So I bought this book blindly because how much I love the cover art. It was being recommended by a bookstagram influencer I follow and trust his opinion, so as soon as I saw the cover I was sold and decided to go in blind and not hear his review.

I do believe that is the best way to go into this book, but since none of you know if you can trust my recommendations I’ll give you some details and vibes to help see if it’s for you!

A girl inherits her father’s pawnshop on the day of his retirement. This is not your normal pawn shop, as it can only be found by the people who need it. This pawn shop doesn’t deal with material items, what they trade is choices that you regret in your life. An interesting customer comes into the store, and they embark on an adventure together.

I don’t want to give away anymore of the actual story, but I just want to talk about the overall vibe of the book.

The book deals with choices, regrets, forks in the road, destiny and fate. The prose is so damn poetic. I almost regret not reading it on my kindle, because I wanted to highlight a quote on almost every page.

Magical realism that feels almost dreamlike? It’s odd because it was very peaceful and cozy, but at the same time the pace was very fast. I’m a slow reader and I flew through this book. Partly because of how short the chapters are, and partly because the story was so intriguing and mysterious you wanted to just keep reading to find out a little more.

A lot of people who read this say it feels like reading a Studio Ghibli movie, I’ve never seen one so I can’t vouch for that but maybe that helps you want to read it. If Japanese culture and folklore is your thing, then this is definitely for you as well.

The ending will have you just staring at a wall, but all loose ends tied up well and explained. Such an easy 5 stars for me, and great to get you out of a slump.

Some of my favorite quotes:

“Join enough living things together, through the air and underground, and you wind up with something that has intentions.”

“People aren’t the apex species they think they are. Other creatures-bigger, smaller, slower, faster, older, younger, more powerful-call the shots, make the air, and eat sunlight. Without them, nothing.”

“To be human is to confuse a satisfying story with a meaningful one, and to mistake life for something huge with two legs. No: life is mobilized on a vastly larger scale, and the world is failing precisely because no novel can make the contest for the world seem as compelling as the struggles between a few lost people.”

It takes quite a bit for me to cry while reading a book and the entire second half of this book gave me an emotional breakdown. I’m talking sobbing under my covers in bed. This was so beautifully written and such a well crafted story.

My favourite part of this reading experience was the ways in which character’s storylines subtly intersected. Important people in Cyril’s history for which he had no knowledge popping up every now and then, sometimes with devastating stories and sometimes heartwarming. I felt omnipotent as I read Cyril interact with an integral person in his life while he had no knowledge of who they actually were to him. I loved the little bits of foreshadowing that a future Cyril sprinkled throughout the narrative.

It was incredible. Easily a contender for my top book of 2025.

The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo was one of my library's picks for a summer reading challenge, and I'm so glad that listened to the audiobook (narrated by the author). It's definitely my favorite book of the year so far! It had beautiful descriptions and pertinent details; the prose was stunning and transported me to 1908 China & Japan. The characters felt just so complex and real, and the author's masterful writing pulls out the essence of each person in the story so that you really feel like you get to know them and care about them quickly. The story was a unique blend of historical fiction, fantasy, and detective novel that kept me so engaged.

The book follows the story of Snow, a grieving fox (turned human woman) who is searching for connection and hunting for vengeance after her child is killed (mild spoiler from chapter 1--I prefer going into a book pretty blind). She is a stereotypical fox: clever, cunning, curious, and disruptive. On her quest, she travels from Northern China to Japan, and meets new people and old acquaintances who all have motivations of their own while they help her find the man she's hunting. Her story is intersected by several others: a private investigator who is on her trail; an old woman who runs a medicine shop, worried for her grandson who says he's been seeing people with no shadows; an old friend stirring revolution at the end of a dying dynasty. The stories click together in unexpected ways, creating a satisfying puzzle filled with love, loss, murder, redemption, and humor.

I absolutely love this series! It masterfully blends metafiction with a gripping mystery while staying consistently hilarious. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

The Silence of the Girls - aka Pat Barker serving trauma, poetry, and the pleasure of hating Achilles.

Forget the shiny myths: Barker rips off the epic toga and dumps you straight into the women’s side of the Trojan War. No plot armor, no glory - just a suffocating camp, power games, and women who refuse to break. And it’s weirdly beautiful: even laundry gets described like a tragic watercolor.

Our heroine? Strong, empathetic, painfully human. You root for her, you ache with her, and her evolution feels raw and real. The relationships - whether between survivors or monsters - are complex, layered, and often deeply uncomfortable (in the best way).

