Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman
I, admittedly don’t read many fantasy novels, but I also don’t have a reason to, as I can’t imagine any of them being as good as Neverwhere. The author once referred to this work as, Alice and the Wonderland for adults and I can’t think of a more apt description. In the book, the protagonist, Richard, stops to help a mysterious wounded girl on the streets of London and subsequently gets swept underground into the London below — A ghastly, ominous setting filled with immortal assassins, talking rats, and demons. It’s an enthralling read that’s funny and shockingly wholesome.
Anxious People - Fredrik Bachman.
The first 10-15 pages of this book might turn you off as it tries way too hard to be funny. Fortunately, the forced humor quickly dissipates and the book takes on a more natural flow about a botched bank robbery which clumsily transforms into a hostage situation at an apartment viewing. This book has no antagonist. And it’s not even clear who the main character is supposed to be. It does, however, have an entertaining ensemble of all walks of life who despite their differences, come together when it’s truly needed. Because no matter how strong-willed a person might act, no matter how resilient they may seem, no matter how bold and unafraid, everyone needs someone else to lean on. This is a beautifully written book. It will make you laugh, make you cry, make you reach out to a loved one, and make you want to read it again.
The Hit List - Richard Belzer
Fifty-six years before Jeffrey Epstein didn’t kill himself, Lee Harvey-Oswald didn’t act as the lone conspirator in the Kennedy assassination. I feel like that’s a fairly uncontroversial opinion. Most people would agree there was foul play amiss, the magnitude of which has yet to be determined and likely never will. That’s because anyone who witnessed or knew of anything unusual about that day died under mysterious circumstances. In the Hit List, Richard Belzer ( Yes, the same Richard Belzer) analyzes the tragic demise of 50 separate people who either knew too much, said too much, or simply saw something they weren’t supposed to see. And he does so, with that familiar, unbridled Detective John Munch, snark.
Recursion/Dark Matter - Blake Crouch
Some books are slow to get out of the gate. Blake Crouch’s books are not. They blast out of the starting block like Usain Bolt on rocket skates. I couldn’t decide between Dark matter or Recursion so I decided to include them both. And while they deal with different subject matters they share the same intricate storylines, mesmerizing plot twists and frenetic pace. If you like Sci-fi thrillers, these books are for you. And if you don’t, read them anyway because I told you to.
The murder of Roger Ackroyd - Agatha Christie
On December 3rd 1926, renowned author, Agatha Christie, vanished off the face of the earth. What soon followed, was at the time, the largest search in human history. A nationwide manhunt. This was headline news. Hundreds of people scoured the forests for days. Aeroplanes were used in the search for the first time ever. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle even hired a psychic in an attempt to discover her whereabouts. Their search came up empty. She was eventually discovered 11 days later at a hotel a couple hundred miles away. Claiming amnesia, Agatha could provide no details as to how she got there, or what she had been doing all that time. Upon returning home, she never spoke of the disappearance again. How fitting for such a mysterious event to occur to such a revered mystery writer. All we know for sure is that right before this she wrote, ‘The murder of Roger Ackroyd’ otherwise known as the greatest mystery novel ever written. A compelling premise with a slew of suspicious characters in a riveting novel that keeps you guessing until the very end.
Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
The same author that brought you Fight Club brings you another deranged tale about a depraved medical school dropout named, Victor Mancini. This book is lewd and obscene, and quite possibly the funniest book ever written.
Station Eleven - Emily St. John Mandel
Station Eleven is a multiple perspective account of an apocalyptic future after a deadly virus wipes out a majority of the population. Reading this at the start of the Covid shutdown was a little surreal. Not that the author could’ve predicted the utter shit-show that would encapsulate the world a full year after her book was published. Still, Station Eleven is a brilliantly written tale that makes you think about how you would react to the end of times.
A walk in the woods - Bill Bryson
Bill Bryson is an amazing writer. Read anything he’s written and you won’t be disappointed. My favorite so far is, ‘A walk in the woods’ A hilarious autobiographical account of his attempt at hiking the Appalachian trail.
