Because I firmly believe there are never enough books in our lives.

Back in 2020 when I had more time and was more active on social media, I used to post a short book recommendation every Wednesday, which is how this series of Erratic book Wednesdays posts got started with part 1. The book recommendations have since moved to my monthly newsletters, but I am still collecting them in batches of 14, so here is the next part if you are looking for some reading ideas in 2024. I hope you will find something that captures your interest. You are always welcome to sign up for my blog newsletter below and suggest some of your favourite books in the comments:

Ready, steady, books!

#1: J. Harris – The Gospel of Loki

The first pick this time is The Gospel of Loki by Joanne Harris, a historical fiction novel with a healthy dose of Nordic mythology. It tells the unofficial history of the world’s greatest trickster god from the dawn of Asgard to Ragnarok in his own words and, as you can imagine, it’s wry and full of mischief and unexpected twists and turns. You may also know Harris as the writer of Chocolat, the heart-warming romance novel that got made into a movie with Johnny Depp, so don’t expect too much, but it makes for a wonderful summer read with a bit of fluff. Although there are some deviations from the original mythology, it’s enjoyable and the characters are definitely the strong point. There’s also a sequel that I haven’t read, because the synopsis makes it sound too much like a modern super hero movie plot and the first book wraps up quite nicely as a stand alone.

#2: L. Glück – Poetry collections

Since we were talking poetry in the podcast that week, it was only right that this recommendation was poetry as well, so I chose Louise Glück. She’s an American author with a Hungarian Jewish heritage who was recently awarded the Nobel prize for literature in 2020. I’ve read her The Wild Iris and October collections, as well as some earlier poems so far, and while her recent work draws inspiration from nature and comes with beautiful imagery, I prefer her earlier poems that are packed heavier with emotion and quite a bit of sass. She also has an interesting way of celebrating life even while she’s showing us what an ordeal it is to be alive and exploring the dark themes from her life: here’s a poem if you want to check out her work – The Empty Glass.

#3: A. and B. Strugatsky: Hard to be a God

Next is the sci-fi novel Hard to be a God by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, two Soviet brothers who collaborated on several sci-fi books back in the 60s. It follows the story of Anton, an undercover operative from an ultra advanced civilisation sent as an observer to a brutal, medieval Earth type planet. Compared to the locals, he has godlike powers, but is forbidden from interfering with the natural development of their culture, so we get to watch him spiral into a nervous breakdown while grappling with ethical concerns and his inability to help where it would really matter, all with a healthy dose of action, tragic romance and sword fighting of course. Although the rather standard adventure plot of this book wouldn’t exactly turn heads today, it’s a quality sci-fi classic with lots of underlying meaning and it’s written in that interesting early sci-fi experiential style, so if you haven’t read any older sci-fi books, this one is definitely worth checking out.

#4: G. Orwell – 1984

As I was rereading Orwell’s 1984, I figured I’d throw it in the mix of my Wednesday book recommendations too. Since it’s on the list of required reading in many schools, you probably already know all about it, but if you haven’t read it yet, you absolutely should. 1984 is one of the scariest dystopian books out there, mostly because parts of it have come true in various regimes around the world and it is eerily accurate for a book that was written in 1949. It describes a bleak, totalitarian state where language and history are systematically changed to suit the needs of those in power until truth is no longer a thing and Big Brother, the political saviour of the population, is always watching through the TV. So, within this bureaucratic hell where even thoughts can be a crime, we follow a middle aged guy struggling with his individuality and the people around him, and no, it’s definitely not one of those stories where the good triumph.

#5: C. Mieville – Perdido Street Station

The next book is Perdido Street Station by C. Mieville, the first from the New Crobuzon series. It’s more in the spirit of the spooky season, as the author is one of the representatives of the new weird fiction and this one is definitely not for readers with weak stomachs. It’s grotesque, it’s gruesome, it’s somewhat depressive and horrific, but it’s also incredibly imaginative and utterly fascinating. The series is set in an industrial, steampunk-ish metropolis full of ethically questionable practices and futuristic science details, which actually work even for me as an engineer. Although there is a central mystery plot, it’s mostly worth reading for the macabre atmosphere and world building with all sorts of rich, insane details. Think of it as a modern H. P. Lovecraft on steroids and if you haven’t read anything from the genre yet, Mieville’s books are among the best, at least in my opinion.

#6: M. J. Sullivan – Age of Myth

Are you watching the new Wheel of Time TV series? I am, but I can’t say that I’m loving it so far. However, it did give me the motivation to start reading R. Jordan’ books that the series is based on – I’ve just finished reading The Eye of the World and it was really not that good, because it’s long winded, badly paced, very cliche and has nothing to recommend it other than the complexity of the world building. So, here’s a much better epic fantasy series instead: The Legends of the First Empire by M. J. Sullivan, starting with Age of Myth. This one is set in a sort of pre-Iron Age society, which is a refreshing change from the usual medieval fantasies, and Sullivan is really good at writing proper, complex characters. It starts off when one of the humans kills a god from a technologically advanced race and we get to follow along as the balance of power shifts and the humans end up in full rebellion. It’s actually a prequel to another of his series, which is possibly even better and that’s why it’s featured under #7.