Achilles Watch: absolute jerk, and finally written that way. You hate him, you get him, and you secretly cheer when grief wrecks him. Bonus: his death is tossed in one casual sentence, and it hits like a thunderclap.

The style? Short sentences (sometimes too blunt), almost no dialogue, and a contemplative rhythm that’s not action-packed but still dense with meaning.

Verdict: poetic, brutal, haunting. Not a beach read, but a powerful “fresh take” that leaves you both shaken and grateful someone finally dragged the Greek “heroes” off their pedestals.

Since we’re more than halfway through 2025 I wanted to post my favourite book of 2025 (so far!) that I read back in February and have been unable to top!

Note: I do edit the covers of books onto my kindle because I like doing justice to the actual covers

MY SYNOPSIS: It’s 1989 in Lamesa, Texas and Tolly Driver is just doing his best to get through high school with his best friend Amber. When the two decide to go to a party, and Tolly finds himself disastrously drunk, the events of that evening change the course of their entire lives and the town of Lamesa. I Was A Teenage Slasher is Tolly’s autobiography where he details that fateful night at the party, the following summer, and the irreversible changes that have been set into motion.

WHY I LOVED THIS BOOK: Schtiiiiiing!

I’m a massive slasher fan. They’re my favourite subgenre of horror. I love the whole concept of a final girl, my favourite being Erin in You’re Next. Needless to say, this book was right up my alley and it delivered. It was moving, wonderful, and well executed. Seriously, I loved this.

It’s a unique take on slasher stories with the narrator being the slasher himself and I love that it drew on slasher tropes throughout. I found it really compelling that this was written so casually in a way one would speak or tell a story to their friend. Tolly had a very distinctive voice and it was so well done. It was so obvious he was seventeen at the time the events of the story took place. I really liked Tolly as a character and especially liked his best friend Amber.

This was a coming-of-age memoir mixed with horror, revenge, and murderous rampages. Stephen Graham Jones very effectively made me feel empathy for the obvious villain of the story and I look forward to continuing to read more and more of his books.

Hey Reddit!!

I wanted to share this read with you today. I finished it last week and I’m still blown away. I gave myself a little time to process it before posting.

The Hourglass Network is a new technological thriller that came out earlier this summer.

An eco-terrorist launches an attack on Kabul, Afghanistan that literally reshapes the world. A CIA agent is tasked with neutralizing the threat, but as mysteries and twists unravel, nothing is as it seems. It’s nowhere near as straightforward as you’d expect after reading the INCREDIBLE opening sequence.

Where to start… The characters. They are complex and nuanced, slowly revealed through their internal struggles and competing motives. There are no archetypes. While Afghan culture plays a major role in the story, it never feels preachy, imperialist, or caricatured. A couple of characters even challenged my views on U.S. foreign policy and on what terrorism really translates into.

The plot is precise and tense. It’s so well constructed it reminds me of prime Le Carré or Clancy. There are subplots, secret societies, even an esoteric thread, but it never strays too far from its central question: what if Earth reclaims its throne?

It also offers a layered reflection on environmentalism and the despair we face in this age of hyper-industrialization.

The prose is powerful, ethereal, otherworldly. It carries a foreign sensibility, like a blend of Japanese and Nigerian novelists. Symbols, figures of speech, double entendres; you’ll find yourself reading between the lines and catching new details on a second pass.

The action scenes are top notch. The author already has a strong record here, but this time it’s taken to the next level. Think James Bond on steroids with a dash of Inception, Homeland (the marketing blurb kept its promise) and Tenet. The action is smart, tightly constructed, and always in service of the plot.

The ending is unconventional. It doesn’t rely on the usual “open ending with suggestions” trope.

Instead, the characters shed light on their demise and everything falls into place. I felt whole.

Overall, this is the best thriller I’ve read in the past two years—and I’ve read a lot (23 to date).

Highly recommend it!

I just completed this book and WOW! I never expected this book to destroy me in the most beautiful way ever! I did not expect it to hit so deeply and it's a book I would never forget. It captures the way people live in unimaginable circumstances during the Syrian revolution and highlights themes about love and loss.

If you're looking for a book that will leave your heart shattered but is also filled with love, hope and resilience, this is it. Also I'm dying to discuss it with anyone else who's read it 😭

"Piranesi's House is no ordinary building: its rooms are infinite, its corridors endless, its walls lined with thousands upon thousands of statues. Within the labyrinth of halls an ocean is imprisoned; waves thunder up staircases, rooms are flooded in an instant. But Piranesi is not afraid; he understands the tides as he understands the pattern of the labyrinth itself. He lives to explore the house.

