I’ve been so much better this year about buying books. I’ve been a bit more intentional and a lot less impulsive. I’ve also been more interested to read books that I already own so I haven’t been itching to get my hands on anything new. That being said, I have been served a great many deals of books ads or walked by a bookstore with my camera out to take a pic of anything that’s peaked my interest.
Here are a couple of books that I’ve added to my to be read list and their summaries. Which ones peak your interest?
Seven Faceless Saints by M.K Lobb
Things that interest me: interesting fantasy world, solving a murder, it said it’s perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and I’m her biggest fan so I guess that means it’s a book for me.
In the city of Ombrazia, saints and their disciples rule with terrifying and unjust power, playing favorites while the unfavored struggle to survive.
After her father’s murder at the hands of the Ombrazian military, Rossana Lacertosa is willing to do whatever it takes to dismantle the corrupt system—tapping into her powers as a disciple of Patience, joining the rebellion, and facing the boy who broke her heart. As the youngest captain in the history of Palazzo security, Damian Venturi is expected to be ruthless and strong, and to serve the saints with unquestioning devotion. But three years spent fighting in a never-ending war have left him with deeper scars than he wants to admit… and a fear of confronting the girl he left behind.
Now a murderer stalks Ombrazia’s citizens. As the body count climbs, the Palazzo is all too happy to look the other way—that is, until a disciple becomes the newest victim. With every lead turning into a dead end, Damian and Roz must team up to find the killer, even if it means digging up buried emotions. As they dive into the underbelly of Ombrazia, the pair will discover something more sinister—and far less holy. With darkness closing in and time running out, will they be able to save the city from an evil so powerful that it threatens to destroy everything in its path?
Discover what’s lurking in the shadows in this dark fantasy debut with a murder-mystery twist, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Kerri Maniscalco.
Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nico
Things that interest me: the idea of being an assistant to a villain is honestly enough for me to pick this up
ASSISTANT WANTED:Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem, terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.
With ailing family to support, Evie Sage’s employment status isn’t just important, it’s vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer—naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.
But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat…and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain—and his entire nefarious empire—out.
Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work…and ensure he makes them pay.
After all, a good job is hard to find.
Why Fish Don’t Exit by Lulu Miller
Things that interest me: the memoir yet non-fictional style of this book blending taxonomy with themes of understanding the world
David Starr Jordan was a taxonomist, a man possessed with bringing order to the natural world. In time, he would be credited with discovering nearly a fifth of the fish known to humans in his day. But the more of the hidden blueprint of life he uncovered, the harder the universe seemed to try to thwart him. His specimen collections were demolished by lightning, by fire, and eventually by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake—which sent more than a thousand of his discoveries, housed in fragile glass jars, plummeting to the floor. In an instant, his life’s work was shattered.
Many might have given up, given in to despair. But Jordan? He surveyed the wreckage at his feet, found the first fish he recognized, and confidently began to rebuild his collection. And this time, he introduced one clever innovation that he believed would at last protect his work against the chaos of the world.
When NPR reporter Lulu Miller first heard this anecdote in passing, she took Jordan for a fool—a cautionary tale in hubris, or denial. But as her own life slowly unraveled, she began to wonder about him. Perhaps instead he was a model for how to go on when all seemed lost. What she would unearth about his life would transform her understanding of history, morality, and the world beneath her feet.
Part biography, part memoir, part scientific adventure, Why Fish Don’t Exist reads like a fable about how to persevere in a world where chaos will always prevail.
Between Us by Mhairi Mcfarlane
Things that interest me: honestly, I’m into this book because I’ve seen a lot of buzz around it and I’m trying to find the next contemporary fiction romance to call a new favorite
When Joe and Roisin join their group of friends for a weekend at a country house, it’s a triple celebration – a birthday, an engagement and the launch of Joe’s shiny new crime drama on TV.
For Roisin, it’s a chance to connect with the group of friends she made a decade before, working at Waterstones. But for Joe, it’s a distraction as his writing career soars.
As the weekend unfolds, tensions are revealed between the group and Roisin’s sense of foreboding about her own relationship grows.
And when the friends watch the first episode of Joe’s drama, she realises that the secrets she told him are right there on the screen.
But is that all he’s used? What if the fictional hero’s infidelity also isn’t fictional after all?
Tiny Traumas: When you don’t know what’s wrong, but nothing feels quite right by Dr. Meg Arroll
Things that interest me: the entire first sentence of this summary is why I’m interested in this book
When little things have big impacts. This book is for anyone who feels that they’re sleepwalking through life, looking for answers to challenging emotions and the practical tools to begin living the life they want.
‘How are you really feeling? A bit blah, meh or simply ‘I don’t actually know’. If this is your honest, knot-in-the-throat response, take a moment – breathe – and let me reassure you that it’s not you, it’s what’s happened to you over the years. You can’t quite put your finger on it, but somehow you just don’t feel like you’re thriving or truly participating in your own life.
This is the result of a build-up of life’s scrapes, papercuts and bruises that have left you feeling simply ‘not ok’. Emotional illiteracy, microaggressions, challenging familial relationships, toxic positivity and gaslighting are some examples of what I call ‘Tiny T’ trauma – the impact of which often leads to problems such as high-functioning anxiety, languishing, perfectionism, comfort eating and sleep disturbance, to name but a few.
We have been fooled into believing that ‘Tiny T’ trauma doesn’t matter. There always seem to be huge, intractable problems in the world, so we tend to overlook those small, everyday injuries that drill down to your core. This leaves us with an undercurrent of constant melancholy and niggling pinpricks of anxiety, all wrapped up in the film of other people’s Insta-perfect lives.
