CEFR B2 · Upper-intermediate
Read Upper-intermediate Classics in English (B2)
7164 books graded at CEFR B2 (upper-intermediate) — learn English by reading the stories worth reading at exactly your level. Tap any word for an instant translation, listen to the narration, and save the vocabulary you meet. Start with a free sample.
What are the best B2 books to read in English?
The best B2 books to read in English are well-known classics whose own language sits at that level — start with £19,000, Zula and Zoraida: A Romance of the Harem and the Great Sahara. Each is the complete book, labelled CEFR B2 (upper-intermediate), with tap-to-translate, narration and saved vocabulary, so you read a real story while building the English you actually meet in it.
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Level B2HistoricalThe Countess of Charny; or, The Execution of King Louis XVIIn revolutionary France, the fierce Countess of Charny navigates love, loyalty, and betrayal amidst the looming execution of King Louis XVI.
Level B2FantasyThe Counterpane FairyWhen lonely and sick, Teddy’s world brightens as the mysterious Counterpane Fairy appears, inviting him to explore magical stories hidden within the colorful squares of his quilt.
Level B2MysteryThe Count's ChauffeurAn expert driver and mechanic accepts a mysterious Italian count’s offer to become his personal chauffeur, stepping into a world of secret family affairs and high society intrigue…
Level B2HistoricalThe Count of Nideck: adapted from the French of Erckmann-ChartrianSummoned urgently to the remote Castle of Nideck during a harsh winter, Gaston confronts a mysterious family curse afflicting the ailing Count, whose strange malady may only be cur…
Level B2ClassicsThe Cottage of Delight: A NovelIn a grim mill town, young John Trott wakes to a smoky kitchen where orphaned Dora Boyles struggles to prepare breakfast amid hardship and uneasy household tensions.
Level B2ClassicsThe CostIn a small town, spirited Pauline Gardiner faces the rough teasing of John Dumont, a boisterous boy whose bullying masks a growing fascination.
Level B2HistoricalThe Corsican LoversIn a Corsican castle steeped in the legacy of vendetta, a young woman defies her brother's demand to marry a man she does not love, challenging the bonds of family duty and a deadl…
Level B2HistoricalThe Corsican BrothersJourney through the rugged Corsican landscape, where ancient vendettas and fierce family loyalties shape every encounter.
Level B2AdventureThe Cornet of Horse: A Tale of Marlborough's WarsIn the shadow of Marlborough’s wars, a young nobleman hones his fencing skills and courtly manners, preparing for a life where courage and grace will be tested on both battlefield…
Level B2MysteryThe Corbin necklaceA priceless family necklace becomes the center of attention as whispers of theft and danger swirl around Judith Corbin’s upcoming wedding.
Level B2AdventureThe Coral Island: A Tale of the Pacific OceanThree boys shipwrecked on a remote Pacific island must rely on courage and friendship to survive thrilling adventures in a tropical paradise shaped by nature’s tiny architects—the…
Level B2MysteryThe Coquette's Victim: Everyday Life Library No. 1A noble young man stands accused of breaking into a count's room and stealing precious jewels, but his calm demeanor and mysterious motives puzzle the seasoned magistrate overseein…
Level B2Children'sThe Copy-Cat, and Other StoriesIn a quaint school, plain little Amelia idolizes the dazzling Lily Jennings, striving to mimic her beauty and grace despite differences in appearance and attire.
Level B2AdventureThe Copper Princess: A Story of Lake Superior MinesA daring rescue aboard a speeding train sparks an unlikely friendship between a struggling gentleman and a humble mine worker in the rugged Lake Superior mining region, where both…
Level B2ClassicsThe Cook's Wedding and Other StoriesIn a bustling household kitchen, a young boy observes the uneasy preparations for the cook Pelageya’s unexpected wedding to a sober cabman, stirring questions about love, duty, and…
Level B2PoetryThe Coo-ee Reciter: Humorous, Pathetic, Dramatic, Dialect, Recitations & ReadingsA young couple's playful battle over carrying their restless baby unfolds amid a sunlit journey, revealing tender tensions and affectionate banter that explore the challenges and h…
Level B2AdventureThe Convict Ship, Volume 3 (of 3)Trapped aboard a ship overrun by convicts, a small group plans a daring escape using a tiny captain’s boat while navigating the dangerous chaos of mutiny, survival, and shifting po…
Level B2HistoricalThe Convict Ship, Volume 2 (of 3)A runaway boy hides aboard a brutal convict ship bound for Australia, struggling to survive the harsh crew and claustrophobic darkness below deck.
Level B2AdventureThe Continental Dragoon: A Love Story of Philipse Manor-House in 1778Amid the turmoil of 1778’s Revolutionary War, three riders press northward along a perilous Albany post-road, weaving through British-occupied New York.
Level B2Science FictionThe Conquest of America: A Romance of Disaster and Victory, U.S.A., 1921 A.D.As a victorious Germany invades an unprepared America after World War I, cities burn and battles rage from New York to Boston, forcing a desperate fight for survival and patriotism…
Level B2ClassicsThe Conjure WomanIn the postwar South, a Northern man seeks to revive a neglected vineyard and escape harsh winters, discovering a land where history, superstition, and the struggles of a changing…
Level B2AdventureThe Congo Rovers: A Story of the Slave SquadronA young midshipman eagerly accepts a posting to the sloop Daphne, destined for the perilous West African coast, despite his father's grave concerns.
Level B2MysteryThe Confessions of Arsène LupinA charming rogue and master thief reveals the hidden truths behind his clever exploits and mysterious acts of kindness.
