Hey Book Lover!
Yes, it’s finally getting wintery! I am a winter fangirl and I cannot hide my excitement! It’s time to wear my beanie, my boots and my warm sweaters. It’s also around this time of the year where I am catching the flu, but let’s not be pessimistic yet… We can finally chill at home in our worn-out pajamas with a cup of hot coffee and in the company of a good book. Moreover, don’t forget that Christmas is approaching and I am sure that you’re already stressing about what presents to buy for your loved ones ( and why not for you too?). Don’t worry though! Books are always a good idea and we’re right here to inspire you with our November choices:

Mirketa’s choice: Collateral Damage (Paraplevres Apolies) by Lefteris Sofias

Plot:
Thomas Toufas is a daring police investigator whose abilities are in question. When Katerina Georgiou is found murdered and thrown in a rubbish bin in the center of Prague, Toufas is recruited from the Athens Crime Prosecution in Prague to monitor the investigations carried out by the local authorities.
“Shout out to the first crime novel of Lefteris! This read was fairly a pleasant surprise for such a new writer! The story caught my attention from the very first page and kept my interest all the way to the end. Full of action and plot twists! Definitely recommend it (currently only available in Greek)”

Eli’s Choice: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Plot:
Linus Baker is a lonely case worker for a governmental organization which manages orphaned kids who are magical beings. One day, he's given a secret assignment to assess a special orphanage on the island of Marsyas, run by a man named Arthur Parnassus, who has secrets of his own. Among the six unique children living there, one of them is Lucy, short for Lucifer, who just happens to be the Antichrist. Despite his initial reservations, as Linus's days pass in Marsyas, in this idyllic setting among a coterie of magical children, Linus finds himself coming across a little romance, an unlikely family and possibly even a home.

“One of the best fantasy books of 2020 by far. The House in the Cerulean Sea is a fun and warm-hearted ride. It holds a profound moral and futuristic ideology. It’s a happy, uncomplicated story about inclusivity, acceptance and discarding prejudices, and it’s a quick and easy read. Totally recommend it!”

#1 NoThinker’s choice: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Plot:
Against the backdrop of the Great Depression, and with America struggling to find its feet, the widowed father and fiercely principled lawyer, Atticus Finch, is left all alone to care for his two children: Jem and Scout. When the young black worker, Tom Robinson, is wrongfully accused of sexually assaulting Mayella Ewell, a white woman living in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama, Atticus decides to take his case and defend him in court, turning his fellow townspeople against him. Suddenly, Atticus and his young children find themselves targeted by the local community, which seems unable to forgive and forget. But, this is a matter of justice and not the colour of one's skin. Will impartiality and reason prevail?
“What can you say about this masterpiece of classic and modern literature? (I can only apologize for taking me so long to add it to our bookclub). It’s human, deep, moving and addresses social issues such as racism which are unfortunately relevant until today. Just read it!

#2 NoThinker’s choice: Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

Plot:
Kafka Tamura runs away from home at fifteen, under the shadow of his father's dark prophesy. The aging Nakata, tracker of lost cats, who never recovered from a bizarre childhood affliction, finds his pleasantly simplified life suddenly turned upside down. Their parallel odysseys are enriched throughout by vivid accomplices and mesmerising dramas. Cats converse with people; fish tumble from the sky; a ghostlike pimp deploys a Hegel-spouting girl of the night; a forest harbours soldiers apparently un-aged since WWII. There is a savage killing, but the identity of both victim and killer is a riddle.
“This book is different and I could say quite peculiar as well. Murakami’s writing style targets a specific type of audience. In this book he interlaces dreams and reality, keeping the reader’s interest at all times. If you like surreal books with a touch of madness in them, then here you are!”

What is your choice?

For you #NOTHINKER,
Eli