#3 April Book Recommendations
Last week I elaborated on why I reading is one of my favourite hobbies and how you can potentially introduce it more into your daily life, if that is something you want to do. I plan on posting monthly book recommendations, to give you some inspiration. Personally, I also like seeing what other people are reading and what books they recommend, so please feel free to add your favourite book or your current book in the comments!
My favourite genre is fiction - a very broad genre, since pretty much any story where something is made up falls under this name. To narrow it down, I prefer fantasy and science-fiction. Now those are also two very big umbrellas, as there are several subgenera like high fantasy, romantasy, young adult fantasy, and so on. I am not partial to any of them as long as the story is interesting and it does not take too long to get into the plot of the story. This being said, our preferences may vary and I might recommend books where you might think “That does not sound like my kind of book”, and that is perfectly fine.
For this month I highly recommended the following three books. I’ll try and keep my comments as concise as possible, giving a short and spoiler-free summary and my reasons why these books should be on your To-Be-Read (TBR) list.
1. Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson (2023)
I believe I bought this book just about a year ago, when I wanted to read more of Brandon Sanderson’s writing. I had read Mistborne in 2023 and although I was impressed with the unique magic system and world building, but the second book just did not do it for me. Sanderson has written many books (almost an understatement) and I was too intimidated to start a whole new series like The Starlight Archive. So when I saw Tress of the Emerald Sea in the shelf of the bookstore and found out it is a standalone book, I thought: Perfect! And it really was.
Again, Sanderson created a very unique world with interesting and likeable characters. We follow Tress, a shy and mousey character, though undeniably smart and brave, who leaves her simple town to save her friend who was lost at sea - a sea of spores.
She is confronted with many dangerous endeavours and dubious people, but never shies away from doing what is right.
My favourite aspect of the book is the entertaining banter and narration. The story is told to the reader by the perspective of one of the characters in the book, so that we experience little side comments and annotations from the narrator while reading. The story and narration give off a very familiar, light-hearted, and cozy vibe, making it a great book to read over the weekend or on a short holiday.
If you are looking for an exciting and fun adventure without having to dedicate yourself to three or more books, look no further than Tress of the Emerald Sea.
2. Graceling by Kristin Cashore (2008)
In contrast to Tress of the Emerald Sea, Graceling is the first book in the Graceling Realm Series which totals five books. I was introduced to this book by a friend in high school, who gifted it to me under the pretence that it was a fantastic book; and I could not agree more.
This young-adult-fantasy follows Katsa, a young woman who is graced with the skill of killing, as she tries to uncover a mystery after the King of Lienid’s father is kidnapped. There is adventure, action, mystery and a whole lot of excitement. My favourite aspect is the very sober writing. I have read this book several times, and each time it sends me into a state of calm. The writing is descriptive but not elaborate; it is calculated and analytical. It accurately mirrors the female lead’s character, so that the reader is engulfed in her character and her world.
Another great feature - in my opinion - is the lack of focus on romantic relationships and romance in general. That is not to say there is none, but it is not in the forefront of the plot nor what drives the plot forward (with exceptions). As a teenager, I was often annoyed that most stories were romance-oriented and so I was very pleasantly surprised while reading these books.
I have read the entire series and although Graceling can be read as a standalone, I do recommend reading the series it in its entirety.
3. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson (2016)
Like I stated last week, I am not really into self-help books or the like. I have a hard time getting into them and understanding what they are about simply because they are often not descriptive enough for my brain to understand. That does not mean, that they are not good books or well written. After several attempts of persuasion by my partner, I finally gave in and picked up Mark Manson’s New York Time Bestseller The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck - he argued it would be good for me, since I am trying to be a less of a people-pleaser and over-thinker and that was exactly what this book was about.
If you are a bit of a softy like me, then I do warn you: the language and tone of this book might not sit well with you to begin with. It is blunt, in-your-face and very matter-of-fact.
But sometimes that is what we need: A wake-up-call and some good ‘ol tough love. The lessons coincided with lessons I have learned in therapy, so there is truth to what is being told in Manson’s own blunt way: Not being responsible for other people’s happiness or sadness, playing victim, and that our happiness is our choice, to name a few.
Did it solve all of my problems and rid me of overthinking every thing I do? No. Did it rehash topics I had previously worked on and reminded me to first take myself into account? Yes. Do I think I have changed since reading this book? Somewhat - I often catch myself thinking about the book and in extension about my therapy lessons when I start overthinking and pondering on certain topics. It helps me redirect my thoughts and ask important questions: Is that my responsibility? Am I presenting myself as a victim? What do I want to achieve with this?
As much as this book is not a perfect solution for overthinking or your fear of the future, it does show, that we all have similar problems and similar thoughts. It gives examples on what we can do with what we have and how to gain perspective even if we think that nothing good will ever happen. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I do recommend it to anyone looking for a little push to get out of your own head and start confronting your own issues.
I hope I have given you some reading inspiration for the next month. If you have been influenced to read any of the books I have recommended, I would love to hear your thoughts on them! And if you have any recommendations for me, leave me a comment bellow.
[Note: Yes, this post is a few days late — I apologise, for the delay. Life is life and unexpected things happen so that I can not stay on schedule. I hope you still enjoyed this post and will come back next week for the next entry.]