Help me get back into the habit of reading. What book should I buy next?

[Marghe87]

I used to read a lot when at Uni, then increasing distraction from social media slowed me down (shameful, I know) but still used to read when commuting, traveling etc. Since having DD, I barely read anything and I’d like to get back on track. I have a lot of books sitting on a shelf, ready to be read but I am not inspired by any of them atm. Can you recommend a good book to help me break this limbo I am in and get back into the habit of daily reading? I am looking for something that is well written but also easy to read (English is my second language but also I can only read at night when tired) and that keeps you engaged page after page.
I like fiction and wouldn’t mind reading something “modern” as I usually read classics.
I also like thrillers but not in the right mood atm.
Other themes I am interested in are: feminism, expat stories, ironic/funny books.
No cheesy romance please :)

Thank you!

Tamar by Mal Peet - another wartime love story, but it has a really shocking twist that completely blindsided me.

I loved Old Baggage by Lissa Evans. There are 3 in the loose series (Old Baggage is a prequel to Crooked Heart but my favourite). Old Baggage is about an old suffragette and what she did after the fight for the vote was won.

The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey won the Costa a few years ago. It's about a man who catches a mermaid in Tobago. Utterly wonderful.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a bit more trashy. The memoirs of a famous movie star and the secrets of her relationships.

All three are very readable but have a bit more to them and all have a feminist thread to the story.

I’d second going to a library. But I always end up with large fines. So unless you’re better organised than me, find a decent book exchange (try your nearest station, and check out disused phone boxes) and grab any book that catches your eye. Alternatively find a charity shop that has a good deal on books - you’ll often find them at 50p each or 3 for £1.