Counting my bookish blessings

 It has been quite the rough start to the year, to say the least, but the one thing that helps to lift my spirits is having good books to read and talk about.

Just getting access to new reads is a true blessing; by the end of last year, I had won two titles in giveaways and discovered a possible gem in a Little Free Library. So, in interest of sharing my good fortune, let’s take a look at this trio of bookish prizes here:

I, Medusa: This retelling of the classic myth from Ayana Gray has our leading lady destined to be a villain shown in a different light. 

As the daughter of minor deities, Meddy is thrilled to be noticed by the great goddess Athena and granted a place amongst her high priestesses at her temple in Athens. Quickly becoming a favorite, she also gains the attention of another god but with more dire consequences than expected.

Forced into a punishment for a crime that she’s innocent of, Medusa decides to use her monstrous status as a means of striking back against those who inflict their malice carelessly upon others.

Thanks to The First Look Book Club, I was given not only the chance to read this intriguing book but to get such an excellent edition (sprayed edges and all) as well:

Thanks to an author giveaway, I was sent a copy of Ava Morgyn’s most recent novel, The Bane Witch, along with a signed bookplate and a couple of postcards connected to the world of the story!

That story begins with Piers Corbin, a woman fleeing from a terrible marriage who finds refuge with her great aunt in a small mountain town. While rebuilding her life, Piers learns that she is the latest in a long line of “bane witches “-women who can tap into poison magic in order to take down evil men.

As she settles into her new community, a dangerous threat in the form of a serial killer makes their presence known. Soon enough, Piers realizes that her special set of sorcery skills are needed to halt this predator in his tracks but can she do so without revealing who she really is?

This premise sounds awesome and I do like the Poison Ivy vibes that this tale is giving off. I may save it for a future readathon this spring but in the meantime, this poisonous page turner is a welcome addition to my literary garden:

During my last library haul of 2025(that post will be available soon!), I stopped by a Little Free Library nearby and found a book that I have heard nothing but praise for, an extra treat that day.

Sulari Gentill’s The Woman in the Library starts at the Boston Public Library, as a group of strangers using the Reading Room are instant suspects in a murder that took place in that very building at the same time they were all there.

It’s more than your average mystery, however, as this story is being created by Hannah, an Australian writer who is getting the insights on Boston from Leo, a fan of her work who is happy to help via correspondence. His advice is very useful but are his suggestions merely artistic input or something a bit more sinister than that?

To be honest, the books left at this particular LFL can be very hit or miss for the most part( not a complaint, just an observation)so finding this book was very much in the golden ticket category here. Also, I do enjoy the whole book within a book setting along the lines of The Magpie Murders and their sequels, which makes this find all the more of a delight:

So, as I said earlier, this new year has gotten off to a terrible start and the events of yesterday have certainly made things incredibly worse. I share my condolences with the wider world to those directly impacted by such horror and wish them better days to come.

Someone online today wondered aloud why anyone would bother with book content at a time like this and that perspective is totally understandable. Yes, it can feel trivial to focus on art related topics during an ongoing crisis like this and if you want to opt out, I get it.

However, I feel that it’s important to remind ourselves of the better nature of humanity out there in times like these. While it is extremely difficult to do that, it is a necessity to surviving and thriving under such stress.

Art, whether in book, film, television or otherwise, is a reflection of that humanity and while it’s not always pretty, it’s also a powerful incentive for us as a people to do better for not just ourselves but future generations who may face (hopefully not) even worse circumstances than ours in their lives. 

Granted , not all art is intended to do that but inspiration can come from the most unlikely sources and supporting such outbursts of imagination is the first in many steps towards the evolution of a more promising world to come.

So, look forward to a better tomorrow but in the meantime, it is okay to look forward to a new book from your favorite author, that upcoming summer blockbuster or the next great PBS miniseries. Entertainment is a healthy part of a balanced emotional diet, if you ask me: