Have you ever gotten so wrapped up in a book (or show) that when it ends you feel this sudden emptiness.. Feeling unsure of how to go back to normal life? That happened with me this month (after a really long time)! I dedicated this month to reading books from my current two favourite genres – mythological fiction and crime thrillers. I read two books from each genre and one of the four books totally blew my mind. So which books did I read this month?

Ariadne By Jennifer Saint

The line in the book’s description that got me was ‘perfect for fans of The Song of Achilles and Circe’. If you’ve read my favourite reads of 2021, you’ll know how obsessed I am with Madeline Miller’s books. So I picked up this book this month.

Ariadne is the Princess of the Greek Island of Crete. Far from a normal childhood, Ariadne suffers humiliation due to the shame that is her monster half-brother, Minotaur. To feed the bloodthirst of the Minotaur, annually Athens sends 14 of its children as a peace offering to Crete. In one such drawing, the Prince of Athens, the mighty Theseus comes to the island in place of the 14th child. Ariadne falls in love with him at first sight and helps him and the other 13 escape. But what does fate have in store for Ariadne?

Review: I’m obsessed with Greek mythology retellings, especially ones that lend colour to the women’s perspectives. Women have been marginalized and made secondary characters in most Greek and Indian mythologies, stories that give them a voice always intrigue me. Was this the best retelling I’ve read? No. Even though I wanted to really like Ariadne, I just couldn’t connect with her story after the first half. As much as I wanted to appreciate the women’s struggles, I just didn’t find myself drawn into their stories. Overall it was a decently interesting read.

Rating: 6.5/10

Find it here on Amazon.

A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder by Holly Jackson

Andie Bell, a high schooler was murdered one night, allegedly by her boyfriend, Sal Singh. Five years later, Pip, another high schooler, decides to take up the case as part of a school project to investigate whether Sal really killed Andie. As she starts uncovering some truths, someone in town tries to keep her from reaching the bottom of the story. Will Pip be able to discover what happened that fateful night that Andie was killed?

Review: I LOVED this book. I was so hooked to the storyline that I found it so hard to keep the book down. The book has been written really well and the build-up is amazing. The ending was a little disappointing but then again, I am disappointed by most thriller endings. Overall definitely my best read yet in 2022 and definitely one of my favourite thriller reads. I felt like there was a void in my life after I finished reading the book, I wanted to keep reading more. Can’t wait to pick up part two of this series.

Rating: 9/10

Check it out here on Amazon.

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

Jess is trying to escape her life in London and lands up at the footstep of her half-brother Benjamin’s house in Paris but he isn’t there and isn’t replying to any of her texts. The apartment complex he lives in though fancy gives out an eerie vibe. What are the secrets that the residents of the complex are hiding? Can Jess uncover the truth behind what happened to Benjamin?

Review: I picked up this book since I absolutely loved ‘The Guest List’ by Lucy Foley. It has been written in a similar style with each chapter progressing the story but from the point of view of a different character. The book has been written really well with a fast pace that kept me hooked. The storyline wasn’t the most WOW thing that I’ve read but it was a thrilling one-time read for me.

Rating: 7.5/10

Check it out here on Amazon.

Galatea by Madeline Miller

This is a short story retelling of the Greek mythology of Galatea, the sculpture that is brought to life by the Goddess Aphrodite and marries her creator, Pygmalion.

Review: I love Madeline Miller. Her words have a way of making me feel connected to her characters. While this is too short a story to leave a very deep mark but I still liked reading this short story. Give it a read if you are a fellow Madeline Miller fan.

Rating: 8/10

Check it out on Amazon here.

Honestly, all 4 reads were good and I quite enjoyed my reading spree this month. I’m glad I binged on the genres I am currently obsessed with. What did you read this month? Leave your recommendations for me!

Check out my other recent posts here –

• Why Am I Scared?
• January 2023: Monthly Book Reads and Reviews
• Rediscovering Delhi – The City of Djinns: Feroz Shah Kotla Fort
• Banaras – The City of Light & Liberation:  Moksha-Prakāshikā Kāshī (Travel Guide)
• January 2023 Check-in: Where Have I Been?