There’s a specific joy to curling up with a book on a dark winter day. Capricorns know this better than anyone. Born between December 22 and January 19, Capricorns are responsible, reliable and steady individuals. Think of this earth sign as the retiree of the zodiac.
According to astrologer Lisa Stardust, Capricorns make for avid readers because they tend to be reflective. Capricorns are always looking to learn something new about an intriguing subject (including getting ahead in life).
Since Capricorns are born during the darker days of the year, at least in the northern hemisphere, they are often drawn toward horror and crime stories. Another good fiction pick for a Capricorn is a rags-to-riches story.
Capricorns are ruled by the planet Saturn, which you can think of as the boss of all of the planets. As a result, Capricorns often have a sharp, witty sense of humor, so they would enjoy a lead character with a sarcastic personality.
Keeping those criteria in mind, below, find six book picks for Capricorns, ranging from dark academia to self-help.
'The School for Good Mothers' by Jessamine Chan
This thriller is the perfect page-turner for Capricorns. “The School for Good Mothers” by Jessamine Chan follows a young single mother, Frida Liu, during her struggle to achieve parental perfection. After leaving her young child alone for just a few hours, Frida is deprived of her custody and forced into a rehabilitation center for bad mothers.
Although Frida did truly leave her child alone, the punishments she faces become increasingly harsh. Frida is surrounded by other young women who dared to make a mistake in their motherhood, now being scrutinized and spied on in anticipation of every other error. “The School for Good Mothers” is a witty yet terrifying look at the pressure placed on women to succumb their identities entirely to motherhood. This book has just enough darkness to keep every Capricorn hooked, while still commenting on a real societal issue.
'The Sound of Gravel' by Ruth Wariner
“The Sound of Gravel” by Ruth Wariner is a memoir written for Capricorns: It's a foray into another world and a story of resilience. Wariner writes about growing up in a polygamist Mormon doomsday cult without sparing any details, telling the reader about her thirty plus siblings, the abusive men in her life, the controlling nature of the church, the real bonds she had with some of her family members and the incredible challenge of leaving a community when you know of nothing else.
“The Sound of Gravel” is a true story, but readers will be able to fly through the pages as if it is a work of fiction, propelled to keep reading about young Ruth’s life.
'Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors' by Sonali Dev
Don’t be fooled by their cool and oh-so-serious exterior. Capricorns crave a good romance every once in a while, too. “Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors” by Sonali Dev is sure to tempt even the most stubborn goat. This modern spin on a Jane Austen classic places beloved characters in an Indian American context.
Dr. Trisha Raje is a San Francisco-based neurosurgeon. Outside of her career successes, she is struggling to work her way back into her family’s good graces. After betraying her family’s stringent orders to never trust an outsider, Trisha has learned her lesson — until chef DJ Kaine comes into the mix. The Raje family offers DJ a job he can’t resist, despite his disdain for Trisha’s ego. But when DJ realizes that Trisha might be the only surgeon who can save his sister’s life, both DJ and Trisha have to fight not to cross an unspoken line. Capricorns will love this enemies-to-lovers story.
"The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
Capricorns love leaning into their intellectual side and often take pride in their studious selves, which is why they'll love all the ivy-covered buildings in “The Secret History” by Donna Tartt. The classic novel follows a young California native named Richard Papen as he delves deeper into the secrets buried in a Classics clique at Hampden College, a small liberal arts school in Vermont. “The Secret History” was Jenna Bush Hager’s December 2022 book club pick. “‘The Secret History,’ to me, is almost as close to perfect as a book gets,” Jenna told TODAY.com.
'Bigger, Better, Bolder' by Jennifer Cohen
Any list of books for Capricorns will inevitably feature a self-improvement book, because people who fall under this sign are always striving. Capricorns have a tendency to be bold in life since they are the cardinal sign of the earth signs. Bigger, Better, Bolder” teaches readers how to get what they want through living unapologetically. This book will give Capricorns permission to do what they wanted to do in the first place.
'Ninth House' by Leigh Bardugo
“Ninth House” by Leigh Bardugo puts a fantasy twist on the dark academia subgenre. The first in a series about main character Alex Stern, “Ninth House” sees Alex Stern receive an anonymous scholarship to attend Yale from her hospital bed. The gift is shocking, not only for its generosity but because of Alex’s historically not-so-studious behavior. From drug dealer boyfriends to her involvement in an unsolved homicide case, Alex certainly doesn’t fit the typical Yale applicant mold. Turn out Alex is brought to Yale on the condition that she keeps a close eye on Yale’s secret societies, which are practicing magic.