The Gems in the Bookshelves

"It's hard to find quality books these days."

My fellow readers out there will probably sympathize with this statement. Sure, there are thousands more books these days than before. But as the market presses for quick releases, we are watching quality drop in many regards. Many books are filled with fast-paced action, devastating romance, and renegade characters. But they've lost the charm of Jane Austen's characters, the richness of J.R.R. Tolkien's world.

I, personally, can still enjoy those books – the ones that are thrilling and exciting versus thought provoking. However, I always hit a point when I need something better; I need something that slows me down, something that makes me cry or brings a deeper awe that sits with me long after I finish the book.

Today, I'm going to share a list of a handful of standalone novels that I have found impressive over the years. These books are written in modern times, but have many more layers, more compelling romances (if any), and have deeper, richer premises than the average novel.

Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds

By Brandon Sanderson

This is one of Sanderson’s lesser known books. And many would say that it’s not nearly as good as say The Stormlight Archive, or Mistborn. I’d probably agree with them. However, this book – or short story collection – still caught me off guard.

It’s not that I fell in love with the worldbuilding like with other books by Sanderson. I wasn’t even all that impressed with the individual story arcs of each short story. What I loved was the major, overarching storyline. Stephen Leeds and his many ‘imaginary’ friends captivated me. As a reader, learning how he built these close friends around himself, and how he lost himself without them, drew me in. And the last third of the novel almost broke me.

Trigger warnings: Violence, Depression/Mental Illness

Piranesi

By Susanna Clarke

This book is mysterious. It’s fantastical. It’s downright confusing at first. I’ve heard conflicting reports on this novel, some loving it, some not so impressed. Since this novel is in the list, you guys can guess that I liked it.

It’s slow. It’s abstract. I won’t deny that. Susanna Clarke doesn’t go for straightforward. However, I found the foundation of the story to be incredible. Reading about the House felt like staring at an optical illusion. I loved the twists and turns, the simplicity of the main character, and the feeling of being lost that permeated every aspect of the story.

The story itself was mindbending. So again, it’s odd. But I love the strange stories that are different from the typical fantasy or dystopian novels. And this one was refreshing in its differences.

Trigger warnings: Emotional Abuse, Kidnapping, Violence

Gallant

By V E Schwab

As prolific a reader as I am, I have not leaned very heavily into the horror genre. This was one of my first introductions to the genre. It was dark and very gothic. The worldbuilding, despite being only the small sphere of Gallant and its grounds, was utterly fascinating. The tension never sagged, and the ending left me thirsty for more.

The main character, Olivia, was a good fit for the book, with an amazing character voice that fed the intrigue and dark aspects. I loved the quirks to her personality and how she overcame her personal difficulties. She’s stubborn, but not overly so. She’s smart and she’s a fighter, though not the classic ‘I can take out anyone’ way.

The imagery was gorgeous. I could see every little bit of Gallant and I could feel the weight of the gloom around it. The backstory that they slowly fed was so beautiful, even though it was heartbreaking. The entire atmosphere of the story was crafted so well. It’s the sort of feel that I aspire for in my own writing.

Trigger warnings: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide (not on page), Self-Harm, Violence, Child/Emotional Abuse

The Book Thief

By Markus Zusak

This is one of the only books that has ever made me cry. I do not easily cry over books. I can ache for the characters but very rarely do I tear up, and even rarer is when those tears actually fall.

The Book Thief was unique to me. The writing style, the premise, was very different from what the title led me to believe. The World War II setting was taken and used as a canvas, or the foundation, rather than just the red paint. The thievery was built from curiosity. And as the main character was a child, she saw the world differently than we might.

It was compelling, though it was slow. It's hard to follow at first, but the fight is worth it. Perhaps the most interesting thing I found about The Book Thief was that instead of watching from Britain, France, or any other countries on the side of the Allies, the book was set in Germany. It was set at the heart of it all. And yet Zusak took a handful of characters from the midst of that and spun a painfully beautiful story built with desperate hope and found family.

Trigger Warnings: Profanity, Suicide, Violence, Holocaust, Physical Abuse, Alcohol Abuse

The Q

By Beth Brower

This book is one of the few romances that I have ever truly enjoyed, outside of the classics. Instead of ranting for the next few paragraphs about the romance genre, let me put it simply: I don't like modern romance.

This, however, is an exception.

Quincy St. Claire, the main character, feels like she should be hard to relate to. And at first, she is. She's a literal genius, a business prodigy, and keeps her cards close to her chest. But her fierce protectiveness, her need for consistency, and her loneliness caught my attention as the book developed. From there, I was swept away by the firm friendships she built with Arch, Fisher, Crow, and others. It wasn't hard to root for her slow romance when it came from the foundation of friendship and struggle.

Trigger Warnings: Child Abuse (labor), Romantic Touch, Violence

Madman

By Tracy Groot

I have no words. This was given to me as a gift and I was absolutely blown away by it.

I'll have you know something: I'm a sucker for Greek mythology. So when I found that this was a psychological, supernatural thriller set in first century Israel with Greek mythology, I was sold.

I've been turned off by Christian fiction in the past. Frank Peretti, another author of supernatural thrillers, is among my favorite authors of Christian fiction, as he handles the Christian aspects better than most. But even he ends his novels –or the ones that I have read– with a sweeping ‘everything feels perfect now'. This book avoids that pitfall. I appreciated how Groot balanced the Christian themes with the heaviness of the premise. Madman was dark. It reeks of supernatural evil; it’s heavy and depressing. And Tracy Groot didn’t make light of any of that. Instead, Groot took the brokenness and married it with the biblical story in such a way that neither drowned out the other. I don’t think I’ve seen that done this well before.

Trigger warnings: Depression, Suicide, Self-Harm, Demonic Forces, Violence, Cannibalism, Child Sacrifice, Child Abuse, Murder/Intense Gore, Psychological Torment, Substance Abuse

Have a book you want me to read? Drop a comment below and I’ll look into it!

Note: I will not read books with smut, heavy spice, or on-page sexual content.