Level B2ClassicsThe Complete Writings of Charles Dudley Warner — Volume 4Experience the joys and challenges of boyhood on a lively farm, where driving oxen and teaching cows Latin reveal the humor, lessons, and unexpected rules of rural life through the…
Level B2ClassicsThe Complete Writings of Charles Dudley Warner — Volume 3A casual blackberry-picking trip in the Adirondacks turns into an unexpected adventure when a man encounters a bear doing the same.
Level B2PoetryThe Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley — Volume 1Step into the heartfelt world of a shy Indiana boy whose childhood and home life shape a lifetime of poetic reflections.
Level B2ClassicsThe Complete Works of Artemus Ward — Part 4: To California and ReturnEmbark on a chaotic and humorous voyage from New York to California aboard the overcrowded steamer Ariel, encountering eccentric passengers, rough seas, and dubious accommodations…
Level B2ClassicsThe Complete Works of Artemus Ward — Part 2: WarAmid rising tensions in the South, a traveling showman faces arrest, confiscation, and chaos as he navigates the turbulent early days of war, witnessing fierce local passions and u…
Level B2ClassicsThe Competitive NephewIn a bustling cloak and suit business, two partners face betrayal as trusted employees break away to rival them, while a demanding customer with a mysterious influence stirs tensio…
Level B2ClassicsThe Common LotIn the shadow of a powerful industrialist's funeral, complex emotions and hidden desires stir among mourners, revealing the tangled lives connected to the late Powers Jackson.
Level B2ClassicsThe Commission in LunacyIn 1828 Paris, the ambitious Baron de Rastignac navigates high society’s glittering facade and its hidden debts, while his friend, the insightful doctor Bianchon, reveals the harsh…
Level B2ClassicsThe Comings of Cousin AnnIn the growing town of Ryeville, old veterans gather on the courthouse porch, swapping stories of past battles and daily life, while the arrival of Cousin Ann stirs new events in t…
Level B2AdventureThe Coming of the White Men: Stories of How Our Country Was DiscoveredTwo curious twins befriend Uncle Sam, a wise storyteller who brings to life the daring adventures and early struggles of those who discovered America, weaving tales of bravery, fre…
Level B2AdventureThe Coming Wave; Or, The Hidden Treasure of High RockCaught in a fierce tempest off Penobscot Bay, two honest working boys navigate dense fog and raging storms while uncovering secrets that tie the sea to hidden treasures on land.
Level B2ClassicsThe ComedienneIn a serene Polish village, a provincial theater troupe’s vibrant life unfolds against rustic landscapes, where Janina, a comedienne, faces the blurred lines between tragedy and co…
Level B2RomanceThe Colonel of the Red HuzzarsAn American officer longs for action beyond dull engineering duties and finds himself drawn into a high-stakes wager involving a mysterious princess and the volatile politics of th…
Level B2ClassicsThe Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce, Volume 12: In MotleyDive into a quirky, humorous exploration of nature and human folly through the eyes of a child narrator, blending tall tales, animal lore, and playful observations in a delightfull…
Level B2HorrorThe Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce, Volume 02: In the Midst of Life: Tales of Soldiers and CiviliansIn a tense Civil War landscape, a young soldier faces deadly consequences after falling asleep on duty while guarding a critical mountain pass, where the fate of an impending surpr…
Level B2PoetryThe Collected Works in Verse and Prose of William Butler Yeats, Vol. 2 (of 8): The King's Threshold. On Baile's Strand. Deirdre. Shadowy WatersStep into a world where kings, warriors, and witches collide as the mighty Cuchulain faces an oath that could bind his wild spirit, while shadows of betrayal and destiny loom from…
Level B2HistoricalThe Cohansey tea-fightAmid a fierce storm, a young girl’s plans to attend a sociable tea-party dissolve, prompting her grandmother to recount an unforgettable tale from 1774 about family, duty, and unex…
Level B2Children'sThe Cockatoo's StoryA white cockatoo wrestles with feelings of guilt and misunderstanding as he recounts his remarkable story to a sharp-tongued gray parrot, while a kind boy named Herbert patiently t…
Level B2Children'sThe CochinealA father and son explore the hidden beauty of a tiny insect under a microscope, discovering a powerful lesson about God's care and wisdom in even the smallest creatures.
Level B2ClassicsThe Cobbler In The Devil's Kitchen: From "Mackinac And Lake Stories", 1899An Irish cobbler makes his home in a rugged lakeside cavern known as the Devil’s Kitchen, finding solitude amidst the wild beauty and rough characters of Mackinac Island.
Level B2ClassicsThe Co-CitizensA reclusive widow leaves behind a vast estate and a mysterious absence of heirs, sparking intrigue and speculation in Jordantown.
Level B2MysteryThe ClueIn the grand Van Norman mansion, poised heiress Madeleine faces the looming inheritance tied to her impending marriage—and the restless cousin whose shadow threatens the family's l…
Level B2Children'sThe Club at Crow's CornerIn a cozy woodland corner, a curious club of animals gathers to share tales and adventures, led by the cunning Mr.
Level B2ClassicsThe Clockmaker — or, the Sayings and Doings of Samuel Slick, of SlickvilleMeet Samuel Slick, a witty clockmaker whose sharp tales and humorous observations unravel the quirks of Yankee and Nova Scotian life with biting satire and clever storytelling.
Level B2MysteryThe Clock and the KeyIn the shimmering beauty of Venice, a man haunted by years of idle dreams wrestles with a secret he cannot share, while a spirited woman seeks to understand the clash between encha…