Whatcha Reading? January 2024

Bonsai was my first 5 Star book of the year, and I'll be shocked if it isn't on my top ten of 2024. A short novella about Julio and Emilio, two Chilean students who fall in love while bonding over literature. It poignant and the writing is breathtaking. Megan McDowell, a four-time Booker Prize nominee, did an incredible job with the translation.

This anthology from one of today's modern masters of horror was capital W Weird, and certainly will not be for everyone. I don't know that I've ever experienced (I nearly said "read" but "experience is more apt for this book!) a more odd collection of stories. A few examples are: "How Billy Destroyed the Planet Earth, and Everyone On It," "I Was a Teenage Slasher Victim," and "Because My Therapist Asked Me to Tell You a Story Using Hamsters," there's a little bit of everything to really...get into.

This was such a fun and twisty murder mystery! If you love Knives Out and Glass Onion, this one is a must try for you.

This one can be a bit of an emotional rollercoaster but if you’re at a “stuck” point in life and need a different perspective, try this one out! It definitely opened my eyes to a different mindset that I may not have seen otherwise.

This was such a fast paced, gripping story that even though it is historical fiction read almost like a thriller — I chewed up the pages! The House Is on Fire is based on the real events surrounding the December 26th theatre fire in Richmond Virgina, 1811 and follows four separate POVs and how their lives were affected by this devastating event. Heartbreaking, fascinating and perfectly plotted, if you love historical fiction and are looking for something other than war & WWII, pick this up! 

It took me a minute to warm to this story, but once I sunk into its atmospheric, gothic vibes I was hooked. A crumbling mansion that hides devastating secrets, haunted by a Djinn (do note this is not the magical style Djinn we are accustomed to, Indian Djinn are more like mythical, unknowable Gods), and a girl who herself is haunted by her own ghosts, this is truly a unique piece of historical fantasy.

For all my fellow YA thriller fans, don't sleep on Jumata Emill! His debut was the fantastic 2023 release THE BLACK QUEEN, and his sophomore novel is even better. The story is about two half-brothers who are estranged, but have to come together to solve the murder of a classmate after one of them is accused of the crime. It's incredibly fast-paced and full of twists!

I put off reading Isabel Cañas for far too long, and I'm so glad I've finally fixed that! I started with her debut book THE HACIENDA, and while I loved that one, I think VAMPIRES OF EL NORTE is an absolute masterpiece. I frequently found myself rereading different lines or passages because they were so beautifully written, and I have thought about this book every day since I finished it. It's billed as a horror book first, but don't let that deter you because the horror aspects are minimal!

Kacen Callender is one of my absolute favourite authors and Stars in Your Eyes is unsurprisingly another stellar story to add to their flawless record. This deeply tender and emotional romantic drama follows two queer actors navigating ongoing public scandals, negative publicity, traumas both past and unfortunately present, and a PR relationship that's becoming entangled with their own budding feelings for each other. There is a genuine sense of love and affection between Logan and Mattie that makes their story so enthralling, even if their romantic path is rough, treacherous, and unrelenting at times. Be sure to check the trigger warnings, but I urge you to pick this book up if, like me, you like your romances with a healthy dose of realism and therapy.