Books of the Week
By Milly the Bookie
Contributor
Night Calls
Rex Anderson
4 stars
I think there’s a problem. Not a serious one, mind you; I talk books. But have you noticed the amount of pretty books cluttering shelves and filling up my TikTok feed? They seem to be multiplying; every time I turn around, they double, and I already have so little room for new books. I love pretty books, but I also like good books, and the more I read, the more my standards rise. Unfortunately, these pretty books don’t always qualify for my refined taste. So, today, I’d love to tell you about some of the books I’ve inherited or found at thrift stores. Reading isn’t always about having the newest, most popular book. Read what you love!
So, Night Calls (it’s very possible I’ve already mentioned this book before). I don’t remember how I obtained this book or who chewed off half the cover, but I can say that it grabbed my attention. From 1986, with a whopping eleven reviews on Goodreads boiling down to three stars. The author might be dead, but he deserves more than this.
It is a creative horror book centering on realistic police investigations paired with a simultaneous story of a woman attempting to escape an abusive relationship. The two storylines cross over, but not in any meaningful way, just a sort of a fun nod to one another, but they are both equally interesting. The descriptive language is hilariously over the top, and the 80s perspective is so interesting. Car phones- did you know this was a thing? It gives a similar feeling to watching an old movie, and while there is a bit of “women written by men”, it’s still tasteful, and I personally found it kind of funny. Perspective is everything.
A Darker Shade of Magic
V.E. Schwab
5 stars
I’m not really sure if this book is ndajvery well known. I was aware of jjshuV.E. Schwab before this incredible find in a super random secondhand store in Toronto. (I had read Vicious and Vengeful – very good, highly recommend) With 300,000 ratings on Goodreads and an average of 4 stars (and some really enthusiastic hater called Darth J whose negative review of this book is longer than the entirety of mine), it seems known enough. I personally loved this book and swallowed its contents within a week, which is fast for me, okay–don’t judge my reading speed. The sheer imagination that was put into this book is incomprehensible. It’s beautiful, the relationship (my favourite part of a book),the action (my favourite part of this book), and the magic (my favourite thing that only exists in books). I’ll admit that this book is a tough one to read… It’s really comprehensive, if that’s the right word? I read it with an audiobook (I’m a cheater, I know), but it helped me really enjoy it. It truly is an amazing work of fiction, and the author is so talented.
It’s somewhat against the point to recommend books; I suppose my intention is for you to read these books and, therefore, obtain them. But go to a second-hand store. There’s one in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue (next to the tattoo shop) that you should check out. Or you could also donate; I’ve given some of my precious babies to this place, so go see what you can find (I donated books I didn’t like; I would never bring myself to part with my true cups of tea).