight trilogy) tell his side of the story, it’s the loyal, intuitive, and emotional Cancer. Some 15 years after author Stephanie Meyer introduced us to the brooding vampire through the eyes of Isabella "Bella" Swan, the writer revisits the widely-loved YA romance to give readers an inside track on Edward’s perspective. Jacob who? Team Edward for life!
SHOP: Midnight Sun, $17.36, available at Target
As hard workers and confident leaders, Leos know the power of perseverance. What’s more, they’re masters at accomplishing whatever they set out to do. It’s in this spirit that Leos will find kinship and inspiration in the late John Lewis, the seminal nonviolent civil rights leader and longtime congressman who was arrested more than 40 times in his relentless crusade for social justice.
SHOP: Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement, $16.99, available at Barnes & Noble
If there’s a way to game, hack, or otherwise master a system, then diligent, efficient, and passionate Virgos will find a way to do it. This star sign, who likely organized their homes in the first days of quarantine, may find a fascinating project in optimizing the human body. Bill Bryson (who also authored the best-selling book A Short History of Nearly Everything) gives Virgos the straight science behind the body and how it works, allowing this orderly earth sign to turn their bodies into temples.
SHOP: The Body: A Guide for Occupants, $26.40, available at Books-A-Million
If there’s two things Libras love, it’s adventure and a good laugh — and they’ll find both in Saturday Night Live writer Colin Jost’s new memoir, which includes tales of competing in WrestleMania, how Jimmy Buffett saved the writer’s life, oh, and that time an insect laid eggs inside Jost’s legs.
SHOP: A Very Punchable Face, $27, available at Barnes & Noble
Before watching the HBO docu-series by the same name, Scorpios may want to dig into writer Michelle McNamara’s written investigation of the so-called Golden State Killer, who committed heinous crimes in California during the ‘70s and ‘80s. If the late journalist’s award-winning and unrelenting examination of unsolved true crime doesn’t attract the mysterious, intense, and goal-oriented Scorpios, perhaps the payoff of a real-life solve will. Just two months after the book’s 2019 release, the criminal was caught.
SHOP: I’ll Be Gone In The Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer, $15.99, available at Barnes & Noble
This novel (a favorite of Reese Witherspoon’s) may revolve around an extravagant destination wedding, but don’t write it off as a fluffy summer beach read. Instead, adventure-loving Sagittarius, known to be as magnetic as this best-selling thriller, will find a plot packed with enough twists to keep them on their toes.
SHOP: The Guest List, $19.59, available at Target
Capricorns aren’t known as the most serious of Zodiac star signs for nothing. This highly-ambitious group values success and maintains a razor-sharp focus on work, even if it means holding one’s self to impossible standards. For Capricorns set on reaching goals, making money and not getting in one’s own way, this guide, penned by success coach Jen Sincero, will help turn up the awesome and dial down doubt.
SHOP: You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life, $13.99, available at Barnes & Noble