10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak
312 Pages, Published In 2019
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The novel opens with a murdered prostitute dumped in a trash bin in Istanbul. Her heart has stopped, yet her brain remains active for the next 10m 38s, carrying her through fragments of memory—birth, childhood, family, friendships, and life in Istanbul. Beautifully written, as always by Shafak, the book feels both like a lament and a love letter to Istanbul—a deeply conflicted city suspended between East and West, religions and secularism, tradition and modernity. Dark, humane, and moving.
The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
645 Pages, Published In 2023
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An epic 645-page family saga set in post-2008-crash Dublin, constantly shifting between punctuated and unpunctuated prose, 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-person narration, even scenes written like a play. Chapters swing from 40-page immersions to 3-page fragments. It reads like a kaleidoscope. Everyone carries a dark secret as the tension quietly builds and the mystery slowly unravels. Dark, haunting, with a multi-metaphorical title and a mystifying ending. I hated every character yet loved the book.
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
250 Pages, Published In 2022
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One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad
208 Pages, Published In 2025
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A harsh, unsettling nonfiction by journalist Omar El Akkad, drawing on his personal and professional experiences, offering a devastating critique of Western ideals—freedom and justice—and the hypocrisy of supporting inhumane wars and mass violence. “An eighteen-month-old with a bullet wound to the forehead. Maybe the sniper was aiming elsewhere. Maybe there’s some explanation. Maybe it was necessary.” There is no explanation. It was not necessary. We cannot rationalize the unjustifiable.
The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani
485 Pages, Published In 2012
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An epic tale of Italian immigrants journeying from the northern Italian Alps to Little Italy in NYC, and eventually to Minnesota. Spanning three generations, they carry their traditions with them—honing the crafts of shoemaking and seamstressing while building new lives in a foreign land. Set against the backdrop of two World Wars, the novel is a moving portrait of loss, family, love, loyalty, and endurance—of people bound by heritage and devotion, finding ways to hold on to one another.
Dracula by Bram Stoker
488 Pages, Published In 1897
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Dracula (1897) is a gothic classic that masterfully balances bone-chilling horror with a deep sense of intimacy. The atmospheric castle and looming vampires are so vivid that I avoided reading at night for fear of nightmares. Told through journals and letters, it feels as though the characters are whispering their secrets directly into your ear. Nearly 500 pages, never a dull moment. It is a powerful journey of conquering evil through the strength of friendship, love, trust, and sacrifice.
The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose
128 Pages, Published In 2024
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Nita Prose’s The Mistletoe Mystery (Molly the Maid, 2.5) is a cozy Christmas novella. At under 200 pages, this short, holiday read is exactly what we need in the heart of a brutally cold winter. Returning to the familiar Regency Grand Hotel and endearing character Molly Gray’s orderly world brings so much comfort to the page. This heartwarming story explores love, trust, and vulnerability in a way that feels both tender and necessary in today’s world.
Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
98 Pages, Published In 1998
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Spencer Johnson’s Who Moved My Cheese? (1998) remains a timeless business classic that offers profound lessons on navigating uncertainty. Its core message—to stay adaptable and proactive—is more relevant today than ever in our rapidly changing world. At fewer than 100 pages, this short, concise fable resonates with both professional and personal life. A gift from my boss 20 years ago is now being passed on to the next generation, as its insights into managing change are truly ageless.
We'll Prescribe You Another Cat by Syou Ishida
304 Pages, Published In 2023
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We’ll Prescribe You Another Cat is the 2nd book in this quietly magical series, centered on a mysterious clinic that prescribes cats instead of medicine. Warm, comforting, simple, yet philosophical, the novel captures the essence of contemporary Japanese literature, with a gentle touch of magical realism. At its heart, it celebrates the profound bond between humans and animals, suggesting that cats—and perhaps all creatures—hold a unique healing power by bringing comfort and connection.
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
368 Pages, Published In 2022
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Remarkably Bright Creatures, a debut by Shelby Van Pelt, is a warm and uplifting novel that explores friendship, grief, and human connection through the alternating perspectives of a giant Pacific octopus and a 70-year-old widow who is a cleaner at the aquarium. The story is surprisingly action-packed, with lovely characters and a mysterious plot that keeps readers cliff-hanging until the very end. And as the title gently suggests, the “remarkably bright creature” isn’t only the octopus.