Foe - Iain Reid
In the not-so-distant future, a young couple living in isolation on a farm in the country receive a visit from a stranger who gives them unsettling news. The same author who brought you, ‘I’m thinking of ending things’ brings you another menacing psychological thriller that will bend your mind in ways you didn’t think possible.
Stoner - John Williams
This is not a book about marijuana. Sorry to disappoint. Instead, it’s a book about a guy named William Stoner who enters the University of Missouri in 1910 at the age of 19. He later becomes a teacher. He marries the wrong woman. His life is quiet and after his death his colleagues remember him rarely. On the surface it seems like it would be incredibly boring. The type of story you’d need marijuana for in order to make it interesting. But it’s an exceptionally well-told, flawlessly written novel that you’re sure to enjoy whether your stoned or not. I highly recommend it.
Based on a true story, not a memoir - Norm Macdonald
I usually stray away from celebrity memoirs as they tend to hit a wall after 100 pages or so. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever finished one. This book, however, is a departure from the Norm.
By page 1, it becomes immediately clear that not only is this not based on a true story, but rather, nothing in the book is even remotely close to being true at all. In typical fashion, he hilariously rambles on from one implausible occurrence to another in a manner that only Norm Macdonald can achieve. Side note: For all Audiobook fans, you can actually buy this book in Norm Macdonald’s voice, which is just the bee’s knees.
What to regret when you’re expecting? - Ryan Shaw
The same author who brought you, ‘The customer is always right?’ Brings you another mildly humorous book. Evidently, not only is this guy an expert on consumer relations, he is also adept in parenting and shameless self promotion. Don’t miss your chance to read the book that’s received three (Yeah, that’s right) three, 5 star reviews on Amazon.
Station Eleven - Emily St. John Mandel
Station Eleven is a multiple perspective account of an apocalyptic future after a deadly virus wipes out a majority of the population. Reading this at the start of the Covid shutdown was a little surreal. Not that the author could’ve predicted the utter shit-show that would encapsulate the world a full year after her book was published. Still, Station Eleven is a brilliantly written tale that makes you think about how you would react to the end of times.
A walk in the woods - Bill Bryson
Bill Bryson is an amazing writer. Read anything he’s written and you won’t be disappointed. My favorite so far is, ‘A walk in the woods’ A hilarious autobiographical account of his attempt at hiking the Appalachian trail.
Foe - Iain Reid
In the not-so-distant future, a young couple living in isolation on a farm in the country receive a visit from a stranger who gives them unsettling news. The same author who brought you, ‘I’m thinking of ending things’ brings you another menacing psychological thriller that will bend your mind in ways you didn’t think possible.
Stoner - John Williams
This is not a book about marijuana. Sorry to disappoint. Instead, it’s a book about a guy named William Stoner who enters the University of Missouri in 1910 at the age of 19. He later becomes a teacher. He marries the wrong woman. His life is quiet and after his death his colleagues remember him rarely. On the surface it seems like it would be incredibly boring. The type of story you’d need marijuana for in order to make it interesting. But it’s an exceptionally well-told, flawlessly written novel that you’re sure to enjoy whether your stoned or not. I highly recommend it.
Based on a true story, not a memoir - Norm Macdonald
I usually stray away from celebrity memoirs as they tend to hit a wall after 100 pages or so. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever finished one. This book, however, is a departure from the Norm.
By page 1, it becomes immediately clear that not only is this not based on a true story, but rather, nothing in the book is even remotely close to being true at all. In typical fashion, he hilariously rambles on from one implausible occurrence to another in a manner that only Norm Macdonald can achieve. Side note: For all Audiobook fans, you can actually buy this book in Norm Macdonald’s voice, which is just the bee’s knees.
What to regret when you’re expecting? - Ryan Shaw
The same author who brought you, ‘The customer is always right?’ Brings you another mildly humorous book. Evidently, not only is this guy an expert on consumer relations, he is also adept in parenting and shameless self promotion. Don’t miss your chance to read the book that’s received three (Yeah, that’s right) three, 5 star reviews on Amazon.
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