Pure Escapism: 5 Books To Get You Out Of Your Head
With all the intense things going on in the world right now, we here at Pile of Books believe it’s important to fight, stand up in any way you can, and stay informed. But sometimes, it’s also nice to just get away for a little bit. So, this month I’m giving you 5 books that will let you have a little bit (or a lotta bit) of fun. And yes, all these books are currently available at the shop.
Happy Reading!
King Sorrow by Joe Hill- I cannot stop talking about this book. I read it at the end of last year, and I think I’ve recommended it successfully to about a billion people already. If you like fantasy, dark academia and a touch of horror, this is for you. A group of friends make a pact with a dragon that they pull out of another world. But the cost is higher than they anticipated. It’s Faustian, it’s funny, it’s weird, it’s magical and even though it’s about 900 pages, it wasn’t long enough. I adore this book.
Red Rising series by Pierce Brown- Ok, this might come as a surprise for those of you who know me. I am not a scifi person. Never have been. But I got this series for my husband, who is not a reader (I know right) and he devoured the first three books in the series. He told me I should try it, that I didn’t know what I was missing, and I was like yeah ok whatever. Guys… I don’t know what kind of drugs Pierce puts into his books, but I am hooked. I read the first three books in a week. I am not a person who needs to read a series all at once, but the second I finished one, I picked up the next. I am currently on the fifth, and it has quite literally taken over my life. I might need help.
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens- Ah, a classic. Dickens is just a big warm hug to me. I really started my Dickens journey last year, and I can’t get enough. David Copperfield probably took me the longest ever to read a single book, as I kept reading other things in between, but when it was over, I felt lost. Devastated. All my friends were gone. David, Ham, Agnes, Mr. Micawber, even Uriah. I missed them and I am definitely going to re-read this one. It’s a great coming of age story. It’ll make you laugh and cry and scream in frustration because boys were dumb 200 years ago, too. It’s a fantastic place to start if you’re thinking about getting into Dickens.
With a Vengeance by Riley Sager- Sager is one of my favorite modern thriller writers. He dances on the line of realistic crime and supernatural in a way I just find really entertaining. No, compared to Dickens his prose probably won’t blow you away. But he keeps you guessing. His newest one was a great homage to Agatha Christie and classics like Murder on the Orient Express. If you like old time-y trains and political intrigue, as well as a dame who can handle herself, this one is for you.
Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie- Speak of the queen of crime novels herself… God I just love a murder set in a small town in England somewhere. If you love thrillers and murder mysteries and haven’t read Agatha Christie… what are you doing? And if you haven’t read this one, come by and grab a copy, because it’s also the Ink Drinkers choice for our meeting on the 28th of February!