Books to Read This Month Instead of Doomscrolling
What I’ve been reading before the year ends, brought to you by Book of the Month
In this last stretch of the year, I have found much refuge in books. The temperature has dropped, responsibilities are piling up, the holidays are coming soon, and a linger of existential dread can be felt in the air. There is so much joy and excitement as we begin to close the chapter of this past year, but also a lot of uncertainty as we get ready to face the change that is coming.
Experiencing the ambivalence of life in such a heightened way inevitably prevents us from feeling things clearly, and to me, books are the anchor that allows me to make sense of those feelings. Even though I am usually a very structured reader, chaotic moments often need to be matched—this means that I’ve been reading multiple books at the same time and experimenting with different formats, which has honestly been so refreshing.
You’ll notice that this month’s selections span across a wide array of genres, topics, and even time periods. I find that expanding in this way helps me gain some perspective as I attempt to see the bigger picture. I don’t read to escape; I read to find myself, so when I speak of the bigger picture, I’m always referring to the one in which I manage to see my reflection. If you’re feeling anything like me during this time, I hope you find a few reads that can make things a little easier for you too.
Today’s post is sponsored by Book of The Month. As always, I only recommend things that I genuinely think you will love :)
Two of the books in this month’s roundup are from Book of the Month, a monthly subscription service that puts together a curated list of new fiction releases to choose from in either hardback or audio format. Picking books can be a really overwhelming task so having this option is a great way to cut through decision fatigue! If nothing in the monthly lineup piques your interest, you can skip the month, and if you end up not liking the one you picked, their Reader’s Guarantee lets you replace it for free in your next box.
If you are looking for a gift for a reader in your life, BOTM is a lovely choice. They offer 3, 6, and 12-month plans, and you can send them as a physical card, a print-at-home option, or by email for instant delivery which is perfect for those last-minute gifts—holiday gifts also come with a free hat :)
You can use my link to get your first book for $5 plus a free gift with code HOLLY <3
Nausea by Jean Paul Sartre
This philosophical novel follows Antoine Roquentin, a historian living in a provincial French town, grappling with a disorienting sense of alienation and existential dread. As he goes about his daily life, he notices how the world around him is beginning to dissolve into a pool of meaninglessness—objects, people, places, and routines are now obsolete. We go on an existential journey in which we must face the idea that life may be inherently void of meaning, and perhaps, what we can do about it.
I first read this book when I was around seventeen, and it felt like one of the biggest slaps in the face I had experienced up to that point. It awoke something in me that, quite honestly, I think is the reason I am sitting here today, writing for all of you beautiful people. Coming back to it years later has been an emotional rollercoaster, but it felt right as I’m figuring out what I want to do with my life. Back then, my teenage self was going through a very difficult time; not only was she struggling deeply with her mental health, but she was also trying her best to make it through the pandemic in one piece—all while trying to graduate high school. Even though this book is quite literally about an existential crisis, it made me feel seen because it put so many of my discombobulated and confusing feelings into words. The thing about existentialism is that once we realize that, if life has no inherent meaning, we are able to create our own.
Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino
This BOTM pick is a contemporary fiction novel about the insanely competitive housing market in Washington, D.C., where 37-year-old publicist Margo Miyake is on the quest to secure her perfect house. After 18 months and 11 failed bids, she gets a tip about a house that hasn’t hit the open market yet, and she becomes willing to go to extreme lengths to get it before it’s publicly listed. Feeling as though this is the only way to get her life on the right track, we get to explore themes of class, ambition, and desire as we see her push past the line between persistence and obsession.
I recently started this book, and it felt like a breath of fresh air against the heavier psychological and philosophical classics I’ve been reading as of late—don’t get me wrong, I have absolutely adored them, but they do tend to pull me out of reality and into beautifully strange existential spirals. This story has brought me right back into the real world, as it not only deals with the absurdity of navigating adulthood in this day and age but has also provided some much-needed laughs. I’m feeling like the training wheels of adulthood are coming off soon; I’m about to start apartment hunting to figure out where I’ll live after graduation, so this book feels like the perfect prelude to this new era of my life.
Fictions by Jorge Luis Borges
A revolutionary collection of short stories that bend reality, identity, and narrative as we find ourselves in this fantastical universe. Labyrinths, fictional scholars, impossible books, and alternate worlds drive us to question the very fabric of reality. These are not just stories—they’re thought experiments that allow us to explore how memory, truth, choice, language, and knowledge construct meaning in stories and in life.
You know when you’re reading a book and you start to come to the realization that it will fundamentally change your life? That’s exactly how I’ve felt making my way through these stories—so much so that I haven’t been able to bring myself to finish it yet, just to savor it a little longer. It’s hard to describe the essence of Borges’s universe; it is a wonderfully surreal space in which logic wavers and reality bends in every possible direction. The most intriguing and captivating thing about these stories is that they often read like nonfiction, which weirdly sets them in a parallel universe to ours. This perspective has led me to question so many aspects of my reality—and the fact that creating it is often up to us.
Before I Forget by Tory Henwood Hoen
This BOTM pick is a late coming-of-age novel that tells the story of 26-year-old Cricket Campbell as she goes through a quarter-life crisis and returns home to care for her father after his Alzheimer’s diagnosis—this decision forces her to confront past trauma, family estrangement, and grief. As her father’s memory unravels, he becomes capable of predicting the future, all while Cricket attempts to piece her own memory back together.
As I read the first few pages of this book, I realized I had to save it for when I head back home for the holidays—the premise aligns a little too well with the emotional whirlwinds that usually happen during this time of year, along with some difficult situations in my family. December has always made me reminisce about the past, from reflecting on the craziness of the year to grieving the losses of what I’ve been forced to leave behind. As I’ve built a life away from home, going back feels like entering a haunted house; I see the ghosts of my past everywhere I look, especially the ones I’ve tried my best to avoid. I’m really looking forward to reading this when I’m home, hoping that Cricket’s experience makes me feel a little less lonely as I go through my own.
The Nun by Denis Diderot
This 18th-century novel is presented as a series of letters written by Suzanne Simonin, a young woman who is forced into a convent due to her family’s reputation. These letters begin as an attempt to resist her vows but then turn into a detailed account of the torture she endures because of the institutional control within the convents she is forced to live in. Suzanne exposes the cruelty, manipulation, and problematic power dynamics within religious life, all while she attempts to assert her own will when everything around her tries to break it.
This time of year inevitably makes me confront my relationship with religion, given that I spend the holidays with my extremely Catholic family. I was raised to be very religious, not just because of my family but because of my all-girls Catholic school—regardless of everyone’s efforts, it unfortunately didn’t work. It’s not that I hold anything against religion; so much of it has been fundamental to my identity. However, I refuse to ignore the systemic issues that make the Church one of the most powerful institutions on Earth. Leaving my personal beliefs aside, this book is such a subversive and all-consuming exploration of so many things that organized religions fail to address. Having this perspective from within gave me clarity on a lot of the things I had been exploring, especially as I attempt to understand spirituality separate from religious institutions.
I'm new to this app and this is the first post I read. Loved your BOTMS and the briefing<3
Really like the book reccomendations and how they have effected you. Very personal entry. Keep it up!