But life doesn’t have to be experienced in this suffocating way; we owe it to ourselves to develop Awareness, Acceptance, and take Action on our Tiny T trauma, no matter how ‘small’, and to start living every day as we deserve.’
When little things have big impacts. This book is for anyone who feels that they’re sleepwalking through life, looking for answers to challenging emotions and the practical tools to begin living the life they want.
‘How are you really feeling? A bit blah, meh or simply ‘I don’t actually know’. If this is your honest, knot-in-the-throat response, take a moment – breathe – and let me reassure you that it’s not you, it’s what’s happened to you over the years. You can’t quite put your finger on it, but somehow you just don’t feel like you’re thriving or truly participating in your own life.
This is the result of a build-up of life’s scrapes, papercuts and bruises that have left you feeling simply ‘not ok’. Emotional illiteracy, microaggressions, challenging familial relationships, toxic positivity and gaslighting are some examples of what I call ‘Tiny T’ trauma – the impact of which often leads to problems such as high-functioning anxiety, languishing, perfectionism, comfort eating and sleep disturbance, to name but a few.
We have been fooled into believing that ‘Tiny T’ trauma doesn’t matter. There always seem to be huge, intractable problems in the world, so we tend to overlook those small, everyday injuries that drill down to your core. This leaves us with an undercurrent of constant melancholy and niggling pinpricks of anxiety, all wrapped up in the film of other people’s Insta-perfect lives.
But life doesn’t have to be experienced in this suffocating way; we owe it to ourselves to develop Awareness, Acceptance, and take Action on our Tiny T trauma, no matter how ‘small’, and to start living every day as we deserve.’
The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley
Things that interest me: there’s something wholesome about a lost young person finding their way through life while on the run with an elderly woman
Twenty-one-year-old Tanner Quimby needs a place to live. Preferably one where she can continue sitting around in sweatpants and playing video games nineteen hours a day. Since she has no credit or money to speak of, her options are limited, so when an opportunity to work as a live-in caregiver for an elderly woman falls into her lap, she takes it.
One slip on the rug. That’s all it took for Louise Wilt’s daughter to demand that Louise have a full-time nanny living with her. Never mind that she can still walk fine, finish her daily crossword puzzle, and pour the two fingers of vodka she drinks every afternoon. Bottom line — Louise wants a caretaker even less than Tanner wants to be one.
The two start off their living arrangement happily ignoring each other until Tanner starts to notice things—weird things. Like, why does Louise keep her garden shed locked up tighter than a prison? And why is the local news fixated on the suspect of one of the biggest jewelry heists in American history who looks eerily like Louise? And why does Louise suddenly appear in her room, with a packed bag at 1 a.m. insisting that they leave town immediately?
Thus begins the story of a not-to-be-underestimated elderly woman and an aimless young woman who—if they can outrun the mistakes of their past—might just have the greatest adventure of their lives.
Be, Awake, Create by Rebekkah Younger
Things that interest me: this gives Big Magic vibes and I want to find the next Big Magic book to boost my creativity
In our demanding, fast-paced culture, it’s increasingly important to find ways to decompress and recuperate from the busyness and stress of life. More and more, mindfulness and creativity are being recognized as antidotes to the speed and overstimulation of modern society. This beautiful book combines the two, offering both creative and meditative practices to provide a guided journey into contemplative art for healing, relaxation, deeper connection, and greater well-being.
Rather than focusing on any one medium or art form, this unique guide offers basic meditation instructions, and a variety of creative prompts and activities—from collage and coloring to meditative mark making and sketching to photography and perceptual exercises—making it perfect for anyone who wants to deepen and cultivate their mindfulness and creativity.
With these artistic and introspective practices, you’ll put meditation into action, and learn to view yourself and your own creative process without judgment or aggression. Using Be, Awake, Create, you’ll see beyond habitual patterns, discover the richness of your world, and recognize the ordinary magic of your own creativity, with greater freshness of expression and spontaneity.
By cultivating awareness and allowing yourself to play in the open space of artistic creation, you’ll come to discover all of the positive impacts mindfulness and creativity can have on every area of your life.
The Six Deaths of the Saint by Alex E. Harrow
Things that interest me: I don’t really read short stories but I’ve seen this around a lot recently and the cover gives all the ominous vibe.
The Saint of War spares the life of a servant girl so she can fulfill her destiny as the kingdom’s greatest warrior in this short story of love and loyalty by New York Times bestselling author Alix E. Harrow.
Always mindful of the debt she owes, the girl finds her worth as a weapon in the hand of the Prince. Her victories make him a king, then an emperor. The bards sing her name and her enemies fear it. But the war never ends and the cost keeps rising—how many times will she repeat her own story?
The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard
Things that interest me: I don’t read many thrillers but this one seems really fast paced and that’s exactly what I look for in a thriller
At the age of twelve, Eve Black was the only member of her family to survive an encounter with serial attacker the Nothing Man. Now an adult, she is obsessed with identifying the man who destroyed her life.
Supermarket security guard Jim Doyle has just started reading The Nothing Man–the true-crime memoir Eve has written about her efforts to track down her family’s killer. As he turns each page, his rage grows. Because Jim’s not just interested in reading about the Nothing Man. He is the Nothing Man.
Jim soon beings to realize how dangerously close Eve is getting to the truth. He knows she won’t give up until she finds him. He has no choice but to stop her first …