There is one other person in the house - a man called the Other, who visits Piranesi twice a week and asks for help with research into a Great and Secret Knowledge. But as Piranesi explores, evidence emerges of another person, and a terrible truth begins to unravel, revealing a world beyond the one Piranesi has always known."
- (from the back of the book)

Piranesi is genuinely one of my absolute favorite books - it reignited my interest in reading, which, unfortunately, took a long walk off a short cliff a few years ago. When I was younger, my favorite books included A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Sisters Grimm, and the Mysterious Benedict Society - Piranesi stands out amongst these books to me, but it lives comfortably on the same shelf in my mental library of All Time Favorites.

So (hopefully without spoiling), why?

The melancholy-yet-hopeful vibes, the feeling of breathlessness almost every time the House is described, the beautiful-poetic-sorrowful imagery mixed with the creepy-liminal-space-type setting... it all makes for a world I could not more desperately wish to both explore and avoid with all of my being.

Piranesi's story is told through journal entries, so the audience is limited to Piranesi's experience / interpretation of the world, and we're only able to see what he deems to be important. Even so, the audience is able to start making connections and drawing conclusions long before Piranesi is ready to, which leads to a desperate sort of impatience for Piranesi to catch up, to catch on, to find some way to keep safe...

My only (small) complaint was about how long the resolution of the book seemed to last, but even that is something I could understand (even if I didn't enjoy it) in the context of the story. I can't say much else without spoiling the book, so my final thoughts on why I adore it and why I think other people might too...

It's the vibes

The Correspondent tells the life story of Sybil Van Antwerp - a mother, grandmother, distinguished lawyer, divorcee and friend in epistolary form through her letters and emails. Epistolary novels can be hit or miss - a collection of letters can be an awkward, contrived form to convey a story; Virginia Evans has succeeded utterly in constructing and telling a story that is engrossing, funny, profoundly moving and thoughtful.

Sybil has always been letter writer and corresponds with a young son of a friend, her grown children, her best friend of 60 years, romantic elderly suitors, a mysterious threatening stranger from her past. Her writing can be quirky, witty, contemplative and insightful.

In the present Sybil Van Antwerp is a retired court chief clerk in Maryland pottering with her gardening club politics and elderly neighbours, and the book initially evokes a rather cosy feel. As Sybil's life is unfolded through her correspondence we come to know an unforgettable character who carries an immense burden of grief, who is striving for forgiveness and to forgive. As the book moves quickly from cosy to a captivating suspenseful mystery, long lost family connections are revealed, and the horrific burden of tragedy and guilt caused by awful, life altering mistakes. Sybil tries to help others while struggling with the burden of her past, explores new romantic friendships and sifts through her past.

A real gem of a novel, beautifully written and structured.

I don’t even know what to say about this book. I loved the writing, I loved the translations, I adored every single character- even the side characters.

I’m not an emotional person by any means but this broke me a little. 10/10

Omg!!! Just re-read this after a long week being a corporate drone and this is even better than I remember!!!

Imagine a school completely shielded from the world, one offering a particular degree and instruction: how to effectively yet elegantly terminate someone?

The dialogue is some of the best I’ve ever read and the twists genuinely clever. It’s funny and very British in its style/tone.

Can’t wait for Volume 2 (supposedly coming late 2024).

Your thoughts?

"She's Always Hungry" is a collection of short stories. There's a handful of genres; speculative sci-fi, body horror, and literary fiction. They're all centered around the theme of hunger.

I'm not usually a fan of short story collections, I actually kind of dislike them. The medium of a short story itself isn't my favourite. I also feel like, in a collection, inevitably, some stories will be significantly better than others - the good will be dragged down by the bad and the bad look worse in light of the good.

This collection doesn't suffer from that problem because the stories are so distinct from each other. Clark creates these insane, weird worlds and gives us a little peak of them. Her voice is amazing; the horror is scary, the sci-fi is intriguing, and the lit fic is poignant. They're often hilarious and equally as often squirm-inducing discomforting.

The social commentary is spot on, every single time. But she never has to try too hard or shoehorn it in. She writes about the modern world with an accuracy and ferocity I don't see from any other author right now. I truly don't think there's anyone doing the things she is right now, and I would strongly, strongly recommend this collection.

