The Bibliophile's Compass

Title : What My Bones Know Author : Stephanie Foo Publication Year : 2022 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pages : 352 Source : audiobook @storytel.tr Genre : memoir, complex-PTSD Opening Sentence : “Do you want to know your diagnosis?” The first sentence of this memoir immediately signals the beginning of a difficult journey toward healing. Naming an illness—whether physical or mental—is an essential first step. You cannot confront or address something you cannot identify. Before diagnosis, there is only confusion and uncertainty; after it, there is at least the possibility of direction, however uncertain or imperfect that path may be. What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo is a memoir chronicling her life-long journey through relentless abuse and trauma, culminating in a diagnosis of Complex PTSD and her determined effort to heal. Foo’s account is brutally honest and deeply affecting, pulling no punches about the pain and setbacks she endures. This book is not an easy read; it may trigger anxiet...

Title : Babel, or the Necessity of Violence Author : R. F. Kuang Publication Year : 2022 Pages : 544 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Dark Academia Source : Audiobook @storytel.tr Awards : Winner of the Blackwell's Books of the Year, the Nebula Award, the Alex Award, the British Book Award, and the Locus Award; Shortlisted for the New England Book Award, the Waterstones Book of the Year, the Dragon Award, the Ignyte Awards, the RUSA CODES Reading List, Indie Book Award, and the Prix Imaginales Opening Sentence: By the time Professor Richard Lovell found his way through Canton’s narrow alleys to the faded address in his diary, the boy was the only one in the house left alive. R. F. Kuang’s Babel exploers British imperialism, racism, and capitalism, all set against a magical version of Oxford in the 1830s. This is one of those books people either love or hate—there’s not much in-between! Honestly, I’ve been torn about this book from the start, and I’ve got...

2012 Boneland by Alan Garner is published A sequel to  The Weirdstone of Brisingamen  and  The Moon of Gomrath . The boy Colin from the earlier novels is now an adult, still living near the top of Alderley Edge but now a professor working at the nearby Jodrell Bank Observatory. 2012 If Cats Disappeared from the World by Genki Kawamura is published  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ When an unexpected diagnosis turns his world upside down, a lonely man, with only Cabbage the cat for company, is faced with an impossible choice. 2017 Late author Terry Pratchett' unfinished works destroyed by steamroller as per his instructions 2018 The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker published It recounts the events of the  Iliad  chiefly from the point of view of Briseis. 2022 The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell is published It brings the world of Renaissance Italy to jewel-bright life in this unforgettable fictional portrait of the captivating young duches...

Title : Reluctant Immortals Author : Gwendolyn Kiste Publication Year : 2022 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Horror, Fantasy, Vampire, Gothic, Retelling Source : Audiobook @storytel.tr Opening Sentence : It’s almost sundown in Los Angeles, and Dracula’s ashes won’t shut up. I have mixed feelings about this book, primarily due to my personal preferences when it comes to style and genre. You might wonder why I picked it up, especially since horror, fantasy, and modern vampire stories aren’t typically my favorites. However, this book offers a fresh retelling of two classic tales from the perspectives of unvoiced or silences female characters—Lucy and Bertha—from Bram Stoker's “Dracula” and Charlotte Brontë's “Jane Eyre.” It's hard to resist reading something that gives a voice to often overlooked women in literature! My ambivalence comes from a couple of reasons. First, I personally shy away from fantasy and horror, and I prefer to watch them on the screen, of course those that a...

2021 Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead It is the follow-up to Whitehead's 2019 novel  The Nickel Boys and is a work of crime fiction and a family saga that takes place in Harlem between 1959 and 1964. Finalist for the 2021 Kirkus Prize for Fiction 2022 Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence by R. F. Kuang is published Babel is set in an alternative reality in which Britain's global economic and colonial supremacy are fueled by the use of magical silver bars. 2022 Winner of the Blackwell's Books of the Year 2022 Nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award 2022 Listed for the Best of Kirkus Reviews 2022 Winner of the Nebula Award 2022 Shortlisted for the New England Book Award 2022 Shortlisted for the Waterstones Book of the Year 2023 Winner of the Alex Award 2023 Winner of the British Book Award 2023 Shortlisted for the Dragon Award 2023 Shortlisted for the Ignyte Awards 2023 Winner of the Locus Award 2023 Shortli...

🔴 1863 Samuel Butler publishes 1st part of "Erewhon" in Christchurch, New Zealand 🔴 1991 Angela Carter’s Wise Children published 🔴 2022 Freida McFadden’s The Inmate published

Title : Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone Author : Benjamin Stevenson Publication Year : 2022 Pages : 371 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Humor, Metafiction Source : Audiobook @everand_us I was looking for something light and entertaining, something that would definitely make me laugh, and Stevenson did not disappoint! The humor was sharp, witty, and refreshingly clever—definitely a solid four stars right from the start! Then, just when I thought it couldn't get any better, our charismatic narrator, Ernest Cunningham, an author in his own right, reveals all the juicy secrets—not just about the murders, but also about how he crafted this captivating tale. Just like that, it earned five stars! So, what’s the plot? Well, the title gives it all away: it’s about a family with a killer streak—literally! Our goal, as curious readers, is to figure out how every single member of this clan, even the extended family, became a murderer! You can’t help but wonder...

I recently picked up Freida McFadden's The Housemaid from my fun-TBR list, hoping for a little thrill to kill time. What I got was more like a rollercoaster ride through Crazytown, as I found myself rolling my eyes and feeling disturbed throughout much of it. Having enjoyed McFadden's The Boyfriend and read a few chapters of The Devil Wears Scrubs , I thought I was prepared for the thrilling yet disturbing scenes ahead. While it fell a bit short on the thrill factor, it succeeded in being quite disturbing. Additionally, romance isn't really my thing, so I found it hard to stomach the swoony moments, especially lines like, "Oh, he's so handsome! If only he weren't my boss's husband!" I seriously rolled my eyes every single time. Things took a turn for the weird with some seriously messed-up punishments. I won't get into the details, but let's just say it's definitely not a cozy mystery. However, I'll give credit where it's due; I...