Ever wondered what the literati are loving? What page-turners keep them glued to the couch, sacrificing sleep and social lives in the name of a gripping plot? Step inside the minds—and bookshelves—of your favorite celebs, because their latest obsessions might just become yours, too. Consider yourself warned: your "To Be Read" pile is about to get a whole lot bigger.

This time, we're diving deep with Miranda Cowley Heller, the brain behind the bestseller "The Paper Palace" and her freshly released poetry collection, "What the Deep Water Knows." What makes her tick? What kind of stories send her soaring? For Heller, it's all about that "good old-fashioned storytelling."

Heller recently spilled the tea on what she looks for in a truly great read, revealing that for her, losing herself in the pages of an unforgettable novel is akin to savoring a delectable feast. It's like plunging into the refreshing embrace of the ocean or beholding a vista so stunning it steals your breath away.

There's just no substitute for the pure, unadulterated joy of getting utterly lost in a story, she confessed. Hours melt away, worlds unfold, and reality fades into a distant memory.

The author, who celebrated the launch of "What the Deep Water Knows" this week, fondly recalled a summer of voracious reading when she was just 11 years old. Can you believe it? Forty-two books! This girl devoured stories like they were going out of style.

From the thrilling mysteries of "The Wolves of Willoughby Chase" to the mind-bending adventures of "A Wrinkle in Time," young Heller explored universes without ever leaving her hammock. "It was one of the most wonderful summers of my life," she reminisced. "Every day I could be in a new and foreign world. Books are and were magic."

That perfect summer still lingers in her thoughts, shaping her reading tastes to this day. "There's something so romantic about books," she mused. "Just you and the pages lying in a hammock, or under a tree, or in front of a fire." Sounds idyllic, doesn't it?

So, what exactly makes the cut for Miranda Cowley Heller's personal library? Prepare to add these gems to your own must-read list:

Arundhati Roy's "The God of Small Things" is first on the list: "This is one of the most beautifully written novels I have ever read," Heller gushed. "It is the story of fraternal twins growing up in India, and the mystery that both binds and separates them." She was so moved by Roy's prose that she couldn't help but share it with anyone within earshot. "Roy's writing is so luscious and original that you have to stop and read lines out loud to whoever is sitting next to you. I find her writing astonishing and inspiring."

Next up, Edith Wharton's classic, "The House of Mirth." Heller calls it "The ultimate romance novel, with a wicked and acute dose of social commentary." But it’s more than just a love story. It shines a spotlight on the plight of women in that era, "unable to work to support themselves, and the constraints, sacrifices, and fears that come with utter dependence."

J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy also earned a spot on Heller's bookshelf. "I fell in love with this trilogy on an eight-hour bus ride when I was 12 years old," she admitted. Talk about a captive audience! Her father, in a stroke of genius, handed her the first volume just as she was boarding. "When I looked up, I had reached my destination." Heller boldly declares it "one of the great war novels," but also a "sweeping historical novel—but of a world that existed only in the mind of its creator."

Of course, Heller couldn't resist including her own collection, "What the Deep Water Knows." "I'm enormously proud of this collection," she beamed. "I wrote poetry long before I ever started writing 'The Paper Palace,' and much of it has found its voice in this collection that traces the evolution of a woman's life from childhood through marriage, motherhood, heartbreak, divorce, into a place of independence and self-knowledge."

Frances Hodgson Burnett's "The Secret Garden" also holds a special place in Heller's heart. "There are lessons in this 'children's' book that I can come back to year after year," she explained. "I'm a huge reader and re-reader of my favorite childhood novels, but 'The Secret Garden' is one that transcends the genre with its wisdom and clarity."

Finally, she recommends Ashley Winstead's "In My Dreams I Hold a Knife," saying "It's hard to be shocked by a plot twist these days, but this novel blew me away on every level – it lulls you with the quiet, lyrical beauty of its words and then slams you awake with its raw passion and rage. I was utterly mesmerized."

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