Alright, let’s get real. Holidays are coming up and I haven’t finalized my travel plans yet, even though I’m juggling holidays in three states (none of which border each other). It’s getting dark out much earlier, and the weather is getting downright wintry in Minnesota! Earlier in November there was some sort of major political event if I remember correctly. (Too soon for a joke there?) It’s busy, looking at my calendar feels stressful, and getting into bed at 8pm with a really engaging book feels perfect some evenings.
So for this installment of my book review series, may I present… reading stuff just for the fun of it!
Reading is an amazing tool, encouraging us to look deeper inside and understand ourselves, or to look outside and learn more about the world and other people’s experiences. And, personal growth can also happen when we read thrillers, or fairy smut, or woodworking how-to’s, or whatever genre we find engaging and interesting. Don’t get me wrong–now might be the perfect time, for some of us, to read about navigating challenging relationships and setting boundaries (hello holidays!), understanding and resisting oppression, supporting our nervous system, to read banned books, to dig into nerdy neuroscience stuff.
Now might also be a time to lean into a world that feels intriguing and exciting and perhaps a bit distant from our present reality. (My neighborhood book club agreed about this, so for January we are reading The House in the Cerulean Sea which sounds like a delightful fantasy novel!) When life feels overwhelming we have to give ourselves what care we can–then, when we have had the space and time to rest and rejuvenate, we can go into the world ready to create a better future. The part where we give ourselves care and nurturing is a really important. Here are just a few ideas.
At the end of grad school, after reading so much non-fiction, I got very into a genre I’ll call “if you liked Gone Girl, you’ll love…”. If you haven’t read Gone Girl but are thinking about trying out the psychological thriller genre, go for it! And if you’re into that, may I suggest the authors Alice Feeney, Lisa Jewell, Kate Alice Marshall, Shari Lapena, AJ Finn, Rachel Hawkins, Megan Miranda. You might also love Tara French‘s police mysteries set in Ireland. Or, Ruth Ware–The Woman in Cabin 10, or One by One are particularly excellent. The Other Black Girl is a great read that has been adapted into a very creepy TV show, both are solid. Right now I’m reading The Sequel, the follow up to The Plot–if you like the idea of a murder-y book that focuses a lot on the world of authors and writing, this is for you. If you are wanting murder and hilarity, check out the Aunties Series. A similarly funny and sweet mystery that brings in some delightful cultural elements is the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series.
You could get nostalgic with young adult reads–Beverly Cleary or Judy Blume, the Animorphs series, A Wrinkle in Time, something silly by Louis Sachar, or a favorite you remember from elementary or middle school. My favorite YA book ever is From the Mixed Up Files of Ms. Basil E. Frankwiler, a book that has inspired some wonderful daydreams (it might inspire a museum visit on a chilly winter weekend!). A contemporary book that feels similar is the incredible Bellweather Rhapsody, which I can’t say enough good things about. And maybe it’s the orchestra theme, but The Violin Conspiracy has a similar hopeful feel while still being a great mystery. If you want a thriller that’s more in the literary fiction realm, you could try my favorite book, The Secret History.
The amazing thing about books is how many options there are. My taste is perhaps a little dark at times, and certainly not for everyone. That’s ok! If none of this sounds particularly inspiring, but you still want to lean into the joy of a good book, you can head to your local bookstore and ask someone who works there, if they aren’t too busy, to offer some suggestions based on your interests. You could join a local book club, browse at the library or on Libby, grab something from a Little Free Library or an estate sale, Google “books if you liked (insert your favorite book)”, join a group on social media that features books in a genre you like, or subscribe to Bookmarks Magazine for lots of inspiration (or give a subscription as a gift!). There are so many ways to get out of a reading rut!
Let me note–my reading list here comes with plenty of content warnings (most heavily involve murder as a plot point, for starters) so please be kind to yourself if there is content that would take you out of the enjoyment part of reading. The StoryGraph website (the links I’ve included here) very helpfully includes content warnings. For movies and TV content warnings check out: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/
Happy reading, and happy holidays!
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