The ‘Internet’s Resident Librarian’ Jack Edwards Reveals 5 ‘Bingeable’ Books—From Ann Patchett to Matt Dinniman!
The BookTuber's recent recommendations include satirical thrillers and tender literary fiction!
Key Takeaways
- Jack Edwards, known as the 'internet's resident librarian,' has a vast social media following.
- His Inklings book club features A-list celebrities like Anne Hathaway and Zendaya.
- Edwards' 5 must-read recommendations span satirical thrillers, sci-fi and tender lit fic.
Once upon a time, readers seeking a good book recommendation might have visited their local library or brick-and-mortar book store for a little inspiration. But today’s readers have infinite options right at their fingertips thanks to social media. From BookTube to BookTok, Reddit and beyond, the recommendations are vast and plentiful—but there’s one ‘book influencer’ who has turned his love of reading into a true multi-platform phenomenon. Meet Jack Edwards, known as the ‘internet’s resident librarian,’ who has millions of bookish followers.
More recently, his Inklings book club has gained popularity not only for its A-list guests, including Cillian Murphy, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya and Margaret Qualley, but for its unique format: Edwards hand-picks reads for celebrities based on their interests—or sometimes just general vibes—and the exchange is surprisingly charming.
Here, we gathered up some of Jack Edwards recent must-read book recommendations—for those of us who are not A-listers!—that span a variety of genres from satirical thrillers to immersive sci-fi and tender literary fiction.
Jack Edwards’ rise to bookish fame
Edwards grew up in Brighton, England, and joined YouTube in 2014 as a college student. As a literature major, his YouTube videos focused on his daily life at the university and student musings.
But his vlogs took a more bookish turn in 2020. During the pandemic, he read Sally Rooney’s bestseller Normal People and watched the viral series adaptation starring Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones. The series—which follows characters Marianne and Connell as they navigate a complicated relationship—touches on themes of class, identity and the complexities of first love. It also features a trove of books that Connell reads throughout the series, and this was the catalyst for Edwards first real foray into the BookTube world.
“It added so much texture to my reading experience of Normal People, because everything is in there so intentionally, which just made it so interesting,” Edwards told Us magazine.
“To think, why did Sally Rooney choose for that book to be the one that Connell was reading at that particular time. So, she uses Irish poets like Frank O’Hara and she invokes classic books like Voltaire‘s Candide, but each of them gives you an insight into how Connell is feeling at that moment in time. So, from one literature student to another, it’s kind of a dream.”
Now, Edwards has more than 200 million views across various online platforms, including his social media book club Inklings, which often hosts celebrities starring in book-to-screen blockbusters like Pride & Prejudice, The Odyssey, The Dog Stars and more.
5 must-read books according to Jack Edwards
Edwards has recommended hundreds of books over the years! Here, we focused on recent recommendations from the bibliophile. Get ready to add these all to your TBR!
‘Whistler’ by Ann Patchett
What sets Edwards apart from many bookish content creators is his wide reading range. He can wax poetic about an assortment of authors from Dostoevsky to Eve Babitz and Sally Rooney…and his most recent literary love is none other than Ann Patchett.
Known for her award-winning novels like Bel Canto and The Dutch House, her latest novel is proving to be another reader favorite. The story centers on Daphne Fuller, who runs into her former stepfather, Eddie Triplett, at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Daphne hasn’t seen him since a tragic event altered the course of their lives many years ago. As they reconnect, their bond begins to mend. Patchett’s story shines a light on the beauty of being truly known by someone and how the smallest moments can define our lives.
What Jack Edwards says about Whistler: “Whistler is the story of a woman reconnecting with her stepfather. And I just fell head over heels in love with Ann Patchett,” he said. “I need to read anything this author has ever written—shopping lists included.”
‘Dungeon Crawler Carl’ by Matt Dinniman
Speaking of range—enter Matt Dinniman’s viral series, Dungeon Crawler Carl. At first, we were surprised to see Edwards talking about the hit bestseller that follows a man stuck inside a video game with a furry sidekick named Princess Donut. But when we heard he enjoyed it, we were even more intrigued!
