The calendar pages keep turning and it’s June! The year is flying by, and because of certain personal circumstances, I find myself in a very awkward situation where I haven’t opened a book in almost a month. This has never happened to me (except during the college days maybe, but then I was reading for college). Since I learned to read, I have read every day. The habit developed further during my teenage when I started avoiding company and spending more time with books. I’ll be honest, I might be getting depressed. At least, I’m moodier than usual. My conclusion: I need to read. But more than that, I need to talk about books. So, here I am.
This year, I have picked up many new-to-me authors and tried new sub-genres. Some of these books are my new favorites. From January to June 2024, my top five reads are;
The story is one of a kind and I loved how it’s narrated. It takes you on an adventure you will never forget. It not only takes you back in time, to a different culture but also to an alternate reality where anything is possible. Demons and Djinns roam the earth and Amina al-Sirafi as a pirate and a sea voyajer must deal with all kinds of dangerous situations. It’s a perfect read for me who wants to see a middle-aged woman with a bad knee save the world. A delightfully original premise. I highly recommend it to all fantasy lovers and hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have.
This book is perfect for mystery lovers. It’s set in the Victorian era with alternate history. It’s a mash-up of Victorian monsters. A group of ‘monster’ women solve a mystery that involves science and evil scientists. Who wouldn’t want to read that? But it’s not for readers who lack patience because this story is going to take a longer route to get to the point. If you want to enjoy a tiresome investigation into the life of Mary Jekyll’s mysterious father, Edward Hyde, then by all means, pick it up. This book gave me a very Addam’s Family kind of feel, which I loved and I hope you do, too.
For this book, I have mixed feelings. I don’t know if I loved it enough, but I’m sharing anyway because it definitely comes under one of the most original plots I have come across in fantasy. The story is set in Bangladesh and as the name suggests, involves Djinn. Now, I’m a fan of Djinn lore. I have even written a few stories about this topic. But this tale takes you deeper into a world where Djinns and humans co-exist in a twisted way. And our protagonist’s family is very much involved in the mess. It started really well. Indelbed, an orphan, is a character you can instantly like and root for. You want his story to be one of success and a happy ending. But then the story takes an unexpected turn. And now, you no longer know who even the protagonist is. By the end, I wasn’t enjoying and it sure didn’t end well. I don’t know if there is a sequel or not, so pick up at your own risk. Overall, I think it’s a worthy read.
If you like historical fiction and mysteries then this book is a perfect combination for you to enjoy. The story is set in the 1920s London. Saffron Everleigh is a research assistant, an intelligent woman with lofty ambitions. When a detective asks her help to solve a murder mystery involving flowers, things take an interesting turn. Saffron is determined to solve the mystery and also to save her research. It’s a good read and since I love murder mysteries, it was a perfect book for me. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and would recommend it to all readers.
It’s not historical fiction but combines legends and myths while telling a story set in our contemporary world. It’s the kind of story that transcends time, where the lines between past and present blur, and you can no longer tell if you’re reading a fantasy or history. Set among the ruins of a castle, surrounded by the mighty Himalayas, this story will take you on a journey you are unlikely to forget. At its core, Dead Heart Longing is a love story but it also has elements of mystery and romance. I think people will enjoy this book regardless of their preferred genre.
Did you hear about KOBO’s June Mystery & Thriller Under $5 e-Books promotion?
Don’t forget to check out some amazing discounted titles this June! Monsters & Mysteries is also included in the promotion at a 40% discount. (Note: Promotion is for selected regions, so kindly check availability before one-clicking).
Between The Pages Of A Book 