The first half is all the books I read & recommend.

The second half are books I started reading / read but do not think highly enough of to recommend (although some I had to finish simply because I got too invested in what was happening and needed to know the ending).

No book links because I thoroughly encourage you to use a library or a local, independent bookseller and absolutely by all means possible, avoid Indigo/Chapters, and Amazon.

If you need one that delivers in Canada, I very much like McNally Robinson. They can order any book you like.

WHAT I RECOMMEND

Crazy Spooky Love: Josie Silver

GHOSTS – MYSTERY – SEE DEAD PEOPLE – FUN READ – SLIGHT ROMANCE

I read the books backwards, this was the FIRST Book of the series so I already knew what happened because I had read the sequel last year (Kooky Spooky Love). I rather like the mystery aspect of these books, and figuring out what is going on with ghosts who refuse to leave the homes they are haunting, which keeps me interested.

Manslaughter Park: Tirzah Price

Mystery – Jane Austen book backdrop – FEminist

I was already a big fan of this Jane Austen meets a Mystery spinoff series, and this is just another one in the series. Basically, it takes an Austen novel and makes it become a brilliant backdrop for a mystery. Very engaging, humourous, and interesting, even if you haven’t or don’t like Austen, it also stands alone as a great mystery novel.

The Astral Library: Kate Quinn

Libraries – Fantasy – Escape – Literary Worlds – Social Work

Definintely one of my favourite books of the lot I have read so far. Quinn is a superlative writer and this is like my book catnip where it weaves in libraries, lost souls, people who need help and a fantasy world surrounding it. I absolutely loved the wit and humour throughout the book and all the little deep dives done into each literary world.

Visual Thinking: PhD Temple Grandin

Critique of standard schooling – Visual and spatial thinkers – Practical applications IRL – Anecdotes

I think you only need to read the first 3-5 chapters and you would be fine. The book is unnecessarily long and drawn out, even though the entire premise of it is quite sound.

TL;DR it talks about how people who don’t fit into the norms of schooling (rote memorization, concentration in class, etc), could have other skills that are far more important for society; not just in the arts, but also used in real world applications such as farming (like the author). The problem with our society is the focus on a singular way of learning to the detriment of the other children who could be equally as creative and brilliant, had they just been given the outlet to express said skills.

Cormoran Strike Books 1-8: Robert Galbraith

Mystery – Long drawn out clichéd romance – Private Investigators

I started on the first book and then had to absolutely finish the series. The writing is excellent, characters are interesting.. the only thing I generally dislike in these books is the ham fisted attempt to force a romance storyline, and then to D-R-A-G it out over the course of 7 books when it is clear that IRL it would never work like that. Either you give it a go or you don’t. Aside from that, the mystery and plotlines themselves are more than adequate in keeping your interest, and I almost never figure out who it is.

Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year: Joanna Nell

Retirement – Finding yourself again – Dreams – Relationships

This was a surprising book to read. For some reason I thought of it as a Mrs. Harris goes to Paris sort of vibe (it is a nice movie), but the similarities were only just in the title. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it because it gave a very solid, honest look into what happens to a couple before and after retirement and what it means to find yourself in the end, no matter your age.

Murder takes a holiday

1920s – Murder Mystery – Seaside – Troubled relationships

A sequel that came so quickly on the heels of her first novel, Harper is a great author. This book however, I immediately knew who did it because it seemed so obvious to me within the first few chapters, but I still enjoyed proving myself right at the end when it was revealed HOW it was done.

Want more book recommendations?

All of my previous book recommendations are here.

If you’re lazy like me, here are my YEARLY book roundups from each year.

DO NOT READ

How to kill a client: Joanna Jenkins

I gave up after 4 chapters, and then skipped ahead to figure out who did it because it was just so long and drawn out. Zero book rizz.