The book sits firmly in the LitRPG genre, short for literary role-playing game, which blends traditional storytelling with the explicit rules and mechanics of video games. The tale begins when former Coast Guard vet Carl steps outside to rescue his ex-girlfriend’s prize show cat, Princess Donut…just as the world is collapsing. Then, alien forces transform the planet into an 18-level underground dungeon. Now, in hopes of reclaiming Earth, humans must enter the dungeon as “crawlers” and fight through monsters, puzzles and traps. The twist? This is all being filmed for an intergalactic reality TV show.
What Jack Edwards says about Dungeon Crawler Carl: “Princess Donut adds an incredible layer to this book. She sort of acts as a foil to Carl. She’s high maintenance and ostentatious and because of an award they achieve in the game, the cat can now speak. I would describe the tone of the dark humor in this book as being similar-ish to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy in that it’s absurdist, but the author is clearly in on the joke…it’s silly and it’s zany and you have to suspend your disbelief at times, but the character is from the real world so he’s adjusting to his new reality alongside us the readers. I think anyone interested in storytelling and elaborate world-building will enjoy this book!”
‘Fruit Fly’ by Josh Silver
It would be difficult to name a buzzier book right now than Fruit Fly—pun partially intended. In Josh Silver’s adult debut, readers meet struggling author Mallory Maddox. Seven years earlier, Mallory published her acclaimed first novel, Shallow Embers, and she’s in desperate need of another critically acclaimed book. She’s married to a handsome man named Ronan, who’s ready to expand their family, but all Mallory can focus on is this novel.
One night, she asks Reddit for advice on writing a bestseller. The reply that sets everything in motion: “Go sad. Go gay. Go dark.” As she searches for inspiration, she meets Leo. He’s gay, he’s an addict, he’s enigmatic—and he’s exactly what she’s looking for. What follows is a series of deceptions, confrontations and high-stakes drama that forces Mallory to choose how far she’ll go for a story.
What Jack Edwards says about Fruit Fly: “I have this podcast series where I give my celebrity guests a book I think they would like,” he said. “I do loads of research on them and I gave this book to Ann Hathaway and she freaked out. You have never seen anyone fall in love with the premise of a book so quickly. I think it’s a novel about whose stories we have the right to tell, whose stories we have license to exhibit on a public stage. Like, do you have the right to write? Do you have the right to write a book about this person? It’s about people who behave like fruit flies. People who are little pests…they seek out that trouble. What’s really cool is you get to read from both of their perspectives, so you see how each one is using and manipulating the other, but we’re inside both of their heads. It is absolutely genius. I think it’s very funny. It’s so bingeable.”
‘I Want You to Be Happy’ by Jem Calder
Sally Rooney called Jem Calder “an extraordinarily gifted writer” after reading her 2026 debut novel I Want You to Be Happy—and it was Edwards’ most recent 5-star read! The emotional story captures the feel of 20 and 30-somethings living in London as they navigate love, life and career.
Chuck abandoned his dream of becoming a novelist years ago and currently works as a copywriter. Joey is trying to make ends meet with her job as a barista while harboring her dream of becoming a poet. After they meet at a bar and go home together, Joey finds herself imagining their shared future. But can two lost people find connection in modern times? Well, they can certainly try.
What Jack Edwards says about I Want You To Be Happy: “I think you should read this book! If you’re a fan of La La Land or Normal People, this is about to be your next favorite read. I just read it and I found it painful and confronting and I loved it—5 stars! …This book is astute and perceptive but also impossible to put down! Sometimes painful—I’m not going to lie. Because you’ll see parts of yourself and your own experiences reflected back to you. It’s really, really impressive.”
‘Land’ by Maggie O’Farrell
Maggie O’Farrell has amassed a devoted readership for her novels The Marriage Portrait and Hamnet, the bestselling reimagining of Shakespeare’s family life. Her newest offering is Land—a spellbinding tale that takes readers to 1865—and Edwards thought it was “stunning.” In the book, Tomás and his son, Liam, are working on the Ordnance Survey project mapping Ireland. As their country recovers from the Great Hunger, Tomás vows that his maps will serve as a record of the disaster no matter what.
What Jack Edwards says about Land: “I thought the nature writing in this book was stunning,” he said. “It’s a sprawling saga about the family of an Irish cartographer. I liked that this book asked you to slow down and linger.”
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