Famous Names Recommend

If you need a little inspiration for new books to try, who better to turn to for help than your favourite celebrities? Whether you’re a keen film fan, a music lover or a politics buff, our team at Rowanvale have collated some recommendations from a variety of different celebrities and genres to try. Who knows, maybe you’ll find a new favourite? 

Books Recommended by Actors 
Chris Hemsworth – The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy 
Described as one of his ‘favourite reads’ in an Instagram post, Chris Hemsworth’s recommendation of The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse is a popular graphic novel exploring themes of friendship, kindness and compassion. Despite many readers branding it as a children’s book on its Goodreads page, the Marvel star insists that the book is suitable for everyone, ‘whether you’re eight or eighty’. If you’d like an uplifting read with beautiful illustrations, Hemsworth’s recommendation could be the book for you! 

One of the most highly commended parts of this novel is its beautiful illustrations, which bring the characters to life and create a work of art as well as a compelling read. If you’d like to craft the same effect in your own children’s book, our team at Rowanvale can help you with the process! We offer illustration services for children’s books as well as a publishing package dedicated to the genre. ​
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Emma Watson – The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery 

Named as one of her favourites in an interview with TIME magazine, Emma Watson says that she likes books that ‘aren’t just lovely but that have memories in themselves’. A timeless book for all ages, The Little Prince follows the tale of a pilot who finds himself stranded in the desert, encountering the ‘Little Prince’ and exploring thoughts about adulthood, friendship and more with him. Similar to the previous book, The Little Prince is a perfect read if you enjoy musings on some of life’s most important values.  

Books Recommended by Singers 
Adele – Untamed by Glennon Doyle 
In an Instagram post concerning the book, Adele implores that you must read it with ‘a highlighter on hand to make notes’. Untamed is a non-fiction novel where Doyle explores how she found herself as a woman, learning to love all aspects of her life from her body to her new blended family. If what you’re looking for is motivation, life lessons and a heartfelt account of how to be at peace with yourself, then this book is perfect for you. 
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​Mariah Carey – The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett 
When sharing her 2020 reading list online, we noticed Mariah said she loves The Vanishing Half. This book follows the lives of twin sisters who left their homes at sixteen, exploring the differences in their identities as a result of the environments they are in. Touching on issues of race and family, this book provides an interesting insight into the influence of the past on someone’s future whilst telling an emotional family story. This book could be perfect for you if you’d like a touching read which draws on important themes. 
 

Books Recommended by Politicians 
Michelle Obama – Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison 
Revealing in an interview that she is ‘pulled in’ to this book every time she picks it up, Michelle Obama believes that Song of Solomon is a book which had one of the greatest influences on her adult life. Following the story of an African-American man growing up and returning to his family’s roots, this classic story could be perfect for you if you love a coming-of-age novel. 

​Hillary Clinton – The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky 
A philosophical Russian novel and a favourite of former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, The Brothers Karamazov portrays historic Russian life through a series of love affairs involving Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov and his three sons Dmitri, Ivan and Alyosha. Also exploring issues of God, free will and morality, give this book a try if you’re a fan of philosophy or history. 
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​Excluding The Little Prince, every single one of these titles are also available as an audiobook on Audible. If you’re unsure about whether Audible and its features are worth the price, stay tuned! We’ll be covering this here on our Rowanvale blog very soon. 

If these celebrity recommendations aren’t quite the right fit for you, why not check out the latest releases from our Rowanvale authors? We’re sure something there will catch your eye!  
If you want to hear about the authors behind the story, check out the ‘Meet Our Authors’ page, where you’ll find interviews from authors at all stages in their lives.