Books to put your French skills into practice

Reading is often the skill language learners feel most confident in, but that does not mean it can be overlooked. 

Reading for pleasure can be a great way to introduce new vocabulary as well as helping you to become familiar with grammar and sentence structure. 

Sometimes it is hard to know where to start with reading in French if you do not know what kind of Francophone authors you might like. 

Here are a few suggestions to get you started. If you enjoy any of these, have a look at what else that author or publisher has in their catalogue. Finding one book you like is normally a gateway into finding even more favourites. 

Easy-read romances 

In terms of reading in a second language, romance novels offer sufficient narrative to engage readers, while the French used is more conversational, reflecting language more commonly used in everyday speech.

There are several authors in France who fulfil this brief, and the good news is they have written plenty of books to become fully absorbed in.

Marie Vareille is known for writing heartfelt novels about motherhood and relationships which explore difficult subjects in an approachable and sensitive way. Although the books may have heavier undertones, they are light in style and readily accessible to read.

A couple of good starting points for Marie Vareille’s books are:

• Si maman si; a series of short stories about different mother-daughter relationships. 

• Ma vie, mon ex et autres calamités; a tale of heartbreak, reinvention and unexpected second chances

• Je peux très bien me passer de toi; a novel about love, independence and starting over again 

Another author that falls into a similar category is Virginie Grimaldi, whose most famous book, Il est grand temps de rallumer les étoiles (a mother and daughters embark on a healing Scandinavian road trip), has been translated into many different languages. 

Grimaldi’s first novel, Le premier jour du reste de ma vie, has recently been republished and is a feel-good story about three women of different generations who strike up an unlikely friendship while aboard a round-the-world cruise. 

Like Vareille, Grimaldi’s books often explore difficult themes with a light touch, making them enjoyable and thought-provoking to read. 

Literary prize winners

If you are looking for something a little bit more literary, a good place to start is with titles that have won the Prix Goncourt, France’s most prestigious literary prize. 

2025’s winner was La Maison vide, written by Laurent Mauvignier, which centres on a family home over 150 years. 

Mauvignier’s writing style uses longer flowing sentences for a more classical literary form of French, rather than a conversational narrative.

Titles that have received other awards to look out for include winners of the Prix Femina, the Prix Renaudot, the Prix Interallié, the Prix Médicis and the Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française. Alongside the Prix Goncourt, these are regarded as the six major French literary prizes.

Poetry 

Poetry can also be a good option for working on your French, and is particularly helpful for new structures and widening vocabulary. 

The poetry collection Elles is a bilingual anthology, which is beneficial for learners as it enables readers to see how particular phrases are translated and to use the pairings to broaden their vocabulary.

It is a collection of modern French poetry, written by women. The poems have been compiled and translated by Martin Sorrell. Each of the 17 poets introduces herself in an essay, written in French with the translation available.

Poetry often uses quite lyrical language, but this text offers a range of styles, with some using more simple language and structures, while others employ vocabulary that readers are unlikely to have encountered previously.

Thrillers

In 2025, Le Livre des merveilles was released in paperback and was read by thousands of people in France. 

It is part of the Saga du Soleil Noir series by Éric Giacometti and Jacques Ravenne, which offers thrilling storylines against a historical backdrop. 

Starting in October 1944, the final year of World War Two, the narrative blends true events and fantastical elements as intelligence sources race to find the lost Livre des merveilles, rumoured to have the power to change the course of history. 

If you enjoy this novel, you can delve into the other six books in the same series. 

Reminder: 50 French Coffee Breaks 

If you have not come across 50 French Coffee Breaks before, now is the time to get your hands on a copy. 

Activities in the book are organised into five, 10- and 15-minute activities, and range from idiom challenges and anagrams through to recipes and quotations. 

The intention is that you complete the activities during your coffee break, thereby establishing a routine of language learning by incorporating it into your everyday life.

Aimed at upper-beginner to intermediate learners, the book is ideal for consolidating grammar and building confidence as well as developing a wider vocabulary and general cultural awareness.