What’s New on my TBR?
As you know, I’ve been consciously trying to read outside of my comfort zone. That’s meant diving into new genres and even rediscovering a few old ones. So far, it’s been going really well, so much so that I haven’t read a good Black romance I’m obsessed with in a while. My old faithful just isn’t hitting right now. Instead, I’ve been loving thrillers and more alternative reads. Honestly, this blog has been doing exactly what I hoped it would.
In that spirit, I’m here to chat through my current TBR – aka, my To Be Read list. Full disclosure: it’s vast. I’m constantly adding to it, but I’ve managed to narrow it down to six books I’m especially excited about. These are the ones that have been hyped both online and by people I trust, the critically acclaimed picks, and the ones I just know are going to hit the spot.
So let’s dive into the six I’m most excited for and why and you guys can tell me which you’ve read and which ones are the most worth it. I wouldn’t call these book recommendations more so the book ‘lets read together and discover if it’s recommendation worthy’…hehe.
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia
Noemí Taboada, a young socialite, travels to the isolated High Place mansion in the Mexican countryside after receiving a frantic letter from her cousin Catalina, who fears her husband Virgil is trying to kill her.
I was looking through some GoodReads Challenges for some stories that intrigued me.
Mexican Gothic is classed as horror fiction and post-colonial gothic which is already so way out of my wheelhouse that I have no business here. I don’t even like horror movies! However, I said I would explore and that is what I’m going to do. Now for new genres, I would usually use an audiobook but I’m not sure if that is a good idea here. I’m not trying to be terrified out of my mind.
After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid
When Lauren and Ryan’s marriage reaches the breaking point, they come up with an unconventional plan. They decide to take a year off in the hopes of finding a way to fall in love again. One year apart, and only one rule: they cannot contact each other. Aside from that, anything goes. I don’t necessarily love a second-chance romance, I think they work well sometimes.
I love the premise of a couple making the intentional decision to take a significant amount of time apart – especially at that stage in a relationship. Not that I could ever see myself doing it, but I kind of respect the commitment to personal growth while still holding onto hope for the relationship.
I’ve read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid and absolutely loved it, and the average rating for this one is really solid too, so I’m definitely excited to give it a try.
Did You Hear About Kitty Karr by Crystal Smith – Paul
When Kitty Karr Tate, a White icon of the silver screen, dies and bequeaths her multimillion-dollar estate to the St. John sisters, three young, wealthy Black women, it prompts questions. Lots of questions.
This book gives Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and I’m always down for a 50s-era scandal book so why not give it a try? It has a pretty average rating. It’s been on my TBR for a while. I have even borrowed it several times from my library. I just haven’t dedicated the time yet. I’m not entirely sure what I’m getting myself into but the premise alone has intrigued me because what business does a white woman, especially of that age have to do with three black women? I often lead with curiosity with books. I can’t say it’s always led me right but I have no plans on stopping. I will report back!
Before We Were Strangers by Renee Carlino
The story of Matt and Grace, who meet in college and become inseparable before their relationship falls apart. Fifteen years later, a Craigslist “missed connection” leads to a reunion that reignites old feelings and forces them to confront unresolved issues.
Honestly, I’m not quite sure why this is on my TBR but it is. I added this when scrolling through high-rated TikTok books a couple of months ago and was intrigued enough to add it to my GoodReads TBR. I am also guilty of adding books I never end up reading so I can’t say that is anything to go by. As mentioned earlier I don’t massively gravitate to second-chance romances, it just depends. But there is something about a 15-year story and a CraigsList missed connection that has made my ears perk up. We’ll see if that holds any water. This one isn’t far up on the list so it might be a few months before I report back.
The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson
This story follows two young Black women, Ruby in Philadelphia and Eleanor in Washington D.C., as they navigate forbidden love, societal pressures, and the challenges of motherhood in the 1950s. This book made the list because a friend of mine – whose opinion I really trust – said it’s been her favourite read of the year so far. And that’s saying something.
I read the synopsis and was immediately intrigued. I can already tell it’s going to be a tough read, nothing about Black motherhood, especially in the 1950s, is ever simple. Books that center on racism and struggle always take me a bit longer to pick up, just because I have to mentally prepare myself first. I will definitely be back here soon depending on how this month goes. I’m on a roll so far, but it might end up in my April Monthly dump.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
Mika, is a solitary witch who hides her magic and lives by the rules. She’s invited to teach three young witches at the mysterious Nowhere House, which leads her into a complex web of secrets and relationships.
Now this book made it onto this list earlier this year. Good Reads has several reading challenges and this came from the Epic Quest which includes books from The 60 Most Popular Fantasy Novels of the Past 3 years
I decided to add this one to my TBR because it seemed cute, and had a magic system that didn’t seem complicated. I’m a sucker for stories centred around hidden gifts and breaking the rules. It doesn’t seem like a high-stakes novel, and since it’s a standalone, I’m hoping it won’t be too stressful of a read,
It’s got solid ratings with a steady 4 stars, and this might be the first book I knowingly read by an Indian author, so I’m really excited to see if any cultural elements come through. This is another one I might tackle this month, but we’ll see how it goes.
There are only six books on this list, which technically means I could read them all this month. But let’s be honest, I don’t like being ruled by my TBR. I really have to be in the mood for a book, so it’s unlikely you’ll hear back from me on all of them right away.
That said, I’m committing to at least two this month. I think I know which ones, but who knows what might catch my attention before the month’s over?
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang has been calling my name for a while now. I’ve been hearing rave reviews lately, one of which is from someone who hasn’t even finished it yet. The issue is, once you start a series like that, you kind of have to see it through… especially if it lives up to the hype. That means pushing everything else back, but then again I go where the wind takes me so we shall see how the month goes.
Please do let me know if any of these catch your fancy or if you have already read them. I can’t wait to dive in!
Will keep you all updated! I’ve slowed down on my TikTok but will be posting regular updates on GoodReads and Fable so stick around on those sites to see how it goes.
Thanks for sticking around! I’m excited for next week’s posts so keep an eye out!
Signed,