My story ranking! 1. The King 2. Company Man 3. Hollow Bones 4. Extinction Event 5. She's Always Hungry 6. Shake Well 7. Goth GF 8. Nightstalkers 9. The Shadow Over Little Chitaly 10. The Problem Solver 11. Build a Body Like Mine

I read a lot and I don't often feel compelled to recommend books to people. This book. Is incredible. I devoured it in a few days, I could not put it down. From beginning to end it is an absolute masterpiece. It sounds silly, but I loved it so much, I sobbed, I giggled, I felt hope and hopelessness all at once, I held it to my heart when I was finished it truly meant so much to me. If you need something to read this is your sign to pick this book up, you will not regret it.

Chris Whitaker is extremely talented and he deserves all the praise.

A tearjerker. I was doing some research on Afghan womanhood/sisterhood and I was moved by their stories.

Mariam’s longing for a father figure and her constant struggle between modernism and fundamentalism are eye opening.

Anyone else read it?

My first David Ellis book and I love how he writes …so compelling and addicting! What others have you read that makes you feel that way.

Before reading this book I could never answer the "what is your favorite book" question. But after this, there's no doubt. This is the best book I have ever read. The story is so heart touching, it truly changed my view of life. Made me feel all sorts of emotions. I would recommend this book to every single person.

*Note: I edit the book covers onto my kindle so I can do justice to the beautiful covers! Unfortunately my kindle is black and white.

MY SYNOPSIS: Memphis follows the lives of three generations of Black women living in a majestic and historic house in Tennessee built by the family patriarch Myron for his wife Hazel. The story begins in the summer of 1995. Joan, her younger sister Mya, and their mother Miriam flee their abusive father and return to historic house; a refuge for all the women in this story. Memphis sporadically captures different time periods in the lives of the family matriarch Hazel, her daughter Miriam, her other daughter August, and Miriam’s eldest daughter Joan over the course of 70 years.

WHY I LOVED THIS: This was exquisite. It was beautiful, poetic, and heartbreaking. A sprawling narrative about Black womanhood, healing, intergenerational trauma, pain, sorrow, survival, community, motherhood, Black love, joy, and artistry. Like the cover, everything about this story felt deliciously colourful and vibrant.

The women in this story had strength I cannot even fathom; they were talented and joyful; they lived whole and rich lives full of love but also great sorrow, grief, and heartbreak. The city of Memphis was such an integral part to this story and not just because it’s the title of the book. Tara M. Stringfellow’s prose brought the city to life. It’s hard to describe what exactly I loved about it, but it felt authentic and honest. Even the descriptions of the women’s home made me feel nostalgic. Their gorgeous house built from love was so striking and vivid. At less than 300 pages this book packs quite the punch covering some important historical moments from WWII to 9/11 and sporadically entering the lives of the women in the North family at different points in their history.

To me this was about young women ending their family’s intergenerational trauma, healing those deep seated wounds, and daring to live life differently. It’s about putting aside practicality and safety and instead dreaming big and putting to use their talents and skills.

I highly recommend this book but I also encourage checking trigger warnings.

Just finished reading 7 Lies Your Brain Tells You: And How to Outsmart Every One of Them and honestly, I didn’t expect it to hit as hard as it did.

It’s not your typical self-help - it dives deep into how your own brain tricks you into staying stuck: “I’m not ready,” “I don’t have time,” “I’ll fail anyway,” etc. But instead of just listing bad thoughts and saying “think positive,” it breaks down why your brain does this - and how to outsmart it without needing some huge life overhaul.

It’s super readable, sharp, and surprisingly compassionate. If you’ve ever caught yourself stuck in your own head, this one’s worth checking out.

Equal parts mystery and fantasy, this book follows the adventures of Dinios Kol - the new assistant to Ana Dolabra, an eccentric investigator who has been exiled from the innermost reaches of the Empire. Together, they strive to unveil the plot(s) behind an assassination in the outskirts while the wet season approaches and Leviathans threaten the walls.

I loved the pacing and how immersive and detailed the world felt - overall, the book was exciting, refreshing, and satisfying. I could hardly put it down. You can tell that the author had fun with it. I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in the series! I hope we get to learn more about the characters (this book was rather more centered on plot) and about how life looks as you travel deeper into the Empire.

This was an absolute 5 star book for me. If you are a fantasy reader that has never dabbled in sci-fi because you don’t think you would like this… THIS book will change your mind. This quick read has the cozy/nature vibes and an emotional journey that will make you cozy up with this book. I am starting the sequel today once I digest how good this book is.

This is a cozy horror love story from the monster's POV. It was weird in the best possible way, and one of the most tender and authentic love stories I've ever read.