My recent haul – October 2021
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I had been on a self-imposed book buying ban since May this year because sincerely I had no more shelf space left to put the books on.
But now that we are nearing the close of the year, I realized I missed out on some supposedly great books of the year.
I didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity. So I finally decided to break my ban on some good books and a book trolley to keep them in.
So here are some books released in 2021 and some old books I want to read.
Unique Book Recommendations to help you find your next read!
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2021)
Malibu Rising is the story of one unforgettable night in the life of a family, the Rivas. A night when they each have to choose what they will keep from the people who made them and what they will leave behind.
Taylor Jenkins Reid is always known for her brilliant and deep characters and like it or not I have to read a book from this author. I decided to make start with this summery vibes novel.
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner (2021)
Sarah Penner through this most popular book of 2021 effortlessly intertwines the lives of three woman protagonists through two time periods and creates a captivating story of truth, poison, and revenge. Surprisingly it is the author’s debut work.
A secret apothecary in London sells well-disguised poison to its unusual clientele – mostly women to use against oppressive men. But a young patron makes a fatal mistake and its ripples are felt through centuries.
I’m a sucker for mysteries, and this one sounded so compelling with the involvement of women, and dark secrets, and revenge.
Yaa Gyasi’s stories span continents and generations. This novel is another that discovers the roots of a family of immigrants that traveled from Ghana to Alabama. Gifty’s was a family of four mothers, father Gifty and her brother. But her brother and father succumbed to the hardships meted out to immigrants and it became a family of two. Years later Gifty is trying to find answers to her brother’s addiction and goes back tracing her family’s story.
You will find two books b Yaa Gyasi on my haul because I’ve learned that both of them are literary gems.
The Mountains Sing by Nguyen Phan Que Mai (2020)
Set in Vietnam, The Mountains Sing is a story steeped in the history of the two unforgettable characters Huong and her grandmother, Tran Dieu Lan. They are living in a shelter during the American bombing as they were forced to flee their ancestral farms. The story captures their defiance and determination, hope, and unexpected joy.
My attempt at trying to read from diverse countries led me to this bookThe Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa (2019)
The most popular dystopian story in recent times. It was translated from Japanese in 2019. I picked this because I’ve learned that I have developed a liking for Japanese literature.
Set on an island where a disappeared thing no longer has meaning. It could be destroyed in any way but the island forgets as if it never existed. But a young novelist finds it hard to forget that his editor is in danger of being taken away by the memory police. What will vanish next?
On Earth, We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong (2019)
A letter from a son to his mother who cannot read. Written when he was in his twenties, it explores the history of the family from the time before his birth. It speaks about the Vietnam War and its lasting impacts. The letter also uncovers the speakers’ life the mother was unaware of and we are taken through an astonishing reveal.
This one is like a fire on Bookstagram and I had major FOMO for this one.
Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell (2019)
Deja and Josiah are seasonal best friends. Every autumn, they’ve worked together at the pumpkin patch. They’ve done this every year. But this year is going to be different because they are seniors now. this is going to be their last autumn together. Their last shift. Josiah has decided is going to spend the whole night feeling sad about their last goodbye. But Deva’s got plans to gout with a bang.
Considered the best graphic novel with a sweet charming vibe and an adventurous spirit, I had to venture for this one.
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (2017)
I’m going, to be honest here and say I haven’t read much hard-core sci-fi. And I here Andy Weir and Blake Crouch are the master storytellers of this genre. So, why not?
Jason Dessen awakes to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by unknown people in hazmat suits. His life has altered, to the extent that his wife isn’t his wife and his son was never born and he is not a professor. Which one is the real world and which one is the dream?
Less by Andrew Sean Greer (2017)
A Pulitzer Prize-winning book for Fiction in 20218, Less talks about a failed novelist by the same name. His ex is getting married and there lands an invitation to the wedding on his desk. For obvious reasons, he doesn’t want to go. So he starts accepting invitations to literary events all over the world. In the process, there is series of catastrophic events that occur and it is a fun ride through multiple countries and destinations.
I picked this book because reviewers said it was a most hilarious and wonderful read and I want to read more of such books in the future.
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (2016)
This is supposedly a novel that is a must-read for every woman. Effia and Esi are two sisters, of which one is sold into slavery and one becomes a slaver’s wife. The consequences of these diverse destinies ripple through into their future generations. Spanning continents and generations, this is the story of a family and through them the story of America.
Yaa Gyasi’s writing has won her not one but several literary awards across the globe. I had to read what she has to say.
A Gentleman In Moscow by Amor Towles(2016)
On 21st June 1922 Count Alexander Rostov, a dignitary, is ushered out of Kremlin. Declared on unapologetic aristocrat by a Bolshevik Tribunal the count has been sentence to indefinite house arrest. But instead of usual hotel suite he is now kept in an attic room while Russia undergoes upheaval. The question the novel puts forth is if a life without luxury can be a rich life at all?
I haven’t ventured into Russian literature ever before and Amor Towles novel seems like a good start, don’t you think?
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