#7: M. J. Sullivan – The Crown Conspiracy

As promised, the next book was The Crown Conspiracy, the first from The Riyria Revelations series by M. J. Sullivan. It’s an intelligently written adventure medieval fantasy series, which has a sort of the Witcher meets Game of Thrones vibe and both the characters and the plot are very well developed. Also, for those of you who often find the epic fantasy genre too cliche, with too many lengthy world building descriptions, these are the books for you. Sullivan is a master at concise but believable world building, with few information dumps and little exposition, and there’s no big ancient evil guy to defeat and no special predestined heroes, just two very likeable and amusing central characters in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

#8: A. Sapkowski – The Witcher series

Speaking of the Witcher, season 2 of Netflix’s the Witcher adaptation came out in December and my boyfriend and I already binged watched it, of course. It’s great, but the books are better, so it’s only fair that the next book recommendation was the Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski. Just in case you missed all the hype, it’s a famous fantasy series that follows the story of Geralt, a witcher, a travelling mutant bred to become a monster slayer who gets tangled up with destiny and politics despite his best attempts to avoid both. The books are wonderfully imaginative, smart, stinging funny and the guy has all sort of strong-and-silent type grumpy charisma, but best of all, they’re morally ambiguous and he’s not afraid to make hard choices. In a world full of magic and monsters, the worst monsters are often human, love and justice are always complicated and no good deed ever goes unpunished. Start with The Last Wish, a collection of the original short stories and go to the full main trilogy from there, I promise it’s worth reading (or at least go watch the series or play the equally epic computer game!).

#9: J. Clear – Atomic Habits: An easy & proven way to build good habits & break bad ones

Since New Year is typically the time of big resolutions and self-transformations that don’t usually work, I thought it fitting to recommend this book as the first of 2022: Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by J. Clear. I rarely read this type of books, but I read this one last year and it’s great. I like that it’s a fast, easy to understand read and that it highlights the importance of compiling small changes instead of forcing yourself through large, hard-to-keep resolutions. It introduces a very realistic, systematic approach to building good habits and breaking the ones you want to get rid off and I found it useful, because I felt it had the right approach where you build habits by making something a part of your identity, not through goal setting and self discipline that only work in short term. Give it a try if there’s something in your life that you’d like to change or improve.

#10: S. Andersen – Adulthood is a myth

I got a really cool comic book for Christmas from my mum, so today’s pick is Sarah Andersen’s Adulthood is a Myth, a collection of very relatable comics about everyday life and the struggles of modern adulthood. I’ve been following Sarah’s scribbles on social media for a while, so I’m glad I now own some of her works in book form, because they are definitely spot on for most of us, both young adults and those young at heart. You can check out some of her comics here.

#11: J. A. Chadwich – the briarmen

This one was just in time for your summer reading: The Briarmen by J.A. Chadwick. Set in the English countryside during WW2 evacuations, it follows 2 children who encounter some magical creatures and a downed German plane with its pilot in the woods. It is one of those books that feels like a classic fairytale, but for adults. It explores heavier themes like loss and the tangled emotions of wartime as the children struggle to keep their discovery a secret amidst an increasingly agitated community of adults and it has just the right touch of magical realism to it.

#12: L. Cixin – the three-body problem

You might have already heard of this one, because it has become quite popular recently and rightly so. The Three-Body Problem by L. Cixin is an amazing, wonderfully complex sci-fi novel set during the Chinese cultural revolution, where a group of scientists are tasked with sending signals into space and something answers back, but in the most unexpected way. Different factions then form on Earth to either embrace the contact or prevent it entirely – I don’t want to spoil much, because it is a book best enjoyed blind to really appreciate all the plot twists and revelations, so just go for it. It is a special treat if you like physics and mathematics, because the level of detail and problem-solving is crazy, but it is written well enough that you will understand it even if you don’t and all the ideas are really original and fresh.

#13: R. Munroe – What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Question

This next book is pure nerd fun by R. Munroe, a former NASA scientist and the author of a popular web comic. It is titled “What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions” and that is exactly what it contains. If you have ever wondered what would happen if the moon disappeared or how long you would survive if your cells stopped dividing or any other absurd what-ifs, then this one is for you. It is very easy to read and the author put quite a lot of effort into computer simulations and obscure science research to provide credible answers, so I think you will enjoy it even if you aren’t very nerdy.

#14: K. Winsor – Forever Amber

This last one was November’s book choice and is a cosy romantic classic as befits winter time: Forever Amber by K. Winsor. If you have read or heard of Gone with the Wind, this one is similar, but set in Restoration England in the 17th century. The main character Amber St. Clare is very much a vain, conceited anti-heroine, obsessed with her social status and the one man she can’t have. The story moves fast and I quite enjoyed following Amber’s climb from a naive village girl to the rich mistress of the King himself, told in sarcastic undertones with interesting historical interludes and a rather gratifying plot twist ending. Also, back in 1944 this book was banned in several U.S. states for being too sexy, but if you are worried about these things it is merely a bit spicy for today’s standards (although topics like sex, adultery and abortion are frequently discussed).